Sample records for las tunas cuba

  1. Turkey vulture surveys in Cuba

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wotzkow, C.; Wiley, J.W.

    1988-01-01

    Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura), were surveyed monthly in Cuba from March 1982-January 1983. A total of 25371 vultures were tallied in 7186 km (3.5 vultures/transect km) of roadside counting along main highways leading from the city of La Habana (northwestern Cuba) to the city of Las Tunas (southeast). Numbers of vultures counted declined substantially beyond 200 m from the transect road. Density of vultures observed within 200 m of the road along the transect route was 0.06/ha. Highest counts were obtained in March, April and June. Turkey Vulture flying activity was greatest during the periods 0900-1200 H and 1400-1700 H.

  2. Development of a qPCR Method for the Identification and Quantification of Two Closely Related Tuna Species, Bigeye Tuna (Thunnus obesus) and Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares), in Canned Tuna.

    PubMed

    Bojolly, Daline; Doyen, Périne; Le Fur, Bruno; Christaki, Urania; Verrez-Bagnis, Véronique; Grard, Thierry

    2017-02-01

    Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) are among the most widely used tuna species for canning purposes. Not only substitution but also mixing of tuna species is prohibited by the European regulation for canned tuna products. However, as juveniles of bigeye and yellowfin tunas are very difficult to distinguish, unintentional substitutions may occur during the canning process. In this study, two mitochondrial markers from NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 and cytochrome c oxidase subunit II genes were used to identify bigeye tuna and yellowfin tuna, respectively, utilizing TaqMan qPCR methodology. Two different qPCR-based methods were developed to quantify the percentage of flesh of each species used for can processing. The first one was based on absolute quantification using standard curves realized with these two markers; the second one was founded on relative quantification with the universal 12S rRNA gene as the endogenous gene. On the basis of our results, we conclude that our methodology could be applied to authenticate these two closely related tuna species when used in a binary mix in tuna cans.

  3. Cuba: Exploring the History of Admixture and the Genetic Basis of Pigmentation Using Autosomal and Uniparental Markers

    PubMed Central

    Fuentes-Smith, Evelyn; Salas, Antonio; Buttenschøn, Henriette N.; Demontis, Ditte; Torres-Español, María; Marín-Padrón, Lilia C.; Gómez-Cabezas, Enrique J.; Álvarez-Iglesias, Vanesa; Mosquera-Miguel, Ana; Martínez-Fuentes, Antonio; Carracedo, Ángel; Børglum, Anders D.; Mors, Ole

    2014-01-01

    We carried out an admixture analysis of a sample comprising 1,019 individuals from all the provinces of Cuba. We used a panel of 128 autosomal Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs) to estimate the admixture proportions. We also characterized a number of haplogroup diagnostic markers in the mtDNA and Y-chromosome in order to evaluate admixture using uniparental markers. Finally, we analyzed the association of 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with quantitative estimates of skin pigmentation. In the total sample, the average European, African and Native American contributions as estimated from autosomal AIMs were 72%, 20% and 8%, respectively. The Eastern provinces of Cuba showed relatively higher African and Native American contributions than the Western provinces. In particular, the highest proportion of African ancestry was observed in the provinces of Guantánamo (40%) and Santiago de Cuba (39%), and the highest proportion of Native American ancestry in Granma (15%), Holguín (12%) and Las Tunas (12%). We found evidence of substantial population stratification in the current Cuban population, emphasizing the need to control for the effects of population stratification in association studies including individuals from Cuba. The results of the analyses of uniparental markers were concordant with those observed in the autosomes. These geographic patterns in admixture proportions are fully consistent with historical and archaeological information. Additionally, we identified a sex-biased pattern in the process of gene flow, with a substantially higher European contribution from the paternal side, and higher Native American and African contributions from the maternal side. This sex-biased contribution was particularly evident for Native American ancestry. Finally, we observed that SNPs located in the genes SLC24A5 and SLC45A2 are strongly associated with melanin levels in the sample. PMID:25058410

  4. Cuba: exploring the history of admixture and the genetic basis of pigmentation using autosomal and uniparental markers.

    PubMed

    Marcheco-Teruel, Beatriz; Parra, Esteban J; Fuentes-Smith, Evelyn; Salas, Antonio; Buttenschøn, Henriette N; Demontis, Ditte; Torres-Español, María; Marín-Padrón, Lilia C; Gómez-Cabezas, Enrique J; Alvarez-Iglesias, Vanesa; Mosquera-Miguel, Ana; Martínez-Fuentes, Antonio; Carracedo, Angel; Børglum, Anders D; Mors, Ole

    2014-07-01

    We carried out an admixture analysis of a sample comprising 1,019 individuals from all the provinces of Cuba. We used a panel of 128 autosomal Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs) to estimate the admixture proportions. We also characterized a number of haplogroup diagnostic markers in the mtDNA and Y-chromosome in order to evaluate admixture using uniparental markers. Finally, we analyzed the association of 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with quantitative estimates of skin pigmentation. In the total sample, the average European, African and Native American contributions as estimated from autosomal AIMs were 72%, 20% and 8%, respectively. The Eastern provinces of Cuba showed relatively higher African and Native American contributions than the Western provinces. In particular, the highest proportion of African ancestry was observed in the provinces of Guantánamo (40%) and Santiago de Cuba (39%), and the highest proportion of Native American ancestry in Granma (15%), Holguín (12%) and Las Tunas (12%). We found evidence of substantial population stratification in the current Cuban population, emphasizing the need to control for the effects of population stratification in association studies including individuals from Cuba. The results of the analyses of uniparental markers were concordant with those observed in the autosomes. These geographic patterns in admixture proportions are fully consistent with historical and archaeological information. Additionally, we identified a sex-biased pattern in the process of gene flow, with a substantially higher European contribution from the paternal side, and higher Native American and African contributions from the maternal side. This sex-biased contribution was particularly evident for Native American ancestry. Finally, we observed that SNPs located in the genes SLC24A5 and SLC45A2 are strongly associated with melanin levels in the sample.

  5. 76 FR 18504 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas and Atlantic Tuna Fisheries...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-04

    ...-BA65 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas and Atlantic Tuna Fisheries..., 2011, NMFS published a proposed rule to modify Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) base quotas for all domestic...); amend the Atlantic tunas possession at sea and landing regulations to allow removal of Atlantic tunas...

  6. Security Requirements for Post-Transition Cuba

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-08-01

    modern circum-Caribbean militaries: control of air- and sea -space against transnational criminals. The military will need a new structure for these...in the yacht , Granma, landing near Playa de Las Colorados in Oriente Province on December 2, 1956. This area of southeastern Cuba had been where...Communist Party of Cuba did 10 not support Fidel until early 1958,14 which irritated him and caused him to distrust the party. By January 1, 1959, the

  7. Mercury in fish products: what's the best for consumers between bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna?

    PubMed

    Cammilleri, Gaetano; Vazzana, Mirella; Arizza, Vincenzo; Giunta, Francesca; Vella, Antonio; Lo Dico, Gianluigi; Giaccone, Vita; Giofrè, Salvatore V; Giangrosso, Giuseppe; Cicero, Nicola; Ferrantelli, Vincenzo

    2018-02-01

    A total of 205 bluefin and yellowfin tuna samples were examined for mercury detection in order to verify possible differences and have a detailed risk assessment of the two tuna species. The results showed significant higher mercury concentration in muscle tissue of bluefin tuna respect yellowfin tuna (p < 0.001) with mean concentration of 0.84 mg/kg and maximum value of 1.94 mg/kg. These differences can be due the different biological and ecological aspects of the two tuna species and to different oceanographic aspects between Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean sea. The results obtained in this study suggest an advisable containment of the sources of pollution and further studies on the closed-loop farming of bluefin tuna, in order to ensure the product safety.

  8. 76 FR 15276 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas and Atlantic Tuna Fisheries...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-21

    .... 110210132-1133-01] RIN 0648-BA65 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas and Atlantic Tuna Fisheries Management Measures; Correction AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... 14, 2011, NMFS published a proposed rule to modify Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) base quotas for all...

  9. Mapping Risks of Indonesian Tuna Supply Chain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karningsih, P. D.; Anggrahini, D.; Kurniati, N.; Suef, M.; Fachrur, A. R.; Syahroni, N.

    2018-04-01

    Due to its high economic value and is produced by many countries, Tuna is considered as one of the world’s popular fish. Demand for Tuna species are very high and it usually sells in three form: fresh, frozen or canned. Competition in Tuna trading is challengin with the potential risk of price and supply fluctuations. With recent focus of Indonesia government that see the future of Indonesia civilization depend on the oceans and as the three biggest Tuna producing country, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries should ensure sustainability and competitiveness of Indonesian tuna. Therefore, there is a great need to develop a proper and effective strategy to manage potential risks in Indonesian Tuna supply chain. This paper is aimed at identifying and mapping potential Tuna supply chain risks and its interrelationships that would assist government in determining proper strategies to manage Indonesian Tuna. A framework for identifying Tuna supply chain risks is proposed. Generic risk structure of Supply Chain Risk Identification System is adopted and modified to match with particular object, which is Indonesian Tuna. The proposed model consists of hierarchical and causal structure that encompass potential risks of Tuna supply chain operations from fishing, trading, processing and distribution. The causal structure consist of risk events and its risk agents which is the cause of risk events. To ensure the root cause of risk events are identified properly, five why’s analysis is utilized to obtain risk agents. This proposed model also captures risk interrelationship between internal and external environment of Tuna supply chain. Preliminary result of this study identifies 15 risk events and 13 risk factors on fishing and trading operations and maps their interrelationships.

  10. Cuba.

    PubMed

    1985-08-01

    Cuba's population characteristics, geography, history, government, political conditions, and foreign relations were briefly described. Cuba, the largest island in the East Indies, has a tropical climate and is made up of a large area of rolling plains and a smaller mountainous region. Cuba's current population of 9.946 million (1983) is 70% urban and 30% rural. The annual population growth rate is 1.1%. The literacy rate among those aged 10-49 years is 96%, and school is compulsory for 6 years. The infant mortality rate is 21/1000 live births, and life expectancy is 74.7 years. 47% of the work force is engaged in industry and commerce, 28% in services and government, and 25% in agriculture. Since the revolution, Cuba has had a centrally planned, nonmarket economy. Large state enterprises run all segments of the economy, and economic policy is formulated by a central planning board. Farmers are allowed to privately market some of their produce. The government provide a wide range of social services. Most of the services are free, but some entail a minimal fee. Cuba's economy is depressed and overly dependent on the production of sugar. Since the revolution, Cuba's sugar production has increased by only 1.1% annually. In addition to sugar production, the country is engaged in some food processing and other light forms of industry. Cuba has a large reserve of nickle. Cuba's economic indicators are calculated differently than those used in market countries and are not comparable to those used in market countries. In 1983, disposable national income was US$15.8 billion, and per capita income was US$2,590. Cuba's imports exceed her exports. In 1983 exports totalled US$6.5 billion and imports amounted to US$7.2 billion. Cuba's foreign debt is increasing annually, and Cuba is highly dependent on economic assistance from Russia. Between 1961-83, the USSR provided Cuba with US$30 billion in economic aid and US$10 billion in military aid. The country's serious economic

  11. A spatial ecosystem and populations dynamics model (SEAPODYM) Modeling of tuna and tuna-like populations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lehodey, Patrick; Senina, Inna; Murtugudde, Raghu

    2008-09-01

    An enhanced version of the spatial ecosystem and population dynamics model SEAPODYM is presented to describe spatial dynamics of tuna and tuna-like species in the Pacific Ocean at monthly resolution over 1° grid-boxes. The simulations are driven by a bio-physical environment predicted from a coupled ocean physical-biogeochemical model. This new version of SEAPODYM includes expanded definitions of habitat indices, movements, and natural mortality based on empirical evidences. A thermal habitat of tuna species is derived from an individual heat budget model. The feeding habitat is computed according to the accessibility of tuna predator cohorts to different vertically migrating and non-migrating micronekton (mid-trophic) functional groups. The spawning habitat is based on temperature and the coincidence of spawning fish with presence or absence of predators and food for larvae. The successful larval recruitment is linked to spawning stock biomass. Larvae drift with currents, while immature and adult tuna can move of their own volition, in addition to being advected by currents. A food requirement index is computed to adjust locally the natural mortality of cohorts based on food demand and accessibility to available forage components. Together these mechanisms induce bottom-up and top-down effects, and intra- (i.e. between cohorts) and inter-species interactions. The model is now fully operational for running multi-species, multi-fisheries simulations, and the structure of the model allows a validation from multiple data sources. An application with two tuna species showing different biological characteristics, skipjack ( Katsuwonus pelamis) and bigeye ( Thunnus obesus), is presented to illustrate the capacity of the model to capture many important features of spatial dynamics of these two different tuna species in the Pacific Ocean. The actual validation is presented in a companion paper describing the approach to have a rigorous mathematical parameter optimization

  12. 76 FR 27658 - Tuna-Tariff-Rate Quota; The Tariff-Rate Quota for Calendar Year 2011 Tuna Classifiable Under...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-12

    ... Security. ACTION: Announcement of the quota quantity of tuna in airtight containers for Calendar Year 2011... the apparent United States consumption of tuna in airtight containers during the preceding Calendar... been determined that 18,148,537 kilograms of tuna in air- tight containers may be entered and withdrawn...

  13. 77 FR 22796 - Tuna-Tariff-Rate Quota; the Tariff-Rate Quota for Calendar Year 2012 Tuna Classifiable Under...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-17

    ... Security. ACTION: Announcement of the quota quantity of tuna in airtight containers for Calendar Year 2012..., HTSUS, is based on the apparent United States consumption of tuna in airtight containers during the...) 863-6560. Background It has been determined that 17,270,370 kilograms of tuna in airtight containers...

  14. Environmental Load during the Distribution of Cultured Tuna

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakai, Rirei; Watanabe, Manabu; Suzuki, Toru

    Tuna is the most favorite marine products for Japanese people. Most of them are consumed as Sashimi in Japan, and a half of them are imported. Cold transportation technology is essential to keep freshness of tuna during the oversea transportation. In the case of transporting tuna, ship transportation in ultra low temperature such as -60 °C is applied and also high speed transportation even by using airplane is practically used. On the other hand, it is a fact that such transportation processes of tuna are giving huge environmental load, though it has not been so much focused. Evaluation of cold transportation technologies from this environmental viewpoint must be important in the future. In this article, we compared CO2 emission during cold transportations of frozen tuna (marine transportation) and non-frozen tuna (air transportation) by using LCI analysis. As a result, CO2 emission of non-frozen tuna is found to be about four times greater than that of frozen tuna. This is due to the difference in the amount of freight per transportation of the airplane and the ship.

  15. Bycatch in the Maldivian pole-and-line tuna fishery

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Kelsey I.; Nadheeh, Ibrahim; Jauharee, A. Riyaz; Anderson, R. Charles; Adam, M. Shiham

    2017-01-01

    Tropical tuna fisheries are among the largest worldwide, with some having significant bycatch issues. However, pole-and-line tuna fisheries are widely believed to have low bycatch rates, although these have rarely been quantified. The Maldives has an important pole-and-line fishery, targeting skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis). In the Maldives, 106 pole-and-line tuna fishing days were observed between August 2014 and November 2015. During 161 fishing events, tuna catches amounted to 147 t: 72% by weight was skipjack, 25% yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and 3% other tunas. Bycatch (all non-tuna species caught plus all tuna discards) amounted to 951 kg (0.65% of total tuna catch). Most of the bycatch (95%) was utilized, and some bycatch was released alive, so dead discards were particularly low (0.02% of total tuna catch, or 22 kg per 100 t). Rainbow runner (Elagatis bipinnulata) and dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) together constituted 93% of the bycatch. Live releases included small numbers of silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis) and seabirds (noddies, Anous tenuirostris and A. stolidus). Pole-and-line tuna fishing was conducted on free schools and schools associated with various objects (Maldivian anchored fish aggregating devices [aFADs], drifting FADs from western Indian Ocean purse seine fisheries, other drifting objects and seamounts). Free school catches typically included a high proportion of large skipjack and significantly less bycatch. Associated schools produced more variable tuna catches and higher bycatch rates. Fishing trips in the south had significantly lower bycatch rates than those in the north. This study is the first to quantify bycatch rates in the Maldives pole-and-line tuna fishery and the influence of school association on catch composition. Ratio estimator methods suggest roughly 552.6 t of bycatch and 27.9 t of discards are caught annually in the fishery (based on 2015 national catch), much less than other Indian Ocean tuna

  16. Bycatch in the Maldivian pole-and-line tuna fishery.

    PubMed

    Miller, Kelsey I; Nadheeh, Ibrahim; Jauharee, A Riyaz; Anderson, R Charles; Adam, M Shiham

    2017-01-01

    Tropical tuna fisheries are among the largest worldwide, with some having significant bycatch issues. However, pole-and-line tuna fisheries are widely believed to have low bycatch rates, although these have rarely been quantified. The Maldives has an important pole-and-line fishery, targeting skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis). In the Maldives, 106 pole-and-line tuna fishing days were observed between August 2014 and November 2015. During 161 fishing events, tuna catches amounted to 147 t: 72% by weight was skipjack, 25% yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and 3% other tunas. Bycatch (all non-tuna species caught plus all tuna discards) amounted to 951 kg (0.65% of total tuna catch). Most of the bycatch (95%) was utilized, and some bycatch was released alive, so dead discards were particularly low (0.02% of total tuna catch, or 22 kg per 100 t). Rainbow runner (Elagatis bipinnulata) and dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) together constituted 93% of the bycatch. Live releases included small numbers of silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis) and seabirds (noddies, Anous tenuirostris and A. stolidus). Pole-and-line tuna fishing was conducted on free schools and schools associated with various objects (Maldivian anchored fish aggregating devices [aFADs], drifting FADs from western Indian Ocean purse seine fisheries, other drifting objects and seamounts). Free school catches typically included a high proportion of large skipjack and significantly less bycatch. Associated schools produced more variable tuna catches and higher bycatch rates. Fishing trips in the south had significantly lower bycatch rates than those in the north. This study is the first to quantify bycatch rates in the Maldives pole-and-line tuna fishery and the influence of school association on catch composition. Ratio estimator methods suggest roughly 552.6 t of bycatch and 27.9 t of discards are caught annually in the fishery (based on 2015 national catch), much less than other Indian Ocean tuna

  17. Global integration of European tuna markets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiménez-Toribio, Ramòn; Guillotreau, Patrice; Mongruel, Rémi

    2010-07-01

    This paper evaluates the degree of integration between the world market and the major European marketplaces of frozen and canned tuna through both vertical and horizontal price relationships. Spatial linkages are investigated horizontally in order to estimate the connection between the European market and the world-wide market on the primary stage of the value chain. One of the key results is the high level of market integration at the ex-vessel stage, and the price leadership of yellowfin tuna over skipjack tuna. The same approach is applied at the ex-factory level. Basically, the European market for final goods appears to be segmented between the Northern countries consuming low-priced canned skipjack tuna imported from Asia (mainly Thailand) and the Southern countries (Italy, Spain) processing and importing yellowfin-based products sold at higher prices. France appears to be an intermediate market where both products are consumed. The former market is found to be well integrated to the world market and can be considered to be competitive, but there is a suspicion of market power being exercised on the latter. Price relationships are therefore tested vertically between the price of frozen tuna paid by the canneries and the price of canned fish in both Italy and France. The two species show an opposite pattern in prices transmission along the value chain: price changes along the chain are far better transmitted for the “global” skipjack tuna than for the more “European” yellowfin tuna. The results are discussed, along with their implications for the fishing industry.

  18. 78 FR 65887 - International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; 2013 Bigeye Tuna Longline Fishery Closure in the...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-04

    .... 110620342-1659-03] RIN 0648-XC922 International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; 2013 Bigeye Tuna Longline Fishery Closure in the Eastern Pacific Ocean AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; fishery closure. SUMMARY...

  19. 78 FR 70002 - International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; 2013 Bigeye Tuna Longline Fishery Closure in the...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-22

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 300 [Docket No. 110620342-1659-03] RIN 0648-XC922 International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; 2013 Bigeye Tuna Longline...), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; fishery closure...

  20. Shift in tuna catches due to ocean warming.

    PubMed

    Monllor-Hurtado, Alberto; Pennino, Maria Grazia; Sanchez-Lizaso, José Luis

    2017-01-01

    Ocean warming is already affecting global fisheries with an increasing dominance of catches of warmer water species at higher latitudes and lower catches of tropical and subtropical species in the tropics. Tuna distributions are highly conditioned by sea temperature, for this reason and their worldwide distribution, their populations may be a good indicator of the effect of climate change on global fisheries. This study shows the shift of tuna catches in subtropical latitudes on a global scale. From 1965 to 2011, the percentage of tropical tuna in longliner catches exhibited a significantly increasing trend in a study area that included subtropical regions of the Atlantic and western Pacific Oceans and partially the Indian Ocean. This may indicate a movement of tropical tuna populations toward the poles in response to ocean warming. Such an increase in the proportion of tropical tuna in the catches does not seem to be due to a shift of the target species, since the trends in Atlantic and Indian Oceans of tropical tuna catches are decreasing. Our results indicate that as populations shift towards higher latitudes the catches of these tropical species did not increase. Thus, at least in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, tropical tuna catches have reduced in tropical areas.

  1. Environmental preferences of tuna and non-tuna species associated with drifting fish aggregating devices (DFADs) in the Atlantic Ocean, ascertained through fishers' echo-sounder buoys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lopez, Jon; Moreno, Gala; Lennert-Cody, Cleridy; Maunder, Mark; Sancristobal, Igor; Caballero, Ainhoa; Dagorn, Laurent

    2017-06-01

    Understanding the relationship between environmental variables and pelagic species concentrations and dynamics is helpful to improve fishery management, especially in a changing environment. Drifting fish aggregating device (DFAD)-associated tuna and non-tuna biomass data from the fishers' echo-sounder buoys operating in the Atlantic Ocean have been modelled as functions of oceanographic (Sea Surface Temperature, Chlorophyll-a, Salinity, Sea Level Anomaly, Thermocline depth and gradient, Geostrophic current, Total Current, Depth) and DFAD variables (DFAD speed, bearing and soak time) using Generalized Additive Mixed Models (GAMMs). Biological interaction (presence of non-tuna species at DFADs) was also included in the tuna model, and found to be significant at this time scale. All variables were included in the analyses but only some of them were highly significant, and variable significance differed among fish groups. In general, most of the fish biomass distribution was explained by the ocean productivity and DFAD-variables. Indeed, this study revealed different environmental preferences for tunas and non-tuna species and suggested the existence of active habitat selection. This improved assessment of environmental and DFAD effects on tuna and non-tuna catchability in the purse seine tuna fishery will contribute to transfer of better scientific advice to regional tuna commissions for the management and conservation of exploited resources.

  2. 77 FR 19175 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 2012 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quota Specifications

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-30

    ...-XA920 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 2012 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quota Specifications AGENCY... INFORMATION: Atlantic bluefin tuna, bigeye tuna, albacore tuna, yellowfin tuna, and skipjack tuna (hereafter referred to as ``Atlantic tunas'') are managed under the dual authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery...

  3. 75 FR 30730 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-02

    ...-XW54 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries AGENCY: National Marine... Atlantic tunas General category daily Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) retention limit should be adjusted for... criteria regarding inseason adjustments. This action applies to Atlantic tunas General category permitted...

  4. Tuna cornea as biomaterial for cardiac applications.

    PubMed

    Parravicini, Roberto; Cocconcelli, Flavio; Verona, Alessandro; Parravicini, Valeriano; Giuliani, Enrico; Barbieri, Alberto

    2012-01-01

    Among available biomaterials, cornea is almost completely devoid of cells and is composed only of collagen fibers oriented in an orderly pattern, which contributes to low antigenicity. Thunnus thynnus, the Atlantic bluefin tuna, is a fish with large eyes that can withstand pressures of approximately 10 MPa. We evaluated the potential of this tuna cornea in cardiac bioimplantation. Eyes from freshly caught Atlantic bluefin tuna were harvested and preserved in a fixative solution. Sterilized samples of corneal stroma were embedded in paraffin and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and the histologic features were studied. Physical and mechanical resistance tests were performed in comparison with bovine pericardial strips and porcine mitral valves. Corneal material was implanted subcutaneously in 7 rats, to evaluate in vivo calcification rates. Mitral valves made from tuna corneal leaflets were implanted in 9 sheep. We found that the corneal tissue consisted only of parallel collagen fibers without evidence of vascular or neural structures. In tensile strength, the tuna corneal specimens were substantially similar to bovine pericardium. After 23 days, the rat-implanted samples showed no calcium or calcium salt deposition. Hydrodynamic and fatigue testing of valve prototypes yielded acceptable functional and long-term behavioral results. In the sheep, valvular performance was stable during the 180-day follow-up period, with no instrumental sign of calcification at the end of observation. We conclude that low antigenicity and favorable physical properties qualify tuna cornea as a potential material for durable bioimplantation. Further study is warranted.

  5. 40 CFR 408.140 - Applicability; description of the tuna processing subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Applicability; description of the tuna... Tuna Processing Subcategory § 408.140 Applicability; description of the tuna processing subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges resulting from the processing of tuna. [40...

  6. 40 CFR 408.140 - Applicability; description of the tuna processing subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Applicability; description of the tuna... Tuna Processing Subcategory § 408.140 Applicability; description of the tuna processing subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges resulting from the processing of tuna. [40...

  7. 40 CFR 408.140 - Applicability; description of the tuna processing subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the tuna... Tuna Processing Subcategory § 408.140 Applicability; description of the tuna processing subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges resulting from the processing of tuna. [40...

  8. 40 CFR 408.140 - Applicability; description of the tuna processing subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2014-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the tuna... Tuna Processing Subcategory § 408.140 Applicability; description of the tuna processing subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges resulting from the processing of tuna. [40...

  9. 40 CFR 408.140 - Applicability; description of the tuna processing subcategory.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Applicability; description of the tuna... Tuna Processing Subcategory § 408.140 Applicability; description of the tuna processing subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges resulting from the processing of tuna. [40...

  10. Bioenergetics, Trophic Ecology, and Niche Separation of Tunas.

    PubMed

    Olson, R J; Young, J W; Ménard, F; Potier, M; Allain, V; Goñi, N; Logan, J M; Galván-Magaña, F

    Tunas are highly specialized predators that have evolved numerous adaptations for a lifestyle that requires large amounts of energy consumption. Here we review our understanding of the bioenergetics and feeding dynamics of tunas on a global scale, with an emphasis on yellowfin, bigeye, skipjack, albacore, and Atlantic bluefin tunas. Food consumption balances bioenergetics expenditures for respiration, growth (including gonad production), specific dynamic action, egestion, and excretion. Tunas feed across the micronekton and some large zooplankton. Some tunas appear to time their life history to take advantage of ephemeral aggregations of crustacean, fish, and molluscan prey. Ontogenetic and spatial diet differences are substantial, and significant interdecadal changes in prey composition have been observed. Diet shifts from larger to smaller prey taxa highlight ecosystem-wide changes in prey availability and diversity and provide implications for changing bioenergetics requirements into the future. Where tunas overlap, we show evidence of niche separation between them; resources are divided largely by differences in diet percentages and size ranges of prey taxa. The lack of long-term data limits the ability to predict impacts of climate change on tuna feeding behaviour. We note the need for systematic collection of feeding data as part of routine monitoring of these species, and we highlight the advantages of using biochemical techniques for broad-scale analyses of trophic relations. We support the continued development of ecosystem models, which all too often lack the regional-specific trophic data needed to adequately investigate climate and fishing impacts. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. 78 FR 24430 - Tuna-Tariff Rate Quota; the Tariff-Rate Quota for Calendar Year 2013 Tuna Classifiable Under...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-25

    ..., Department of Homeland Security. ACTION: Announcement of the quota quantity of tuna in airtight containers... 1604.14.22, HTSUS, is based on the apparent United States consumption of tuna in airtight containers... containers may be entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption during the Calendar Year 2013, at the...

  12. Total mercury in canned tuna sold in Canada in 2006.

    PubMed

    Dabeka, Robert W; Mckenzie, Arthur D; Forsyth, Donald S

    2014-01-01

    Total mercury was measured in 156 composites prepared from 936 samples of canned tuna sold in Canada in 2006. Each composite comprised a single brand. Yellowfin tuna contained the lowest concentrations, averaging 0.066 mg/kg. Skipjack tuna contained slightly higher concentrations, averaging 0.132 mg/kg. The highest average concentration was found in the Albacore tuna: mean 0.325 mg/kg, range 0.174-0.507 mg/kg. The second highest concentration among the 49 albacore composites was 0.469 mg/kg. There were 72 composites for which the type of tuna was not specified. The mercury in these averaged 0.095 mg/kg and ranged from 0.016 to 0.237 mg/kg.

  13. Potential impact of climate change on the Intra-Americas Sea: Part 2. Implications for Atlantic bluefin tuna and skipjack tuna adult and larval habitats

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muhling, Barbara A.; Liu, Yanyun; Lee, Sang-Ki; Lamkin, John T.; Roffer, Mitchell A.; Muller-Karger, Frank; Walter, John F., III

    2015-08-01

    Increasing water temperatures due to climate change will likely have significant impacts on distributions and life histories of Atlantic tunas. In this study, we combined predictive habitat models with a downscaled climate model to examine potential impacts on adults and larvae of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) in the Intra-Americas Sea (IAS). An additional downscaled model covering the 20th century was used to compare habitat fluctuations from natural variability to predicted future changes under two climate change scenarios: Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 (medium-low) and RCP 8.5 (high). Results showed marked temperature-induced habitat losses for both adult and larval bluefin tuna on their northern Gulf of Mexico spawning grounds. In contrast, habitat suitability for skipjack tuna increased as temperatures warmed. Model error was highest for the two skipjack tuna models, particularly at higher temperatures. This work suggests that influences of climate change on highly migratory Atlantic tuna species are likely to be substantial, but strongly species-specific. While impacts on fish populations remain uncertain, these changes in habitat suitability will likely alter the spatial and temporal availability of species to fishing fleets, and challenge equilibrium assumptions of environmental stability, upon which fisheries management benchmarks are based.

  14. Monitoring of bisphenols in canned tuna from Italian markets.

    PubMed

    Fattore, Margherita; Russo, Giacomo; Barbato, Francesco; Grumetto, Lucia; Albrizio, Stefania

    2015-09-01

    Monitoring of food contamination from bisphenols is a necessary process for the consumers' risk assessment. A method for the quali-quantitative analysis of Bisphenol A (BPA), Bisphenol B (BPB), Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (BADGE), and Bisphenol F Diglycidyl Ether (BFDGE), by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC-FD), was performed and validated for their determination in 33 samples of tuna fish, canned in either oil or aqueous medium. Samples were collected in Italian markets. Tuna and the correspondent preservation medium were analyzed separately. Detected levels of bisphenols ranged from 19.1 to 187.0 ng/g in tuna matrix and from 6.3 to 66.9 ng/mL in oil medium. No bisphenols were found in aqueous medium. At least one of the analytes was found in 83% of the tuna samples in oil medium, whereas tuna samples in aqueous medium showed BPA alone in 67% of samples. 21% of the oil medium samples resulted positive for at least one bisphenol. On the basis of measured concentrations and general daily ingestion rate of canned tuna fish, the probable daily intake of BPA for Italian population was calculated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Tuna fish diet influences cat behavior. [Elevated levels of selenium and mercury in commercial tuna fish cat food

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Houpt, K.A.; Essick, L.A.; Shaw, E.B.

    1988-01-01

    When observed in their home cages, cats fed commercial tuna fish cat food were less active, vocalized less, and spent more time on the floor and more time eating than cats fed commercial beef cat food. There were no differences in response to human handling between the two groups. There were no differences in learning ability on a two-choice point maze or in reversal learning in the same maze between beef- and tuna-fed cats. The behavior of the groups differed in a 15-min open field test only in the number of toys contacted. Cats fed the tuna had elevated tissuemore » levels of mercury and selenium.« less

  16. Exploring future scenarios for the global supply chain of tuna

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mullon, C.; Guillotreau, P.; Galbraith, E. D.; Fortilus, J.; Chaboud, C.; Bopp, L.; Aumont, O.; Kaplan, D.

    2017-06-01

    The abundance of tuna, an important top predator that ranges throughout tropical and subtropical oceans, is now largely determined by fishing activity. Fishing activity, in turn, is determined by the interaction of fish availability, fishing capacity, fishing costs and global markets for tuna products. In the face of overfishing, the continued sustainable supply of tuna is likely to require improved global governance, that would benefit from modeling frameworks capable of integrating market forces with the availability of fish in order to consider alternative future projections. Here we describe such a modeling framework, in which we develop several simple, contrasting scenarios for the development of the tuna supply chain in order to illustrate the utility of the approach for global evaluation of management strategies for tuna and other complex, stock-structured fisheries. The model includes multiple national and multi-national fishing fleets, canneries and fresh/frozen markets, and connects these to global consumers using a network of flows. The model is calibrated using recent data on fish catch, cannery and fresh/frozen production, and consumption. Scenarios explore the control on future outcomes in the global tuna fishery by representing, in a simple way, the effects of (1) climate change, (2) changes in the global demand for tuna, and (3) changes in the access to fishing grounds (marine reserves). The results emphasize the potential importance of increasing demand in provoking a global collapse, and suggest that controlling tuna production by limiting technical efficiency is a potential countermeasure. Finally we discuss the outcomes in terms of potential extensions of the scenario approach allowed by this global network model of the tuna supply chain.

  17. Effect of temperature acclimation on red blood cell oxygen affinity in Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares).

    PubMed

    Lilly, Laura E; Bonaventura, Joseph; Lipnick, Michael S; Block, Barbara A

    2015-03-01

    Hemoglobin-oxygen (Hb-O2) binding properties are central to aerobic physiology, and must be optimized for an animal's aerobic requirements and environmental conditions, both of which can vary widely with seasonal changes or acutely with diving. In the case of tunas, the matter is further complicated by large regional temperature differences between tissues within the same animal. This study investigates the effects of thermal acclimation on red blood cell Hb-O2 binding in Pacific bluefin tuna (T. orientalis) and yellowfin tuna (T. albacares) maintained in captive tanks at acclimation temperatures of 17°, 20° and 24 °C. Oxygen binding properties of acclimated tuna isolated red blood cells were examined under varying experimental temperatures (15°-35 °C) and CO2 levels (0%, 0.5% and 1.5%). Results for Pacific bluefin tuna produced temperature-independence at 17 °C- and 20 °C-acclimation temperatures and significant reverse temperature-dependence at 24 °C-acclimation in the absence of CO2, with instances of reverse temperature-dependence in 17 °C- and 24 °C-acclimations at 0.5% and 1.5% CO2. In contrast, yellowfin tuna produced normal temperature-dependence at each acclimation temperature at 0% CO2, temperature-independence at 0.5% and 1.5% CO2, and significant reverse temperature-dependence at 17 °C-acclimation and 0.5% CO2. Thermal acclimation of Pacific bluefin tuna increased O2 binding affinity of the 17 °C-acclimation group, and produced a significantly steeper oxygen equilibrium curve slope (nH) at 24 °C-acclimation compared to the other acclimation temperatures. We discuss the potential implications of these findings below. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Storage Time and Temperature Effects on Histamine Production in Tuna Salad Preparations.

    PubMed

    McCarthy, Susan; Bjornsdottir-Butler, Kristin; Benner, Ronald

    2015-07-01

    Scombrotoxin fish poisoning (SFP), also known as histamine (Hst) poisoning, has been associated with consumption of scombroid-type fish, including tuna and tuna fish products. Preparation of commercial tuna salad contaminated with Hstproducing bacteria (HPB), combined with time-temperature abuse, can present a food safety hazard. A potential source of HPB is raw ingredients, such as celery and onions. The objectives of this study were to determine whether raw ingredients can be a source of HPB and to ascertain the effects of storage time (up to 4 days or 4 weeks) and temperature (4, 10, 18, 25, 30°C) on growth and Hst production by high-HPB (>1,000 ppm of Hst) in tuna salad preparations. Pantoea-Erwinia, Erwinia persicinus, Erwinia spp., and Enterobacter pyrinus isolated from celery in this study were used to inoculate tuna salad and tuna salad with celery or onion. HPB numbers were 0.7 to 4.3 log most probable number per g higher in the presence of celery or onion versus plain tuna salad (3:1 tuna:mayonnaise). E. pyrinus-inoculated plain tuna salad and tuna salad with celery and onion had >500 ppm of Hst after 2 days at 30°C and 4 days at 25°C. E. pyrinus-inoculated salad with celery and onion had >500 ppm of Hst after 4 days at 18°C and 2 weeks at 10°C. Raw celery can introduce HPB into tuna salad, which can cause SFP if the product is time-temperature abused. Tuna salad products must be refrigerated at ≤4°C to prevent growth and Hst production by the HPB used in this study, to protect consumers from potential SFP.

  19. Training of Fishermen for the Tuna Industry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Juhl, Rolf

    The report concerns a failure to train fishermen for the Puerto Rico tuna industry. The objectives were to train fishermen for the purpose of replacing foreign crews aboard tuna vessels and create a cadre of local fishermen with experience in high seas commercial fisheries. The failure appears to be associated with the lack of adequate berthing…

  20. Trouble with tuna: two cases of scombrotoxin poisoning.

    PubMed

    Stell, I M

    1997-03-01

    Two cases of scombrotoxin poisoning after exposure to tuna are described, the second being unusual in that tinned, rather than fresh, tuna was involved. This relatively rare condition needs to be distinguished from an allergic reaction, for which it can easily be mistaken.

  1. Space Technology For Tuna Boats

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1977-01-01

    Freshly-caught tuna is stored below decks in wells cooled to about zero degrees by brine circulated through a refrigerating system. The wells formerly were insulated by cork or fiberglass, but both materials were subject to deterioration; cork, for instance, needs replacement every three years. The Campbell Machine Division of Campbell Industries, San Diego, which manufactures and repairs large boats for the commercial fishing industry, was looking for a better way to insulate tuna storage wells. Learning of the Rockwell technique, Campbell contracted for a test installation on one boat, then bought its own equipment and adopted the spray-foam procedure for their boats. The foam hardens after application. It not only is a superior insulator, it also is considerably lighter and easier to apply. Fishing industry spokesmen say that foam insulation is far more reliable, efficient and economical than prior techniques. More than 40 foam-insulated tuna boats, ranging in cost from $1 million to $4 million, have been built and sold. Principal customers are Ralston Purina's Van Camp Seafood Division and Star-Kist Inc.

  2. Global population trajectories of tunas and their relatives

    PubMed Central

    Juan-Jordá, Maria José; Mosqueira, Iago; Cooper, Andrew B.; Freire, Juan; Dulvy, Nicholas K.

    2011-01-01

    Tunas and their relatives dominate the world's largest ecosystems and sustain some of the most valuable fisheries. The impacts of fishing on these species have been debated intensively over the past decade, giving rise to divergent views on the scale and extent of the impacts of fisheries on pelagic ecosystems. We use all available age-structured stock assessments to evaluate the adult biomass trajectories and exploitation status of 26 populations of tunas and their relatives (17 tunas, 5 mackerels, and 4 Spanish mackerels) from 1954 to 2006. Overall, populations have declined, on average, by 60% over the past half century, but the decline in the total adult biomass is lower (52%), driven by a few abundant populations. The trajectories of individual populations depend on the interaction between life histories, ecology, and fishing pressure. The steepest declines are exhibited by two distinct groups: the largest, longest lived, highest value temperate tunas and the smaller, short-lived mackerels, both with most of their populations being overexploited. The remaining populations, mostly tropical tunas, have been fished down to approximately maximum sustainable yield levels, preventing further expansion of catches in these fisheries. Fishing mortality has increased steadily to the point where around 12.5% of the tunas and their relatives are caught each year globally. Overcapacity of these fisheries is jeopardizing their long-term sustainability. To guarantee higher catches, stabilize profits, and reduce collateral impacts on marine ecosystems requires the rebuilding of overexploited populations and stricter management measures to reduce overcapacity and regulate threatening trade. PMID:22143785

  3. Molecular characterization of southern bluefin tuna myoglobin (Thunnus maccoyii).

    PubMed

    Nurilmala, Mala; Ochiai, Yoshihiro

    2016-10-01

    The primary structure of southern bluefin tuna Thunnus maccoyii Mb has been elucidated by molecular cloning techniques. The cDNA of this tuna encoding Mb contained 776 nucleotides, with an open reading frame of 444 nucleotides encoding 147 amino acids. The nucleotide sequence of the coding region was identical to those of other bluefin tunas (T. thynnus and T. orientalis), thus giving the same amino acid sequences. Based on the deduced amino acid sequence, bioinformatic analysis was performed including phylogenic tree, hydropathy plot and homology modeling. In order to investigate the autoxidation profiles, the isolation of Mb was performed from the dark muscle. The water soluble fraction was subjected to ammonium sulfate fractionation (60-90 % saturation) followed by preparative gel electrophoresis. Autoxidation profiles of Mb were delineated at pH 5.6, 6.5 and 7.4 at temperature 37 °C. The autoxidation rate of tuna Mb was slightly higher than that of horse Mb at all pH examined. These results revealed that tuna myoglobin was unstable than that of horse Mb mainly at acidic pH.

  4. [Collective scombroid fish poisoning following tuna consumption in Castellon].

    PubMed

    Arnedo Pena, A; Bellido Blasco, J B; Pac Sa, M R; González Morán, F; Criado Juárez, J; Mesanza del Notario, I; Rodríguez Merquero, N; Balagué López, A

    1996-11-16

    To investigate and control of a collective scombroid-fish poisoning (SFP) outbreak, that took place in Castellón, Spain. Description of the outbreak and case-control study in order to identify risk factors. Active surveillance of SFP cases, and inspection of implicated markets. Histamine determination in urine of cases and foods. During June 1994, 15 cases of SFP were found out, with 12 cases occurred on June, 28 and 29. Five families were affected (attack rate 68.2%). The median incubation period was 45 minutes. Disease symptoms included facial or general flushing, headache, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and peppery taste. Implicated food was fresh tuna, bought in a hypermarket of Castellón (odds ratio = 26.4, 95% confidence intervals: 1.05-666.8), adjusted by age and sex using logistic regression analysis. Four samples of urine from cases presented histamine concentration above 35 micrograms/l. Three samples of tuna consumed by cases and one sample of tuna from the hypermarket had histamine concentration above a 200 ppm. Considering the situation of risk, remaining suspected tuna was confiscated from the hypermarket. Rest unknown if the descompositions of tuna occurred in the hypermarket or during capture and distribution. SFP was caused by fresh tuna ingestion with epidemiologic and analytic confirmation. Determination of histamine in urine of patients could permit to confirm SFP.

  5. Characterization of the Boundary Layers on Full-Scale Bluefin Tuna

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-09-30

    NUWC-NPT Technical Report 12,163 30 September 2014 Characterization of the Boundary Layers on Full-Scale Bluefin Tuna Kimberly M. Cipolla...Center Division Newport, under Section 219 Research Project, “Characterization of the Boundary Layers on Full-Scale Bluefin Tuna ,” principal...K. Amaral (Code 1522). The author thanks Barbara Block (Stanford University), head of the Tuna Research and Conservation Center (TRCC) at the

  6. Trouble with tuna: two cases of scombrotoxin poisoning.

    PubMed Central

    Stell, I M

    1997-01-01

    Two cases of scombrotoxin poisoning after exposure to tuna are described, the second being unusual in that tinned, rather than fresh, tuna was involved. This relatively rare condition needs to be distinguished from an allergic reaction, for which it can easily be mistaken. Images p111-a PMID:9132185

  7. 77 FR 38011 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-26

    .... 110210132-1275-02] RIN 0648-XC055 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries AGENCY... northern area fishery for large medium and giant Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of 2012... INFORMATION: Regulations implemented under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971...

  8. 77 FR 31546 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-29

    .... 110210132-1275-02] RIN 0648-XC035 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries AGENCY... tuna (BFT) for the remainder of 2012. Fishing for, retaining, possessing, or landing BFT in the... authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery...

  9. Hearing thresholds of swimming Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis.

    PubMed

    Dale, Jonathan J; Gray, Michael D; Popper, Arthur N; Rogers, Peter H; Block, Barbara A

    2015-05-01

    Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) is a highly migratory, commercially valuable species potentially vulnerable to acoustic noise generated from human activities which could impact behavior and fitness. Although significant efforts have been made to understand hearing abilities of fishes, the large size and need to continuously swim for respiration have hindered investigations with tuna and other large pelagic species. In this study, Pacific bluefin tuna were trained to respond to a pure tone sound stimulus ranging 325-800 Hz and their hearing abilities quantified using a staircase psychophysical technique. Hearing was most sensitive from 400 to 500 Hz in terms of particle motion (radial acceleration -88 dB re 1 m s(-2); vertical acceleration -86 dB re 1 m s(-2)) and sound pressure (83 dB re 1 μPa). Compared to yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis), Pacific bluefin tuna has a similar bandwidth of hearing and best frequency, but greater sensitivity overall. Careful calibration of the sound stimulus and experimental tank environment, as well as the adoption of behavioral methodology, demonstrates an experimental approach highly effective for the study of large fish species in the laboratory.

  10. Thawing of Frozen Tuna Meat

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanaka, Takeo; Nishiwaki, Kôji; Kakuda, Kitonari; Tomimatsu, Takao

    Frozen southern bluefin tuna meat discolors easily and sometimes contracts when thawed caused by thaw rigor. These phenomenon often become problematic in the transaction or handling of this kind of frozen tuna. Frozen meat blocks of southern Bluefin tuna were thawed separately by air thawing, running water thawing and microwave thawing. Changes occurring during thawing were checked for meat color by met-myoglobin ratio determination and for contract by microscopic observation. Results are as follows : (1) Discoloration scarcely occurred in the process of running water thawing (at 10°C for 50 min, or at 0°C for 6 hr). (2) No contraction was observed during thawing with running water described above and air thawing (at 18-20°C for 6 hr). (3) Discoloration and contraction seemed to be minimized, as to latently contractile blocks, when meat temperature passed through rapidly between -10°C and -5°C, and slowly (for 5-6 hr) between -5°C and -1°C. When the block was originally not contractile, discloration was minimized by rising meat temperature rapidly from -10°C to -l°C.

  11. Gelatin prepared from tuna skin: a risk factor for fish allergy or sensitization?

    PubMed

    André, Françoise; Cavagna, Sylvie; André, Claude

    2003-01-01

    Although fish gelatin may represent a useful alternative to bovine or porcine gelatin, the clearly recognized high prevalence of fish allergy could increase the risk of anaphylaxis to gelatin. The rationale for investigating tuna gelatin rather than gelatin from more allergenic fishes is the availability of an industrial gelatin under development. The infrequent occurrence of tuna allergy should influence the safety of a derived product. The present study investigated IgE antibodies to tuna-skin-derived gelatin in adults and children with documented fish allergy or sensitization. Serum samples were taken from 100 consecutive patients with fish allergy or sensitization and tested for IgE antibodies against hydrolyzed or nonhydrolyzed gelatin extracted from tuna skin as compared to extracts from tuna flesh, tuna skin as well as bovine or porcine gelatin. Patients with tuna allergies or sensitization were sensitive to the same tuna species (yellowfin) as that from which the gelatin was obtained. IgE antibodies to these various extracts were analyzed using SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Only 3 of the 100 serum samples tested gave evidence of reactivity to gelatin extracted from tuna skin. Cross-reactivity between bovine/porcine and fish gelatin was not observed. The risk of adverse reactions to tuna skin gelatin seems to be significantly lower than the risk of fish allergy. Fish gelatin may represent a valuable alternative to bovine or porcine gelatin. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

  12. Separation of gonadotropic fractions with different species specificities from tuna pituitaries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ando, H.; Ishii, S.

    1988-05-01

    Eight different gonadotropic glycoprotein fractions were separated from the acetone-dried powder of yellow fin tuna pituitary glands by successive chromatographies on Superose 12 for gel filtration and Mono Q for anion exchange using the Pharmacia fast protein liquid chromatography system. This was preceded by preliminary separations using an ammonium sulfate precipitation method and affinity chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose. For biological characterization, we employed two radioreceptor assay systems, one using goby testis plasma membranes and silver carp GTH as the receptor and radioligand, respectively, and the other using testis plasma membranes of the yellow fin tuna and gonadotropin of the samemore » species, respectively. We also employed two testicular cyclic AMP accumulation bioassay methods in vitro, one with the goby testis and the other with the mackerel testis. The least acidic fraction after Mono Q was further separated into four subfractions by rechromatography with Mono Q. They were strongly active in the tuna and mackerel assays but almost inactive in the goby assays. They were referred to as tuna-type tuna gonadotropin. In contrast, the most acidic fraction obtained after the first Mono Q was active in the goby assays but almost inactive in the tuna and mackerel assays. It was referred to as goby-type tuna gonadotropin. The intermediate fractions were active on both assays and are considered to be mixtures of tuna-type and goby-type gonadotropins. The reason for the presence of gonadotropin inactive to homologous species is discussed from the evolutionary viewpoint.« less

  13. Skipjack tuna as a bioindicator of contamination by perfluorinated compounds in the oceans.

    PubMed

    Hart, Kimberly; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Tao, Lin; Takahashi, Shin; Tanabe, Shinsuke

    2008-09-15

    Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) have emerged as global environmental contaminants. Studies have reported the widespread occurrence of PFCs in biota from marine coastal waters and in remote polar regions. However, few studies have reported the distribution of PFCs in biota from offshore waters and open oceans. In this study, concentrations of nine PFCs were determined in the livers of 60 skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) collected from offshore waters and the open ocean along the Pacific Rim, including the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Western North Pacific Ocean, during 1997-1999. At least one of the nine PFCs was found in every tuna sample analyzed. Overall, perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) were the predominant compounds found in livers of tuna at concentrations of <1-58.9 and <1-31.6 ng/g, wet wt, respectively. Long-chain perfluorocarboxylates such as perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) were common in the tuna livers. In livers of tuna from several offshore and open-ocean locations, concentrations of PFUnDA were greater than the concentrations of PFOS. The profiles and concentrations of PFCs in tuna livers suggest that the sources in East Asia are dominated by long-chain perfluorocarboxylates, especially PFUnDA. High concentrations of PFUnDA in tuna may indicate a shift in sources of PFCs in East Asia. The spatial distribution of PFOS in skipjack tuna reflected the concentrations previously reported in seawater samples from the Pacific and Indian Oceans, suggesting that tuna are good bioindicators of pollution by PFOS. Despite its predominance in ocean waters, PFOA was rarely found in tuna livers, indicative of the low bioaccumulation potential of this compound. Our study establishes baseline concentrations of PFCs in skipjack tuna from the oceans of the Asia-Pacific region, enabling future temporal trend studies of PFCs in oceans.

  14. Characterization of the Boundary Layer on Full-Scale Bluefin Tuna

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amaral, Brian; Cipolla, Kimberly; Henoch, Charles

    2014-11-01

    The physics that enable tuna to cross large expanses of ocean while feeding and avoiding predators is not presently understood, and could involve complex control of turbulent boundary layer transition and drag reduction. Typical swimming speeds of Bluefin tuna are 1-2 m/s, but can be higher during strong accelerations. The goal of this work is to experimentally determine the approximate lateral location at which transition to turbulence occurs on the tuna for various speeds. The question is whether laminar flow or an advanced propulsion mechanism (or both) allows them to swim at high speeds. Uncertainties include the surface roughness of the skin, local favorable and adverse pressure gradients, and discontinuities such as the open mouth or juncture at the fins. Historically, much of the fluid mechanics work in the area of fish locomotion has focused on vortex shedding issues rather than the boundary layer. Here, the focus is obtaining information on the boundary layer characteristics of a rigid tuna model. A full scale model of a Pacific Bluefin tuna was fabricated using a mold made from an actual deceased tuna, preserving the surface features and details of the appendages. The model was instrumented with 32 wall pressure sensors and experiments performed in a tow tank. Results from flow visualization, drag and wall pressure measurements over a range of speeds and varying angles of attack will be presented.

  15. 78 FR 48860 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; South Pacific Tuna Act

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-12

    ... Collection; Comment Request; South Pacific Tuna Act AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration... information is required to meet U.S. obligations under the Treaty. The Treaty authorizes U.S. tuna vessels to fish within fishing zones of a large region of the Pacific Ocean. The South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988...

  16. 50 CFR 216.95 - Official mark for “Dolphin-safe” tuna products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 10 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Official mark for âDolphin-safeâ tuna... AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS Dolphin Safe Tuna Labeling § 216.95 Official mark for “Dolphin-safe” tuna products. (a) This is the “official mark” (see figure 1) designated by the United States...

  17. 75 FR 43485 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; South Pacific Tuna Act

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-26

    ... Collection; Comment Request; South Pacific Tuna Act AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration... authorizes U.S. tuna vessels to fish within fishing zones of a large region of the Pacific Ocean. The South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988 (16 U.S.C. 973-973r) and U.S. implementing regulations (50 CFR Part 300, Subpart...

  18. 50 CFR 216.95 - Official mark for “Dolphin-safe” tuna products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 10 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Official mark for âDolphin-safeâ tuna... AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS Dolphin Safe Tuna Labeling § 216.95 Official mark for “Dolphin-safe” tuna products. (a) This is the “official mark” (see figure 1) designated by the United States...

  19. 50 CFR 216.95 - Official mark for “Dolphin-safe” tuna products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 10 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Official mark for âDolphin-safeâ tuna... AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS Dolphin Safe Tuna Labeling § 216.95 Official mark for “Dolphin-safe” tuna products. (a) This is the “official mark” (see figure 1) designated by the United States...

  20. 50 CFR 216.95 - Official mark for “Dolphin-safe” tuna products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Official mark for âDolphin-safeâ tuna... AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS Dolphin Safe Tuna Labeling § 216.95 Official mark for “Dolphin-safe” tuna products. (a) This is the “official mark” (see figure 1) designated by the United States...

  1. A validated methodology for genetic identification of tuna species (genus Thunnus).

    PubMed

    Viñas, Jordi; Tudela, Sergi

    2009-10-27

    Tuna species of the genus Thunnus, such as the bluefin tunas, are some of the most important and yet most endangered trade fish in the world. Identification of these species in traded forms, however, may be difficult depending on the presentation of the products, which may hamper conservation efforts on trade control. In this paper, we validated a genetic methodology that can fully distinguish between the eight Thunnus species from any kind of processed tissue. After testing several genetic markers, a complete discrimination of the eight tuna species was achieved using Forensically Informative Nucleotide Sequencing based primarily on the sequence variability of the hypervariable genetic marker mitochondrial DNA control region (mtDNA CR), followed, in some specific cases, by a second validation by a nuclear marker rDNA first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1). This methodology was able to distinguish all tuna species, including those belonging to the subgenus Neothunnus that are very closely related, and in consequence can not be differentiated with other genetic markers of lower variability. This methodology also took into consideration the presence of introgression that has been reported in past studies between T. thynnus, T. orientalis and T. alalunga. Finally, we applied the methodology to cross-check the species identity of 26 processed tuna samples. Using the combination of two genetic markers, one mitochondrial and another nuclear, allows a full discrimination between all eight tuna species. Unexpectedly, the genetic marker traditionally used for DNA barcoding, cytochrome oxidase 1, could not differentiate all species, thus its use as a genetic marker for tuna species identification is questioned.

  2. Cuba: Background to a Revolution.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De La Fuente, Alejandro

    2000-01-01

    Provides historical information on Cuba. Addresses early colonization, the advent of plantation agriculture, the role and presence of the United States in the Caribbean and Cuba, and the social and economic developments in Cuba after the revolution in 1959 led by Fidel Castro. (CMK)

  3. Poliomyelitis and its elimination in Cuba: an historical overview.

    PubMed

    Beldarraín, Enrique

    2013-04-01

    Polio was first detected in Cuba in the late 19th century among residents of the US community on the Isla de Pinos (Isle of Pines, now Isle of Youth), apparently introduced through migration from the USA. The first outbreak was reported in 1906 on the Isle, with the first epidemic reported in the former province of Las Villas in 1909. The epidemics subsequently intensified, by 1934 becoming periodic every four to five years, and accompanied by high morbidity, mortality and crippling sequelae, primarily among children. To review and analyze the history of polio and its control in Cuba, from the disease's first appearance in 1898 until WHO/PAHO certification of elimination in 1994. The historiological method was used; archival documents, medical records, and available polio morbidity and mortality statistics from the Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division before 1959 and from 1959 through 2000 were reviewed. Crude morbidity and mortality rates were calculated using population estimates at mid-period. Reports and scientific publications describing polio vaccination campaigns and their results were also reviewed, and key informants were interviewed. After initial introduction of polio in Cuba, five major epidemics occurred between 1932 and 1958: in 1934 (434 cases, 82 deaths); 1942 (494 cases, 58 deaths); 1946 (239 cases, 33 deaths), 1952 (492 cases, 15 deaths) and 1955 (267 cases, 8 deaths). Between 1957 and 1961 the disease's endemicity reached epidemic levels, with the last outbreak occurring in 1961, with 342 cases, 30% of them in children aged >4 years. In 1962, Cuba launched a nationwide polio vaccination campaign, the first of annual campaigns thereafter carried out in the framework of a coherent national program aimed at polio elimination. Using the Sabin oral vaccine and targeting the entire pediatric population in a single time period, five million doses were administered in the first campaign, reaching 87.5% of the target population aged 1

  4. Ecological data for western Indian Ocean tuna.

    PubMed

    Bodin, Nathalie; Chassot, Emmanuel; Sardenne, Fany; Zudaire, Iker; Grande, Maitane; Dhurmeea, Zahirah; Murua, Hilario; Barde, Julien

    2018-05-01

    Tuna are marine apex predators that inhabit the tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Indian Ocean where they support socially and economically important fisheries. Key component of pelagic communities, tuna are bioindicator species of anthropogenic and climate-induced changes through modifications of the structure and related energy-flow of food webs and ecosystems. The IndianEcoTuna dataset provides a panel of ecological tracers measured in four soft tissues (white muscle, red muscle, liver, gonads) from 1,364 individuals of four species, i.e., the albacore (ALB, Thunnus alalunga), the bigeye (BET, T. obesus), the skipjack (SKJ, Katsuwomus pelamis), and the yellowfin (YFT, T. albacares), collected throughout the western Indian Ocean from 2009 to 2015. Sampling was carried out during routine monitoring programs, at sea by observers onboard professional vessels or at landing. For each record, the type of fishing gear, the conservation mode, as well as the fishing date and catch location are provided. Individuals were sampled to span a wide range of body sizes: 565 ALB with fork length from 58 to 118 cm, 155 BET from 29.5 to 173 cm, 304 SKJ from 30 to 74 cm, and 340 YFT from 29 to 171.5 cm. The IndianEcoTuna dataset combines: (1) 9,512 records of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (percent element weights, δ 13 C and δ 15 N values) in 1,185 fish, (2) 887 concentrations of total proteins in 242 fish, (3) 8,356 concentrations of total lipids and three lipid classes (triacylglycerols TAG; phospholipids PL; sterols ST) in 695 fish, and (4) 1,150 and 1,033 profiles of neutral and polar fatty acids in 397 and 342 fish, respectively. Information on sex and weights of the whole fish, gonads, liver and stomach is provided. Because of the essential trophic role and wide-ranging of tuna in marine systems, and the large panel of tropho-energetic tracers and derived-key quantitative parameters provided (e.g., niche width, trophic position, condition indices), the

  5. Kounis syndrome following canned tuna fish ingestion.

    PubMed

    De Gennaro, Luisa; Brunetti, Natale Daniele; Locuratolo, Nicola; Ruggiero, Massimo; Resta, Manuela; Diaferia, Giuseppe; Rana, Michele; Caldarola, Pasquale

    2017-04-01

    Kounis syndrome (KS) is a complex of cardiovascular symptoms and signs following either allergy or hypersensitivity and anaphylactic or anaphylactoid insults. We report the case of 57-year-old man, with hypertension and history of allergy, referred for facial rash and palpitations appeared after consumption of canned tuna fish. Suddenly, the patient collapsed: electrocardiogram showed ST-elevation in inferior leads. The patient was transferred from the spoke emergency room for coronary angio, which did not show any sign of coronary atherosclerosis. A transient coronary spasm was therefore hypothesized and the final diagnosis was KS. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first cases of KS following the ingestion of tuna fish. KS secondary to food allergy has also been reported, and shellfish ingestion has been considered as one of the most active KS inducer foods. Canned tuna fish too is well known as an allergy inducer. Tuna fish allergy should be considered, however, within the context of scombroid food poisoning, also called histamine fish poisoning. Fish with high levels of free histidine, the enzyme substrate converted to histamine by bacterial histidine decarboxylase, are those most often implicated in scombroid poisoning. Inflammatory mediators such as histamine constitute the pathophysiologic basis of Kounis hypersensitivity-associated acute coronary syndrome. Patients with coronary risk factors, allergic reaction after food ingestion, and suspected scombroid poisoning should be therefore carefully monitored for a prompt diagnosis of possible coronary complications.

  6. Application of the Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) for Pre-grading Tuna Freshness On-board

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheevaporanapivat, Mongkol; Sakai, Hisaharu; Mine, Yuuji; Watanabe, Manabu; Suzuki, Toru

    Application of ORP as a rapid indicator for grading tuna's freshness on the ship was studied. The long line trawling process was used for catching the sample tuna in the South Pacific Ocean. All captured sample tuna were weighed, gender identified and investigated for their mortality, then measured ORP and K value. Three species of tuna were caught: blue marlin (Makaira mazara), yellow fin tuna (Thunnus albacares), and swordfish (Xiphia gladius). Most of the fish captured were male and they had been dead after picking onboard. The measured ORP values of blue marlin varied in the range of 0.295-0.362 Volt, with pH between 5.35-5.84. Both ORP and pH of swordfish was similar to that of blue marlin. But for yellow fin tuna, the ORP value was about the same as blue marlin while its pH was significantly higher. ORP value in all species tended to increase with pH of the fish meat decrease. It is interesting that ORP value of tuna increased in correlation with K value. These results suggested that ORP and pH change, which are measured in the short time, are the effective indicators for grading tuna's freshness on-board.

  7. Effects of different thermal treatments and storage on the proximate composition and protein quality in canned tuna.

    PubMed

    García-Arias, M T; Navarro, M P; García-Linares, M C

    2004-03-01

    The purpose of this project was to study the modifications in nutrient composition, amino acid content, and protein quality of white tuna preserves after each of the thermal treatments involved in the canning process. Also the influence that a three years storage period at room temperature has on the nutritional quality of canned tuna was studied. The biological assays used for the study of the protein utilization were carried out on Wistar rats, fed on semi-synthetic diets for 12 days varying only the protein source, casein or tuna provided as follows: raw, cooked in brine, steamed, sterilized tuna, and canned tuna stored for three years. The sterilization process and storage time led to a great increase in the lipid content of the canned tuna and to a porcentual decrease in protein, and moisture content. Amino acid composition of canned and cooked tuna did not show great modifications compared to raw tuna. Neither protein digestibility nor biological value of the cooked, canned, and stored tuna showed any deterioration. The protein quality of white tuna meat preserves has been compared with preserves made up of red and white tuna meat.

  8. A Validated Methodology for Genetic Identification of Tuna Species (Genus Thunnus)

    PubMed Central

    Viñas, Jordi; Tudela, Sergi

    2009-01-01

    Background Tuna species of the genus Thunnus, such as the bluefin tunas, are some of the most important and yet most endangered trade fish in the world. Identification of these species in traded forms, however, may be difficult depending on the presentation of the products, which may hamper conservation efforts on trade control. In this paper, we validated a genetic methodology that can fully distinguish between the eight Thunnus species from any kind of processed tissue. Methodology After testing several genetic markers, a complete discrimination of the eight tuna species was achieved using Forensically Informative Nucleotide Sequencing based primarily on the sequence variability of the hypervariable genetic marker mitochondrial DNA control region (mtDNA CR), followed, in some specific cases, by a second validation by a nuclear marker rDNA first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1). This methodology was able to distinguish all tuna species, including those belonging to the subgenus Neothunnus that are very closely related, and in consequence can not be differentiated with other genetic markers of lower variability. This methodology also took into consideration the presence of introgression that has been reported in past studies between T. thynnus, T. orientalis and T. alalunga. Finally, we applied the methodology to cross-check the species identity of 26 processed tuna samples. Conclusions Using the combination of two genetic markers, one mitochondrial and another nuclear, allows a full discrimination between all eight tuna species. Unexpectedly, the genetic marker traditionally used for DNA barcoding, cytochrome oxidase 1, could not differentiate all species, thus its use as a genetic marker for tuna species identification is questioned. PMID:19898615

  9. 15 CFR 746.2 - Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Cuba. 746.2 Section 746.2 Commerce and... § 746.2 Cuba. (a) License requirements. As authorized by section 6 of the Export Administration Act of... subject to the EAR) to Cuba, except as follows. (1) License Exceptions. You may export or reexport without...

  10. 15 CFR 746.2 - Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Cuba. 746.2 Section 746.2 Commerce and... § 746.2 Cuba. (a) License requirements. As authorized by section 6 of the Export Administration Act of... subject to the EAR) to Cuba, except as follows. (1) License Exceptions. You may export or reexport without...

  11. 15 CFR 746.2 - Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cuba. 746.2 Section 746.2 Commerce and... § 746.2 Cuba. (a) License requirements. As authorized by section 6 of the Export Administration Act of... subject to the EAR) to Cuba, except as follows. (1) License Exceptions. You may export or reexport without...

  12. 15 CFR 746.2 - Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Cuba. 746.2 Section 746.2 Commerce and... § 746.2 Cuba. (a) License requirements. As authorized by section 6 of the Export Administration Act of... subject to the EAR) to Cuba, except as follows. (1) License Exceptions. You may export or reexport without...

  13. 15 CFR 746.2 - Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Cuba. 746.2 Section 746.2 Commerce and... § 746.2 Cuba. (a) License requirements. As authorized by section 6 of the Export Administration Act of... subject to the EAR) to Cuba, except as follows. (1) License Exceptions. You may export or reexport without...

  14. Differentiated stable isotopes signatures between pre- and post-flexion larvae of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and of its associated tuna species of the Balearic Sea (NW Mediterranean)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    García, Alberto; Laiz-Carrión, Raúl; Uriarte, Amaya; Quintanilla, José M.; Morote, Elvira; Rodríguez, José M.; Alemany, Francisco

    2017-06-01

    The trophic ecology of bluefin tuna larvae (Thunnus thynnus) from the Balearic Sea, together with its co-existing tuna species such as albacore (T. alalunga), bullet (Auxis rochei) and little tunny (Euthynnus alletteratus) were examined by nitrogen and carbon stable isotope analyses. A total of 286 larvae were analyzed for this study, of which 72 larvae corresponded to bluefin, 57 to albacore, 81 to bullet tuna and 76 to little tunny. Tuna larvae were separated into the pre-flexion and post-flexion developmental stages. Within the size 3-9 mm standard length (SL), the stable isotope of nitrogen (δ15N) showed significant differences between species where bluefin tuna larvae ranked highest. Pre-flexion bluefin tuna and little tunny larvae showed significantly higher δ15N signatures than the post-flexion larvae. This effect is attributed to a biochemical trace of maternal δ15N signatures. However, neither albacore nor bullet tuna larvae showed this pattern in δ15N signatures, possibly owing to a compensation effect between lower maternal δ15N values transmitted to pre-flexion larvae and the early increase of δ15N values in post-flexion stages. One way ANOVA showed significant differences between species in the stable isotope ratio of carbon (δ13C) values, which suggests specific differences of carbon sources. Furthermore, a similar significant ontogenic effect between δ13C signatures of pre-flexion and post-flexion larvae is also evidenced in all four species. At pre-flexion stages, all species except bullet tuna larvae showed significant negative relationships between δ15N and larval standard length. At post-flexion stages, a significant linear relationship with larval size was only observed in albacore and bullet tuna larvae indicating a possible trophic shift towards early piscivory. With respect to δ13C values with larval size, all four species showed significant linear decreases. It may be explained by the metabolism of growth of somatic mass subject to

  15. Food matrix effects on in vitro digestion of microencapsulated tuna oil powder.

    PubMed

    Shen, Zhiping; Apriani, Christina; Weerakkody, Rangika; Sanguansri, Luz; Augustin, Mary Ann

    2011-08-10

    Tuna oil, containing 53 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 241 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per gram of oil, delivered as a neat microencapsulated tuna oil powder (25% oil loading) or in food matrices (orange juice, yogurt, or cereal bar) fortified with microencapsulated tuna oil powder was digested in simulated gastric fluid or sequentially in simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid. The level of fortification was equivalent to 1 g of tuna oil per recommended serving size (i.e., per 200 g of orange juice or yogurt or 60 g of cereal bar). The changes in particle size of oil droplets during digestion were influenced by the method of delivery of the microencapsulated tuna oil powder. Lipolysis in simulated gastric fluid was low, with only 4.4-6.1% EPA and ≤1.5% DHA released after digestion (as a % of total fatty acids present). After sequential exposure to simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, much higher extents of lipolysis of both glycerol-bound EPA and DHA were obtained (73.2-78.6% for the neat powder, fortified orange juice, and yogurt; 60.3-64.0% for the fortified cereal bar). This research demonstrates that the choice of food matrix may influence the lipolysis of microencapsulated tuna oil.

  16. 77 FR 3637 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; General Category Fishery

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-25

    .... 110210132-1275-02] RIN 0648-XA948 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries... category fishery for large medium and giant Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) until the General category reopens...: Regulations implemented under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) and...

  17. 78 FR 11788 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; General Category Fishery

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-20

    .... 120306154-2241-02] RIN 0648-XC506 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries... category fishery for large medium and giant Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) until the General category reopens... implemented under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) and the Magnuson...

  18. Heat resistance of histamine-producing bacteria in irradiated tuna loins.

    PubMed

    Enache, Elena; Kataoka, Ai; Black, D Glenn; Weddig, Lisa; Hayman, Melinda; Bjornsdottir-Butler, Kristin

    2013-09-01

    Consumption of foods high in biogenic amines leads to an illness known as histamine, or scombrotoxin, poisoning. The illness is commonly associated with consumption of fish with high levels of histamine ( $ 500 ppm). The objective of this study was to determine and compare the heat resistance of five histamine-producing bacteria in irradiated albacore tuna loins. Heat-resistance parameters (D- and z-values) were determined for Morganella morganii, Raoultella planticola, Hafnia alvei, and Enterobacter aerogenes. D- or z-values were not determined for Photobacterium damselae, which was the most heat-sensitive organism in this study. P. damselae declined > 5.9 log CFU/g after a heat treatment of 50°C for 10 min, 54°C for 3 min, and 56°C for 0.5 min. M. morganii was the most heat-resistant histamine-producing bacteria in albacore tuna loins, followed by E. aerogenes, H. alvei, and R. planticola. M. morganii and E. aerogenes had the highest D(50°C), 49.7 ± 17.57 and 51.8 ± 17.38 min, respectively. In addition, M. morganii had the highest D-values for all other temperatures (54, 56, and 58°C) tested. D- and zvalues were also determined for M. morganii in skipjack tuna. While no significant (P > 0.05) difference was observed between D(54°C) and D(56°C) of M. morganii in either albacore or skipjack tuna, the D(58°C) (0.4 ± 0.17 min) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in skipjack than in albacore (0.9 ± 0.24 min). The z-values for all organisms tested were in the range of 3.2 to 3.8°C. This study suggests that heat treatment designed to control M. morganii in tuna loins is sufficient for controlling histamine-producing bacteria in canned-tuna processing environments.

  19. El Nino Southern Oscillation and Tuna in the Western Pacific

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lehodey, P.; Bertignac, M.; Hampton, J.; Lewis, A.; Picaut, J.

    1997-01-01

    Nearly 70% of the world's annual tuna harvest, currently 3.2 million tonnes, comes from the Pacific Ocean. Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) dominate the catch. Although skipjack are distributed in the surface mixed layer throughout the equatorial and subtropical Pacific, catches are highest in the western equatorial Pacific warm pool, a region characterized by low primary productivity rates that has the warmest surface waters of the world's oceans. Assessments of tuna stocks indicate that recent western Pacific skipjack catches approaching one million tonnes annually are sustainable. The warm pool, which is fundamental to the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Earth's climate in general, must therefore also provide a habitat capable of supporting this highly productive tuna population. Here we show that apparent spatial shifts in the skipjack population are linked to large zonal displacements of the warm pool that occur during ENSO events. This relationship can be used to predict (several months in advance) the region of highest skipjack abundance, within a fishing ground extending over 6,000 km along the Equator.

  20. Total mercury in canned yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares marketed in northwest Mexico.

    PubMed

    Ruelas-Inzunza, Jorge; Patiño-Mejía, Carlos; Soto-Jiménez, Martín; Barba-Quintero, Guillermo; Spanopoulos-Hernández, Milton

    2011-12-01

    Mercury (Hg) was determined in Thunnus albacares canned in oil (from 7 to 10 samples per brand) and water (from 5 to 10 samples per brand) of five leading brands in Mexico in 2008. Potential health risk was estimated on the basis of Hg concentration and rate (1.43 kg year(-1)per capita) of tuna consumption in Mexico. Highest Hg concentrations were 0.51 ± 0.26 and 0.40 ± 0.24 μ gg(-1) dry weight in water and oil, respectively. Averaged Hg concentrations in tuna canned in water in the current study were comparable to values in Katsuwonus pelamis from Alabama; regarding the oil presentation, Hg levels were lower than in canned tuna collected in Mexico and comparable to values in canned tuna (species not identified) from Turkey. Hazard quotients were 0.0166 and 0.012 in water and oil, respectively. For the analyzed brands and considering tuna consumption in Mexican population, reference dose for this element was not exceeded; therefore, no human health risk is likely to occur. More work is necessary in relation to exposure to Hg from other sources, rates of consumption in strata of population with elevated fish consumption, size of canned tuna and on the role of Se against Hg toxicity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Identification of five highly priced tuna species by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    PubMed

    Liu, Shasha; Xu, Kunhua; Wu, Zhigang; Xie, Xiao; Feng, Junli

    2016-09-01

    Tunas are economically important fishery worldwide, and are often used for commercial processed production. For effective fishery management and protection of consumers' rights, it is important to develop a molecular method to identify species in canned tuna products rapidly and reliably. Here, we have developed a duplex quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for identification of five highly priced tuna species (Thunnus maccoyii, Thunnus obesus, Thunnus albacares, Thunnus alalunga and Katsuwonus pelamis) from processed as well as fresh fish. After amplification and sequencing of seven genetic markers commonly used for species identification, 16S rDNA and control region (CR) of mitochondrial DNA were selected as the reference gene markers for genus Thunnus and tuna species identification, respectively. Subsequently, a 73 bp fragment of 16S rDNA and 85-99 bp fragment of CR were simultaneously amplified from each target species by qPCR. The qPCR efficiency of each reaction was calculated according to the standard curves, and the method was validated by amplification DNA extracted from single or mixed tuna specimen. The developed duplex qPCR system was applied to authenticate species of 14 commercial tuna products successfully, which demonstrated it was really a useful and academic technique to identify highly priced tuna species.

  2. Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-08-30

    Estrella de Cuba, from booking travel to Cuba. The agency reportedly was one of the largest licensed travel agencies, booking some 300 to 500...office. In January 2006, OFAC suspended a South Florida travel agency, La Estrella de Cuba, from booking travel to Cuba. The agency reportedly was one...conducting on-site audits at agencies that do business with Cuba and expects to complete 25 audits in 2006.14 In addition to La Estrella de Cuba, OFAC

  3. Modelling the spatial behaviour of a tropical tuna purse seine fleet.

    PubMed

    Davies, Tim K; Mees, Chris C; Milner-Gulland, E J

    2014-01-01

    Industrial tuna fisheries operate in the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but concerns over sustainability and environmental impacts of these fisheries have resulted in increased scrutiny of how they are managed. An important but often overlooked factor in the success or failure of tuna fisheries management is the behaviour of fishers and fishing fleets. Uncertainty in how a fishing fleet will respond to management or other influences can be reduced by anticipating fleet behaviour, although to date there has been little research directed at understanding and anticipating the human dimension of tuna fisheries. The aim of this study was to address gaps in knowledge of the behaviour of tuna fleets, using the Indian Ocean tropical tuna purse seine fishery as a case study. We use statistical modelling to examine the factors that influence the spatial behaviour of the purse seine fleet at broad spatiotemporal scales. This analysis reveals very high consistency between years in the use of seasonal fishing grounds by the fleet, as well as a forcing influence of biophysical ocean conditions on the distribution of fishing effort. These findings suggest strong inertia in the spatial behaviour of the fleet, which has important implications for predicting the response of the fleet to natural events or management measures (e.g., spatial closures).

  4. 75 FR 62503 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Pacific Tuna Fisheries Logbook

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Pacific Tuna Fisheries Logbook AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric....) participation in the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) results in certain recordkeeping...

  5. Heart rate responses to temperature in free-swimming Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis).

    PubMed

    Clark, T D; Farwell, C J; Rodriguez, L E; Brandt, W T; Block, B A

    2013-09-01

    The bluefin tuna heart remains at ambient water temperature (Ta) but must supply blood to warm regions of the body served by countercurrent vascular heat exchangers. Despite this unusual physiology, inherent difficulties have precluded an understanding of the cardiovascular responses to Ta in free-swimming bluefin tunas. We measured the heart rate (f(H)) responses of two captive Pacific bluefin tunas (Thunnus orientalis; 9.7 and 13.3 kg) over a cumulative period of 40 days. Routine f(H) during fasting in the holding tank at a Ta of 20°C was 45.1±8.0 and 40.7±6.5 beats min(-1) for Tuna 1 and Tuna 2, respectively. f(H) decreased in each fish with a Q10 temperature coefficient of 2.6 (Tuna 1) and 3.1 (Tuna 2) as Ta in the tank was slowly decreased to 15°C (~0.4°C h(-1)), despite a gradual increase in swimming speed. The same thermal challenge during digestion revealed similar thermal dependence of f(H) and indicated that the rate of visceral cooling is not buffered by the heat increment of feeding. Acutely decreasing Ta from 20 to 10°C while Tuna 1 swam in a tunnel respirometer caused a progressive increase in tail-beat frequency and oxygen consumption rate (M(O2)). f(H) of this fish decreased with a Q10 of 2.7 as Ta decreased between 20 and 15°C, while further cooling to 10°C saw a general plateau in f(H) around 35 beats min(-1) with a Q10 of 1.3. A discussion of the relationships between f(H), and haemoglobin-oxygen binding sheds further light on how bluefin cardiorespiratory systems function in a changing thermal environment.

  6. 76 FR 44834 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Northern Area Trophy Fishery

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-07-27

    .... 110210132-1275-02] RIN 0648-XA550 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries... category fishery for large medium and giant (``trophy'') Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implemented under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (16...

  7. Geologic Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the North Cuba Basin, Cuba

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schenk, Christopher J.

    2010-01-01

    Petroleum generation in the North Cuba Basin is primarily the result of thrust loading of Jurassic and Cretaceous source rocks during formation of the North Cuba fold and thrust belt in the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene. The fold and thrust belt formed as Cuban arc-forearc rocks along the leading edge of the Caribbean plate translated northward during the opening of the Yucatan Basin and collided with the passive margin of southern North America in the Paleogene. Petroleum fluids generated during thrust loading migrated vertically into complex structures in the fold and thrust belt, into structures in the foreland basin, and possibly into carbonate reservoirs along the margins of the Yucatan and Bahama carbonate platforms. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) defined a Jurassic-Cretaceous Composite Total Petroleum System (TPS) and three assessment units (AU)-North Cuba Fold and Thrust Belt AU, North Cuba Foreland Basin AU, and the North Cuba Platform Margin Carbonate AU-within this TPS based mainly on structure and reservoir type (fig. 1). There is considerable geologic uncertainty as to the extent of petroleum migration that might have occurred within this TPS to form potential petroleum accumulations. Taking this geologic uncertainty into account, especially in the offshore area, the mean volumes of undiscovered resources in the composite TPS of the North Cuba Basin are estimated at (1) 4.6 billion barrels of oil (BBO), with means ranging from an F95 probability of 1 BBO to an F5 probability of 9 BBO; and (2) 8.6 trillion cubic feet of of gas (TCFG), of which 8.6 TCFG is associated with oil fields, and about 1.2 TCFG is in nonassociated gas fields in the North Cuba Foreland Basin AU.

  8. Radiation hydrolysate of tuna cooking juice with enhanced antioxidant properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choi, Jong-il; Sung, Nak-Yun; Lee, Ju-Woon

    2012-08-01

    Tuna protein hydrolysates are of increasing interest because of their potential application as a source of bioactive peptides. Large amounts of tuna cooking juice with proteins and extracts are produced during the process of tuna canning, and these cooking juice wastes cause environmental problems. Therefore, in this study, cooking juice proteins were hydrolyzed by irradiation for their utilization as functional additives. The degree of hydrolysis of tuna cooking juice protein increased from 0% to 15.1% at the absorbed doses of 50 kGy. To investigate the antioxidant activity of the hydrolysate, it was performed the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and the lipid peroxidation inhibitory and superoxide radical scavenging activities were measured. The FRAP values increased from 1470 μM to 1930 μM and IC50 on superoxide anion was decreased from 3.91 μg/mL to 1.29 μg/mL at 50 kGy. All of the antioxidant activities were increased in the hydrolysate, suggesting that radiation hydrolysis, which is a simple process that does not require an additive catalysts or an inactivation step, is a promising method for food and environmental industries.

  9. Cuba Country Analysis Brief

    EIA Publications

    2016-01-01

    Cuba imports the majority of their energy needs, but offshore oil and gas potential could help mitigate their reliance imports. Cuba has entered into many agreements with various countries to help with exploration and drilling efforts. As a result of the ongoing U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, U.S. companies are unable to own any Cuban oil assets. However, U.S. oil companies are allowed to participate in drilling as well as sending technology and supplies with an executive license. While there is interest in Cuban offshore assets, the combination of low oil prices and technically challenging fields could be stumbling blocks for foreign investment.

  10. Pacific bluefin tuna transport Fukushima-derived radionuclides from Japan to California

    PubMed Central

    Madigan, Daniel J.; Baumann, Zofia; Fisher, Nicholas S.

    2012-01-01

    The Fukushima Dai-ichi release of radionuclides into ocean waters caused significant local and global concern regarding the spread of radioactive material. We report unequivocal evidence that Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis, transported Fukushima-derived radionuclides across the entire North Pacific Ocean. We measured γ-emitting radionuclides in California-caught tunas and found 134Cs (4.0 ± 1.4 Bq kg−1) and elevated 137Cs (6.3 ± 1.5 Bq kg−1) in 15 Pacific bluefin tuna sampled in August 2011. We found no 134Cs and background concentrations (∼1 Bq kg−1) of 137Cs in pre-Fukushima bluefin and post-Fukushima yellowfin tunas, ruling out elevated radiocesium uptake before 2011 or in California waters post-Fukushima. These findings indicate that Pacific bluefin tuna can rapidly transport radionuclides from a point source in Japan to distant ecoregions and demonstrate the importance of migratory animals as transport vectors of radionuclides. Other large, highly migratory marine animals make extensive use of waters around Japan, and these animals may also be transport vectors of Fukushima-derived radionuclides to distant regions of the North and South Pacific Oceans. These results reveal tools to trace migration origin (using the presence of 134Cs) and potentially migration timing (using 134Cs:137Cs ratios) in highly migratory marine species in the Pacific Ocean. PMID:22645346

  11. English Language Education in Cuba.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Irizar, Tony

    2001-01-01

    Provides an overview of English language education in Cuba. Discusses the historical role of English in Cuba, the introduction of English for specific purposes, and the current status of English instruction. (Author/VWL)

  12. ²¹⁰Po, Cd and Pb distribution and biomagnification in the yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares and skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis from the Eastern Pacific.

    PubMed

    Ruelas-Inzunza, J; Soto-Jiménez, M F; Ruiz-Fernández, A C; Ramos-Osuna, M; Mones-Saucedo, J; Páez-Osuna, F

    2014-10-15

    We measured Cd and Pb in the muscle and stomach contents of Thunnus albacares and Katsuwonus pelamis to define the distribution of the elements in the tissues and their degrees of biomagnification. (210)Po was measured in the livers of both species and compared to the results of similar studies. The trophic position of the tuna species was determined by N isotope measurements. The average activity of (210)Po in the liver ranged from 119 to 157 (Bq kg(-1) wet weight) in K. pelamis and T. albacares. The trophic position of T. albacares (4.60) was higher than that of K. pelamis (3.94). The Cd content of the muscle increased significantly with the trophic position of the tuna. δ(13)C in T. albacares and K. pelamis varied, with values of 3.13 and 1.88‰, respectively. The δ(15)N values in yellowfin tuna were higher than in skipjack tuna. The trophic position of T. albacares (4.60 ± 0.67) was therefore more elevated than that of K. pelamis (3.94 ± 1.06). Pb was biomagnified in T. albacares (transfer factor=1.46). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. The Tuna/Porpoise Problem: Behavioral Aspects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pryor, Karen; Norris, Kenneth S.

    1978-01-01

    Recent legislation has been enforced to reduce porpoise losses in the nets of tuna fishermen. This article discusses some of the behavioral causes of porpoise mortality and described solutions that may or may not work. (MA)

  14. Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-07-30

    Estrella de Cuba, from booking travel to Cuba. The agency reportedly was one of the largest licensed travel agencies, booking some 300 to 500 passengers...Cuba.20 In addition to La Estrella de Cuba, OFAC suspended the service activities of several other companies in 2006, including Baby Envios Travel

  15. Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-28

    travel agency, La Estrella de Cuba, from booking travel to Cuba. The agency reportedly was one of the largest licensed travel agencies, booking some...that do business with Cuba.20 In addition to La Estrella de Cuba, OFAC suspended the service activities of several other companies in 2006, including

  16. Mercury concentrations in three species of tunas collected from various oceanic waters

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Greig, R.A.; Krzynowek, J.

    1979-05-01

    While the primary effort of the National Canners Association and Food and Drug Administration was involved with examination of the extent of the mercury problem in processed tuna, the National Marine Fisheries Service was defining the mercury levels as they existed in the tuna resource at sea. A study was therefore initiated early in 1971 by the National Marine Fisheries Service to relate mercury levels in tuna to such factors as species, size of fish, geographic area of catch and distribution within individual fish. The purpose of this report is to present the data that were accumulated.

  17. The effect of temperature on postprandial metabolism of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares).

    PubMed

    Klinger, Dane H; Dale, Jonathan J; Gleiss, Adrian C; Brandt, Tyler; Estess, Ethan E; Gardner, Luke; Machado, Benjamin; Norton, Alex; Rodriguez, Luis; Stiltner, James; Farwell, Charles; Block, Barbara A

    2016-05-01

    Specific dynamic action (SDA), the increase in metabolic expenditure associated with consumption of a meal, represents a substantial portion of fish energy budgets and is highly influenced by ambient temperature. The effect of temperature on SDA has not been studied in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares, Bonnaterre 1788), an active pelagic predator that occupies temperate and subtropical waters. The energetic cost and duration of SDA were calculated by comparing routine and post-prandial oxygen consumption rates. Mean routine metabolic rates in yellowfin tuna increased with temperature, from 136 mg O2 kg(-1)h(-1) at 20 °C to 211 mg O2 kg(-1)h at 24 °C. The mean duration of SDA decreased from 40.2h at 20 °C to 33.1h at 24 °C, while mean SDA coefficient, the percentage of energy in a meal that is consumed during digestion, increased from 5.9% at 20 °C to 12.7% at 24 °C. Digestion in yellowfin tuna is faster at a higher temperature but requires additional oxidative energy. Enhanced characterization of the role of temperature in SDA of yellowfin tuna deepens our understanding of tuna physiology and can help improve management of aquaculture and fisheries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-02-27

    forwarded to the OFAC-Miami office. In January 2006, OFAC suspended a South Florida travel agency, La Estrella de Cuba, from booking travel to Cuba...Department spokesman, OFAC had plans to conduct 25 on- site audits in 2006 at agencies that do business with Cuba.15 In addition to La Estrella de Cuba

  19. Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-03-31

    office. In January 2006, OFAC suspended a South Florida travel agency, La Estrella de Cuba, from booking travel to Cuba. The agency reportedly was one...plans to conduct 25 on-site audits in 2006 at agencies that do business with Cuba.22 In addition to La Estrella de Cuba, OFAC suspended the service

  20. Proposed OTEC Punta Tuna Pilot Plant

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marina, J.; Perez, F.

    1981-01-01

    Siting features and the design of a 40 MWe prototype OTEC for installation at Punta Tuna, Puerto Rico are presented. An annual average temperature gradient of 40 F from surface to 3,000 ft depth, a sharp coastal drop-off, projected benign environmental effects, and expensive indigenous power supplies are seen as favorable for fixed, floating, or grazing OTEC plants. The Punta Tuna design is for a platform fitted with generators in 300 ft of water, submarine cable power transmission, fiberglass seawater pipes, NH3 as a working fluid, and heat exchangers at the 300 ft depth, below hurricane wind and wave action.more » Methods of installing the 3,000 ft cold water pipes are discussed, and the use of OTEC derived electricity for aluminum smelting in the Caribbean is indicated.« less

  1. Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-21

    forwarded to the OFAC-Miami office. In January 2006, OFAC suspended a South Florida travel agency, La Estrella de Cuba, from booking travel to Cuba. The...Department spokesman, OFAC had plans to conduct 25 on-site audits in 2006 at agencies that do business with Cuba.22 In addition to La Estrella de Cuba

  2. Mercury in canned tuna marketed in Cartagena, Colombia, and estimation of human exposure.

    PubMed

    Alcala-Orozco, Maria; Morillo-Garcia, Yenifer; Caballero-Gallardo, Karina; Olivero-Verbel, Jesus

    2017-12-01

    The presence of mercury in tuna is ubiquitous, so national authorities should guarantee food safety of canned tuna available on the market, according to legal regulations. The objective of this survey was to assess total mercury (T-Hg) levels in brands of canned tuna marketed in Cartagena, Colombia, and determine fish consumption-based risks after ingestion. For that purpose, 252 cans of tuna were collected, representing 6 brands (A-F), in 2 mediums (water and oil). Mean T-Hg levels were 0.66 ± 0.05 and 0.61 ± 0.05 µg g -1 wet weight, for water and oil, respectively. High T-Hg concentrations were measured in brands B and D. Only brands E and F guaranteed low risk for Hg-related health problems. According to Colombia's legislation, 15.5% of the samples exceeded the maximum level of 1.0 µg g -1 for mercury and 18.3% was higher than limits as recommended by Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organisation (0.5 µg g -1 ). It was concluded that consumption of canned tuna could represent a high risk for the Colombian population, particularly to vulnerable groups.

  3. Performance variation due to stiffness in a tuna-inspired flexible foil model.

    PubMed

    Rosic, Mariel-Luisa N; Thornycroft, Patrick J M; Feilich, Kara L; Lucas, Kelsey N; Lauder, George V

    2017-01-17

    Tuna are fast, economical swimmers in part due to their stiff, high aspect ratio caudal fins and streamlined bodies. Previous studies using passive caudal fin models have suggested that while high aspect ratio tail shapes such as a tuna's generally perform well, tail performance cannot be determined from shape alone. In this study, we analyzed the swimming performance of tuna-tail-shaped hydrofoils of a wide range of stiffnesses, heave amplitudes, and frequencies to determine how stiffness and kinematics affect multiple swimming performance parameters for a single foil shape. We then compared the foil models' kinematics with published data from a live swimming tuna to determine how well the hydrofoil models could mimic fish kinematics. Foil kinematics over a wide range of motion programs generally showed a minimum lateral displacement at the narrowest part of the foil, and, immediately anterior to that, a local area of large lateral body displacement. These two kinematic patterns may enhance thrust in foils of intermediate stiffness. Stiffness and kinematics exhibited subtle interacting effects on hydrodynamic efficiency, with no one stiffness maximizing both thrust and efficiency. Foils of intermediate stiffnesses typically had the greatest coefficients of thrust at the highest heave amplitudes and frequencies. The comparison of foil kinematics with tuna kinematics showed that tuna motion is better approximated by a zero angle of attack foil motion program than by programs that do not incorporate pitch. These results indicate that open questions in biomechanics may be well served by foil models, given appropriate choice of model characteristics and control programs. Accurate replication of biological movements will require refinement of motion control programs and physical models, including the creation of models of variable stiffness.

  4. 75 FR 68725 - Western and Central Pacific Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species; 2010 Bigeye Tuna Longline...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-09

    ... Bigeye Tuna Longline Fishery Closure AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic...: NMFS is closing the U.S. pelagic longline fishery for bigeye tuna in the western and central Pacific....224) for calendar year 2010 of 3,763 metric tons (mt) of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) that may be...

  5. 76 FR 71469 - Western and Central Pacific Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species; 2011 Bigeye Tuna Longline...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-18

    ... Bigeye Tuna Longline Fishery Closure AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic...: NMFS is closing the U.S. pelagic longline fishery for bigeye tuna in the western and central Pacific....224) for calendar year 2011 of 3,763 metric tons (mt) of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) that may be...

  6. Cuba: Issues for the 109th Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-12-19

    from Cuban nationals outside of the United States. CRS-4 On January 23, 2006, OFAC suspended a South Florida travel agency, La Estrella de Cuba...one of the largest licensed travel service providers in Florida, La Estrella de Cuba, from booking travel to Cuba. Another three agencies had their

  7. Primary care in Cuba: a public health approach.

    PubMed

    Swanson, K A; Swanson, J M; Gill, A E; Walter, C

    1995-01-01

    Cuba's primary health care model is presented. Unlike ambulatory care services, which are but one component of primary care, Cuba's model is a comprehensive public health approach that meets the World Health Organization's definition of primary care. The history of the development of Cuba's model is presented, including an update on the innovative neighborhood/home clinics. Achievements in health outcomes as a result of Cuba's model and the consequences for women's health care are discussed. Examples are presented of the effects on health care delivery of the economic hardship that Cuba has experienced since 1991 as a result of the loss of 85% of its trade with the former Soviet Union and the intensified U.S. embargo. A critique of Cuba's model concludes the article.

  8. The real maccoyii: identifying tuna sushi with DNA barcodes--contrasting characteristic attributes and genetic distances.

    PubMed

    Lowenstein, Jacob H; Amato, George; Kolokotronis, Sergios-Orestis

    2009-11-18

    The use of DNA barcodes for the identification of described species is one of the least controversial and most promising applications of barcoding. There is no consensus, however, as to what constitutes an appropriate identification standard and most barcoding efforts simply attempt to pair a query sequence with reference sequences and deem identification successful if it falls within the bounds of some pre-established cutoffs using genetic distance. Since the Renaissance, however, most biological classification schemes have relied on the use of diagnostic characters to identify and place species. Here we developed a cytochrome c oxidase subunit I character-based key for the identification of all tuna species of the genus Thunnus, and compared its performance with distance-based measures for identification of 68 samples of tuna sushi purchased from 31 restaurants in Manhattan (New York City) and Denver, Colorado. Both the character-based key and GenBank BLAST successfully identified 100% of the tuna samples, while the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) as well as genetic distance thresholds, and neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree building performed poorly in terms of species identification. A piece of tuna sushi has the potential to be an endangered species, a fraud, or a health hazard. All three of these cases were uncovered in this study. Nineteen restaurant establishments were unable to clarify or misrepresented what species they sold. Five out of nine samples sold as a variant of "white tuna" were not albacore (T. alalunga), but escolar (Lepidocybium flavorunneum), a gempylid species banned for sale in Italy and Japan due to health concerns. Nineteen samples were northern bluefin tuna (T. thynnus) or the critically endangered southern bluefin tuna (T. maccoyii), though nine restaurants that sold these species did not state these species on their menus. The Convention on International Trade Endangered Species (CITES) requires that listed species must be

  9. Projections of climate-driven changes in tuna vertical habitat based on species-specific differences in blood oxygen affinity.

    PubMed

    Mislan, K A S; Deutsch, Curtis A; Brill, Richard W; Dunne, John P; Sarmiento, Jorge L

    2017-10-01

    Oxygen concentrations are hypothesized to decrease in many areas of the ocean as a result of anthropogenically driven climate change, resulting in habitat compression for pelagic animals. The oxygen partial pressure, pO 2 , at which blood is 50% saturated (P 50 ) is a measure of blood oxygen affinity and a gauge of the tolerance of animals for low ambient oxygen. Tuna species display a wide range of blood oxygen affinities (i.e., P 50 values) and therefore may be differentially impacted by habitat compression as they make extensive vertical movements to forage on subdaily time scales. To project the effects of end-of-the-century climate change on tuna habitat, we calculate tuna P 50 depths (i.e., the vertical position in the water column at which ambient pO 2 is equal to species-specific blood P 50 values) from 21st century Earth System Model (ESM) projections included in the fifth phase of the Climate Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Overall, we project P 50 depths to shoal, indicating likely habitat compression for tuna species due to climate change. Tunas that will be most impacted by shoaling are Pacific and southern bluefin tunas-habitat compression is projected for the entire geographic range of Pacific bluefin tuna and for the spawning region of southern bluefin tuna. Vertical shifts in P 50 depths will potentially influence resource partitioning among Pacific bluefin, bigeye, yellowfin, and skipjack tunas in the northern subtropical and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal. By establishing linkages between tuna physiology and environmental conditions, we provide a mechanistic basis to project the effects of anthropogenic climate change on tuna habitats. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  10. Distinct Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) Stocks Detected in Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) Using DNA Microsatellites.

    PubMed

    Aguila, Roselyn D; Perez, Sweedy Kay L; Catacutan, Billy Joel N; Lopez, Grace V; Barut, Noel C; Santos, Mudjekeewis D

    2015-01-01

    The yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788), covers majority of the Philippines' tuna catch, one of the major fisheries commodities in the country. Due to its high economic importance sustainable management of these tunas has become an imperative measure to prevent stock depletion. Currently, the Philippine yellowfin tuna is believed to be part of a single stock of the greater WCPO though some reports suggest otherwise. This study therefore aims to establish the genetic stock structure of the said species in the Philippines as compared to Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea using nine (9) DNA microsatellite markers. DNA microsatellite data revealed significant genetic differentiation between the Philippine and Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea yellowfin tuna samples. (FST = 0.034, P = 0.016), which is further supported by multilocus distance matrix testing (PCoA) and model-based clustering (STRUCTURE 2.2).With these findings, this study posits that the yellowfin tuna population in the Philippines is a separate stock from the Bismarck Sea population. These findings add evidence to the alternative hypothesis of having at least 2 subpopulations of yellowfin tuna in the WCPO and calls for additional scientific studies using other parameters to investigate this. Accurate population information is necessary in formulating a more appropriate management strategy for the sustainability of the yellowfin tuna not only in the Philippines but also in the WCPO.

  11. Distinct Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) Stocks Detected in Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) Using DNA Microsatellites

    PubMed Central

    Aguila, Roselyn D.; Perez, Sweedy Kay L.; Catacutan, Billy Joel N.; Lopez, Grace V.; Barut, Noel C.; Santos, Mudjekeewis D.

    2015-01-01

    The yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788), covers majority of the Philippines’ tuna catch, one of the major fisheries commodities in the country. Due to its high economic importance sustainable management of these tunas has become an imperative measure to prevent stock depletion. Currently, the Philippine yellowfin tuna is believed to be part of a single stock of the greater WCPO though some reports suggest otherwise. This study therefore aims to establish the genetic stock structure of the said species in the Philippines as compared to Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea using nine (9) DNA microsatellite markers. DNA microsatellite data revealed significant genetic differentiation between the Philippine and Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea yellowfin tuna samples. (FST = 0.034, P = 0.016), which is further supported by multilocus distance matrix testing (PCoA) and model-based clustering (STRUCTURE 2.2).With these findings, this study posits that the yellowfin tuna population in the Philippines is a separate stock from the Bismarck Sea population. These findings add evidence to the alternative hypothesis of having at least 2 subpopulations of yellowfin tuna in the WCPO and calls for additional scientific studies using other parameters to investigate this. Accurate population information is necessary in formulating a more appropriate management strategy for the sustainability of the yellowfin tuna not only in the Philippines but also in the WCPO. PMID:26394234

  12. 14 CFR 91.709 - Operations to Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Operations to Cuba. 91.709 Section 91.709... Board Such Aircraft § 91.709 Operations to Cuba. No person may operate a civil aircraft from the United States to Cuba unless— (a) Departure is from an international airport of entry designated in § 6.13 of...

  13. 14 CFR 91.709 - Operations to Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Operations to Cuba. 91.709 Section 91.709... Board Such Aircraft § 91.709 Operations to Cuba. No person may operate a civil aircraft from the United States to Cuba unless— (a) Departure is from an international airport of entry designated in § 6.13 of...

  14. 14 CFR 91.709 - Operations to Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Operations to Cuba. 91.709 Section 91.709... Board Such Aircraft § 91.709 Operations to Cuba. No person may operate a civil aircraft from the United States to Cuba unless— (a) Departure is from an international airport of entry designated in § 6.13 of...

  15. 14 CFR 91.709 - Operations to Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Operations to Cuba. 91.709 Section 91.709... Board Such Aircraft § 91.709 Operations to Cuba. No person may operate a civil aircraft from the United States to Cuba unless— (a) Departure is from an international airport of entry designated in § 6.13 of...

  16. 14 CFR 91.709 - Operations to Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Operations to Cuba. 91.709 Section 91.709... Board Such Aircraft § 91.709 Operations to Cuba. No person may operate a civil aircraft from the United States to Cuba unless— (a) Departure is from an international airport of entry designated in § 6.13 of...

  17. 31 CFR 515.420 - Travel to Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Travel to Cuba. 515.420 Section 515.420 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF..., even if provided free-of-charge by the Government of Cuba or a national of Cuba or paid for by a third...

  18. 31 CFR 515.420 - Travel to Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Travel to Cuba. 515.420 Section 515.420 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF..., even if provided free-of-charge by the Government of Cuba or a national of Cuba or paid for by a third...

  19. 31 CFR 515.420 - Travel to Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Travel to Cuba. 515.420 Section 515.420 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF..., even if provided free-of-charge by the Government of Cuba or a national of Cuba or paid for by a third...

  20. 31 CFR 515.420 - Travel to Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Travel to Cuba. 515.420 Section 515.420 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF..., even if provided free-of-charge by the Government of Cuba or a national of Cuba or paid for by a third...

  1. 31 CFR 515.420 - Travel to Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Travel to Cuba. 515.420 Section 515.420 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF..., even if provided free-of-charge by the Government of Cuba or a national of Cuba or paid for by a third...

  2. Population assessment of tropical tuna based on their associative behavior around floating objects.

    PubMed

    Capello, M; Deneubourg, J L; Robert, M; Holland, K N; Schaefer, K M; Dagorn, L

    2016-11-03

    Estimating the abundance of pelagic fish species is a challenging task, due to their vast and remote habitat. Despite the development of satellite, archival and acoustic tagging techniques that allow the tracking of marine animals in their natural environments, these technologies have so far been underutilized in developing abundance estimations. We developed a new method for estimating the abundance of tropical tuna that employs these technologies and exploits the aggregative behavior of tuna around floating objects (FADs). We provided estimates of abundance indices based on a simulated set of tagged fish and studied the sensitivity of our method to different association dynamics, FAD numbers, population sizes and heterogeneities of the FAD-array. Taking the case study of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) acoustically-tagged in Hawaii, we implemented our approach on field data and derived for the first time the ratio between the associated and the total population. With more extensive and long-term monitoring of FAD-associated tunas and good estimates of the numbers of fish at FADs, our method could provide fisheries-independent estimates of populations of tropical tuna. The same approach can be applied to obtain population assessments for any marine and terrestrial species that display associative behavior and from which behavioral data have been acquired using acoustic, archival or satellite tags.

  3. Global trophic ecology of yellowfin, bigeye, and albacore tunas: Understanding predation on micronekton communities at ocean-basin scales

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duffy, Leanne M.; Kuhnert, Petra M.; Pethybridge, Heidi R.; Young, Jock W.; Olson, Robert J.; Logan, John M.; Goñi, Nicolas; Romanov, Evgeny; Allain, Valerie; Staudinger, Michelle D.; Abecassis, Melanie; Choy, C. Anela; Hobday, Alistair J.; Simier, Monique; Galván-Magaña, Felipe; Potier, Michel; Ménard, Frederic

    2017-06-01

    Predator-prey interactions for three commercially valuable tuna species: yellowfin (Thunnus albacares), bigeye (T. obesus), and albacore (T. alalunga), collected over a 40-year period from the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans, were used to quantitatively assess broad, macro-scale trophic patterns in pelagic ecosystems. Analysis of over 14,000 tuna stomachs, using a modified classification tree approach, revealed for the first time the global expanse of pelagic predatory fish diet and global patterns of micronekton diversity. Ommastrephid squids were consistently one of the top prey groups by weight across all tuna species and in most ocean bodies. Interspecific differences in prey were apparent, with epipelagic scombrid and mesopelagic paralepidid fishes globally important for yellowfin and bigeye tunas, respectively, while vertically-migrating euphausiid crustaceans were important for albacore tuna in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Diet diversity showed global and regional patterns among tuna species. In the central and western Pacific Ocean, characterized by low productivity, a high diversity of micronekton prey was detected while low prey diversity was evident in highly productive coastal waters where upwelling occurs. Spatial patterns of diet diversity were most variable in yellowfin and bigeye tunas while a latitudinal diversity gradient was observed with lower diversity in temperate regions for albacore tuna. Sea-surface temperature was a reasonable predictor of the diets of yellowfin and bigeye tunas, whereas chlorophyll-a was the best environmental predictor of albacore diet. These results suggest that the ongoing expansion of warmer, less productive waters in the world's oceans may alter foraging opportunities for tunas due to regional changes in prey abundances and compositions.

  4. Mitochondrial genome of the blackfin tuna Thunnus atlanticus Lesson, 1831 (Perciformes, Scrombidae).

    PubMed

    Márquez, Edna J; Isaza, Juan P; Alzate, Juan F

    2016-05-01

    Blackfin tuna, Thunnus atlanticus is a widespread epipelagic oceanic species in the western Atlantic. So far the mitochondrial genome of this species remained unknown, although the mitogenomes of all congeners are known. The mitochondrial genome encodes for 13 proteins, 21 tRNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs and the gene synteny is conserved with other previously reported mitogenomes of tunas.

  5. Discovery of a spawning ground reveals diverse migration strategies in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus).

    PubMed

    Richardson, David E; Marancik, Katrin E; Guyon, Jeffrey R; Lutcavage, Molly E; Galuardi, Benjamin; Lam, Chi Hin; Walsh, Harvey J; Wildes, Sharon; Yates, Douglas A; Hare, Jonathan A

    2016-03-22

    Atlantic bluefin tuna are a symbol of both the conflict between preservationist and utilitarian views of top ocean predators, and the struggle to reach international consensus on the management of migratory species. Currently, Atlantic bluefin tuna are managed as an early-maturing eastern stock, which spawns in the Mediterranean Sea, and a late-maturing western stock, which spawns in the Gulf of Mexico. However, electronic tagging studies show that many bluefin tuna, assumed to be of a mature size, do not visit either spawning ground during the spawning season. Whether these fish are spawning in an alternate location, skip-spawning, or not spawning until an older age affects how vulnerable this species is to anthropogenic stressors including exploitation. We use larval collections to demonstrate a bluefin tuna spawning ground in the Slope Sea, between the Gulf Stream and northeast United States continental shelf. We contend that western Atlantic bluefin tuna have a differential spawning migration, with larger individuals spawning in the Gulf of Mexico, and smaller individuals spawning in the Slope Sea. The current life history model, which assumes only Gulf of Mexico spawning, overestimates age at maturity for the western stock. Furthermore, individual tuna occupy both the Slope Sea and Mediterranean Sea in separate years, contrary to the prevailing view that individuals exhibit complete spawning-site fidelity. Overall, this complexity of spawning migrations questions whether there is complete independence in the dynamics of eastern and western Atlantic bluefin tuna and leads to lower estimates of the vulnerability of this species to exploitation and other anthropogenic stressors.

  6. Discovery of a spawning ground reveals diverse migration strategies in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

    PubMed Central

    Richardson, David E.; Marancik, Katrin E.; Guyon, Jeffrey R.; Lutcavage, Molly E.; Galuardi, Benjamin; Lam, Chi Hin; Walsh, Harvey J.; Wildes, Sharon; Yates, Douglas A.; Hare, Jonathan A.

    2016-01-01

    Atlantic bluefin tuna are a symbol of both the conflict between preservationist and utilitarian views of top ocean predators, and the struggle to reach international consensus on the management of migratory species. Currently, Atlantic bluefin tuna are managed as an early-maturing eastern stock, which spawns in the Mediterranean Sea, and a late-maturing western stock, which spawns in the Gulf of Mexico. However, electronic tagging studies show that many bluefin tuna, assumed to be of a mature size, do not visit either spawning ground during the spawning season. Whether these fish are spawning in an alternate location, skip-spawning, or not spawning until an older age affects how vulnerable this species is to anthropogenic stressors including exploitation. We use larval collections to demonstrate a bluefin tuna spawning ground in the Slope Sea, between the Gulf Stream and northeast United States continental shelf. We contend that western Atlantic bluefin tuna have a differential spawning migration, with larger individuals spawning in the Gulf of Mexico, and smaller individuals spawning in the Slope Sea. The current life history model, which assumes only Gulf of Mexico spawning, overestimates age at maturity for the western stock. Furthermore, individual tuna occupy both the Slope Sea and Mediterranean Sea in separate years, contrary to the prevailing view that individuals exhibit complete spawning-site fidelity. Overall, this complexity of spawning migrations questions whether there is complete independence in the dynamics of eastern and western Atlantic bluefin tuna and leads to lower estimates of the vulnerability of this species to exploitation and other anthropogenic stressors. PMID:26951668

  7. Adaptive responses of tropical tuna purse-seiners under temporal regulations.

    PubMed

    Torres-Irineo, Edgar; Dreyfus-León, Michel; Gaertner, Daniel; Salas, Silvia; Marchal, Paul

    2017-02-01

    The failure to achieve fisheries management objectives has been broadly discussed in international meetings. Measuring the effects of fishery regulations is difficult due to the lack of detailed information. The yellowfin tuna fishery in the eastern Pacific Ocean offers an opportunity to evaluate the fishers' responses to temporal regulations. We used data from observers on-board Mexican purse-seine fleet, which is the main fleet fishing on dolphin-associated tuna schools. In 2002, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission implemented a closed season to reduce fishing effort for this fishery. For the period 1992-2008, we analysed three fishery indicators using generalized estimating equations to evaluate the fishers' response to the closure. We found that purse-seiners decreased their time spent in port, increased their fishing sets, and maintained their proportion of successful fishing sets. Our results highlight the relevance of accounting for the fisher behaviour to understand fisheries dynamics when establishing management regulations.

  8. Characterization of the spawning habitat of Atlantic bluefin tuna and related species in the Balearic Sea (western Mediterranean)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alemany, F.; Quintanilla, L.; Velez-Belchí, P.; García, A.; Cortés, D.; Rodríguez, J. M.; Fernández de Puelles, M. L.; González-Pola, C.; López-Jurado, J. L.

    2010-07-01

    Within the framework of the TUNIBAL project that focused on Atlantic bluefin tuna ( Thunnus thynnus) larval ecology, ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted from 2001 to 2005 off the Balearic archipelago, which is recognized as one of the main spawning areas of the eastern Atlantic stock of this species. In each survey, a regular sampling grid of about 200 stations, 10 nautical miles apart were sampled. CTD casts and oblique Bongo 60 and surface Bongo 90 plankton tows were carried out. The occurrence frequencies of Atlantic bluefin tuna, albacore tuna ( Thunnus alalunga) and bullet tuna ( Auxis rochei) larvae in quantitative Bongo 60 samples were 0.14, 0.29 and 0.49 respectively. Mean larval abundances in these positive samples were relatively high: 31 larvae 10 m -2 for Atlantic bluefin tuna, 17 for albacore tuna and 31 for bullet tuna. All species had patchy distributions since more than 90% of the stations showed larval densities under 10 larvae 100 m -3 (70% showed even less than 2 larvae 100 m -3), whereas in some isolated spots, we recorded abundances as high as 867 (Atlantic bluefin) or 872 (bullet tuna) larvae 10 m -2. These results allowed us to relate larval distribution to mesoscale hydrographic features and to characterize the spawning habitat of these species. Single Quotient Parameter analyses were applied to spatial (depth), physical (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and geostrophic current velocities) and biological (mesozooplankton biomass) variables to determine the environmental preferences of each species for spawning. Results showed that the complex hydrodynamic scenarios around the Balearic Islands, due to the interaction between the inflowing surface Atlantic water masses (AW) and Mediterranean surface waters (MW), play a key role in determining the abundance and distribution of tuna larvae in this area, especially in the case of Atlantic bluefin tuna. Spawning of this species seems to take place mainly in offshore mixed waters, as

  9. Evaluation of the proximate quality of the combination of Tuna (Thunnus albacares) and white oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) nuggets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yufidasari, H. S.; Prihanto, A. A.; Nurdiani, R.; Jaziri, A. A.

    2018-04-01

    Nugget is a processed meat product which has great market demand but need variations to increase its nutritional content. Tuna is rich in omega-3 protein, vitamins, and minerals. White oyster mushrooms have high nutritional content which are about 23-33% protein, 36-68 % carbohydrates and 12-22 % amino acids. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the chemical quality of Tuna nugget (Thunnus albacores) with combination of white oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus). Complete Randomized Design (RAL) with parameters of Tuna and white oyster mushroom formulation, TJ1 (70 % Tuna: 30 % white oyster mushroom), TJ2 (50 % Tuna: 50 % white oyster mushroom), TJ3 (30 % Tuna: 70 % white oyster mushroom), and Control or K Treatment (100 % Tuna) is used. Results of Tuna nuggets with white oyster mushroom combination showed the highest value of water content in TJ3 50.14 %, protein K 19.6 %, fat TJ3 22.98 %, ash K 3.99 % and 2.47 % crude fiber. From these results, there is a need for further research on fat, ash and coarse fiber content that is used in the manufacture of fish nuggets combined with oyster mushrooms because it failed to meet Indonesian National Standard (SNI).

  10. Pediatric Gastroenterology in Cuba: Evolution and Challenges.

    PubMed

    Castañeda-Guillot, Carlos

    2016-10-01

    INTRODUCTION The professional practice of pediatric gastroenterology arose in Cuba as an expression of the specialty's development internationally and Cuba's new strategies in public health, and in response to national needs for health care expertise in digestive diseases of infants, older children and adolescents. OBJECTIVES Describe the history of pediatric gastroenterology's development in Cuba since its inception at the National Gastroenterology Institute in the early 1970s, its contributions, and efforts to extend it to pediatric hospitals throughout Cuba. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION This is a historical review based on document analysis. Institutional sources from the National Gastroenterology Institute and Ministry of Public Health were reviewed, as well as international and national literature on the history of pediatric gastroenterology and unpublished texts since its emergence in 1972. DEVELOPMENT Although pediatric gastroenterology has not been formally recognized as a medical specialty in Cuba, there have been important achievements in establishing a network of specialized health care services for digestive diseases of children and adolescents. Gastrointestinal endoscopy and other auxiliary diagnostic modalities have been introduced for children and play a major role in clinical trials and research. This article describes the international context that promoted the specialty's development in Cuba. Reference is made to specialized training from its initial stages in 1972, its consolidation as an emerging discipline in Cuban medicine, and its diffusion in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Professional development and specialized training to meet health human resource needs in pediatric hospitals are described, as well as Cuban participation in the Latin American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. National and international milestones, publications, awards and recognitions that indicate advances despite difficulties are also

  11. Mercury in tunas and blue marlin in the North Pacific Ocean.

    PubMed

    Drevnick, Paul E; Brooks, Barbara A

    2017-05-01

    Models and data from the North Pacific Ocean indicate that mercury concentrations in water and biota are increasing in response to (global or hemispheric) anthropogenic mercury releases. In the present study, we provide an updated record of mercury in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) caught near Hawaii that confirms an earlier conclusion that mercury concentrations in these fish are increasing at a rate similar to that observed in waters shallower than 1000 m. We also compiled and reanalyzed data from bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) caught near Hawaii in the 1970s and 2000s. Increases in mercury concentrations in bigeye tuna are consistent with the trend found in yellowfin tuna, in both timing and magnitude. The data available for blue marlin do not allow for a fair comparison among years, because mercury concentrations differ between sexes for this species, and sex was identified (or reported) in only 3 of 7 studies. Also, mercury concentrations in blue marlin may be insensitive to modest changes in mercury exposure, because this species appears to have the ability to detoxify mercury. The North Pacific Ocean is a region of both relatively high rates of atmospheric mercury deposition and capture fisheries production. Other data sets that allow temporal comparisons in mercury concentrations, such as pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) in Alaskan waters and albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) off the US Pacific coast, should be explored further, to aid in understanding human health and ecological risks and to develop additional baseline knowledge for assessing changes in a region expected to respond strongly to reductions in anthropogenic mercury emissions. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1365-1374. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

  12. A streamlined isolation method and the autoxidation profiles of tuna myoglobin.

    PubMed

    Nurilmala, Mala; Ushio, Hideki; Watabe, Shugo; Ochiai, Yoshihiro

    2018-05-01

    Determination of the redox state of myoglobin (Mb) gives useful information for evaluating the quality of tuna meat. To attain this purpose, a fast streamlined method has been established basically based on preparative native gel electrophoresis to isolate Mb from the dark muscle of Pacific bluefin tuna. Crude Mb fraction was prepared from dark muscle by ammonium sulfate saturation fractionation and subsequently Mb was purified by preparative native gel electrophoresis under the isoelectric pH of the Mb, resulting in absorption (or trapping) of all the contaminating proteins in the gel. Purified Mb was converted to oxy form with a trace amount of sodium hydrosulfite, and subsequently dialyzed against 50 mM sodium citrate (pH 5.6) or 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 6.5). The purified tuna Mb was examined for the temperature and pH dependencies of autoxidation using horse Mb as a reference. Tuna Mb was oxidized 2.5-3 times faster than horse Mb irrespective of the pH conditions examined. The highest autoxidation rates both at 0 and 37 °C were observed at pH 5.6. These data were comparable to those obtained for Mbs isolated by conventional chromatographic methods.

  13. [Tuberculin reactivity among ninth-grade schoolchildren in the city of Havana, Cuba].

    PubMed

    Borroto Gutiérrez, Susana M; González Ochoa, Edilberto; Armas Pérez, Luisa; Urbino López-Chávez, Amelia; Martínez, Ana Maribel; Llanes, María Josefa; Sevy Court, José; Carreras Corzo, Libertad

    2003-09-01

    infección tuberculosa en escolares de 14 años de Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. Métodos. Mediante un muestreo monoetápico por conglomerados se aplicaron 1 936 pruebas de Mantoux (tuberculina) a estudiantes de noveno grado del curso escolar 1999-2000 (cohorte de los nacidos en 1985) de 20 escuelas secundarias básicas seleccionadas aleatoriamente en Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. Las pruebas se realizaron según la técnica estándar recomendada por la Organización Mundial de la Salud y se evaluaron a las 72 horas. Se calcularon los porcentajes de reactividad y el diámetro medio de las induraciones cutáneas en la cohorte y según el sexo. Las comparaciones de medias y porcentajes se realizaron mediante la prueba de ji al cuadrado con 95% de confiabilidad. Se usó el programa Epi Info v. 6.0. Resultados. Noventa y seis por ciento de las pruebas leídas fueron negativas (0-4 mm), 2,5% fueron dudosas (5-9 mm) y 1,5% resultaron positivas ( >/= 10 mm). El porcentaje de reactividad disminuyó a 0,1% cuando se utilizó un valor de corte de 15 mm. El diámetro medio de las induraciones fue de 0,41 mm y no se detectó ninguna diferencia estadísticamente significativa en función del sexo. Conclusiones. La proporción de personas que reaccionaron a la tuberculina, usando como punto de corte un diámetro de induración cutánea de 10 mm, fue muy baja (1,5%) en este estudio y mucho más baja (0,1%) cuando se utilizó 15 mm como punto de corte. Si se toma en cuenta la baja frecuencia de tuberculosis bacilífera en Cuba y que hay una relación inversa entre el tiempo transcurrido desde la aplicación de la vacuna a base del bacilo de Calmette-Guérin (BCG) y la intensidad de la respuesta a la tuberculina, las reacciones cutáneas con un diámetro de induración >/= 10 mm podrían ser la expresión de una infección natural, por lo que, en ese caso, la prevalencia puntual de infección tuberculosa en este grupo de escolares sería de 1,5%.

  14. Waterfowl in Cuba: Current status and distribution

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Blanco Rodríquez, Pedro; Vilella, Francisco; Sánchez Oria, Bárbara

    2014-01-01

    Cuba and its satellite islands represent the largest landmass in the Caribbean archipelago and a major repository of the region’s biodiversity. Approximately 13.4% of the Cuban territory is covered by wetlands, encompassing approximately 1.48 million ha which includes mangroves, flooded savannas, peatlands, freshwater swamp forests and various types of managed wetlands. Here, we synthesise information on the distribution and abundance of waterfowl on the main island of Cuba, excluding the numerous surrounding cays and the Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth), and report on band recoveries from wintering waterfowl harvested in Cuba by species and location. Twenty-nine species of waterfowl occur in Cuba, 24 of which are North American migrants. Of the five resident Anatid species, three are of conservation concern: the West Indian Whistling-duck Dendrocygna arborea (globally vulnerable), White-cheeked Pintail Anas bahamensis (regional concern) and Masked Duck Nomonyx dominicus(regional concern). The most abundant species of waterfowl wintering in Cuba include Blue-winged Teal A. discors, Northern Pintail A. acuta, and Northern Shoveler A. clypeata. Waterfowl banded in Canada and the United States and recovered in Cuba included predominantly Blue-winged Teal, American Wigeon and Northern Pintail. Banding sites of recovered birds suggest that most of the waterfowl moving through and wintering in Cuba are from the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways. Threats to wetlands and waterfowl in Cuba include: 1) egg poaching of resident species, 2) illegal hunting of migratory and protected resident species, 3) mangrove deforestation, 4) reservoirs for irrigation, 5) periods of pronounced droughts, and 6) hurricanes. Wetland and waterfowl conservation efforts continue across Cuba’s extensive system of protected areas. Expanding collaborations with international conservation organisations, researchers and governments in North America will enhance protection

  15. US Food and Drug Administration survey of methyl mercury in canned tuna

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yess, J.

    1993-01-01

    Methyl mercury was determined by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 220 samples of canned tuna collected in 1991. Samples were chosen to represent different styles, colors, and packs as available. Emphasis was placed on water-packed tuna, small can size, and the highest-volume brand names. The average methyl mercury (expressed as Hg) found for the 220 samples was 0.17 ppm; the range was <0.10-0.75 ppm. Statistically, a significantly higher level of methyl mercury was found in solid white and chunk tuna. Methyl mercury level was not related to can size. None of the 220 samples had methyl mercurymore » levels that exceeded the 1 ppm FDA action level. 11 refs., 1 tab.« less

  16. Mitochondrial DNA variation and phylogenetic relationships among five tuna species based on sequencing of D-loop region.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Girish; Kocour, Martin; Kunal, Swaraj Priyaranjan

    2016-05-01

    In order to assess the DNA sequence variation and phylogenetic relationship among five tuna species (Auxis thazard, Euthynnus affinis, Katsuwonus pelamis, Thunnus tonggol, and T. albacares) out of all four tuna genera, partial sequences of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop region were analyzed. The estimate of intra-specific sequence variation in studied species was low, ranging from 0.027 to 0.080 [Kimura's two parameter distance (K2P)], whereas values of inter-specific variation ranged from 0.049 to 0.491. The longtail tuna (T. tonggol) and yellowfin tuna (T. albacares) were found to share a close relationship (K2P = 0.049) while skipjack tuna (K. pelamis) was most divergent studied species. Phylogenetic analysis using Maximum-Likelihood (ML) and Neighbor-Joining (NJ) methods supported the monophyletic origin of Thunnus species. Similarly, phylogeny of Auxis and Euthynnus species substantiate the monophyly. However, results showed a distinct origin of K. pelamis from genus Thunnus as well as Auxis and Euthynnus. Thus, the mtDNA D-loop region sequence data supports the polyphyletic origin of tuna species.

  17. Fortified tuna bone powder supplementation increases bone mineral density of lactating rats and their offspring.

    PubMed

    Suntornsaratoon, Panan; Charoenphandhu, Narattaphol; Krishnamra, Nateetip

    2018-03-01

    Breastfeeding leads to bone calcium loss for milk production, resulting in progressive maternal osteopenia. Calcium supplement from natural sources has been postulated to be more beneficial to bone health than purified CaCO 3 because natural sources also contain other nutrients such as certain amino acids that might enhance calcium metabolism. Herein, we examined the effect of calcium supplementation from tuna bone powder and CaCO 3 on bones of dams and the offspring. Both forms of calcium supplement, i.e. tuna bone powder and CaCO 3 , increased maternal bone mineral density (BMD). However, bone histomorphometry revealed that only tuna bone had beneficial effect on maternal bone microstructure, i.e. increased bone formation, decreased bone resorption and increased in bone volume. Regarding the mechanical properties, the decreased ultimate load in non-supplement lactating mothers was restored to the load seen in nulliparous animals by calcium supplementation. Moreover, both tuna bone and CaCO 3 supplementation in mothers led to increased milk calcium concentration and consequently increased BMD in the growing offspring. Calcium supplement from tuna bone powder was effective in preventing maternal osteopenia. Tuna bone, which is a readily available fishing industrial waste, is a good alternative source of calcium supplement that increases BMD in both lactating mothers and the neonates. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  18. Quality assessment of filtered smoked yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) steaks.

    PubMed

    Pivarnik, Lori F; Faustman, Cameron; Rossi, Santiago; Suman, Surendranath P; Palmer, Catherine; Richard, Nicole L; Ellis, P Christopher; DiLiberti, Michael

    2011-08-01

    Filtered smoke (FS) has been used to preserve taste, texture, and/or color in tuna and other fish species. This treatment is particularly important in color preservation during frozen storage. The objective of this study was to compare changes in the quality profiles of FS-treated and untreated (UT) yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) steaks stored in 3 ways: room temperature (21 to 22 °C), refrigerated (4 to 5 °C), and iced (0 °C). FS and UT steaks were processed from the same lot of fish and analyzed for chemical, microbiological, lipid oxidation, color, and sensory profiles. Similar trends were seen for microbial proliferation and accumulation of apparent ammonia and total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) during the storage temperatures evaluated. Notable exception in quality profile was found in lipid oxidation which was, as expected, lower for treated samples at all storage temperatures for TBARS (P < 0.05) and lower or significantly (P < 0.05) lower for POV values. FS increased the initial redness value significantly (P < 0.05). Unlike UT product, there was no loss of color value concomitant with quality changes for FS-treated tuna for all storage temperatures evaluated. The overall goal of this project was to evaluate filtered smoked tuna steaks as to the impact on the overall quality profile. As a color-stabilizing technology, it could mask deteriorating quality. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

  19. Evolutionary changes of multiple visual pigment genes in the complete genome of Pacific bluefin tuna

    PubMed Central

    Nakamura, Yoji; Mori, Kazuki; Saitoh, Kenji; Oshima, Kenshiro; Mekuchi, Miyuki; Sugaya, Takuma; Shigenobu, Yuya; Ojima, Nobuhiko; Muta, Shigeru; Fujiwara, Atushi; Yasuike, Motoshige; Oohara, Ichiro; Hirakawa, Hideki; Chowdhury, Vishwajit Sur; Kobayashi, Takanori; Nakajima, Kazuhiro; Sano, Motohiko; Wada, Tokio; Tashiro, Kosuke; Ikeo, Kazuho; Hattori, Masahira; Kuhara, Satoru; Gojobori, Takashi; Inouye, Kiyoshi

    2013-01-01

    Tunas are migratory fishes in offshore habitats and top predators with unique features. Despite their ecological importance and high market values, the open-ocean lifestyle of tuna, in which effective sensing systems such as color vision are required for capture of prey, has been poorly understood. To elucidate the genetic and evolutionary basis of optic adaptation of tuna, we determined the genome sequence of the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis), using next-generation sequencing technology. A total of 26,433 protein-coding genes were predicted from 16,802 assembled scaffolds. From these, we identified five common fish visual pigment genes: red-sensitive (middle/long-wavelength sensitive; M/LWS), UV-sensitive (short-wavelength sensitive 1; SWS1), blue-sensitive (SWS2), rhodopsin (RH1), and green-sensitive (RH2) opsin genes. Sequence comparison revealed that tuna's RH1 gene has an amino acid substitution that causes a short-wave shift in the absorption spectrum (i.e., blue shift). Pacific bluefin tuna has at least five RH2 paralogs, the most among studied fishes; four of the proteins encoded may be tuned to blue light at the amino acid level. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis suggested that gene conversions have occurred in each of the SWS2 and RH2 loci in a short period. Thus, Pacific bluefin tuna has undergone evolutionary changes in three genes (RH1, RH2, and SWS2), which may have contributed to detecting blue-green contrast and measuring the distance to prey in the blue-pelagic ocean. These findings provide basic information on behavioral traits of predatory fish and, thereby, could help to improve the technology to culture such fish in captivity for resource management. PMID:23781100

  20. Evolutionary changes of multiple visual pigment genes in the complete genome of Pacific bluefin tuna.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Yoji; Mori, Kazuki; Saitoh, Kenji; Oshima, Kenshiro; Mekuchi, Miyuki; Sugaya, Takuma; Shigenobu, Yuya; Ojima, Nobuhiko; Muta, Shigeru; Fujiwara, Atushi; Yasuike, Motoshige; Oohara, Ichiro; Hirakawa, Hideki; Chowdhury, Vishwajit Sur; Kobayashi, Takanori; Nakajima, Kazuhiro; Sano, Motohiko; Wada, Tokio; Tashiro, Kosuke; Ikeo, Kazuho; Hattori, Masahira; Kuhara, Satoru; Gojobori, Takashi; Inouye, Kiyoshi

    2013-07-02

    Tunas are migratory fishes in offshore habitats and top predators with unique features. Despite their ecological importance and high market values, the open-ocean lifestyle of tuna, in which effective sensing systems such as color vision are required for capture of prey, has been poorly understood. To elucidate the genetic and evolutionary basis of optic adaptation of tuna, we determined the genome sequence of the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis), using next-generation sequencing technology. A total of 26,433 protein-coding genes were predicted from 16,802 assembled scaffolds. From these, we identified five common fish visual pigment genes: red-sensitive (middle/long-wavelength sensitive; M/LWS), UV-sensitive (short-wavelength sensitive 1; SWS1), blue-sensitive (SWS2), rhodopsin (RH1), and green-sensitive (RH2) opsin genes. Sequence comparison revealed that tuna's RH1 gene has an amino acid substitution that causes a short-wave shift in the absorption spectrum (i.e., blue shift). Pacific bluefin tuna has at least five RH2 paralogs, the most among studied fishes; four of the proteins encoded may be tuned to blue light at the amino acid level. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis suggested that gene conversions have occurred in each of the SWS2 and RH2 loci in a short period. Thus, Pacific bluefin tuna has undergone evolutionary changes in three genes (RH1, RH2, and SWS2), which may have contributed to detecting blue-green contrast and measuring the distance to prey in the blue-pelagic ocean. These findings provide basic information on behavioral traits of predatory fish and, thereby, could help to improve the technology to culture such fish in captivity for resource management.

  1. Physics in Cuba from the Perspective of Bibliometrics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marx, Werner; Cardona, Manuel

    We present a bibliometric analysis of the development of the physical sciences in Cuba since the revolution of 1959. We analyze, using available databases (Web of Science, Essential Science Indicators, INSPEC), the development of the output (number of publications of authors based in Cuba) and of their impact (number of citations) from 1959 until now. We discuss the productivity of Cuba in comparison to the Latin American sister republics and the collaborative efforts between Cuba and highly developed countries. The most important areas of scientific activity within the field of physics, the preferred journals and the leading affiliations are identified. The most frequently cited Cuban physics publications are given. Finally, the overall scientific ranking of Cuba among the world nations is investigated.

  2. Modelling retention and dispersion mechanisms of bluefin tuna eggs and larvae in the northwest Mediterranean Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mariani, Patrizio; MacKenzie, Brian R.; Iudicone, Daniele; Bozec, Alexandra

    2010-07-01

    Knowledge of early life history of most fish species in the Mediterranean Sea is sparse and processes affecting their recruitment are poorly understood. This is particularly true for bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, even though this species is one of the world’s most valued fish species. Here we develop, apply and validate an individually based coupled biological-physical oceanographic model of fish early life history in the Mediterranean Sea. We first validate the general structure of the coupled model with a 12-day Lagrangian drift study of anchovy ( Engraulis encrasicolus) larvae in the Catalan Sea. The model reproduced the drift and growth of anchovy larvae as they drifted along the Catalan coast and yielded similar patterns as those observed in the field. We then applied the model to investigate transport and retention processes affecting the spatial distribution of bluefin tuna eggs and larvae during 1999-2003, and we compared modelled distributions with available field data collected in 2001 and 2003. Modelled and field distributions generally coincided and were patchy at mesoscales (10s-100s km); larvae were most abundant in eddies and along frontal zones. We also identified probable locations of spawning bluefin tuna using hydrographic backtracking procedures; these locations were situated in a major salinity frontal zone and coincided with distributions of an electronically tagged bluefin tuna and commercial bluefin tuna fishing vessels. Moreover, we hypothesized that mesoscale processes are responsible for the aggregation and dispersion mechanisms in the area and showed that these processes were significantly correlated to atmospheric forcing processes over the NW Mediterranean Sea. Interannual variations in average summer air temperature can reduce the intensity of ocean mesoscale processes in the Balearic area and thus potentially affect bluefin tuna larvae. These modelling approaches can increase understanding of bluefin tuna recruitment processes and

  3. Precooking as a Control for Histamine Formation during the Processing of Tuna: An Industrial Process Validation.

    PubMed

    Adams, Farzana; Nolte, Fred; Colton, James; De Beer, John; Weddig, Lisa

    2018-02-23

    An experiment to validate the precooking of tuna as a control for histamine formation was carried out at a commercial tuna factory in Fiji. Albacore tuna ( Thunnus alalunga) were brought on board long-line catcher vessels alive, immediately chilled but never frozen, and delivered to an on-shore facility within 3 to 13 days. These fish were then allowed to spoil at 25 to 30°C for 21 to 25 h to induce high levels of histamine (>50 ppm), as a simulation of "worst-case" postharvest conditions, and subsequently frozen. These spoiled fish later were thawed normally and then precooked at a commercial tuna processing facility to a target maximum core temperature of 60°C. These tuna were then held at ambient temperatures of 19 to 37°C for up to 30 h, and samples were collected every 6 h for histamine analysis. After precooking, no further histamine formation was observed for 12 to 18 h, indicating that a conservative minimum core temperature of 60°C pauses subsequent histamine formation for 12 to 18 h. Using the maximum core temperature of 60°C provided a challenge study to validate a recommended minimum core temperature of 60°C, and 12 to 18 h was sufficient to convert precooked tuna into frozen loins or canned tuna. This industrial-scale process validation study provides support at a high confidence level for the preventive histamine control associated with precooking. This study was conducted with tuna deliberately allowed to spoil to induce high concentrations of histamine and histamine-forming capacity and to fail standard organoleptic evaluations, and the critical limits for precooking were validated. Thus, these limits can be used in a hazard analysis critical control point plan in which precooking is identified as a critical control point.

  4. A possible explanation for the population size discrepancy in tuna (genus Thunnus) estimated from mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite data.

    PubMed

    Qiu, Fan; Kitchen, Andrew; Beerli, Peter; Miyamoto, Michael M

    2013-02-01

    A recent study using both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite data reported on a population size discrepancy in the eastern tiger salamander where the effective population size (N(e)) estimate of the former exceeded that of the latter. That study suggested, among other hypotheses, that homoplasy of microsatellite alleles is responsible for the discrepancy. In this investigation, we report 10 new cases of a similar discrepancy in five species of tuna. These cases derive from our Bayesian inferences using data from Pacific Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus orientalis) and Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares), as well as from published estimates of genetic diversity for additional populations of Yellowfin Tuna and three other tuna species. Phylogenetic character analyses of inferred genealogies of Pacific Bluefin and Yellowfin Tuna reveal similar reduced levels of mtDNA and microsatellite homoplasy. Thus, the discrepancy between inferred population sizes from mtDNA and microsatellite data in tuna is most likely not an artifact of the chosen mutation models used in the microsatellite analyses, but may reflect behavioral differences between the sexes such as female-biased philopatry and male-biased dispersal. This explanation now warrants critical testing with more local populations of tuna and with other animal and plant groups that have different life histories. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. 75 FR 22418 - The Tariff-Rate Quota for Calendar Year 2010 Tuna Classifiable Under Subheading 1604.14.22...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-28

    ... Security. ACTION: Announcement of the quota quantity of tuna in airtight containers for Calendar Year 2010... the apparent United States consumption of tuna in airtight containers during the preceding Calendar... been determined that 16,618,716 kilograms of tuna in air- tight containers may be entered and withdrawn...

  6. 31 CFR 515.566 - Religious activities in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Religious activities in Cuba. 515.566..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.566 Religious activities in Cuba. (a) General license... transactions as are directly incident to religious activities in Cuba under the auspices of the organization...

  7. 31 CFR 515.566 - Religious activities in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Religious activities in Cuba. 515.566..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.566 Religious activities in Cuba. (a) General license... transactions as are directly incident to religious activities in Cuba under the auspices of the organization...

  8. 31 CFR 515.566 - Religious activities in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Religious activities in Cuba. 515.566..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.566 Religious activities in Cuba. (a) General license... transactions as are directly incident to religious activities in Cuba under the auspices of the organization...

  9. 31 CFR 515.566 - Religious activities in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Religious activities in Cuba. 515.566..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.566 Religious activities in Cuba. (a) Specific license... involving transactions (including travel-related transactions) in which Cuba or a Cuban national has an...

  10. 31 CFR 515.566 - Religious activities in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Religious activities in Cuba. 515.566..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.566 Religious activities in Cuba. (a) General license... transactions as are directly incident to religious activities in Cuba under the auspices of the organization...

  11. Trophic position increases with thermocline depth in yellowfin and bigeye tuna across the Western and Central Pacific Ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Houssard, Patrick; Lorrain, Anne; Tremblay-Boyer, Laura; Allain, Valérie; Graham, Brittany S.; Menkes, Christophe E.; Pethybridge, Heidi; Couturier, Lydie I. E.; Point, David; Leroy, Bruno; Receveur, Aurore; Hunt, Brian P. V.; Vourey, Elodie; Bonnet, Sophie; Rodier, Martine; Raimbault, Patrick; Feunteun, Eric; Kuhnert, Petra M.; Munaron, Jean-Marie; Lebreton, Benoit; Otake, Tsuguo; Letourneur, Yves

    2017-05-01

    Estimates of trophic position are used to validate ecosystem models and understand food web structure. A consumer's trophic position can be estimated by the stable nitrogen isotope values (δ15N) of its tissue, once the baseline isotopic variability has been accounted for. Our study established the first data-driven baseline δ15N isoscape for the Western and Central Pacific Ocean using particulate organic matter. Bulk δ15N analysis on 1039 muscle tissue of bigeye and yellowfin tuna were conducted together with amino acid compound-specific δ15N analysis (AA-CSIA) on a subset of 21 samples. Both particulate organic matter and tuna bulk δ15N values varied by more than 10‰ across the study area. Fine-scaled trophic position maps were constructed and revealed higher tuna trophic position (by ∼1) in the southern latitudes compared to the equator. AA-CSIA confirmed these spatial patterns for bigeye and, to a lesser extent, yellowfin tuna. Using generalized additive models, spatial variations of tuna trophic positions were mainly related to the depth of the 20°C isotherm, a proxy for the thermocline behavior, with higher tuna trophic position estimates at greater thermocline depths. We hypothesized that a deeper thermocline would increase tuna vertical habitat and access to mesopelagic prey of higher trophic position. Archival tagging data further suggested that the vertical habitat of bigeye tuna was deeper in the southern latitudes than at the equator. These results suggest the importance of thermocline depth in influencing tropical tuna diet, which affects their vulnerability to fisheries, and may be altered by climate change.

  12. Anti-obesity effects of boiled tuna extract in mice with obesity induced by a high-fat diet.

    PubMed

    Kim, Youngmin; Kwon, Mi-Jin; Choi, Jeong-Wook; Lee, Min-Kyeong; Kim, Chorong; Jung, Jaehun; Aprianita, Heny; Nam, Heesop; Nam, Taek-Jeong

    2016-10-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the anti-obesity effects of boiled tuna extract in C57BL/6N mice with obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). We determined the anti-obesity effects of boiled tuna extract (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) on the progression of HFD-induced obesity for 10 weeks. The mice were divided into 5 groups as follows: the normal diet (ND) group (n=10); the HFD group (n=10); the mice fed HFD and 100 mg/kg boiled tuna extract group (n=10); those fed a HFD and 200 mg/kg boiled tuna extract group (n=10); and those fed a HFD and 400 mg/kg boiled tuna extract group (n=10). Changes in body weight, fat content, serum lipid levels and lipogenic enzyme levels were measured. The consumption of boiled tuna extract lowered epididymal tissue weight and exerted anti-obesity effects, as reflected by the serum glucose, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‑C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), insulin and leptin levels. In addition, we demonstrated changes in liver adipogenic- and lipogenic-related protein expression by western blot analysis. Boiled tuna extract downregulated the levels of the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α, β and δ (C/EBPα, β, δ), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) adipocyte marker genes. Boiled tuna extract also attenuated adipogenic and lipogenic gene expression, namely the levels of fatty acid synthase (FAS), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), glucose transporter type 4 (Glut4) and phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α and β (AMPKα, β) in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the consumption of boiled tuna extract restored the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvate transaminase (GPT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) to those of the control group. These results

  13. 50 CFR 216.92 - Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna harvested in the ETP by large purse seine vessels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna... MAMMALS REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE TAKING AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS Dolphin Safe Tuna Labeling § 216.92 Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna harvested in the ETP by large purse seine vessels. (a) U.S...

  14. 50 CFR 216.92 - Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna harvested in the ETP by large purse seine vessels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna... MAMMALS REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE TAKING AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS Dolphin Safe Tuna Labeling § 216.92 Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna harvested in the ETP by large purse seine vessels. (a) U.S...

  15. 50 CFR 216.92 - Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna harvested in the ETP by large purse seine vessels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 10 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna... MAMMALS REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE TAKING AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS Dolphin Safe Tuna Labeling § 216.92 Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna harvested in the ETP by large purse seine vessels. (a) U.S...

  16. 50 CFR 216.92 - Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna harvested in the ETP by large purse seine vessels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 10 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna... MAMMALS REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE TAKING AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS Dolphin Safe Tuna Labeling § 216.92 Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna harvested in the ETP by large purse seine vessels. (a) U.S...

  17. 50 CFR 216.92 - Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna harvested in the ETP by large purse seine vessels.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 10 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna... MAMMALS REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE TAKING AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS Dolphin Safe Tuna Labeling § 216.92 Dolphin-safe requirements for tuna harvested in the ETP by large purse seine vessels. (a) U.S...

  18. Changes in the distribution of atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Gulf of Maine 1979-2005.

    PubMed

    Golet, Walter J; Galuardi, Benjamin; Cooper, Andrew B; Lutcavage, Molly E

    2013-01-01

    The Gulf of Maine, NW Atlantic Ocean, is a productive, seasonal foraging ground for Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), but commercial landings of adult size classes were up to 40% below the allocated total allowable catch between 2004 to 2008 for the rod and reel, harpoon, and purse seine categories in the Gulf of Maine. Reduction in Atlantic bluefin tuna catches in the Gulf of Maine could represent a decline in spawning stock biomass, but given wide-ranging, complex migration patterns, and high energetic requirements, an alternative hypothesis is that their dispersal patterns shifted to regions with higher prey abundance or profitability, reducing availability to U.S. fishing fleets. This study fit generalized linear models to Atlantic bluefin tuna landings data collected from fishermen's logbooks (1979-2005) as well as the distances between bluefin tuna schools and Atlantic herring (Clupeaharengus), a primary prey species, to test alternative hypotheses for observed shifts in Atlantic bluefin tuna availability in the Gulf of Maine. For the bluefin model, landings varied by day of year, latitude and longitude. The effect of latitude differed by day of year and the effect of longitude differed by year. The distances between Atlantic bluefin tuna schools and Atlantic herring schools were significantly smaller (p<0.05) than would be expected from a randomly distributed population. A time series of average bluefin tuna school positions was positively correlated with the average number of herring captured per tow on Georges Bank in spring and autumn surveys respectively (p<0.01, r(2)=0.24, p<0.01, r(2)=0.42). Fishermen's logbooks contributed novel spatial and temporal information towards testing these hypotheses for the bluefin tuna fishery.

  19. Science and Technology Diplomacy with Cuba

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Colon, Frances

    President Obama's announcement of U. S. policy change toward Cuba and increased freedom of interaction with the Cuban people opens unprecedented and long-awaited opportunities for the scientific and engineering communities in the U. S. and in Cuba to establish and expand collaborative efforts that will greatly advance U.S. and Cuba science and technology agendas. New rules for export of donated-only items for scientific use will bring researchers closer to the level of their professional peers around the world. Increasing Cubans' access to information will result in greater interactions between scientific communities and enable the sharing of ideas and discoveries that can fuel entrepreneurship on the island. The scientific community has expressed an extraordinary level of interest in the wide range of scientific opportunities that the new policy presents, in collaborating with their Cuban counterparts, and in supporting the development of scientific capacity in Cuba. In response to numerous expressions of interest and inquiries from the scientific community, the Office of the Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State (STAS) has engaged in public outreach to inform the U.S. science and technology community of the implications of the new policy for collaborative research, emerging scientific opportunities, and the standing limitations for engagement with the people of Cuba.

  20. Antioxidative activities of mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) extract added to bigeye tuna meat: dose-dependent efficacy and comparison with other biological antioxidants.

    PubMed

    Bao, H N D; Ushio, H; Ohshima, T

    2009-03-01

    The ability of a hydrophilic extract prepared from edible mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) to stabilize fresh color of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) meat was evaluated to compare it with certain other antioxidants. The fresh color shelf life of bigeye tuna meats, to which were added as 1, 3, or 5 mL of mushroom extract to 100 g of minced bigeye tuna meat, prolonged duration of ice storage by more than 2, 4, and 6 d, respectively, in comparison with the control tuna meat without mushroom extract. The addition of 5 mL of mushroom extract to 100 g of minced bigeye tuna meat was more effective than adding ascorbic acid sodium salt (500 ppm) or alpha-tocopherol (500 ppm) with regard to oxidation of lipid in the tuna meat. The color changes significantly correlated with lipid oxidation as well as metmyoglobin formation in the tuna meat. These results clearly show that the mushroom extract is a potential antioxidant, which has the ability to stabilize fresh color of tuna meat during ice storage.

  1. Oil prospects of Cuba

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marrero-Faz, M.; Hernandezperez, G.

    The Cuban Archipelago is an Early Tertiary thrust belt derived from the Collision of the Cretaceous volcanic arc from the South with the North American continental margin (Jurassic- Cretaceous). The main characteristics of the hydrocarbon potential of Cuba are: (1) Widespread existence of Jurassic-Cretaceous source rocks and active process of generation of different types of oils; (2) Hydrocarbons are reservoired in a wide range of rock types most commonly in thrusted, fractured carbonates of Jurassic to Cretaceous age. This kind of reservoir is the most important in Cuba; (3) High density in area of different types of traps, being themore » most important hinterland dipping thrust sheet play; and (4) Migration and trapping of hydrocarbons mainly in Eocene. Migration is supposed to be mostly lateral. Vertical migration is not excluded in the South and also in some part of the North Province. There still remains a significant number of untested, apparently valid exploration plays in both on- and offshore areas of Cuba.« less

  2. Otolith chemistry discriminates natal signatures of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the Atlantic Ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kitchens, L. L.; Rooker, J. R.

    2016-02-01

    In this study, the otolith chemistry of young-of-the-year (YOY) yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) was examined to determine whether chemical signatures are distinct across different putative spawning areas in the Atlantic Ocean. Yellowfin tuna is a highly migratory species that is currently managed as a single panmictic stock in the Atlantic Ocean; however, uncertainty remains regarding the population structure of yellowfin in this region, particularly concerning the degree of mixing between spawning populations. Analysis of naturally occurring chemical tracers in otoliths provides a valuable means to reconstruct a fish's environmental history and is thus a promising approach for delineating stock structure of Atlantic yellowfin tuna. YOY yellowfin tuna otoliths were collected from 5 locations in the Atlantic Ocean (Gulf of Mexico, SE Caribbean, Brazil, Cape Verde, and Gulf of Guinea) from 2013-2015 and trace element (Li, Mg, Mn, Co, Cu, Sr, Zn, and Ba) and stable isotope (δ13C and δ18O) analyses were conducted to investigate regional variation in otolith chemical composition. Results show significant differences among nursery areas in both trace element (MANOVA, p<0.001) and δ13C and δ18O signatures (ANOVA, p=0.017 and p=0.001, respectively). Particularly high spatial separation was observed based on eastern Atlantic (Gulf of Guinea + Cape Verde) and western Atlantic (Gulf of Mexico + Brazil + Martinique) nursery areas, indicating the approach has promise for distinguishing migrants displaying trans-ocean movement. These chemical signatures will be used to assign adult yellowfin tuna to their nursery of origin, ultimately providing an improved understanding of the stock structure and movement of yellowfin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean.

  3. Weight dependence of arsenic concentration in the Arabian Sea tuna fish

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ashraf, M.; Jaffar, M.

    1988-02-01

    The objective of the present investigation was to estimate the arsenic concentration in the edible muscle of Thunnus thynnus and Thunnus toggel (hereafter called tuna and longtail tune) as they have great commercial value. These fish are widely available along the coastal line of Pakistan and are consumed abundantly in large bulk. Thus, it was felt justifiable on the basis of safety of human health that data, in the first instance, be obtained on arsenic concentration in tuna as a function of weight to check whether the metal distribution was species-specific or it depended on individual mode of development. Themore » data, the first of the kind so far presented on the Arabian Sea tuna, would thus provide the required baseline quantitative information needed in future studies on the physiological processes regulating the distribution and uptake of arsenic by these and other species of fish common to the region.« less

  4. Changes in the Distribution of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Gulf of Maine 1979-2005

    PubMed Central

    Golet, Walter J.; Galuardi, Benjamin; Cooper, Andrew B.; Lutcavage, Molly E.

    2013-01-01

    The Gulf of Maine, NW Atlantic Ocean, is a productive, seasonal foraging ground for Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), but commercial landings of adult size classes were up to 40% below the allocated total allowable catch between 2004 to 2008 for the rod and reel, harpoon, and purse seine categories in the Gulf of Maine. Reduction in Atlantic bluefin tuna catches in the Gulf of Maine could represent a decline in spawning stock biomass, but given wide-ranging, complex migration patterns, and high energetic requirements, an alternative hypothesis is that their dispersal patterns shifted to regions with higher prey abundance or profitability, reducing availability to U.S. fishing fleets. This study fit generalized linear models to Atlantic bluefin tuna landings data collected from fishermen’s logbooks (1979-2005) as well as the distances between bluefin tuna schools and Atlantic herring ( Clupea harengus ), a primary prey species, to test alternative hypotheses for observed shifts in Atlantic bluefin tuna availability in the Gulf of Maine. For the bluefin model, landings varied by day of year, latitude and longitude. The effect of latitude differed by day of year and the effect of longitude differed by year. The distances between Atlantic bluefin tuna schools and Atlantic herring schools were significantly smaller (p<0.05) than would be expected from a randomly distributed population. A time series of average bluefin tuna school positions was positively correlated with the average number of herring captured per tow on Georges Bank in spring and autumn surveys respectively (p<0.01, r2=0.24, p<0.01, r2=0.42). Fishermen’s logbooks contributed novel spatial and temporal information towards testing these hypotheses for the bluefin tuna fishery. PMID:24069420

  5. The Real maccoyii: Identifying Tuna Sushi with DNA Barcodes – Contrasting Characteristic Attributes and Genetic Distances

    PubMed Central

    Lowenstein, Jacob H.; Amato, George; Kolokotronis, Sergios-Orestis

    2009-01-01

    Background The use of DNA barcodes for the identification of described species is one of the least controversial and most promising applications of barcoding. There is no consensus, however, as to what constitutes an appropriate identification standard and most barcoding efforts simply attempt to pair a query sequence with reference sequences and deem identification successful if it falls within the bounds of some pre-established cutoffs using genetic distance. Since the Renaissance, however, most biological classification schemes have relied on the use of diagnostic characters to identify and place species. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we developed a cytochrome c oxidase subunit I character-based key for the identification of all tuna species of the genus Thunnus, and compared its performance with distance-based measures for identification of 68 samples of tuna sushi purchased from 31 restaurants in Manhattan (New York City) and Denver, Colorado. Both the character-based key and GenBank BLAST successfully identified 100% of the tuna samples, while the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) as well as genetic distance thresholds, and neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree building performed poorly in terms of species identification. A piece of tuna sushi has the potential to be an endangered species, a fraud, or a health hazard. All three of these cases were uncovered in this study. Nineteen restaurant establishments were unable to clarify or misrepresented what species they sold. Five out of nine samples sold as a variant of “white tuna” were not albacore (T. alalunga), but escolar (Lepidocybium flavorunneum), a gempylid species banned for sale in Italy and Japan due to health concerns. Nineteen samples were northern bluefin tuna (T. thynnus) or the critically endangered southern bluefin tuna (T. maccoyii), though nine restaurants that sold these species did not state these species on their menus. Conclusions/Significance The Convention on International Trade

  6. Anti-wrinkle effects of a tuna heart H2O fraction on Hs27 human fibroblasts.

    PubMed

    Kim, Young-Min; Jung, Hee-Jin; Choi, Jae-Sue; Nam, Taek-Jeong

    2016-01-01

    With the increase in life expectancy, there is also growing interest in anti-aging treatments and technologies. The development of anti-aging functional drugs for the skin, and foods from natural sources, may offer solutions to this global matter. Aging involves structural, functional and biochemical changes that occur throughout cells and bodily tissues; the amount of hormones secreted from of all human organs, including the skin, decreases over time. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) genes (MMP-1 and -8) play an important role in the aging of skin fibroblasts. For example, an increased MMP expression causes accelerated aging and the degradation of skin elasticity-related genes. In the present study, we examined the anti-wrinkle effects of tuna heart extract which are mediated through the inhibition of MMPs in skin cells. Generally, tuna contains high concentrations of selenium and antioxidants, which serve to remove free radicals, and is known to delay skin and body aging. In addition, unsaturated fatty acids in tuna help to maintain the natural glossy look of skin, and increase skin elasticity, providing moisture for dry skin. A recent study confirmed the various bio-effects of boiled tuna extract and muscle. However, bioactivity studies using tuna heart are limited. Thus, in the present study, we obtained extracts and fractions of tuna heart, and examined their effects on Hs27 human fibroblast proliferation using an MTS assay. In addition, we measured procollagen type 1 levels and elastase activity, and performed β-galactosidase staining. We then measured the expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and MMP-related genes by western blot analysis and RT-PCR. Our results revealed that tuna heart extract decreased MMP expression by upregulating tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and decreasing elastase activity, thus exerting anti-aging and anti-wrinkle effects by increasing collagen synthesis and promoting skin fibroblast

  7. Autolytic degradation of skipjack tuna during heating as affected by initial quality and processing conditions.

    PubMed

    Stagg, Nicola J; Amato, Penny M; Giesbrecht, Francis; Lanier, Tyre C

    2012-02-01

    Several factors were studied as affecting protein degradation and texture of skipjack tuna muscle following ambient pressure thermal processing (precooking). These included degree of mushy tuna syndrome (MTS) evidenced in the raw meat, raw meat pH, abusive thawing/holding, and precooking temperature/time. Slurries and intact pieces from frozen skipjack tuna, either tempered for 2 h or thawed and held at 25 °C for 22 h (abusive treatment) were heated at temperatures ranging from 40 to 80 °C for up to 2 h, and also at 90 °C for 1 h, with or without prior adjustment of pH to 5 or 7 to favor cathepsin or calpain activity, respectively. Proteolysis of precooked samples was monitored by Lowry assay and SDS-PAGE; cooked texture of intact meat was measured using a Kramer shear press and by sensory profile analysis. Proteolysis maximally occurred in slurries of skipjack tuna muscle that had been abusively stored (22 h at 25 °C) and adjusted to pH 5 prior to heating at 55 °C. Intact pieces of tuna abusively thawed/held for 22 h with subsequent heating at 55 °C also evidenced the most proteolysis and were the least firm in texture. Raw fish that evidenced higher severity of MTS when raw displayed higher levels of proteolysis prior to cooking, which were further increased after cooking at 55 °C. The kinetic data presented here can be used to optimize processing conditions for skipjack tuna canning to minimize textural degradation and optimize quality. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  8. Benefits and risks associated with consumption of raw, cooked, and canned tuna (Thunnus spp.) based on the bioaccessibility of selenium and methylmercury.

    PubMed

    Afonso, C; Costa, S; Cardoso, C; Oliveira, R; Lourenço, H M; Viula, A; Batista, I; Coelho, I; Nunes, M L

    2015-11-01

    The Se, Hg, and methylmercury (MeHg) levels in raw, cooked (boiled and grilled), and canned tuna (Thunnus spp.) were determined before and after an in vitro digestion, thereby enabling the calculation of the respective bioaccessibility percentages. A risk-benefit evaluation of raw and canned tuna on the basis of the Se and MeHg data was performed. Selenium bioaccessibility was high in tuna, though slightly lower in canned than in raw products. Mercury levels were high in raw and cooked tuna. Hg bioaccessibility percentages were low (39-48%) in the cooked tuna and even lower (<20%) in canned tuna. For the bioaccessible fraction, all molar Se:MeHg ratios were higher than one (between 10 and 74). A probabilistic assessment of MeHg risk vs Se benefit showed that while a weekly meal of canned tuna presents very low risk, raw, boiled, and grilled tuna consumption should not exceed a monthly meal, at least, for pregnant and nursing women. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Linguistic Policy in Post-revolutionary Cuba.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Archibald, James

    1995-01-01

    Focuses on the influence of language on economic, social, and political change in postrevolutionary Cuba. One of Cuba's primary postrevolutionary objectives was the eradication of illiteracy. Linguistic policies with respect to both Spanish and foreign languages were seen as a means to build human value and to establish a strong base for future…

  10. Larval stages of the bluefin tuna blood fluke Cardicola opisthorchis (Trematoda: Aporocotylidae) found from Terebella sp. (Polychaeta: Terebellidae).

    PubMed

    Sugihara, Yukitaka; Yamada, Toshiyuki; Tamaki, Akio; Yamanishi, Ryohei; Kanai, Kinya

    2014-04-01

    We found aporocotylid larval stages (sporocysts and cercariae) from five individuals of terebellid polychaete Terebella sp., which were collected from seabed substrate and ropes and floats attached to tuna cages in a tuna farm on the coast of Tsushima Island, Nagasaki, Japan. Nucleotide sequences of the regions of internal transcribed spacer 2 ribosomal DNA and 28S ribosomal DNA from these larval stages were 100% identical to those of Cardicola opisthorchis registered in GenBank. C. opisthorchis is a pathogen causing blood fluke infection of Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis, which is considered to have a significant impact on the Japanese Pacific bluefin tuna aquaculture industry. This is the first description of the intermediate host of C. opisthorchis. This indicates that the life cycle of C. opisthorchis is completed within tuna farms in this area. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Performance of rumpon-based tuna fishery in the Fishing Port of Sendangbiru, Malang, Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiadnya, D. G. R.; Damora, A.; Tamanyira, M. M.; Nugroho, D.; Darmawan, A.

    2018-03-01

    Catch records on FADs-based tuna fishery (hand-line) in the southern of East Java was conducted in fishing base of Sendangbiru, from February 2016 to May 2017. Total 45 rumpon (FADs) were found within space area of 64,081 square nautical miles, with average between FADs distant of 25 nautical miles. All FADs were located outside Fisheries Management Areas, except one FAD of code 31. Hand-line fishery was designed for a maximum fishing trip of 14 days. Total catch biomass mainly determined fishing trip. When catch exceeded 1,000 kg, fishermen tend to turn back although with < 10 days fishing trip. Yellowfin tuna and skipjacks were two main species that formed total catch with average catch biomass varied amongst 425–1,360 kg trip-1. Apart from baby-tuna, yellowfin tuna and albacore within catch were at size class higher than its first maturity stage. However, length-class of skipjack indicated that it still in immature stage. Despite of FAD license, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries neither informed nor aware the position of these FADs.

  12. Preparing for Post-Embargo Cuba: Effects on Businesses and Consumers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ray, Nina M.; And Others

    1995-01-01

    Discusses a brief history of U.S. trade with Cuba, the current status of Cuba's role in world trade, and the effects the U.S. embargo has on American businesses and U.S. and Cuban citizens. The article presents suggestions on how U.S. businesses can prepare for an open Cuba and argues for the lifting of the U.S. embargo against Cuba. (84…

  13. 21 CFR 161.190 - Canned tuna.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    .... (a) Identity. (1) Canned tuna is the food consisting of processed flesh of fish of the species... deemed to be safe if it is not a food additive as defined in section 201(s) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act), or if it is a food additive as so defined, it is used in conformity with...

  14. Tuna Species Substitution in the Spanish Commercial Chain: A Knock-On Effect.

    PubMed

    Gordoa, Ana; Carreras, Gustavo; Sanz, Nuria; Viñas, Jordi

    2017-01-01

    Intentional mislabelling of seafood is a widespread problem, particularly with high-value species like tuna. In this study we examine tuna mislabelling, deliberate species substitution, types of substitution and its impact on prices. The survey covered the commercial chain, from Merca-Barna to fishmongers and restaurants in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Catalonia. To understand the geographic extent of the problem we also sampled Merca-Madrid, Europe's biggest fish market, and Merca-Málaga for its proximity to the bluefin tuna migratory route and trap fishery. Monthly surveys were carried out over one year. The results showed a high deficiency in labelling: 75% of points of sale and 83% of restaurants did not specify the species, and in those cases the name of the species had to be asked. A total of 375 samples were analysed genetically, the largest dataset gathered in Europe so far. The identified species were Thunnus albacares, Thunnus thynnus and Thunnus obesus. Species substitution began at suppliers, with 40% of observed cases, increasing to 58% at fishmongers and 62% at restaurants. The substitution was mainly on bluefin tuna (T. thynnus), 73% of cases. At restaurants, only during the bluefin fishing season, we observed a decrease of Bluefin tuna substitution and an increase of reverse substitution revealing some illegal fishing. The effect of species substitution on species prices was relevant: T. obesus increased its price by around €12 kg-1 when it was sold as bluefin. In view of the deficiency of labelling, the abuse of generic names and the lack of the bluefin catch document, we conclude that the Spanish regulations are ineffective, highlighting the need for policy execution, and the urgent need for information campaigns to Spanish consumers.

  15. Tuna Species Substitution in the Spanish Commercial Chain: A Knock-On Effect

    PubMed Central

    Gordoa, Ana; Carreras, Gustavo; Sanz, Nuria; Viñas, Jordi

    2017-01-01

    Intentional mislabelling of seafood is a widespread problem, particularly with high-value species like tuna. In this study we examine tuna mislabelling, deliberate species substitution, types of substitution and its impact on prices. The survey covered the commercial chain, from Merca-Barna to fishmongers and restaurants in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Catalonia. To understand the geographic extent of the problem we also sampled Merca-Madrid, Europe’s biggest fish market, and Merca-Málaga for its proximity to the bluefin tuna migratory route and trap fishery. Monthly surveys were carried out over one year. The results showed a high deficiency in labelling: 75% of points of sale and 83% of restaurants did not specify the species, and in those cases the name of the species had to be asked. A total of 375 samples were analysed genetically, the largest dataset gathered in Europe so far. The identified species were Thunnus albacares, Thunnus thynnus and Thunnus obesus. Species substitution began at suppliers, with 40% of observed cases, increasing to 58% at fishmongers and 62% at restaurants. The substitution was mainly on bluefin tuna (T. thynnus), 73% of cases. At restaurants, only during the bluefin fishing season, we observed a decrease of Bluefin tuna substitution and an increase of reverse substitution revealing some illegal fishing. The effect of species substitution on species prices was relevant: T. obesus increased its price by around €12 kg-1 when it was sold as bluefin. In view of the deficiency of labelling, the abuse of generic names and the lack of the bluefin catch document, we conclude that the Spanish regulations are ineffective, highlighting the need for policy execution, and the urgent need for information campaigns to Spanish consumers. PMID:28125686

  16. Birth planning in Cuba: a basic human right.

    PubMed

    Swanson, J M

    1981-01-01

    This paper reports on the development of birth planning in Cuba and strategies that are relevant to nurses in the communities of Cuba. Cuba reduced its crude birth rate by 40% from 1964-75 without formal family planning programs and resources. By 1975, Cuba had achieved the lowest birth rate in Latin America (21/1000) except Barbados (19/1000). By 1978, Cuba's crude birth rate declined to a low of 15.3/1000. The demographic transition in Cuba has been a process of equalization by: 1) community participation to ensure basic human rights for everyone, 2) increasing the status of women while providing child care centers, 3) providing equal availability of health care services including contraceptive services, sterilization, and abortion, and 4) focusing on individual birth choice, not on limiting population growth. Emphasis in Cuba for reducing fertility has been put on literacy, education, and infant mortality. The illiteracy rate in 1961 decreased from 20% to 4%. Infant mortality decreased from 38.8/1000 live births in 1970 to 22.3/1000 in 1978. 1/3 of Cuban women were participating fully in the labor force in 1978. Polyclinics have been established as preventive care medical centers throughout Cuba and health care is free. Family planning options are integrated into routine primary health care at polyclinics and assure equal access to the total Cuban population. Abortion is freely available and increased to 61/1000 in 1976. The implications for nursing are that: 1) the traditional work of nurses places them in a key position to help extend basic human rights beyond current levels, 2) nurses can initiate discussions of birth planning with women and men in a variety of settings, and 3) nurses can increase case-finding related to birth planning needs both in health care classes or within established groups in the community.

  17. Convergent evolution in mechanical design of lamnid sharks and tunas.

    PubMed

    Donley, Jeanine M; Sepulveda, Chugey A; Konstantinidis, Peter; Gemballa, Sven; Shadwick, Robert E

    2004-05-06

    The evolution of 'thunniform' body shapes in several different groups of vertebrates, including whales, ichthyosaurs and several species of large pelagic fishes supports the view that physical and hydromechanical demands provided important selection pressures to optimize body design for locomotion during vertebrate evolution. Recognition of morphological similarities between lamnid sharks (the most well known being the great white and the mako) and tunas has led to a general expectation that they also have converged in their functional design; however, no quantitative data exist on the mechanical performance of the locomotor system in lamnid sharks. Here we examine the swimming kinematics, in vivo muscle dynamics and functional morphology of the force-transmission system in a lamnid shark, and show that the evolutionary convergence in body shape and mechanical design between the distantly related lamnids and tunas is much more than skin deep; it extends to the depths of the myotendinous architecture and the mechanical basis for propulsive movements. We demonstrate that not only have lamnids and tunas converged to a much greater extent than previously known, but they have also developed morphological and functional adaptations in their locomotor systems that are unlike virtually all other fishes.

  18. Genomic Differentiation and Demographic Histories of Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) Populations

    PubMed Central

    Damerau, Malte; Matschiner, Michael; Jentoft, Sissel

    2017-01-01

    Recent developments in the field of genomics have provided new and powerful insights into population structure and dynamics that are essential for the conservation of biological diversity. As a commercially highly valuable species, the yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is intensely exploited throughout its distribution in tropical oceans around the world, and is currently classified as near threatened. However, conservation efforts for this species have so far been hampered by limited knowledge of its population structure, due to incongruent results of previous investigations. Here, we use whole-genome sequencing in concert with a draft genome assembly to decipher the global population structure of the yellowfin tuna, and to investigate its demographic history. We detect significant differentiation of Atlantic and Indo-Pacific yellowfin tuna populations as well as the possibility of a third diverged yellowfin tuna group in the Arabian Sea. We further observe evidence for past population expansion as well as asymmetric gene flow from the Indo-Pacific to the Atlantic. PMID:28419285

  19. Screening of biodiesel production from waste tuna oil (Thunnus sp.), seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii and Gracilaria sp.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alamsjah, Mochammad Amin; Abdillah, Annur Ahadi; Mustikawati, Hutami; Atari, Suci Dwi Purnawa

    2017-09-01

    Biodiesel has several advantages over solar. Compared to solar, biodiesel has more eco-friendly characteristic and produces lower greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiesel that is made from animal fats can be produced from fish oil, while other alternative sources from vegetable oils are seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii and Gracilaria sp. Waste tuna oil (Thunnus sp.) in Indonesia is commonly a side product of tuna canning industries known as tuna precook oil; on the other hand, seaweed Gracilaria sp. and Kappaphycus alvarezii are commonly found in Indonesia's seas. Seaweed waste that was used in the present study was 100 kg and in wet condition, and the waste oil was 10 liter. The seaweed was extracted with soxhletation method that used n-hexane as the solvent. To produce biodiesel, trans esterification was performed on the seaweed oil that was obtained from the soxhletation process and waste tuna oil. Biodiesel manufactured from seaweed K. alvarezii obtained the best score in flash point, freezing point, and viscosity test. However, according to level of manufacturing efficiency, biodiesel from waste tuna oil is more efficient and relatively easier compared to biodiesel from waste K. alvarezii and Gracilaria sp.

  20. Concurrent Cuba

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hahn, T.

    2016-10-01

    The parallel version of the multidimensional numerical integration package Cuba is presented and achievable speed-ups discussed. The parallelization is based on the fork/wait POSIX functions, needs no extra software installed, imposes almost no constraints on the integrand function, and works largely automatically.

  1. An educator's perspective on the emerging Cuba and multiculturalism.

    PubMed

    Washington, Carla D

    2006-01-01

    Plagued by many years of frequent leadership changes, and influences from power brokers whose policies and politics were oftentimes detrimental to Cuba's emerging as an industrialized and diverse economy nation, Cuba is now attempting to move beyond the survival mode. After the symbiotic relationship between the Soviet Union was dismantled in the 90s, Cuba is now undergoing metamorphoses of growth and change, socially, politically and culturally, while still remaining a mixture of worlds both rural and urban. This narrative article describes the multicultural experiences that an American university professor recently experienced while visiting Cuba.

  2. 31 CFR 515.570 - Remittances to Nationals of Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Remittances to Nationals of Cuba. 515..., Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.570 Remittances to Nationals of Cuba. (a) Family... older are authorized to make remittances to nationals of Cuba who are close relatives, as defined in...

  3. Detection of pelagic habitat hotspots for skipjack tuna in the Gulf of Bone-Flores Sea, southwestern Coral Triangle tuna, Indonesia

    PubMed Central

    Farhum, Aisjah; Safruddin, Safruddin; Selamat, Muhammad Banda; Sudirman, Sudirman; Nurdin, Nurjannah; Syamsuddin, Mega; Ridwan, Muhammad; Saitoh, Sei-Ichi

    2017-01-01

    Using remote sensing of sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) together with catch data, we investigated the detection and persistence of important pelagic habitat hotspots for skipjack tuna in the Gulf of Bone-Flores Sea, Indonesia. We analyzed the data for the period between the northwest and southeast monsoon 2007–2011. A pelagic hotspot index was constructed from a model of multi-spectrum satellite-based oceanographic data in relation to skipjack fishing performance. Results showed that skipjack catch per unit efforts (CPUEs) increased significantly in areas of highest pelagic hotspot indices. The distribution and dynamics of habitat hotspots were detected by the synoptic measurements of SST, SSHA and Chl-a ranging from 29.5° to 31.5°C, from 2.5 to 12.5 cm and from 0.15 to 0.35 mg m-3, respectively. Total area of hotspots consistently peaked in May. Validation of skipjack CPUE predicted by our model against observed data from 2012 was highly significant. The key pelagic habitat corresponded with the Chl-a front, which could be related to the areas of relatively high prey abundance (enhanced feeding opportunity) for skipjack. We found that the area and persistence of the potential skipjack habitat hotspots for the 5 years were clearly identified by the 0.2 mg m-3 Chl-a isopleth, suggesting that the Chl-a front provides a key oceanographic indicator for global understanding on skipjack tuna habitat hotspots in the western tropical Pacific Ocean, especially within Coral Triangle tuna. PMID:28968405

  4. Detection of pelagic habitat hotspots for skipjack tuna in the Gulf of Bone-Flores Sea, southwestern Coral Triangle tuna, Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Zainuddin, Mukti; Farhum, Aisjah; Safruddin, Safruddin; Selamat, Muhammad Banda; Sudirman, Sudirman; Nurdin, Nurjannah; Syamsuddin, Mega; Ridwan, Muhammad; Saitoh, Sei-Ichi

    2017-01-01

    Using remote sensing of sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) together with catch data, we investigated the detection and persistence of important pelagic habitat hotspots for skipjack tuna in the Gulf of Bone-Flores Sea, Indonesia. We analyzed the data for the period between the northwest and southeast monsoon 2007-2011. A pelagic hotspot index was constructed from a model of multi-spectrum satellite-based oceanographic data in relation to skipjack fishing performance. Results showed that skipjack catch per unit efforts (CPUEs) increased significantly in areas of highest pelagic hotspot indices. The distribution and dynamics of habitat hotspots were detected by the synoptic measurements of SST, SSHA and Chl-a ranging from 29.5° to 31.5°C, from 2.5 to 12.5 cm and from 0.15 to 0.35 mg m-3, respectively. Total area of hotspots consistently peaked in May. Validation of skipjack CPUE predicted by our model against observed data from 2012 was highly significant. The key pelagic habitat corresponded with the Chl-a front, which could be related to the areas of relatively high prey abundance (enhanced feeding opportunity) for skipjack. We found that the area and persistence of the potential skipjack habitat hotspots for the 5 years were clearly identified by the 0.2 mg m-3 Chl-a isopleth, suggesting that the Chl-a front provides a key oceanographic indicator for global understanding on skipjack tuna habitat hotspots in the western tropical Pacific Ocean, especially within Coral Triangle tuna.

  5. Inshore capture-based tuna aquaculture impact on Posidonia oceanica meadows in the eastern part of the Adriatic Sea.

    PubMed

    Kružić, Petar; Vojvodić, Vjeročka; Bura-Nakić, Elvira

    2014-09-15

    Mapping and monitoring of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in the eastern (Croatian) part of the Adriatic Sea since 2004 indicates a significant decline in meadow density in an area impacted by inshore capture-based tuna aquaculture. The density and overall condition of P. oceanica meadows impacted by tuna farms near Fulija Islet was compared to two reference sites (Iž Island and Mrtovnjak Islet). The factors with the most significant influence on P. oceanica meadows were found to be the input of organic matter originating from the cages, as well as high epiphyte biomass caused by nutrient enrichment. Significant differences in nutrient concentrations were found between the sites impacted by tuna farms (Fulija Islet) and the control stations. Shoot density of the P. oceanica meadows decreased at the stations in close vicinity to the tuna farm, which suggests that the tuna farm activity strongly affected the surrounding meadows. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Cuba's international cooperation in health: an overview.

    PubMed

    De Vos, Pol; De Ceukelaire, Wim; Bonet, Mariano; Van der Stuyft, Patrick

    2007-01-01

    In the first years after Cuba's 1959 revolution, the island's new government provided international medical assistance to countries affected by natural disasters or armed conflicts. Step by step, a more structural complementary program for international collaboration was put in place. The relief operations after Hurricane Mitch, which struck Central America in 1998, were pivotal. From November 1998 onward, the "Integrated Health Program" was the cornerstone of Cuba's international cooperation. The intense cooperation with Hugo Chávez's Venezuela became another cornerstone. Complementary to the health programs abroad, Cuba also set up international programs at home, benefiting tens of thousands of foreign patients and disaster victims. In a parallel program, medical training is offered to international students in the Latin American Medical School in Cuba and, increasingly, also in their home countries. The importance and impact of these initiatives, however, cannot and should not be analyzed solely in public health terms.

  7. 76 FR 31351 - Safety Requirements and Manning Exemption Eligibility on Distant Water Tuna Fleet Vessels

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-31

    ...The Coast Guard announces the availability of Office of Vessel Activities Policy Letter 11-05 regarding Distant Water Tuna Fleet vessels manning exemption eligibility and safety requirements. This final policy clarifies the requirements to allow a distant water tuna fleet vessel to engage foreign citizens under a temporary manning exemption.

  8. 76 FR 3646 - Safety Requirements and Manning Exemption Eligibility on Distant Water Tuna Fleet Vessels

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-20

    ...Pursuant to Section 904 of the 2010 Coast Guard Authorization Act, the Coast Guard announces the availability of a draft policy regarding distant water tuna fleet vessels manning exemption eligibility and safety requirements. We request your comments on the Safety Requirements and Manning Exemption Eligibility on Distant Water Tuna Fleet Vessels.

  9. Joint Ventures in Cuba: Opportunities for Direct Foreign Investment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tancer, Robert S.

    1995-01-01

    Presents a brief history of direct foreign investment in Cuba since 1982. This investment currently plays an important role in Cuba as a replacement to Soviet aid and as a means to earn foreign exchange. Tourism and mining are the preferred area for foreign investment because both of these sectors offer hard currency returns for Cuba. (20…

  10. Biomagnifications of mercury and methylmercury in tuna and mackerel.

    PubMed

    Hajeb, P; Jinap, S; Ahmad, I

    2010-12-01

    Seawater may be contaminated by harmful substances, including toxic elements released by human activities. The present study evaluates the total mercury and methylmercury concentrations and their correlations to fish body size in longtail tuna and short-bodied mackerel from Chendring, Kuantan, at east coast and Kuala Perlis at west costs of Peninsular Malaysia during May to November 2007. Total mercury and methylmercury in muscle tissue of 69 samples of longtail tuna and short-bodied mackerel, ranged from 0.180 to 1.460 μg/g and 0.0.169-0.973 μg/g and 0.251-1.470 μg/g and 0.202-1.352, whereas the methylmercury to total mercury ratio ranged from 70% to 83%, respectively. Samples of both species from the east coast showed higher levels of mercury compared to those from west coast. In all of the locations, significant positive correlations were found between fish body weight and mercury content (R(2) > 0.470). The estimated weekly intake of total mercury and methylmercury from the consumption 66.33 g/week of short-bodied mackerel and 18.34 g/week of longtail tuna (based on local dietry survey) was found to be lower than the maximum limit of 5 and 1.5 μg/kg bodyweight established by FAO/WHO and codex, respectively.

  11. Postprandial metabolism of Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis).

    PubMed

    Clark, T D; Brandt, W T; Nogueira, J; Rodriguez, L E; Price, M; Farwell, C J; Block, B A

    2010-07-15

    Specific dynamic action (SDA) is defined as the energy expended during ingestion, digestion, absorption and assimilation of a meal. This study presents the first data on the SDA response of individual tunas of any species. Juvenile Pacific bluefin tunas (Thunnus orientalis; body mass 9.7-11.0 kg; N=7) were individually fed known quantities of food consisting primarily of squid and sardine (meal energy range 1680-8749 kJ, approximately 4-13% of tuna body mass). Oxygen consumption rates (M(O2)) were measured in a swim tunnel respirometer during the postprandial period at a swimming speed of 1 body length (BL) s(-1) and a water temperature of 20 degrees C. was markedly elevated above routine levels in all fish following meal consumption [routine metabolic rate (RMR)=174+/-9 mg kg(-1) h(-1)]. The peak M(O2) during the SDA process ranged from 250 to 440 mg kg(-1) h(-1) (1.5-2.3 times RMR) and was linearly related to meal energy content. The duration of the postprandial increment in M(O2) ranged from 21 h to 33 h depending upon meal energy content. Consequently, the total energy used in SDA increased linearly with meal energy and ranged from 170 kJ to 688 kJ, such that the SDA process accounted for 9.2+/-0.7% of ingested energy across all experiments. These values suggest rapid and efficient food conversion in T. orientalis in comparison with most other fishes. Implanted archival temperature tags recorded the increment in visceral temperature (T(V)) in association with SDA. M(O2) returned to routine levels at the end of the digestive period 2-3 h earlier than T(V). The qualitative patterns in M(O2) and T(V) during digestion were similar, strengthening the possibility that archival measurements of T(V) can provide new insight into the energetics and habitat utilization of free-swimming bluefin in the natural environment. Despite efficient food conversion, SDA is likely to represent a significant component of the daily energy budget of wild bluefin tunas due to a regular

  12. Food safety using NMR-based metabolomics: Assessment of the Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, from the Mediterranean Sea.

    PubMed

    Cappello, Tiziana; Giannetto, Alessia; Parrino, Vincenzo; De Marco, Giuseppe; Mauceri, Angela; Maisano, Maria

    2018-05-01

    Seafood is a valuable component of human diet because of its nutritional properties. The Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus is a scombroid fish highly appreciated as seafood worldwide. Being a top pelagic predator, concerns have been raised over human health risks due to its consumption. Therefore, herein it was comprehensively evaluated the health status and potential metabolite shifts between sexes of bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean Sea, proved to bioaccumulate environmental obesogens, namely polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) at hepatic level. To this aim, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics was applied on liver of post-spawning tuna. Findings from this study pointed out that hepatic bioaccumulation of PCBs and OCPs induced differential metabolic disturbances between sexes, attributable to the reproductive stage at which tuna were caught. Alterations were mainly found in energy-producing metabolic pathways (with changes in acetate, acetoacetate, malonate, and lactate), amino acid (with changes in BCAA, alanine, sarcosine, and tyrosine), and lipid (with changes in choline and phosphocholine) metabolism, with activation of fatty acids biosynthesis and ketogenesis in male tuna. Overall, according to the current European legislation on maximum levels of contaminants in seafood, the consumption of bluefin tuna does not represent a risk for human health. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Transcriptomic features associated with energy production in the muscles of Pacific bluefin tuna and Pacific cod.

    PubMed

    Shibata, Mami; Mekuchi, Miyuki; Mori, Kazuki; Muta, Shigeru; Chowdhury, Vishwajit Sur; Nakamura, Yoji; Ojima, Nobuhiko; Saitoh, Kenji; Kobayashi, Takanori; Wada, Tokio; Inouye, Kiyoshi; Kuhara, Satoru; Tashiro, Kosuke

    2016-06-01

    Bluefin tuna are high-performance swimmers and top predators in the open ocean. Their swimming is grounded by unique features including an exceptional glycolytic potential in white muscle, which is supported by high enzymatic activities. Here we performed high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) in muscles of the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) and Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) and conducted a comparative transcriptomic analysis of genes related to energy production. We found that the total expression of glycolytic genes was much higher in the white muscle of tuna than in the other muscles, and that the expression of only six genes for glycolytic enzymes accounted for 83.4% of the total. These expression patterns were in good agreement with the patterns of enzyme activity previously reported. The findings suggest that the mRNA expression of glycolytic genes may contribute directly to the enzymatic activities in the muscles of tuna.

  14. A Perspective on Physics in Cuba

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Handy, Carlos R.

    The author is Cuban by birth: the son of an Afro-Cuban mother and an Afro-American father. He spent the first 8 years of his life attending schools in Havana and New York City. He left Cuba in 1958 so as to gain a more uninterrupted educational experience. This led to his PhD in theoretical physics from Columbia University in 1978, followed by a post-doctoral appointment at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. He returned to Cuba in 1980 as a member of an academic tour organized by the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. This provided an introduction to various government-run scientific facilities in Havana and the easternmost city of "Santiago de Cuba" in the province of Oriente.

  15. Electronic Tagging of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus, L.) Reveals Habitat Use and Behaviors in the Mediterranean Sea

    PubMed Central

    Cermeño, Pablo; Quílez-Badia, Gemma; Ospina-Alvarez, Andrés; Sainz-Trápaga, Susana; Boustany, Andre M.; Seitz, Andy C.; Tudela, Sergi; Block, Barbara A.

    2015-01-01

    We analyzed the movements of Atlantic tuna (Thunnus thynnus L.) in the Mediterranean Sea using data from 2 archival tags and 37 pop-up satellite archival tags (PAT). Bluefin tuna ranging in size from 12 to 248 kg were tagged on board recreational boats in the western Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea between May and September during two different periods (2000 to 2001 and 2008 to 2012). Although tuna migrations between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean have been well reported, our results indicate that part of the bluefin tuna population remains in the Mediterranean basin for much of the year, revealing a more complex population structure. In this study we demonstrate links between the western Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Gulf of Sidra (Libya) using over 4336 recorded days of location and behavior data from tagged bluefin tuna with a maximum track length of 394 days. We described the oceanographic preferences and horizontal behaviors during the spawning season for 4 adult bluefin tuna. We also analyzed the time series data that reveals the vertical behavior of one pop-up satellite tag recovered, which was attached to a 43.9 kg tuna. This fish displayed a unique diving pattern within 16 days of the spawning season, suggesting a use of the thermocline as a thermoregulatory mechanism compatible with spawning. The results obtained hereby confirm that the Mediterranean is clearly an important habitat for this species, not only as spawning ground, but also as an overwintering foraging ground. PMID:25671316

  16. Influences of oceanographic features on the distribution and abundance of yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, larvae in the Gulf of Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cornic, M.; Rooker, J. R.

    2016-02-01

    Summer ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM) from 2007-2010 to characterize patterns of distribution and abundance of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) larvae in this region. Yellowfin tuna larvae were moderately abundant representing 9% of the overall Thunnus larvae collected (18765) and had a percent occurrence ranging from 13 to 57% among surveys. Interannual variations were detected with highest mean densities observed in 2009 (2.2 larvae per 1000m3) and the lowest mean densities observed in 2008 (0.7 larvae per 1000 m3). Generalized additive models were used to investigate the influence of oceanographic conditions on abundance of yellowfin tuna larvae. Increased densities were associated with high sea surface temperatures, positive sea surface heights, and intermediate salinities, revealing that these physicochemical conditions may be favorable for yellowfin tuna larvae. These results indicate that the NGoM is an important spawning and/or nursery habitat for yellowfin tuna and suggest that mesoscale features and physicochemical characteristics of water masses may impact distribution and abundance of yellowfin tuna larvae in the NGoM.

  17. Baseline concentration of Polonium-210 ((210)Po) in tuna fish.

    PubMed

    Khan, M Feroz; Wesley, S Godwin

    2016-06-15

    Several species of tuna fish were analyzed for (210)Po content in their edible muscle tissues. This study was carried out as a part of baseline data generation around a large nuclear power plant situated at Kudankulam, southeast coast of India. The concentration of (210)Po in the muscle tissue ranged from 40.9±5.2 to 92.5±7.9Bq/kg of fresh fish, and the highest activity was recorded for the tuna Euthynnus affinis and the lowest for Auxis thazard. The committed effective dose to the local residents was calculated to be 62.7-141.8μSvyear(-1). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Do fattening process and biological parameters affect the accumulation of metals in Atlantic bluefin tuna?

    PubMed

    Milatou, Niki; Dassenakis, Manos; Megalofonou, Persefoni

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to determine the current levels of heavy metals and trace elements in Atlantic bluefin tuna muscle tissues and how they are influenced by the fattening process and various life history parameters to ascertain whether the concentrations in muscle tissue exceed the maximum levels defined by the European Commission Decision and to evaluate the health risk posed by fish consumption. A total of 20 bluefin tuna reared in sea cages, ranging from 160 to 295 cm in length and from 80 to 540 kg in weight, were sampled from a bluefin tuna farm in the Ionian Sea. The condition factor K of each specimen was calculated and their age was estimated. Heavy metal and trace element (Hg, Zn, Fe and Cu) contents were determined in muscle tissue using cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry and flame and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The total Hg concentrations ranged from 0.28 to 1.28 mg kg(-1) w/w, Zn from 5.81 to 76.37 mg kg(-1) w/w, Fe from 12.14 to 39.58 mg kg(-1) w/w, and Cu from 0.36 to 0.94 mg kg(-1) w/w. Only 5% of the muscle samples of tuna contained Hg above the maximum level laid down by the European Commission Decision. Moreover, 15% of the muscle samples contained Zn above the maximum level, while Fe and Cu concentrations were within the acceptable tolerable guideline values. The reared bluefin tuna had lower concentrations of Hg than the wild ones from the Mediterranean Sea. Hg and Fe concentrations showed a positive relationship with size and age of bluefin tuna, whereas negative relationships were found for the concentrations of Zn and Cu. The estimated dietary intake values of the analysed metals were mostly below the derived guidelines.

  19. Arsenic, cadmium and lead in fresh and processed tuna marketed in Galicia (NW Spain): Risk assessment of dietary exposure.

    PubMed

    Núñez, Ricardo; García, M Ángeles; Alonso, Julián; Melgar, M Julia

    2018-06-15

    Currently, metal bioaccumulation in fish is increasing and is a cause of concern due to toxicity. Total arsenic, cadmium and lead concentrations in fresh and processed tuna (110 samples) marketed in Galicia (NW Spain) were determined by ICP-MS spectrometry. The average concentrations of As and Cd, 3.78 and 0.024 mg kg -1 w.w., respectively, in fresh tuna were statistically significantly higher than those in processed tuna (p < 0.001). The contents in processed tuna were 0.295-7.85 mg kg -1 for As and ND-0.045 mg kg -1 for Cd. The Pb content was negligible in both types of tuna. In canned tuna, decreasing As and Cd concentrations were observed in different preparation-packaging media: olive oil > natural > pickled sauce. Of the two species studied in canned tuna, Thunnus alalunga showed statistically significant higher levels both for As 1.28 mg kg -1 (p < 0.001) and Pb 0.013 mg kg -1 (p = 0.0496) than Thunnus albacares. No samples surpassed the limits set by the EU for Cd and Pb. The limit for As in fish has not been established, but the arsenic contents in fresh tuna reported here are important, as they are among the highest reported in the literature. Considering public health in children and adults with respect to the investigated metals, the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) did not exceed the tolerable intakes. No chronic systemic risk was found since all the target hazard quotients (THQs-TTHQs) were far below 1 (critical value), and the carcinogenic risk (CR) for As did not exceed the acceptable value of 10 -5 . Thus, tuna consumption in the Galician diet does not pose a risk for different population groups in terms of these studied metals/metalloids. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Total mercury in fresh and processed tuna marketed in Galicia (NW Spain) in relation to dietary exposure.

    PubMed

    García, M Ángeles; Núñez, Ricardo; Alonso, Julián; Melgar, M Julia

    2016-12-01

    Mercury is a toxic trace metal, which can accumulate to levels threatening human and environmental health. In this study, contents of total mercury have been determined by ICP-MS spectrometry in fresh and processed tuna (110 samples) purchased from supermarkets in NW Spain. Mercury was present in all samples analyzed; however, only one sample of fresh tuna (1.070 mg kg -1 wet weight (w.w.)) slightly exceeded the limit of the EU (1.0 mg kg -1 w.w.). The average mercury concentration in processed tuna was lower than fresh, 0.306 mg kg -1 w.w., and ranged from 0.080 to 0.715 mg kg -1 w.w. Results were compared with literature data. In regard to the three types of preparation-packaging media for canned tuna, total Hg content was found in the following order: olive oil > natural > pickled sauce; the last showed significant statistical differences (p < 0.01) with the other two preparations. Between the two evaluated canned tuna species, significant statistical differences (p = 0.008) were observed and Thunnus alalunga presented a greater mean content (0.332 ± 0.114 mg kg -1 w.w.) compared to Thunnus albacares (0.266 ± 0.171 mg kg -1 w.w.).Taking into account the AESAN recommendation for adults and children, as well as the EU regulations and the tuna consumption by the Spanish population, the Hg levels obtained in this study pose no risk to consumer health. However, additional studies, a monitoring process, and efforts to reduce Hg concentration in tuna would be necessary, as well as considering other sources of exposure to Hg.

  1. [Spatial-temporal distribution of bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus in the tropical Atlantic Ocean based on Argo data].

    PubMed

    Yang, Sheng-long; Jin, Shao-fei; Hua, Cheng-jun; Dai, Yang

    2015-02-01

    In order to analyze the correlation between spatial-temporal distribution of the bigeye tuna ( Thunnus obesus) and subsurface factors, the study explored the isothermal distribution of subsurface temperatures in the bigeye tuna fishing grounds in the tropical Atlantic Ocean, and built up the spatial overlay chart of the isothermal lines of 9, 12, 13 and 15 °C and monthly CPUE (catch per unit effort) from bigeye tuna long-lines. The results showed that the bigeye tuna mainly distributed in the water layer (150-450 m) below the lower boundary depth of thermocline. At the isothermal line of 12 °C, the bigeye tuna mainly lived in the water layer of 190-260 m, while few individuals were found at water depth more than 400 m. As to the 13 °C isothermal line, high CPUE often appeared at water depth less than 250 m, mainly between 150-230 m, while no CPUE appeared at water depth more than 300 m. The optimum range of subsurface factors calculated by frequency analysis and empirical cumulative distribution function (ECDF) exhibited that the optimum depth range of 12 °C isothermal depth was 190-260 m and the 13 °C isothermal depth was 160-240 m, while the optimum depth difference range of 12 °C isothermal depth was -10 to 100 m and the 13 °C isothermal depth was -40 to 60 m. The study explored the optimum range of subsurface factors (water temperature and depth) that drive horizontal and vertical distribution of bigeye tuna. The preliminary result would help to discover the central fishing ground, instruct fishing depth, and provide theoretical and practical references for the longline production and resource management of bigeye tuna in the Atlantic Ocean.

  2. Genomic differentiation and demographic histories of Atlantic and Indo-Pacific yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) populations.

    PubMed

    Barth, J M I; Damerau, M; Matschiner, M; Jentoft, S; Hanel, R

    2017-04-13

    Recent developments in the field of genomics have provided new and powerful insights into population structure and dynamics that are essential for the conservation of biological diversity. As a commercially highly valuable species, the yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is intensely exploited throughout its distribution in tropical oceans around the world, and is currently classified as near threatened. However, conservation efforts for this species have so far been hampered by limited knowledge of its population structure, due to incongruent results of previous investigations. Here, we use whole-genome sequencing in concert with a draft genome assembly to decipher the global population structure of the yellowfin tuna, and to investigate its demographic history. We detect significant differentiation of Atlantic and Indo-Pacific yellowfin tuna populations as well as the possibility of a third diverged yellowfin tuna group in the Arabian Sea. We further observe evidence for past population expansion as well as asymmetric gene flow from the Indo-Pacific to the Atlantic. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  3. Detecting the presence-absence of bluefin tuna by automated analysis of medium-range sonars on fishing vessels.

    PubMed

    Uranga, Jon; Arrizabalaga, Haritz; Boyra, Guillermo; Hernandez, Maria Carmen; Goñi, Nicolas; Arregui, Igor; Fernandes, Jose A; Yurramendi, Yosu; Santiago, Josu

    2017-01-01

    This study presents a methodology for the automated analysis of commercial medium-range sonar signals for detecting presence/absence of bluefin tuna (Tunnus thynnus) in the Bay of Biscay. The approach uses image processing techniques to analyze sonar screenshots. For each sonar image we extracted measurable regions and analyzed their characteristics. Scientific data was used to classify each region into a class ("tuna" or "no-tuna") and build a dataset to train and evaluate classification models by using supervised learning. The methodology performed well when validated with commercial sonar screenshots, and has the potential to automatically analyze high volumes of data at a low cost. This represents a first milestone towards the development of acoustic, fishery-independent indices of abundance for bluefin tuna in the Bay of Biscay. Future research lines and additional alternatives to inform stock assessments are also discussed.

  4. Detection rate of diarrhoea-causing Kudoa hexapunctata in Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis from Japanese waters.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Jun; Murata, Rie; Yokoyama, Hiroshi; Sadamasu, Kenji; Kai, Akemi

    2015-02-02

    Diffuse outbreaks of food poisoning with unknown aetiologies leading to diarrhoea and vomiting within a short time after ingesting flatfish (Paralichthys olivaceus), tuna (Thunnus spp.), or amberjack (Seriola dumerili) have occurred nationwide in Japan, including the Tokyo metropolitan area. In this study, we surveyed the detection rates of kudoid parasites in 12 tuna samples that caused clinical diarrhoea from 2009 to 2012; we assessed 104 samples of whole juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna (PBT, Thunnus orientalis) and 153 block samples of other tuna distributed in the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market. The survey revealed that more than 70% of clinical diarrhoea cases due to tuna ingestion occurred between June and September, and Kudoa hexapunctata were detected in 9 of 12 tuna samples associated with clinical diarrhoea cases. The numbers of spores and 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) copies per gram of fish in 8 of 9 samples were more than 1×10(6) spores and 1×10(9) copies, respectively. Market research revealed that the K. hexapunctata-positive rate in juvenile PBT from Japanese waters was 64.4% (67/104) but that in adult PBT was 10.4% (7/67). The numbers of K. hexapunctata 18S rDNA copies in 64.5% (20/31) samples and 72.7% (16/22) of <5kg fish samples collected between May and July were more than 1×10(9)copies/g. On the other hand, kudoid parasites were not detected from 73 tuna samples except for a single sample of Thunnus albacares. Cell monolayer permeability assays performed to examine the toxicity of K. hexapunctata against Caco-2 cells revealed that the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) in 5×10(7)K. hexapunctata spores decreased by 80% within 2-4h. In conclusion, K. hexapunctata was commonly detected in juvenile PBT from Japanese waters and are a likely cause of the diarrhoea outbreaks. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Validation of tsunami inundation model TUNA-RP using OAR-PMEL-135 benchmark problem set

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koh, H. L.; Teh, S. Y.; Tan, W. K.; Kh'ng, X. Y.

    2017-05-01

    A standard set of benchmark problems, known as OAR-PMEL-135, is developed by the US National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program for tsunami inundation model validation. Any tsunami inundation model must be tested for its accuracy and capability using this standard set of benchmark problems before it can be gainfully used for inundation simulation. The authors have previously developed an in-house tsunami inundation model known as TUNA-RP. This inundation model solves the two-dimensional nonlinear shallow water equations coupled with a wet-dry moving boundary algorithm. This paper presents the validation of TUNA-RP against the solutions provided in the OAR-PMEL-135 benchmark problem set. This benchmark validation testing shows that TUNA-RP can indeed perform inundation simulation with accuracy consistent with that in the tested benchmark problem set.

  6. Gulf of Mexico Ecological Forecasting - Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Population Assessment and Management using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laygo, K.; Jones, I.; Huerta, J.; Holt, B.

    2010-12-01

    Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is one of the largest vertebrates in the world and is in high demand in sushi markets. It is a highly political species and is managed internationally by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna. The Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea are the only two known spawning sites in the world. However, there is a large variance in estimates of adult Atlantic Tuna spawning. This research focuses on extending Earth science research results to existing decision-making systems, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)for population assessment and management of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. The research team is a multi-sector and multi-disciplinary team composed of government (NOAA_NMFS), academic (University of South Florida Institute for Marine Remote Sensing) and commercial (Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, Inc.) institutions. Their goal is to reduce the variance in the estimates of adult Bluefin Tuna spawning stock abundance in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Therefore, this paper will be derived from the innovative use of several earth orbiting satellites focusing on the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data to identify Sargassum, which is a floating marine algae that may be relevant to the presence of Bluefin Tuna aggregations. The SAR imagery will be examined in combination with MODIS and MERIS Chlorophyll-a products to detect fine-scale surface current shear, eddy and frontal features, as well as biological slicks due to the presence of Sargassum. In addition, wind records from NOAA buoy data will be studied to analyze wind patterns in the Gulf of Mexico. The fine-resolution, all-weather capabilities of SAR provide a valuable complement to optical/IR sensors, which are often impacted by cloud cover. This study will provide an assessment of whether or not SAR can contribute to decision support efforts relevant to commercial fisheries

  7. 31 CFR 515.548 - Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Services rendered by Cuba to United... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.548 Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft. Payment to Cuba of charges for services rendered by Cuba in connection...

  8. 31 CFR 515.548 - Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Services rendered by Cuba to United... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.548 Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft. Payment to Cuba of charges for services rendered by Cuba in connection...

  9. Assessment of the seabird community of the Mozambique Channel and its potential use as an indicator of tuna abundance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Le Corre, Matthieu; Jaquemet, Sébastien

    2005-05-01

    Tropical seabirds are known to associate with aggregations of surface dwelling predators, like tunas when feeding. Some species are even regarded as near obligate commensals of tunas. As food is one of the main factors that shape breeding strategies and determine breeding success of seabirds, it is of interest to test the hypothesis that variations in tuna abundance may have effects on foraging success and thus on breeding parameters of tropical seabirds. The Mozambique Channel is appropriate for such a study because relative tuna abundance is assessed annually (through fishery catches) and seabird populations are abundant. A regional synopsis shows that at least 3.034 million pairs of seabirds breed on islands of the Mozambique Channel, 99.3% being sooty terns. This super-abundant seabird is strongly associated with tuna and marine mammals when feeding. More than 99% of the sooty tern population of the Mozambique Channel breeds at three remote coralline islands, namely Juan de Nova (66%), Europa (25%) and Glorieuses (9%). Various breeding parameters (breeding population size, breeding time, growth rate of the chicks, daily food intake, diet) are studied at these three sites in order to investigate their relation to the marine environment (including tuna abundance). A preliminary estimate is made of the quantity of food eaten by the sooty tern population.

  10. [Scombroid poisoning after eating tuna fish].

    PubMed

    Schornagel, I J; ten Kate, R W

    2001-12-29

    On two separate occasions, a total of eight subjects ate tuna fish. Three out of four persons in the first case (a father aged 54, a mother aged 51 and a daughter aged 24 years) and one out of four persons in the second case (a 28-year-old woman) experienced erythema, respiratory distress and diarrhoea shortly after eating the fish. These symptoms are indicative of scombrotoxic fish poisoning. Histamine is produced in the muscle tissue of scombroid fish, such as tuna or mackerel, if it is kept at a temperature which is too high. Since the concentration of histamine is not evenly distributed through the fish's flesh, not everyone who eats the same fish will become ill to the same extent, and some may not even become ill at all. Furthermore, since the complaints are often mild and of short duration, most patients do not seek medical help, and probably few cases are officially reported. Despite the fact that sometimes only one person from a group of people eating the same fish becomes ill, and that the clinical complaints resemble an IgE-mediated allergic reaction, the illness is a food-borne intoxication with exogenous histamine. Therefore, patients can safely eat the same type of fish again.

  11. 78 FR 40997 - Enhanced Document Requirements To Support Use of the Dolphin Safe Label on Tuna Products

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-09

    ...; modifies the reporting requirements associated with tracking domestic tuna canning and processing... products. The law addressed a Congressional finding that ``consumers would like to know if the tuna they... implement the DPCIA, including specifically the authority to establish a domestic tracking and verification...

  12. 31 CFR 515.561 - Persons visiting close relatives in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Cuba. 515.561 Section 515.561 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Cuba. (a) General license. (1) Persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and persons... close relative, as defined in § 515.339 of this part, who is a national of Cuba, as defined in § 515.302...

  13. 31 CFR 515.561 - Persons visiting close relatives in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Cuba. 515.561 Section 515.561 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Cuba. (a) General license. (1) Persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and persons... close relative, as defined in § 515.339 of this part, who is a national of Cuba, as defined in § 515.302...

  14. 31 CFR 515.561 - Persons visiting close relatives in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Cuba. 515.561 Section 515.561 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Cuba. (a) General license. (1) Persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and persons... close relative, as defined in § 515.339 of this part, who is a national of Cuba, as defined in § 515.302...

  15. 31 CFR 515.561 - Persons visiting close relatives in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Cuba. 515.561 Section 515.561 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Cuba. (a) General license. (1) Persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and persons... close relative, as defined in § 515.339 of this part, who is a national of Cuba, as defined in § 515.302...

  16. 31 CFR 515.561 - Persons visiting close relatives in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Cuba. 515.561 Section 515.561 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Cuba. (a) General license. (1) Persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and persons... close relative, as defined in § 515.339 of this part, who is a national of Cuba, as defined in § 515.302...

  17. Early Literacy in Cuba: Lessons for America

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abel, Carolyn Davidson; Abel, Charles Frederick

    2017-01-01

    How did Cuba erase illiteracy in a single year? How did they combine both a phonics approach with the constructivist meaning-based model for teaching reading that we cannot seem to manage here in the states? This paper seeks to shed light on Cuba's impressive 1961 National Literacy Campaign and reflects upon implications for early literacy…

  18. Incidence of three Kudoa spp., K. neothunni, K. hexapunctata, and K. thunni (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida), in Thunnus tunas distributed in the western Pacific Ocean.

    PubMed

    Kasai, Akihiro; Tsuduki, Hideaki; Jimenez, Lea Angsinco; Li, Ying-Chun; Tanaka, Shuhei; Sato, Hiroshi

    2017-04-01

    A variety of tunas of the genus Thunnus are consumed daily in Japan as sliced raw fish (sashimi and sushi). The consumption of fresh sliced raw fish, i.e., unfrozen or uncooked, can sometimes cause food poisoning that is manifested by transient diarrhea and vomiting for a single day. One of the causes of this type of food poisoning has been identified as live Kudoa septempunctata (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) in the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). Furthermore, raw slices of fresh tunas are highly suspected to be a possible causative fish of similar food poisoning in Japan. In the present study, we conducted a survey of kudoid infections in tunas (the yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares, the Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis, and the longtail tuna Thunnus tonggol) fished in the western Pacific Ocean off Japan and several East Asian countries and characterized morphologically and genetically the kudoid myxospores in pseudocysts or cysts dispersed in the trunk muscles. Pseudocysts of solely Kudoa hexapunctata were identified in the Pacific bluefin tuna (four isolates), whereas in the yellowfin tuna (21 isolates) pseudocysts of Kudoa neothunni and K. hexapunctata were detected at a ratio of 15:6, respectively, in addition to cyst-forming Kudoa thunni in five yellowfin tunas. In the trunk muscles of six longtail tunas examined, pseudocysts of K. neothunni (all six fish) and K. hexapunctata (two fish) were densely dispersed. The myxospores of K. neothunni found in these longtail tunas had seven shell valves and polar capsules (SV/PC) instead of the more common six SV/PC arranged symmetrically. Nucleotide sequences of the 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA), some with the internal transcribed spacer regions as well, of K. hexapunctata and K. neothunni from the three Thunnus spp., including the seven-SV/PC morphotype, were very similar to previously characterized nucleotide sequences of each species, whereas the 18S and 28S rDNA of four isolates of K. thunni

  19. Effects of frozen storage on survival of Staphylococcus aureus and enterotoxin production in precooked tuna meat.

    PubMed

    Wu, Xulei; Su, Yi-Cheng

    2014-08-01

    This study investigated the survival of Staphylococcus aureus in precooked tuna meat for producing canned products during frozen storage (-20 ± 2 °C) as well as its growth and enterotoxin production at 35 to 37 °C after the storage. Samples (50 ± 5 g) of precooked albacore (loin, chunk, and flake) and skipjack (chunk and flake) tuna were inoculated with 5 enterotoxin-producing strains of S. aureus at a level of approximately 3.5 log CFU/g and individually packed in a vacuum bag after 3 h incubation at 35 to 37 °C. Vacuum-packed samples were stored in a freezer (-20 ± 2 °C) for 4 wk. The frozen samples were then thawed in 37 °C circulating water for 2 h and incubated at 35 to 37 °C for 22 h. Populations of S. aureus in all precooked tuna samples decreased slightly (<0.7 log CFU/g) after 4 wk of storage at -20 ± 2 °C, but increased rapidly once the samples were thawed and held at 35 to 37 °C. Total S. aureus counts in albacore and skipjack samples increased by greater than 3 log CFU/g after 6 and 8 h of exposure to 35 to 37 °C, respectively. All samples became spoiled after 10 h of exposure to 35 to 37 °C, while no enterotoxin was detected in any samples. However, enterotoxins were detected in albacore loin and other samples after 12 and 24 h of incubation at 35 to 37 °C, respectively. Frozen precooked tuna meat should be used for producing canned tuna within 6 to 8 h of thawing to avoid product spoilage and potential enterotoxin production by S. aureus in contaminated precooked tuna meat. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

  20. Theological Higher Education in Cuba. Part 4: The Historical Roots and Milestones of the Eastern Cuba Baptist Theological Seminary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Esqueda, Octavio J.

    2007-01-01

    This article presents an overview of the Eastern Cuba Baptist Theological Seminary. The seminary was founded in the city of Santiago de Cuba, on October 10, 1949, by the Eastern Baptist Convention. The seminary exists to provide training for pastors in the Eastern Baptist Convention. The school offers a four-year program leading to a bachelor in…

  1. PCB and OCP accumulation and evidence of hepatic alteration in the Atlantic bluefin tuna, T. thynnus, from the Mediterranean Sea.

    PubMed

    Maisano, Maria; Cappello, Tiziana; Oliva, Sabrina; Natalotto, Antonino; Giannetto, Alessia; Parrino, Vincenzo; Battaglia, Pietro; Romeo, Teresa; Salvo, Andrea; Spanò, Nunziacarla; Mauceri, Angela

    2016-10-01

    Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are known to act as "obesogens", being fat-soluble and affecting lipid metabolism. The Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, are top pelagic predators prone to bioaccumulate and biomagnify environmental contaminants. This study aimed at evaluating POPs-induced ectopic lipid accumulation in liver of adult tuna from the Mediterranean Sea. PCBs and organochlorine pesticides were measured in tuna liver, and marked morphological changes observed, namely poorly compacted tissues, intense vacuolization, erythrocyte infiltration and presence of melanomacrophages. The expression of perilipin, a lipid-droplet marker, positively correlated with the gene expression of PPARγ, a master regulator of adipogenesis, and its heterodimeric partner, RXRα. Changes in metabolites involved in fatty acid biosynthesis and ketogenesis were also observed. Although male bluefin tuna appeared to be more sensitive than females to the adverse effects of environmental obesogens, the alterations observed in tuna liver of both sexes suggest a potential onset of hepatic steatosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Next-generation sequencing of the yellowfin tuna mitochondrial genome reveals novel phylogenetic relationships within the genus Thunnus.

    PubMed

    Guo, Liang; Li, Mingming; Zhang, Heng; Yang, Sen; Chen, Xinghan; Meng, Zining; Lin, Haoran

    2016-05-01

    Recently, the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has become a powerful tool for sequencing the teleost mitochondrial genome (mitogenome). Here, we used this technology to determine the mitogenome of the yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). A total of 41,378 reads were generated by Illumina platform with an average depth of 250×. The mitogenome (16,528 bp in length) contained 37 mitochondrial genes with the similar gene order to other typical teleosts. These mitochondrial genes were encoded on the heavy strand except for ND6 and eight tRNA genes. The result of phylogenetic analysis supported two distinct clades dividing the genus Thunnus, but the tuna species of these two genetic clades were different from that of two recognized subgenus based on anatomical characters and geographical distribution. Our results might help to understand the structure, function, and evolutionary history of the yellowfin tuna mitogenome and also provide valuable new insights for phylogenetic affinity of tuna species.

  3. Predicting Interactions between Common Dolphins and the Pole-and-Line Tuna Fishery in the Azores

    PubMed Central

    Cruz, Maria João; Menezes, Gui; Machete, Miguel; Silva, Mónica A.

    2016-01-01

    Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) are responsible for the large majority of interactions with the pole-and-line tuna fishery in the Azores but the underlying drivers remain poorly understood. In this study we investigate the influence of various environmental and fisheries-related factors in promoting the interaction of common dolphins with this fishery and estimate the resultant catch losses. We analysed 15 years of fishery and cetacean interaction data (1998–2012) collected by observers placed aboard tuna fishing vessels. Dolphins interacted in less than 3% of the fishing events observed during the study period. The probability of dolphin interaction varied significantly between years with no evident trend over time. Generalized additive modeling results suggest that fishing duration, sea surface temperature and prey abundance in the region were the most important factors explaining common dolphin interaction. Dolphin interaction had no impact on the catches of albacore, skipjack and yellowfin tuna but resulted in significantly lower catches of bigeye tuna, with a predicted median annual loss of 13.5% in the number of fish captured. However, impact on bigeye catches varied considerably both by year and fishing area. Our work shows that rates of common dolphin interaction with the pole-and-line tuna fishery in the Azores are low and showed no signs of increase over the study period. Although overall economic impact was low, the interaction may lead to significant losses in some years. These findings emphasize the need for continued monitoring and for further research into the consequences and economic viability of potential mitigation measures. PMID:27851763

  4. Predicting Interactions between Common Dolphins and the Pole-and-Line Tuna Fishery in the Azores.

    PubMed

    Cruz, Maria João; Menezes, Gui; Machete, Miguel; Silva, Mónica A

    2016-01-01

    Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) are responsible for the large majority of interactions with the pole-and-line tuna fishery in the Azores but the underlying drivers remain poorly understood. In this study we investigate the influence of various environmental and fisheries-related factors in promoting the interaction of common dolphins with this fishery and estimate the resultant catch losses. We analysed 15 years of fishery and cetacean interaction data (1998-2012) collected by observers placed aboard tuna fishing vessels. Dolphins interacted in less than 3% of the fishing events observed during the study period. The probability of dolphin interaction varied significantly between years with no evident trend over time. Generalized additive modeling results suggest that fishing duration, sea surface temperature and prey abundance in the region were the most important factors explaining common dolphin interaction. Dolphin interaction had no impact on the catches of albacore, skipjack and yellowfin tuna but resulted in significantly lower catches of bigeye tuna, with a predicted median annual loss of 13.5% in the number of fish captured. However, impact on bigeye catches varied considerably both by year and fishing area. Our work shows that rates of common dolphin interaction with the pole-and-line tuna fishery in the Azores are low and showed no signs of increase over the study period. Although overall economic impact was low, the interaction may lead to significant losses in some years. These findings emphasize the need for continued monitoring and for further research into the consequences and economic viability of potential mitigation measures.

  5. First epidemic of echovirus 16 meningitis in Cuba.

    PubMed

    Sarmiento, L; Mas, P; Goyenechea, A; Palomera, R; Morier, L; Capó, V; Quintana, I; Santin, M

    2001-01-01

    From April to September 2000, an epidemic of aseptic meningitis spread throughout Cuba, with 16,943 reported cases. Virologic studies identified echovirus 16 as the cause of this epidemic. This is the first reported isolate of echovirus 16 from patients with viral meningitis in Cuba.

  6. Potential Transportation Impacts of Expanded U.S.-Cuba Trade, Final Report

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2018-02-02

    Before 1960, the United States and Cuba were major trading partners. At that time, Cuba was the seventh largest export market for U.S. products. In the years since then, U.S. trade with Cuba has been highly regulated. Exports have been mostly prohibi...

  7. Predicting the Distribution of Yellowfin Tuna in Philippine Waters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Perez, G. J. P.; Leonardo, E. M.

    2015-12-01

    The Philippines is considered as a major tuna producer in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, both for domestic consumption and on industrial scale. However, with the ever-increasing demand of growing population, it has always been a challenge to achieve sustainable fishing. The creation of satellite-derived potential fishing zone maps is a technology that has been adopted by advanced countries for almost three decades already and has led to reduction in search times by up to 40%. In this study, a Generalized Additive Model (GAM) is developed to predict the distribution of the Yellowfin tuna species in seas surrounding the Philippines based on the Catch-Per-Unit-Effort (CPUE) index. Level 3 gridded chlorophyll-a and sea surface temperature from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are the main input parameters of the model. Chlorophyll-a is linked with the presence of phytoplankton, which indicates primary productivity and suggests potential regions of fish aggregation. Fish also prefers to stay in regions where the temperature is stable, thus the sea surface temperature fronts serve as a guide to locate concentrations of fish school. Historical monthly tuna catch data from Western and Central Pacific Commissions (WCPFC) is used to train the model. The resulting predictions are converted to potential fishing zone maps and are evaluated within and beyond the historical time range of the training data used. Diagnostic tests involving adjusted R2 value, GAM residual plots and root mean square error value are used to assess the accuracy of the model. The generated maps were able to confirm locations of known tuna fishing grounds in Mindanao and other parts of the country, as well us detect their seasonality and interannual variability. To improve the performance of the model, ancillary data such as surface winds reanalysis from National Centers for

  8. El Espanol de Cuba: Situacion bibliografica (Spanish in Cuba: Bibliographies).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lopez Morales, Humberto

    1968-01-01

    Analytical and critical commentaries on books about the Spanish language in Cuba are presented here. Bibliographies, dictionaries, glossaries, readers, and linguistic studies are treated, and a selective bibliography of materials is presented. Most of the materials covered are also in M. W. Nichols'"A Bibliographical Guide to Materials on…

  9. Cuba: A Short Critical Bibliographic Guide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Basosi, Duccio

    An island with a population of approximately eleven million citizens, Cuba has been the topic of a huge amount of books and articles by scholars, politicians, artists, tourists and—why not?—foreign undercover agents. A random search in a well-known on-line bookshop gives some 118,000 results for the island's name. In brief, to present a selection of basic works on Cuba is a very harsh task that necessarily leads to difficult choices.

  10. Preliminary forecasts of Pacific bigeye tuna population trends under the A2 IPCC scenario

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lehodey, P.; Senina, I.; Sibert, J.; Bopp, L.; Calmettes, B.; Hampton, J.; Murtugudde, R.

    2010-07-01

    An improved version of the spatial ecosystem and population dynamics model SEAPODYM was used to investigate the potential impacts of global warming on tuna populations. The model included an enhanced definition of habitat indices, movements, and accessibility of tuna predators to different vertically migrant and non-migrant micronekton functional groups. The simulations covered the Pacific basin (model domain) at a 2° × 2° geographic resolution. The structure of the model allows an evaluation from multiple data sources, and parameterization can be optimized by adjoint techniques and maximum likelihood using fishing data. A first such optimized parameterization was obtained for bigeye tuna ( Thunnus obesus) in the Pacific Ocean using historical catch data for the last 50 years and a hindcast from a coupled physical-biogeochemical model driven by the NCEP atmospheric reanalysis. The parameterization provided very plausible biological parameter values and a good fit to fishing data from the different fisheries, both within and outside the time period used for optimization. We then employed this model to forecast the future of bigeye tuna populations in the Pacific Ocean. The simulation was driven by the physical-biogeochemical fields predicted from a global marine biogeochemistry - climate simulation. This global simulation was performed with the IPSL climate model version 4 (IPSL-CM4) coupled to the oceanic biogeochemical model PISCES and forced by atmospheric CO 2, from historical records over 1860-2000, and under the SRES A2 IPCC scenario for the 21st century (i.e. atmospheric CO 2 concentration reaching 850 ppm in the year 2100). Potential future changes in distribution and abundance under the IPCC scenario are presented but without taking into account any fishing effort. The simulation showed an improvement in bigeye tuna spawning habitat both in subtropical latitudes and in the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) where the surface temperature becomes optimal for

  11. U.S. Tuna Fisheries: a trifecta of sustainable practices at odds with climate change mitigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McKuin, B.; Campbell, J. E.

    2016-12-01

    Environmental concerns have given rise to eco-label initiatives in the seafood industry and a shift to more sustainable fishing practices in the U.S. Currently, the greenhouse gas emissions of fisheries are being considered in the sustainability criteria of the consumer advocacy group Seafood Watch. We looked at sustainable practices employed by U.S. tuna fisheries and find the term "sustainably sourced" changes when climate forcing is added to the criteria. Specifically, there are three sustainable practices at odds with climate change mitigation: 1) the use of selective fishing gear reduces bycatch but increases fuel use; 2) fishing within exclusive economic zones is more equitable to coastal fishermen, and allows the high seas to serve as an ecological bank, but fishing within these regions means fisheries are subject to more stringent fuel sulfur laws thereby diminishing the cooling effects of sulfate aerosols and increasing climate forcing; and 3) removing sulfur from fuels improves air quality but there are added emissions from the refinery process. We used ship registry data, historical sulfur levels in fuels, gear-specific fishery fuel use data collected from the literature, historical gear-specific tuna landings data, and a range of global warming potentials to estimate the climate forcing of U.S. tuna fisheries over the last fifteen years. We found that for tuna caught within exclusive economic zones, the net fuel-related climate forcing has more than doubled over the last fifteen years. We also normalized the fuel-related climate forcing results to a unit of tuna protein and compared these results to other farmed sources of protein. We found that tuna caught within exclusive economic zones has the highest climate impact of all land-based protein sources considered, with the exception of beef. Our results can inform policy makers and consumer advocacy groups which is an important step in communicating the climate impact of dietary choices to consumers.

  12. Implementing renewable energy in Cuba

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hawthorne, W.; Stone, L.; Perez, V.B.H.

    Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the tightening of the US embargo, Cuba has found itself in an energy crisis of enormous magnitude. Faced with this energy crisis and its ensuing black-outs and productivity reductions, Cuba has developed a national energy plan which focuses on energy self-sufficiency and sustainability. Energy efficiency, solar energy, wind power, micro-hydro, and biomass are each included in the plan. Implementation of renewable energy projects in each of these areas has begun throughout the country with the enthusiastic support of Cubasolar, the Cuban renewable energy professional association.

  13. The differentiation of tuna (family: Scombridae) products through the PCR-based analysis of the cytochrome b gene and parvalbumin introns.

    PubMed

    Abdullah, Asadatun; Rehbein, Hartmut

    2016-01-30

    In spite of the many studies performed over the years, there are still problems in the authentication of closely related tuna species, not only for canned fish but also for raw products. With the aim of providing screening methods to identify different tuna species and related scombrids, segments of mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) and nuclear parvalbumin genes were amplified and sequenced or subjected to single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses. The nucleotide diagnostic sites in the cyt b gene of five tuna species from Indonesia were determined in this study and used to construct a phylogenetic tree. In addition, the suitability of the nuclear gene that encodes parvalbumin for the differentiation of tuna species was determined by SSCP and RFLP analyses of an intron segment. RFLP differentiated Thunnus albacares and from T. obesus, and fish species in the Thunnus genus could be distinguished from bullet tuna (Auxis rochei) by SSCP. Parvalbumin-based polymerase chain reaction systems could serve as an additional tool in the detection and identification of tuna and other Scombridae fish species for routine seafood control. This reaction can be performed in addition to the cyt b analysis as previously described. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  14. Bagasse utilization in Cuba

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    Fluctuations in world sugar prices retard economic development in sugar-producing countries like Cuba, and so there is a pressing need to find alternative uses for sugar cane through the industrialization of its by-products, such as bagasse. In 1971 the United Nations Development Program began a cooperative venture with the Cuban Research Institute for Sugar Cane Derivatives to develop methods of making newsprint from bagasse. An experimental plant - Cuba 9, located 35 kilometers south of Havana, was inaugurated in May 1981. It is semi-commercial in character and has a daily capacity of 34 tonnes of newsprint and five tonnes ofmore » dissolving pulp. Pilot plants for the production of furfural and for the production of reconstituted panelboard are in operation.« less

  15. 31 CFR 515.337 - Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... of Cuba. 515.337 Section 515.337 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 515.337 Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba. For purposes of this part, the term prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba means Ministers and Vice-ministers...

  16. 31 CFR 515.337 - Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... of Cuba. 515.337 Section 515.337 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 515.337 Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba. For purposes of this part, the term prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba means Ministers and Vice-ministers...

  17. 31 CFR 515.337 - Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Government of Cuba. 515.337 Section 515.337 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 515.337 Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba. For purposes of this part, the term prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba means Ministers and Vice-ministers...

  18. 31 CFR 515.337 - Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... of Cuba. 515.337 Section 515.337 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 515.337 Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba. For purposes of this part, the term prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba means Ministers and Vice-ministers...

  19. 31 CFR 515.337 - Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... of Cuba. 515.337 Section 515.337 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS General Definitions § 515.337 Prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba. For purposes of this part, the term prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba means Ministers and Vice-ministers...

  20. A cascade of warming impacts brings bluefin tuna to Greenland waters.

    PubMed

    MacKenzie, Brian R; Payne, Mark R; Boje, Jesper; Høyer, Jacob L; Siegstad, Helle

    2014-08-01

    Rising ocean temperatures are causing marine fish species to shift spatial distributions and ranges, and are altering predator-prey dynamics in food webs. Most documented cases of species shifts so far involve relatively small species at lower trophic levels, and consider individual species in ecological isolation from others. Here, we show that a large highly migratory top predator fish species has entered a high latitude subpolar area beyond its usual range. Bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus Linnaeus 1758, were captured in waters east of Greenland (65°N) in August 2012 during exploratory fishing for Atlantic mackerel, Scomber scombrus Linnaeus 1758. The bluefin tuna were captured in a single net-haul in 9-11 °C water together with 6 tonnes of mackerel, which is a preferred prey species and itself a new immigrant to the area. Regional temperatures in August 2012 were historically high and contributed to a warming trend since 1985, when temperatures began to rise. The presence of bluefin tuna in this region is likely due to a combination of warm temperatures that are physiologically more tolerable and immigration of an important prey species to the region. We conclude that a cascade of climate change impacts is restructuring the food web in east Greenland waters. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. DNA barcodes reveal species-specific mercury levels in tuna sushi that pose a health risk to consumers

    PubMed Central

    Lowenstein, Jacob H.; Burger, Joanna; Jeitner, Christian W.; Amato, George; Kolokotronis, Sergios-Orestis; Gochfeld, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Excessive ingestion of mercury—a health hazard associated with consuming predatory fishes—damages neurological, sensory-motor and cardiovascular functioning. The mercury levels found in Bigeye Tuna (Thunnus obesus) and bluefin tuna species (Thunnus maccoyii, Thunnus orientalis, and Thunnus thynnus), exceed or approach levels permissible by Canada, the European Union, Japan, the US, and the World Health Organization. We used DNA barcodes to identify tuna sushi samples analysed for mercury and demonstrate that the ability to identify cryptic samples in the market place allows regulatory agencies to more accurately measure the risk faced by fish consumers and enact policies that better safeguard their health. PMID:20410032

  2. 78 FR 20604 - Enhanced Document Requirements To Support Use of the Dolphin Safe Label on Tuna Products

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-05

    ... Commission Act for including a dolphin-safe label on tuna product in the United States that fails to meet the.... 130221153-3153-01] RIN 0648-BC78 Enhanced Document Requirements To Support Use of the Dolphin Safe Label on Tuna Products AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric...

  3. Mercury concentrations in museum specimens of tuna and swordfish

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Miller, G.E.; Grant, P.M.; Kishore, R.

    1972-03-10

    The mercury levels of museum specimens of seven tuna caught 62 to 93 years ago and a swordfish caught 25 years ago have been determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. These levels are in the same range as those found in specimens caught recently.

  4. Black Youth in Cuba

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Horne, Gerald C.

    1975-01-01

    Cuban social system has eliminated discrimination, racism, sexism and unemployment and created equal opportunity for all. Cuba is upheld as model for all forward looking U.S. citizens to study. (Author/AM)

  5. Effects of temperature acclimation on Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) cardiac transcriptome.

    PubMed

    Jayasundara, Nishad; Gardner, Luke D; Block, Barbara A

    2013-11-01

    Little is known about the mechanisms underpinning thermal plasticity of vertebrate hearts. Bluefin tuna hearts offer a unique model to investigate processes underlying thermal acclimation. Their hearts, while supporting an endothermic physiology, operate at ambient temperature, and are presented with a thermal challenge when migrating to different thermal regimes. Here, we examined the molecular responses in atrial and ventricular tissues of Pacific bluefin tuna acclimated to 14°C, 20°C, and 25°C. Quantitative PCR studies showed an increase in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase gene expression with cold acclimation and an induction of Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchanger gene at both cold and warm temperatures. These data provide evidence for thermal plasticity of excitation-contraction coupling gene expression in bluefin tunas and indicate an increased capacity for internal Ca(2+) storage in cardiac myocytes at 14°C. Transcriptomic analysis showed profound changes in cardiac tissues with acclimation. A principal component analysis revealed that temperature effect was greatest on gene expression in warm-acclimated atrium. Overall data showed an increase in cardiac energy metabolism at 14°C, potentially compensating for cold temperature to optimize bluefin tuna performance in colder oceans. In contrast, metabolic enzyme activity and gene expression data suggest a decrease in ATP production at 25°C. Expression of genes involved in protein turnover and molecular chaperones was also decreased at 25°C. Expression of genes involved in oxidative stress response and programmed cell death suggest an increase in oxidative damage and apoptosis at 25°C, particularly in the atrium. These findings provide insights into molecular processes that may characterize cardiac phenotypes at upper thermal limits of teleosts.

  6. [Association of the abundance and vertical distribution of tuna and beakfish in the southeast of the Caribbean sea].

    PubMed

    Eslava, Nora; González, Leo W; Gaertner, Daniel

    2003-03-01

    The longline hooks suspension depth was estimated using the Mechanic Imitation of Flexible Systems method. The vertical distribution of tunas and billfish was determined by the relative abundance index, obtained from the catch by 11 to 25 m -long longline vessels, -based at Cumaná, Venezuela, South-eastern Caribbean Sea in depths of 65 to 142 m. The CPUE was evaluated per species, according to depth. High values were found for most of the captured species in the layer from 105 to 125 m. Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) showed the highest yield (3.37 fish/100 hooks) and blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) the lowest (0.04 fish/100 hooks). However, the statistical comparison did not allow to reject the hypothesis of lack of depth efect (Kruskal-Wallis p > .05), and demonstrated a homogeneous distribution of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), albacore (Thunnus alalunga), bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus), sailfish (Istiophorus albicans), white marlin (Tetrapturus albidus) and blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) in the water column. The conclusion is that fish concentration in the Southern border of the Caribbean Sea is possibly due to several hydroclimatic factors--which affect tuna and billfish catching--such as water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration which limit the distribution according to depth.

  7. Astronomy in Cuba: practice and trends. An effort to develop a non-formal education programme

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pomares, Oscar A.

    In the recent past years, a daily stronger movement of non-professional astronomers has become the center of development for astronomy, a subject of study practically absent now from the national education system in Cuba. A key roll in this movement has been played by the professional staff of the Department of Astronomy of the Institute of Geophysics and Astronomy. As direct outcome of this joint effort between astronomers and amateurs is the research on meteors and comets, presented in two national and one international scientific meeetings. The opening last year of the "Palacio de las Ciencias" in the main building of the country, "El Capitolio Nacional", the participation in conferences and workshops of professional astronomers facing the general public, and their participation in prime-time TV and radio programs open a way for the growth of astronomical knowledge among the Cuban people. Two national meeetings gathering together professional and non- professional astronomers have been held already. Future works in the NEOs international campaign are foreseen. Practice and trends of astronomy in Cuba clarify views of our future in the oldest natural science.

  8. Food-web inferences of stable isotope spatial patterns in copepods and yellowfin tuna in the pelagic eastern Pacific Ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olson, Robert J.; Popp, Brian N.; Graham, Brittany S.; López-Ibarra, Gladis A.; Galván-Magaña, Felipe; Lennert-Cody, Cleridy E.; Bocanegra-Castillo, Noemi; Wallsgrove, Natalie J.; Gier, Elizabeth; Alatorre-Ramírez, Vanessa; Ballance, Lisa T.; Fry, Brian

    2010-07-01

    Evaluating the impacts of climate and fishing on oceanic ecosystems requires an improved understanding of the trophodynamics of pelagic food webs. Our approach was to examine broad-scale spatial relationships among the stable N isotope values of copepods and yellowfin tuna ( Thunnus albacares), and to quantify yellowfin tuna trophic status in the food web based on stable-isotope and stomach-contents analyses. Using a generalized additive model fitted to abundance-weighted-average δ 15N values of several omnivorous copepod species, we examined isotopic spatial relationships among yellowfin tuna and copepods. We found a broad-scale, uniform gradient in δ 15N values of copepods increasing from south to north in a region encompassing the eastern Pacific warm pool and parts of several current systems. Over the same region, a similar trend was observed for the δ 15N values in the white muscle of yellowfin tuna caught by the purse-seine fishery, implying limited movement behavior. Assuming the omnivorous copepods represent a proxy for the δ 15N values at the base of the food web, the isotopic difference between these two taxa, “ ΔYFT-COP,” was interpreted as a trophic-position offset. Yellowfin tuna trophic-position estimates based on their bulk δ 15N values were not significantly different than independent estimates based on stomach contents, but are sensitive to errors in the trophic enrichment factor and the trophic position of copepods. An apparent inshore-offshore, east to west gradient in yellowfin tuna trophic position was corroborated using compound-specific isotope analysis of amino acids conducted on a subset of samples. The gradient was not explained by the distribution of yellowfin tuna of different sizes, by seasonal variability at the base of the food web, or by known ambit distances (i.e. movements). Yellowfin tuna stomach contents did not show a regular inshore-offshore gradient in trophic position during 2003-2005, but the trophic

  9. Cuba's 100-year plan for climate change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stone, Richard

    2018-01-01

    On its deadly run through the Caribbean last September, Hurricane Irma lashed northern Cuba, inundating coastal settlements and scouring away vegetation. Irma lent new urgency to a Cuban national plan, called Tarea Vida, or Project Life, that bans construction of new homes in threatened coastal areas, mandates relocating people from communities doomed by rising sea levels, calls for an overhaul of the country's agricultural system to shift crop production away from saltwater-contaminated areas, and spells out the need to shore up coastal defenses, including by restoring degraded habitat. Project Life stands out for taking a long view: It intends to prepare Cuba for climatological impacts over the next century. Much of the initial funding could come from a $100 million proposal that Cuba plans to submit soon to the Global Climate Fund.

  10. Comparative Influence of Ocean Conditions on Yellowfin and Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Catch from Longlines in the Gulf of Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Teo, Steven L. H.; Block, Barbara A.

    2010-01-01

    Directed fishing effort for Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), their primary spawning grounds in the western Atlantic, has been prohibited since the 1980s due to a precipitous decline of the spawning stock biomass. However, pelagic longlines targeted at other species, primarily yellowfin tuna and swordfish, continue to catch Atlantic bluefin tuna in the GOM as bycatch. Spatial and temporal management measures minimizing bluefin tuna bycatch in the GOM will likely become important in rebuilding the western Atlantic bluefin stock. In order to help inform management policy and understand the relative distribution of target and bycatch species in the GOM, we compared the spatiotemporal variability and environmental influences on the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of yellowfin (target) and bluefin tuna (bycatch). Catch and effort data from pelagic longline fisheries observers (1993–2005) and scientific tagging cruises (1998–2002) were coupled with environmental and biological data. Negative binomial models were used to fit the data for both species and Akaike's Information Criterion (corrected for small sample size) was used to determine the best model. Our results indicate that bluefin CPUE had higher spatiotemporal variability as compared to yellowfin CPUE. Bluefin CPUE increased substantially during the breeding months (March-June) and peaked in April and May, while yellowfin CPUE remained relatively high throughout the year. In addition, bluefin CPUE was significantly higher in areas with negative sea surface height anomalies and cooler sea surface temperatures, which are characteristic of mesoscale cyclonic eddies. In contrast, yellowfin CPUE was less sensitive to environmental variability. These differences in seasonal variability and sensitivity to environmental influences suggest that bluefin tuna bycatch in the GOM can be reduced substantially by managing the spatial and temporal distribution of the pelagic longline effort without

  11. Analysis Total Plate Counte (TPC) On Fresh Steak Tuna Applications Edible Coating Caulerpa sp During Stored at Chilling Temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nelce Mailoa, Meigy; Marthina Tapotubun, Alfonsina; Matrutty, Theodora E. A. A.

    2017-10-01

    A study has been conducted to determine the use of Caulerpa sp. Edible coatings on fresh steaks tuna against the presence of microbes during storage at chilling temperatures. In this research, two applied method of edible coating is used, that is dipping and immersion method, with chilling temperature (5°C), storage time (0, 3, 6, 9 days). Each treatment is compared to control (without an edible coating). The results showed that the application of edible coating Caulerpa sp in fresh steaks tuna with soaking and dipping method showed total bacteria increase during storage, but still fulfill the microbiological quality of fresh fish that is maximum total plate 5.0 × 105 cfu/g. Total microbes in fresh steaks tuna were soaked with immersion methods and stored up to 9 days: 2.3 × 105 cfu/g while total microbial on fresh steaks tuna were dipped by dipping method and stored up to 9 days ie 3.4 × 105 cfu/g. So it can be concluded that application method of edible coating Caulerpa sp on fresh steaks tuna soaked better than the method of dipping.

  12. 31 CFR 515.563 - Journalistic activities in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Journalistic activities in Cuba. 515.563 Section 515.563 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... § 515.560(c) and other transactions that are directly incident to doing research in Cuba for a free...

  13. Prediction of Quality Change During Thawing of Frozen Tuna Meat by Numerical Calculation I

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murakami, Natsumi; Watanabe, Manabu; Suzuki, Toru

    A numerical calculation method has been developed to determine the optimum thawing method for minimizing the increase of metmyoglobin content (metMb%) as an indicator of color changes in frozen tuna meat during thawing. The calculation method is configured the following two steps: a) calculation of temperature history in each part of frozen tuna meat during thawing by control volume method under the assumption of one-dimensional heat transfer, and b) calculation of metMb% based on the combination of calculated temperature history, Arrenius equation and the first-order reaction equation for the increase rate of metMb%. Thawing experiments for measuring temperature history of frozen tuna meat were carried out under the conditions of rapid thawing and slow thawing to compare the experimental data with calculated temperature history as well as the increase of metMb%. The results were coincident with the experimental data. The proposed simulation method would be useful for predicting the optimum thawing conditions in terms of metMb%.

  14. Tuna Oil Alleviates d-Galactose Induced Aging in Mice Accompanied by Modulating Gut Microbiota and Brain Protein Expression.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Dijun; Han, Jiaojiao; Li, Yanyan; Yuan, Bei; Zhou, Jun; Cheong, Lingzhi; Li, Ye; Lu, Chenyang; Su, Xiurong

    2018-06-06

    To discern whether tuna oil modulates the expression of brain proteins and the gut microbiota structure during aging induced by d-galactose, we generated an aging mouse model with d-galactose treatment, and the mice showed aging and memory deterioration symptoms according to physiological and biochemical indices. Treatment with different doses of tuna oil alleviated the symptoms; the high dose showed a better effect. Subsequently, brain proteomic analysis showed the differentially expressed proteins were involved in damaged synaptic system repairment and signal transduction system enhancement. In addition, tuna oil treatment restored the diversity of gut microbiota, 27 key operational taxonomic units, which were identified using a redundancy analysis and were significantly correlated with at least one physiological index and three proteins or genes. These findings suggest that the combination of proteomics and gut microbiota is an effective strategy to gain novel insights regarding the effect of tuna oil treatment on the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

  15. Canned bluefin tuna, an in vitro cardioprotective functional food potentially safer than commercial fish oil based pharmaceutical formulations.

    PubMed

    Tenore, Gian Carlo; Calabrese, Giorgio; Ritieni, Alberto; Campiglia, Pietro; Giannetti, Daniela; Novellino, Ettore

    2014-09-01

    Commercial canned fish species typical in the Italian market were evaluated for their lipid profile. Bluefin tuna samples showed the highest content in omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) among the canned fish samples analyzed. Tests on H9C2 cardiomyocytes revealed that bluefin tuna n-3 PUFA may responsible for a significant cell protection against both physiological and doxorubicin-induced oxidative stress. Analogous tests performed by incubating cardiac cells with n-3 PUFA ethyl esters, of which most of fish oil pharmaceutical formulations (FOPF) are based, showed cytotoxicity at high doses. Our results highlighted that n-3 PUFA contents in a 50 g canned bluefin tuna portion would be almost equivalent to and potentially safer than those of 1 FOPF capsule (1000 mg)/die usually suggested for hyperlipidaemic subjects. Thus, Italian commercial canned bluefin tuna could be indicated as a functional food with potential health benefits for the prevention and care of cardiovascular disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. [Fatty acid variation in yellowfin tuna, spotted weakfish and Florida pompano when submitted to six cooking techniques].

    PubMed

    Castro-González, María Isabel; Maafs-Rodríguez, Ana Gabriela; Romo Pérez-Gil, Fernando

    2013-03-01

    The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of six cooking techniques (steamed, foiled, foiled with banana leaf, baked, microwave-cooked and light frying) in the fatty acid content of Thunnus albacore (yellowfin tuna), Cynoscionnebulosus (spotted weakfish) and Trachinotuscarolinus (Florida pompano). After cooking the fish fillets, fatty acid analyses were performed using gas chromatography. Total lipids increased in all cooking techniques in tunaand spotted weakfish. Saturated fatty acids of tuna and spotted weakfish increased in three cooking techniques, while in Florida pompano only gas oven raised their content. Lightly frying generated the highest content of n-3 in tuna and spotted weakfish, and the lowest in Florida pompano, specie that presented less variation. In tuna fish, the most recommended cooking techniques are foiled with aluminum and microwave oven; for spotted weakfish, foiled with banana leaf; while Florida pompano can be prepared using all cooking methods except gas oven. This information is useful to enrich data from chemical composition tables, in which concentrations are usually presented in raw food.

  17. The Beginning of Semiconductor Research in Cuba

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Veltfort, Theodore

    I was invited to Cuba in 1962 to initiate some efforts in semiconductor development. I had been a physicist and senior research engineer with various electronic companies of the "Silicon Valley" of California, south of San Francisco. I had heard of the efforts made by the new revolutionary government of Cuba to advance the level of science and technology, and I was anxious to see what I could do to help.

  18. A New Look at U.S. Foreign Policy toward Cuba

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-04-01

    an explanation of Cuba’s leadership structure; 5) an illustration of the current changing environment; 6) and a number of other factors that must be...APPENDIX TWO - Demographics and Country Statistics 74 Section 1- Cuba 75 - Cuba Statistics 77 Section 2 - Central America, Mexico , and the Caribbean...important shipping routes from the North Atlantic into the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Panama Canal. Since the Spanish-American War, the

  19. Offshore S. Cuba -- Quaternary lobsters and Eocene reefs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rebora, M.

    When Cuba is mentioned, the first image that comes to an explorationist's mind is one of complex imbricated thrust sheets, fractured carbonate reservoirs, volcanics and ophiolitic, and heavy and high sulfur oil. It is now known that this stimulating'' scenario does not apply to the whole of Cuba but only to the northern and central part where plate collisions and robust wrench tectonics exacted their toll on sediments and hydrocarbons alike. Seismic data recently acquired by Taurus Petroleum off the southern coast of Cuba reveal a rather different scenario: Mesozoic sediments several thousands of meters thick, deformed by moderate wrenchmore » tectonics into low-relief flower structures, and overlain by a variety of Paleogene shelf edge reefs, atolls, and banks that look as if reproduced from the pages of AAPG's Memoir 57. The whole is topped by Oligocene and Miocene evaporites, shales, and carbonates. The paper describes the southern shelf area, exploration in Cuba, reefs, oil and gas shows, source rocks, reservoir rocks, seals, and potential reserves.« less

  20. Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides as intrinsic tracer tags of foraging grounds of bluefin tuna in the northwest Atlantic Ocean.

    PubMed

    Deshpande, Ashok D; Dickhut, Rebecca M; Dockum, Bruce W; Brill, Richard W; Farrington, Cameron

    2016-04-15

    Researchers have utilized chemical fingerprints in the determination of habitat utilization and movements of the aquatic animals. In the present effort, we analyzed polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners and organochlorine pesticides in the samples of juvenile bluefin tuna caught offshore of Virginia, and in larger bluefin tuna from the Gulf of Maine and near Nova Scotia. For a given specimen, or a given location, PCB concentrations were highest, followed by DDTs, and chlordanes. Average contaminant concentrations from fish captured from the three locations were not significantly different; and PCBs, DDTs, and chlordanes correlated well with each other. Trans-nonachlor/PCB 153 ratios in bluefin tuna of eastern Atlantic (i.e., Mediterranean) origin are low compared to the corresponding ratios in fish in the western Atlantic. As the former migrate to the western Atlantic, these ratios gradually turnover due to the accumulation of biomass from forage contaminated with higher trans-nonachlor/PCB 153 ratio reflecting dissimilar use of chlordane pesticides on two sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The trans-nonachlor/PCB 153 ratio indicated that one juvenile bluefin tuna from offshore of Virginia and one large bluefin tuna from Gulf of Maine in the present study originated from foraging grounds in the Mediterranean Sea, and that they have made the trans-Atlantic migrations. The remaining individuals were determined to be either spawned in the Gulf of Mexico or the trans-nonachlor/PCB 153 ratio for the putative Mediterranean bluefin tuna was completely turned over to resemble the ratio characteristic to the western Atlantic. Based on the turnover time for trans-nonachlor/PCB 153 ratio previously determined, the residence time of juvenile bluefin tuna offshore Virginia was estimated to be at least 0.8 to 1.6years. A discriminant function analysis (DFA) plot of total PCB normalized signatures of PCB congeners showed three separate clusters, which suggested that bluefin tuna

  1. 75 FR 54594 - Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural Commodities to Cuba

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-08

    ...] Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural Commodities to Cuba AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and... Administration Regulations for the export of agricultural commodities to Cuba. BIS will include a description of...), to Cuba. Requirements and procedures associated with such authorization are set forth in section 740...

  2. Oligonucleotide indexing of DNA barcodes: identification of tuna and other scombrid species in food products.

    PubMed

    Botti, Sara; Giuffra, Elisabetta

    2010-08-23

    DNA barcodes are a global standard for species identification and have countless applications in the medical, forensic and alimentary fields, but few barcoding methods work efficiently in samples in which DNA is degraded, e.g. foods and archival specimens. This limits the choice of target regions harbouring a sufficient number of diagnostic polymorphisms. The method described here uses existing PCR and sequencing methodologies to detect mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms in complex matrices such as foods. The reported application allowed the discrimination among 17 fish species of the Scombridae family with high commercial interest such as mackerels, bonitos and tunas which are often present in processed seafood. The approach can be easily upgraded with the release of new genetic diversity information to increase the range of detected species. Cocktail of primers are designed for PCR using publicly available sequences of the target sequence. They are composed of a fixed 5' region and of variable 3' cocktail portions that allow amplification of any member of a group of species of interest. The population of short amplicons is directly sequenced and indexed using primers containing a longer 5' region and the non polymorphic portion of the cocktail portion. A 226 bp region of CytB was selected as target after collection and screening of 148 online sequences; 85 SNPs were found, of which 75 were present in at least two sequences. Primers were also designed for two shorter sub-fragments that could be amplified from highly degraded samples. The test was used on 103 samples of seafood (canned tuna and scomber, tuna salad, tuna sauce) and could successfully detect the presence of different or additional species that were not identified on the labelling of canned tuna, tuna salad and sauce samples. The described method is largely independent of the degree of degradation of DNA source and can thus be applied to processed seafood. Moreover, the method is highly flexible

  3. 77 FR 55183 - Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural Commodities to Cuba

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-07

    ...] Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural Commodities to Cuba AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and... Administration Regulations for the export of agricultural commodities to Cuba. BIS will include a description of...), to Cuba. Requirements and procedures associated with such authorization are set forth in Sec. 740.18...

  4. Spawning of Bluefin Tuna in the Black Sea: Historical Evidence, Environmental Constraints and Population Plasticity

    PubMed Central

    MacKenzie, Brian R.; Mariani, Patrizio

    2012-01-01

    The lucrative and highly migratory Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus 1758; Scombridae), used to be distributed widely throughout the north Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. Its migrations have supported sustainable fisheries and impacted local cultures since antiquity, but its biogeographic range has contracted since the 1950s. Most recently, the species disappeared from the Black Sea in the late 1980s and has not yet recovered. Reasons for the Black Sea disappearance, and the species-wide range contraction, are unclear. However bluefin tuna formerly foraged and possibly spawned in the Black Sea. Loss of a locally-reproducing population would represent a decline in population richness, and an increase in species vulnerability to perturbations such as exploitation and environmental change. Here we identify the main genetic and phenotypic adaptations that the population must have (had) in order to reproduce successfully in the specific hydrographic (estuarine) conditions of the Black Sea. By comparing hydrographic conditions in spawning areas of the three species of bluefin tunas, and applying a mechanistic model of egg buoyancy and sinking rate, we show that reproduction in the Black Sea must have required specific adaptations of egg buoyancy, fertilisation and development for reproductive success. Such adaptations by local populations of marine fish species spawning in estuarine areas are common as is evident from a meta-analysis of egg buoyancy data from 16 species of fish. We conclude that these adaptations would have been necessary for successful local reproduction by bluefin tuna in the Black Sea, and that a locally-adapted reproducing population may have disappeared. Recovery of bluefin tuna in the Black Sea, either for spawning or foraging, will occur fastest if any remaining locally adapted individuals are allowed to survive, and by conservation and recovery of depleted Mediterranean populations which could through time re

  5. 31 CFR 515.415 - Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Travel to Cuba; transportation of... CONTROL REGULATIONS Interpretations § 515.415 Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals... or a returning resident of the United States, from Cuba to the United States, unless otherwise...

  6. 31 CFR 515.415 - Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Travel to Cuba; transportation of... CONTROL REGULATIONS Interpretations § 515.415 Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals... or a returning resident of the United States, from Cuba to the United States, unless otherwise...

  7. 31 CFR 515.415 - Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Travel to Cuba; transportation of... CONTROL REGULATIONS Interpretations § 515.415 Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals... or a returning resident of the United States, from Cuba to the United States, unless otherwise...

  8. 31 CFR 515.415 - Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Travel to Cuba; transportation of... CONTROL REGULATIONS Interpretations § 515.415 Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals... or a returning resident of the United States, from Cuba to the United States, unless otherwise...

  9. 31 CFR 515.415 - Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Travel to Cuba; transportation of... CONTROL REGULATIONS Interpretations § 515.415 Travel to Cuba; transportation of certain Cuban nationals... or a returning resident of the United States, from Cuba to the United States, unless otherwise...

  10. Historical Overview of Leprosy Control in Cuba.

    PubMed

    Beldarraín-Chaple, Enrique

    2017-01-01

    INTRODUCTION Leprosy, an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, affects the nervous system, skin, internal organs, extremities and mucous membranes. Biological, social and environmental factors influence its occurrence and transmission. The first effective treatments appeared in 1930 with the development of dapsone, a sulfone. The main components of a control and elimination strategy are early case detection and timely administration of multidrug therapy. OBJECTIVES Review the history of leprosy control in Cuba, emphasizing particularly results of the National Leprosy Control Program, its modifications and influence on leprosy control. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION The historiological method was applied using document review, complemented by interviews with experts on leprosy and its control. Archived documents, medical records, disease prevalence censuses conducted since 1942, and incidence and prevalence statistics for 1960-2015 from the Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division were reviewed. Reports and scientific literature published on the Program and the history of leprosy in Cuba were also reviewed. DEVELOPMENT Leprosy has been documented in Cuba since 1613. In 1938, the Leprosy Foundation was created with ten dispensaries nationwide for diagnosis and treatment. The first National Leprosy Control Program was established in 1962, implemented in 1963 and revised five times. In 1972, leper colonies were closed and treatment became ambulatory. In 1977, rifampicin was introduced. In 1988, the Program instituted controlled, decentralized, community-based multidrug treatment and established the criteria for considering a patient cured. In 2003, it included actions aimed at early diagnosis and prophylactic treatment of contacts. Since 2008, it prioritizes actions directed toward the population at risk, maintaining five-year followup with dermatological and neurological examination. Primary health care carries out diagnostic and treatment

  11. Toxocariasis in Cuba: a literature review.

    PubMed

    Sariego, Idalia; Kanobana, Kirezi; Rojas, Lázara; Speybroeck, Niko; Polman, Katja; Núñez, Fidel A

    2012-01-01

    Human toxocariasis (HT) is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with the larval stage of Toxocara canis, the intestinal roundworm of dogs. Infection can be associated with a wide clinical spectrum varying from asymptomatic to severe organ injury. While the incidence of symptomatic human toxocariasis appears to be low, infection of the human population is widespread. In Cuba, a clear overview on the status of the disease is lacking. Here, we review the available information on toxocariasis in Cuba as a first step to estimate the importance of the disease in the country. Findings are discussed and put in a broader perspective. Data gaps are identified and suggestions on how to address these are presented. The available country data suggest that Toxocara infection of the definitive dog host and environmental contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs is substantial, but information on HT is less conclusive. The availability of adequate diagnostic tools in the country should be guaranteed. Dedicated studies are needed for a reliable assessment of the impact of toxocariasis in Cuba and the design of prevention or control strategies.

  12. Toxocariasis in Cuba: A Literature Review

    PubMed Central

    Sariego, Idalia; Kanobana, Kirezi; Rojas, Lázara; Speybroeck, Niko; Polman, Katja; Núñez, Fidel A.

    2012-01-01

    Human toxocariasis (HT) is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with the larval stage of Toxocara canis, the intestinal roundworm of dogs. Infection can be associated with a wide clinical spectrum varying from asymptomatic to severe organ injury. While the incidence of symptomatic human toxocariasis appears to be low, infection of the human population is widespread. In Cuba, a clear overview on the status of the disease is lacking. Here, we review the available information on toxocariasis in Cuba as a first step to estimate the importance of the disease in the country. Findings are discussed and put in a broader perspective. Data gaps are identified and suggestions on how to address these are presented. The available country data suggest that Toxocara infection of the definitive dog host and environmental contamination with Toxocara spp. eggs is substantial, but information on HT is less conclusive. The availability of adequate diagnostic tools in the country should be guaranteed. Dedicated studies are needed for a reliable assessment of the impact of toxocariasis in Cuba and the design of prevention or control strategies. PMID:22389726

  13. Review: Analysis of the evolutionary convergence for high performance swimming in lamnid sharks and tunas.

    PubMed

    Bernal, D; Dickson, K A; Shadwick, R E; Graham, J B

    2001-06-01

    Elasmobranchs and bony fishes have evolved independently for more than 400 million years. However, two Recent groups, the lamnid sharks (Family Lamnidae) and tunas (Family Scombridae), display remarkable similarities in features related to swimming performance. Traits separating these two groups from other fishes include a higher degree of body streamlining, a shift in the position of the aerobic, red, locomotor muscle that powers sustained swimming to a more anterior location in the body and nearer to the vertebral column, the capacity to conserve metabolic heat (i.e. regional endothermy), an increased gill surface area with a decreased blood-water barrier thickness, a higher maximum blood oxygen carrying capacity, and greater muscle aerobic and anaerobic enzyme activities at in vivo temperatures. The suite of morphological, physiological, and biochemical specializations that define "high-performance fishes" have been extensively characterized in the tunas. This review examines the convergent features of lamnid sharks and tunas in order to gain insight into the extent that comparable environmental selection pressures have led to the independent origin of similar suites of functional characteristics in these two distinctly different taxa. We propose that, despite differences between teleost and elasmobranch fishes, lamnid sharks and tunas have evolved morphological and physiological specializations that enhance their swimming performance relative to other sharks and most other high performance pelagic fishes.

  14. Applied Science in Cuba.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fox, Jeffrey L.

    1986-01-01

    Discusses various topics and issues related to the scientific enterprise in Cuba. Notes that Cuban science is emphasizing biotechnology and research on the island's chief crop (sugarcane), although hampered by limited personnel and lack of modern laboratory equipment. (JN)

  15. 31 CFR 515.207 - Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Cuba. 515.207 Section 515.207 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Prohibitions § 515.207 Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba. Except as specifically authorized by the... regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses or otherwise, (a) No vessel that enters a port or place in Cuba...

  16. 31 CFR 515.548 - Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Services rendered by Cuba to United... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.548 Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft. Specific licenses are issued for payment to Cuba of charges for services...

  17. 31 CFR 515.207 - Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Cuba. 515.207 Section 515.207 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Prohibitions § 515.207 Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba. Except as specifically authorized by the... regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses or otherwise, (a) No vessel that enters a port or place in Cuba...

  18. 31 CFR 515.207 - Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Cuba. 515.207 Section 515.207 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Prohibitions § 515.207 Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba. Except as specifically authorized by the... regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses or otherwise, (a) No vessel that enters a port or place in Cuba...

  19. 31 CFR 515.548 - Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Services rendered by Cuba to United... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.548 Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft. Specific licenses are issued for payment to Cuba of charges for services...

  20. 31 CFR 515.207 - Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Cuba. 515.207 Section 515.207 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance... Prohibitions § 515.207 Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba. Except as specifically authorized by the... regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses or otherwise, (a) No vessel that enters a port or place in Cuba...

  1. 31 CFR 515.548 - Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Services rendered by Cuba to United... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.548 Services rendered by Cuba to United States aircraft. Specific licenses are issued for payment to Cuba of charges for services...

  2. Visiting the Republic of Cuba: An Experience to Remember.

    PubMed

    Brown, Geraldine

    2015-01-01

    A few years ago, I was privileged to visit the Republic of Cuba as a summer vacation. Officially, this Spanish island is the largest island in the Caribbean, with more than 12 million people. It is only second as being most populous after Hispaniola with its people, culture and customs. Havana is the capital and Cuba's largest city. The United States lies to the immediate north only about 95 miles away, and the Bahamas and Mexico to the west, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica are on the southern end, and Haiti and the Dominion Republic are in the southeastern area. The history of this island is truly amazing. I was able to vist a hospital, and ride public transportation (bus). The trip was made at the time when Cuba was not open to travelers coming direct from the United States. I traveled to Montreal, Canada to board Cabana Arlines to Havana, Cuba.

  3. Factors affecting abundance and prevalence of blood fluke, Cardicola forsteri, infection in commercially ranched southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, in Australia.

    PubMed

    Aiken, Hamish M; Hayward, Craig J; Nowak, Barbara F

    2015-05-30

    A survey of blood fluke, Cardicola forsteri, infection in ranched southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, was undertaken over three farming seasons, from March 2004 to September 2006. Analyses of covariance and logistic regression were used to explore the effects of company, year, season, time in culture, and condition index on intensity, abundance and prevalence of blood fluke infection. Average prevalence of blood fluke infection was 62.64% over the period of the survey. Average intensity was 6.20 (± 0.57) fluke per infected host and the average abundance was 3.70 (± 0.57) fluke per host. Year did not influence mean intensity or abundance although a significant decrease in prevalence in 2005 was evident. Tuna harvested in winter had a significantly greater abundance and prevalence of blood fluke than the tuna harvested in autumn. No effect of intensity or abundance of infection was observed on the condition of the infected tuna. A universal factor in explaining variation in C. forsteri intensity, abundance and prevalence was company. Differences in infection levels between tuna from different companies may be related to differences in husbandry measures employed on each farm, or due to different average sizes of tuna farmed by each of the companies, or due to the location of the operations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Organic and total mercury levels in bigeye tuna, Thunnus obesus, harvested by Taiwanese fishing vessels in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

    PubMed

    Chen, M H; Teng, P Y; Chen, C Y; Hsu, C C

    2011-01-01

    Muscle samples of 121 and 110 bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) caught by Taiwanese long-line fishing vessels in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, respectively, were used to analyze total mercury (THg) and organic mercury (OHg) content. The overall THg and OHg concentrations were 0.786 ± 0.386 (0.214-3.133) and 0.595 ± 0.238 (0.143-2.222) mg kg⁻¹ wet weight, respectively, similar to the results of previous studies. Our findings, however, reflected the highest THg and OHg concentrations for the species in each ocean among the published data. Mean THg and OHg concentrations in Atlantic tuna were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those in Indian tuna. Two of 121 samples of tuna from the Atlantic Ocean, but no samples from the Indian Ocean, had levels of OHg above 2 mg kg⁻¹ wet weight set by the Department of Health Taiwan, and 13 of 121 samples of tuna from the Atlantic Ocean and three of 110 samples from the Indian Ocean had levels of OHg above 1 mg kg⁻¹ wet weight set by US FDA and WHO. Accordingly, for adult Taiwanese men and women with average body weight of 65 and 55 kg, respectively, the maximum allowable weekly intake of bigeye tuna is suggested to be 170 and 145 g, respectively.

  5. Antimicrobial function of the GAPDH-related antimicrobial peptide in the skin of skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis.

    PubMed

    Seo, Jung-Kil; Lee, Min Jeong; Go, Hye-Jin; Kim, Yeon Jun; Park, Nam Gyu

    2014-02-01

    A 3.4 kDa of antimicrobial peptide was purified from an acidified skin extract of skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, by preparative acid-urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and C18 reversed-phase HPLC. A comparison of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified peptide with that of other known polypeptides revealed high sequence homology with the YFGAP (Yellowfin tuna Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-related Antimicrobial Peptide); thus, this peptide was identified as the skipjack tuna GAPDH-related antimicrobial peptide (SJGAP). SJGAP showed potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, such as Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus iniae (minimal effective concentrations [MECs], 1.2-17.0 μg/mL), Gram-negative bacteria, such as Aeromonas hydrophila, Escherichia coli D31, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (MECs, 3.1-12.0 μg/mL), and against Candida albicans (MEC, 16.0 μg/mL) without significant hemolytic activity. Antimicrobial activity of this peptide is heat-stable but salt-sensitive. According to the secondary structural prediction and the homology modeling, this peptide consists of three secondary structural motifs, including one α-helix and two parallel β-strands, and forms an amphipathic structure. This peptide showed neither membrane permeabilization ability nor killing ability, but did display a small degree of leakage ability. These results suggest that SJGAP acts through a bacteriostatic process rather than bactericidal one. SJGAP is another GAPDH-related antimicrobial peptide isolated from skipjack tuna and likely plays an important role for GAPDH in the innate immune defense of tuna fish. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Seasonal Movements, Aggregations and Diving Behavior of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) Revealed with Archival Tags

    PubMed Central

    Walli, Andreas; Teo, Steven L. H.; Boustany, Andre; Farwell, Charles J.; Williams, Tom; Dewar, Heidi; Prince, Eric; Block, Barbara A.

    2009-01-01

    Electronic tags were used to examine the seasonal movements, aggregations and diving behaviors of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) to better understand their migration ecology and oceanic habitat utilization. Implantable archival tags (n = 561) were deployed in bluefin tuna from 1996 to 2005 and 106 tags were recovered. Movement paths of the fish were reconstructed using light level and sea-surface-temperature-based geolocation estimates. To quantify habitat utilization we employed a weighted kernel estimation technique that removed the biases of deployment location and track length. Throughout the North Atlantic, high residence times (167±33 days) were identified in four spatially confined regions on a seasonal scale. Within each region, bluefin tuna experienced distinct temperature regimes and displayed different diving behaviors. The mean diving depths within the high-use areas were significantly shallower and the dive frequency and the variance in internal temperature significantly higher than during transit movements between the high-use areas. Residence time in the more northern latitude high-use areas was significantly correlated with levels of primary productivity. The regions of aggregation are associated with areas of abundant prey and potentially represent critical foraging habitats that have seasonally abundant prey. Throughout the North Atlantic mean diving depth was significantly correlated with the depth of the thermocline, and dive behavior changed in relation to the stratification of the water column. In this study, with numerous multi-year tracks, there appear to be repeatable patterns of clear aggregation areas that potentially are changing with environmental conditions. The high concentrations of bluefin tuna in predictable locations indicate that Atlantic bluefin tuna are vulnerable to concentrated fishing efforts in the regions of foraging aggregations. PMID:19582150

  7. [Eugenic abortion could explain the lower infant mortality in Cuba compared to that in Chile].

    PubMed

    Donoso S, Enrique; Carvajal C, Jorge A

    2012-08-01

    Cuba and Chile have the lower infant mortality rates of Latin America. Infant mortality rate in Cuba is similar to that of developed countries. Chilean infant mortality rate is slightly higher than that of Cuba. To investigate if the lower infant mortality rate in Cuba, compared to Chile, could be explained by eugenic abortion, considering that abortion is legal in Cuba but not in Chile. We compared total and congenital abnormalities related infant mortality in Cuba and Chile during 2008, based on vital statistics of both countries. In 2008, infant mortality rates in Chile were significantly higher than those of Cuba (7.8 vs. 4.7 per 1,000 live born respectively, odds ratio (OR) 1.67; 95% confidence intervals (Cl) 1.52-1.83). Congenital abnormalities accounted for 33.8 and 19.2% of infant deaths in Chile and Cuba, respectively. Discarding infant deaths related to congenital abnormalities, infant mortality rate continued to be higher in Chile than in Cuba (5.19 vs. 3.82 per 1000 live born respectively, OR 1.36; 95%CI 1.221.52). Considering that antenatal diagnosis is widely available in both countries, but abortion is legal in Cuba but not in Chile, we conclude that eugenic abortion may partially explain the lower infant mortality rate observed in Cuba compared to that observed in Chile.

  8. Biogenic amine content, histamine-forming bacteria, and adulteration of pork in tuna sausage products.

    PubMed

    Kung, Hsien-Feng; Tsai, Yung-Hsiang; Chang, Shih-Chih; Hong, Tang-Yao

    2012-10-01

    Twenty-five tuna sausage products were purchased from retail markets in Taiwan. The rates of occurrence of biogenic amines, histamine-forming bacteria, and adulteration by pork and poultry were determined. The average content of various biogenic amines in all tested samples was less than 2.0 mg/100 g (<0.05 to 1.85 mg/100 g). Thirteen histamine-producing bacterial strains isolated from tested samples produced 12.1 to 1,261 ppm of histamine in Trypticase soy broth supplemented with 1.0% L-histidine. Among them, Raoultella ornithinolytica (one strain), Enterobacter aerogenes (one strain), and Staphylococcus pasteuri (two strains) were identified as prolific histamine formers. PCR assay revealed that the adulteration rates were 80% (20 of 25) and 4% (1 of 25) for pork and poultry, respectively, in tuna sausage. The fish species in the tuna sausage samples were identified as Thunnus albacares for 22 samples (88%), Thunnus alalunga for 1 sample (4%), and Thunnus thynnus for 1 sample (4%), whereas the remaining sample was identified as Makaira nigricans (blue marlin).

  9. 78 FR 37790 - In the Matter of: Mario Salinas-Lucio, Inmate Number #61687-279, FCI La Tuna, Federal Corrections...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-06-24

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bureau of Industry and Security In the Matter of: Mario Salinas-Lucio, Inmate Number 61687-279, FCI La Tuna, Federal Corrections Institution, Federal Satellite Low, P.O. Box... Salinas-Lucio, with a last known address at: Inmate Number 61687-279, FCI La Tuna, Federal Corrections...

  10. 31 CFR 515.207 - Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... with Cuba. 515.207 Section 515.207 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... REGULATIONS Prohibitions § 515.207 Entry of vessels engaged in trade with Cuba. Except as specifically... place in Cuba to engage in the trade of goods or the purchase or provision of services, may enter a U.S...

  11. Spatial scale, means and gradients of hydrographic variables define pelagic seascapes of bluefin and bullet tuna spawning distribution.

    PubMed

    Alvarez-Berastegui, Diego; Ciannelli, Lorenzo; Aparicio-Gonzalez, Alberto; Reglero, Patricia; Hidalgo, Manuel; López-Jurado, Jose Luis; Tintoré, Joaquín; Alemany, Francisco

    2014-01-01

    Seascape ecology is an emerging discipline focused on understanding how features of the marine habitat influence the spatial distribution of marine species. However, there is still a gap in the development of concepts and techniques for its application in the marine pelagic realm, where there are no clear boundaries delimitating habitats. Here we demonstrate that pelagic seascape metrics defined as a combination of hydrographic variables and their spatial gradients calculated at an appropriate spatial scale, improve our ability to model pelagic fish distribution. We apply the analysis to study the spawning locations of two tuna species: Atlantic bluefin and bullet tuna. These two species represent a gradient in life history strategies. Bluefin tuna has a large body size and is a long-distant migrant, while bullet tuna has a small body size and lives year-round in coastal waters within the Mediterranean Sea. The results show that the models performance incorporating the proposed seascape metrics increases significantly when compared with models that do not consider these metrics. This improvement is more important for Atlantic bluefin, whose spawning ecology is dependent on the local oceanographic scenario, than it is for bullet tuna, which is less influenced by the hydrographic conditions. Our study advances our understanding of how species perceive their habitat and confirms that the spatial scale at which the seascape metrics provide information is related to the spawning ecology and life history strategy of each species.

  12. Molecular characterization of kudoid parasites (Myxozoa: Multivalvulida) from somatic muscles of Pacific bluefin (Thunnus orientalis) and yellowfin (T. albacores) tuna.

    PubMed

    Abe, Niichiro; Maehara, Tomofumi

    2013-06-01

    The public health importance of Kudoa infection in fish remains unclear. Recently in Japan a Kudoa species, K. septempunctata, was newly implicated as a causative agent of unidentified food poisoning related to the consumption of raw olive flounder. Other marine fishery products are also suspected as causative raw foods of unidentified food poisoning. For this study, we detected kudoid parasites from sliced raw muscle tissues of a young Pacific bluefin and an adult yellowfin tuna. No cyst or pseudocyst was evident in muscles macroscopically, but pseudocysts were detected in both samples histologically. One substitution (within 1100 bp overlap) and ten substitutions (within 753 bp overlap) were found respectively between the partial sequences of 18S and 28S rDNAs from both isolates. Nucleotide sequence similarity searching of 18S and 28S rDNAs from both isolates showed the highest identity with those of K. neothunni from tuna. Based on the spore morphology, the mode of parasitism, and the nucleotide sequence similarity, these isolates from a Pacific bluefin and a yellowfin tuna were identified as K. neothunni. Phylogenetic analysis of the 28S rDNA sequence revealed that K. neothunni is classifiable into two genotypes: one from Pacific bluefin and the other from yellowfin tuna. Recently, an unidentified kudoid parasite morphologically and genetically similar K. neothunni were detected from stocked tuna samples in unidentified food poisoning cases in Japan. The possibility exists that K. neothunni, especially from the Pacific bluefin tuna, causes food poisoning, as does K. septempunctata.

  13. Fascioliasis: can Cuba conquer this emerging parasitosis?

    PubMed

    Rojas, Lázara; Vazquez, Antonio; Domenech, Ingrid; Robertson, Lucy J

    2010-01-01

    Fascioliasis, an emerging parasitic infection, impacts significantly on both veterinary and human health worldwide. Endemic foci are not limited only to areas of extensive livestock farming, but owing to the parasite's abilities to colonise new intermediate hosts and adapt to new environments, also occur in other places, including Cuba. In Cuba, despite a high prevalence of fascioliasis in livestock, and the widespread occurrence of two potential intermediate hosts, human infection has decreased steadily over the past 10 years. In other parts of the world, human fascioliasis is apparently becoming more frequent. Problems in counteracting the spread of fascioliasis, and approaches used in Cuba to limit zoonotic transmission are discussed, with emphasis on diagnostic and treatment problems, malacological initiatives, and the importance of an integrated control programme. Such programmes may be of benefit in other countries where the prevalence of human fascioliasis is increasing, and lessons may perhaps be learned from the Cuban approach. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Moving with the beat: heart rate and visceral temperature of free-swimming and feeding bluefin tuna.

    PubMed

    Clark, T D; Taylor, B D; Seymour, R S; Ellis, D; Buchanan, J; Fitzgibbon, Q P; Frappell, P B

    2008-12-22

    Owing to the inherent difficulties of studying bluefin tuna, nothing is known of the cardiovascular function of free-swimming fish. Here, we surgically implanted newly designed data loggers into the visceral cavity of juvenile southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) to measure changes in the heart rate (fH) and visceral temperature (TV) during a two-week feeding regime in sea pens at Port Lincoln, Australia. Fish ranged in body mass from 10 to 21 kg, and water temperature remained at 18-19 degrees C. Pre-feeding fH typically ranged from 20 to 50 beats min(-1). Each feeding bout (meal sizes 2-7% of tuna body mass) was characterized by increased levels of activity and fH (up to 130 beats min(-1)), and a decrease in TV from approximately 20 to 18 degrees C as cold sardines were consumed. The feeding bout was promptly followed by a rapid increase in TV, which signified the beginning of the heat increment of feeding (HIF). The time interval between meal consumption and the completion of HIF ranged from 10 to 24 hours and was strongly correlated with ration size. Although fH generally decreased after its peak during the feeding bout, it remained elevated during the digestive period and returned to routine levels on a similar, but slightly earlier, temporal scale to TV. These data imply a large contribution of fH to the increase in circulatory oxygen transport that is required for digestion. Furthermore, these data oppose the contention that maximum fH is exceptional in bluefin tuna compared with other fishes, and so it is likely that enhanced cardiac stroke volume and blood oxygen carrying capacity are the principal factors allowing superior rates of circulatory oxygen transport in tuna.

  15. Moving with the beat: heart rate and visceral temperature of free-swimming and feeding bluefin tuna

    PubMed Central

    Clark, T.D; Taylor, B.D; Seymour, R.S; Ellis, D; Buchanan, J; Fitzgibbon, Q.P; Frappell, P.B

    2008-01-01

    Owing to the inherent difficulties of studying bluefin tuna, nothing is known of the cardiovascular function of free-swimming fish. Here, we surgically implanted newly designed data loggers into the visceral cavity of juvenile southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) to measure changes in the heart rate (fH) and visceral temperature (TV) during a two-week feeding regime in sea pens at Port Lincoln, Australia. Fish ranged in body mass from 10 to 21 kg, and water temperature remained at 18–19°C. Pre-feeding fH typically ranged from 20 to 50 beats min−1. Each feeding bout (meal sizes 2–7% of tuna body mass) was characterized by increased levels of activity and fH (up to 130 beats min−1), and a decrease in TV from approximately 20 to 18°C as cold sardines were consumed. The feeding bout was promptly followed by a rapid increase in TV, which signified the beginning of the heat increment of feeding (HIF). The time interval between meal consumption and the completion of HIF ranged from 10 to 24 hours and was strongly correlated with ration size. Although fH generally decreased after its peak during the feeding bout, it remained elevated during the digestive period and returned to routine levels on a similar, but slightly earlier, temporal scale to TV. These data imply a large contribution of fH to the increase in circulatory oxygen transport that is required for digestion. Furthermore, these data oppose the contention that maximum fH is exceptional in bluefin tuna compared with other fishes, and so it is likely that enhanced cardiac stroke volume and blood oxygen carrying capacity are the principal factors allowing superior rates of circulatory oxygen transport in tuna. PMID:18755679

  16. Oncology nursing in Cuba: report of the delegation.

    PubMed

    Sheldon, Lisa Kennedy; Leonard, Kathleen; Gross, Anne; Hartnett, Erin; Poage, Ellen; Squires, Jennifer; Ullemeyer, Vicki; Schueller, Mary; Stary, Susan; Miller, Mary Alice

    2012-08-01

    In December 2011, the first delegation of oncology nurses from the United States visited Havana, Cuba. The delegation included oncology nurses, educators, and leaders from across America and provided opportunities to learn about the healthcare system, cancer, and oncology nursing in Cuba. Delegation members attended lectures, toured facilities, and enjoyed Cuban culture. This exchange highlighted the similarities in cancer care and oncology nursing between countries and opened doors for future collaborations.

  17. Geographic Differences in Persistent Organic Pollutant Levels of Yellowfin Tuna.

    PubMed

    Nicklisch, Sascha C T; Bonito, Lindsay T; Sandin, Stuart; Hamdoun, Amro

    2017-06-26

    Fish are a source of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the human diet. Although species, trophic level, and means of production are typically considered in predicting fish pollutant load, and thus recommendations of consumption, capture location is usually not accounted for. Yellowfin tuna ( Thunnus albacares ) are harvested from across the world's oceans and are widely consumed. Here, we determined geographic variation in the overall mass, concentration, and composition of POPs in yellowfin and examined the differences in levels of several POP congeners of potential relevance to human health. We sampled dorsal muscle of 117 yellowfin tuna from 12 locations worldwide, and measured POP levels using combined liquid or gas chromatography and mass spectrometry according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard procedures. POP levels varied significantly among sites, more than 36-fold on a mass basis. Individual fish levels ranged from 0.16 to 138.29 ng/g wet weight and lipid-normalized concentrations from 0.1 to 12.7 μM. Levels of 10 congeners that interfere with the cellular defense protein P-glycoprotein, termed transporter interfering compounds (TICs), ranged from 0.05 to 35.03 ng/g wet weight and from 0.03 to 3.32 μM in tuna lipid. Levels of TICs, and their individual congeners, were strongly associated with the overall POP load. Risk-based analysis of several carcinogenic POPs indicated that the fish with the highest levels of these potentially harmful compounds were clustered at specific geographic locations. Capture location is an important consideration when assessing the level and risk of human exposure to POPs through ingestion of wild fish. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP518.

  18. Joint Task Force -Guantanamo Bay, Cuba: Open or Close?

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-01

    Obama signed that executive order directing the closure of detention operations at Guantanamo Bay. Subsequently, despite domestically political and...domestically political and international scrutiny, detention operations at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have evolved into the premier detention facility in the...operations at Guantanamo Bay. Subsequently, despite domestically political and international scrutiny, detention operations at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

  19. Cuba's Strategy for Alzheimer Disease and Dementia Syndromes.

    PubMed

    Bosch-Bayard, Rodolfo I; Llibre-Rodríguez, Juan J; Fernández-Seco, Alberto; Borrego-Calzadilla, Carmen; Carrasco-García, Mayra R; Zayas-Llerena, Tania; Moreno-Carbonell, Carmen R; Reymond-Vasconcelos, Ana G

    2016-10-01

    Dementia is a great challenge to public health in Cuba due to its impact on society and families. Cuba's National Intervention Strategy for Alzheimer Disease and Dementia Syndromes is designed to address this challenge. The Strategy includes working guidelines for primary and secondary care, education about rights of people with cognitive impairment, professional development, research, and health promotion and dementia prevention. An associated action plan, focused on primary care, includes proposals for creation of memory clinics, day centers and comprehensive rehabilitation services for cognitive stimulation. Short-term measures proposed include increasing early detection; creating a dementia morbidity and mortality registry; promoting professional training; providing support for families; and promoting basic and clinical research on dementia. Medium-term proposals aim to reduce dementia incidence and mortality by controlling risk factors and promoting healthy lifestyles, offering new treatment options and optimizing early detection. A set of indicators has been developed to evaluate strategy implementation. With this strategy, Cuba joins the small number of developing countries that have responded to WHO's call to improve care for patients with dementia and alleviate its impact on society and families. KEYWORDS Dementia, Alzheimer disease, aging, national health programs, social stigma, primary prevention, health promotion, civil rights, Cuba.

  20. Courting the future: cancer and genetics in Cuba.

    PubMed

    2014-01-01

    Describing this double issue of MEDICC Review could be an exercise for a first-year philosophy course in logic. It's not about "cancer and genetics" in Cuba. It's about cancer in Cuba and about genetics in Cuba, not about exploring relationships between them. Nevertheless, while the marriage of the two themes was fortuitous, in that the two had long been scheduled for the journal in 2014, there is a certain felicity to their sharing an issue. To date, the outstanding accomplishments of genetics have been most helpful for conditions occurring at the beginning of life and cancer is largely (though not exclusively) a disease related to aging. But the two are intrinsically connected: Although only a few of the more than 100 different diseases grouped under the term cancer are known to be hereditary, every cancer begins with a mutation in one or more genes, whether the mutation is inherited, due to an exposure, or is simply a random error in the millions of cell divisions that are part and parcel of cellular reproduction. Our cover image, a stained-glass window by Cuban artist Rosa María de la Terga at Cuba's National Medical Genetics Center, illustrates the elegance of the DNA molecule, the intricate key to life.

  1. Tuna field, a recent Gippsland development

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    O'Byrne, M.J.; Henderson, D.J.

    1983-05-09

    Successfully completed in 1982, the Tuna field in Australia's Gippsland basin was the most complex of the fields developed by Esso in that area. The commercial oil and gas reserves are contained in four sets of reservoirs in the Upper Cretaceous to Eocene Latrobe group sediments in a faulted and partly eroded anticlinal closure. Some of these reservoirs were not discovered until the development phase of drilling, causing significant changes to the initial development plan, notably the installation of multiple completions in 13 wells. The types of completions used were single, tandem, dual, and dual/tandem.

  2. Proteomic analysis of processing by-products from canned and fresh tuna: identification of potentially functional food proteins.

    PubMed

    Sanmartín, Esther; Arboleya, Juan Carlos; Iloro, Ibon; Escuredo, Kepa; Elortza, Felix; Moreno, F Javier

    2012-09-15

    Proteomic approaches have been used to identify the main proteins present in processing by-products generated by the canning tuna-industry, as well as in by-products derived from filleting of skeletal red muscle of fresh tuna. Following fractionation by using an ammonium sulphate precipitation method, three proteins (tropomyosin, haemoglobin and the stress-shock protein ubiquitin) were identified in the highly heterogeneous and heat-treated material discarded by the canning-industry. Additionally, this fractionation method was successful to obtain tropomyosin of high purity from the heterogeneous starting material. By-products from skeletal red muscle of fresh tuna were efficiently fractionated to sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar fractions, prior to the identification based mainly on the combined searching of the peptide mass fingerprint (MALDI-TOF) and peptide fragment fingerprinting (MALDI LIFT-TOF/TOF) spectra of fifteen bands separated by 1D SDS-PAGE. Thus, the sarcoplasmic fraction contained myoglobin and several enzymes that are essential for efficient energy production, whereas the myofibrillar fraction had important contractile proteins, such as actin, tropomyosin, myosin or an isoform of the enzyme creatine kinase. Application of proteomic technologies has revealed new knowledge on the composition of important by-products from tuna species, enabling a better evaluation of their potential applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Substitutions in the Glycogenin-1 Gene Are Associated with the Evolution of Endothermy in Sharks and Tunas.

    PubMed

    Ciezarek, Adam G; Dunning, Luke T; Jones, Catherine S; Noble, Leslie R; Humble, Emily; Stefanni, Sergio S; Savolainen, Vincent

    2016-10-05

    Despite 400-450 million years of independent evolution, a strong phenotypic convergence has occurred between two groups of fish: tunas and lamnid sharks. This convergence is characterized by centralization of red muscle, a distinctive swimming style (stiffened body powered through tail movements) and elevated body temperature (endothermy). Furthermore, both groups demonstrate elevated white muscle metabolic capacities. All these traits are unusual in fish and more likely evolved to support their fast-swimming, pelagic, predatory behavior. Here, we tested the hypothesis that their convergent evolution was driven by selection on a set of metabolic genes. We sequenced white muscle transcriptomes of six tuna, one mackerel, and three shark species, and supplemented this data set with previously published RNA-seq data. Using 26 species in total (including 7,032 tuna genes plus 1,719 shark genes), we constructed phylogenetic trees and carried out maximum-likelihood analyses of gene selection. We inferred several genes relating to metabolism to be under selection. We also found that the same one gene, glycogenin-1, evolved under positive selection independently in tunas and lamnid sharks, providing evidence of convergent selective pressures at gene level possibly underlying shared physiology. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  4. Extracting of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) fish skin gelatin as influenced by alkaline concentration and extraction times

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mafazah, E. M.; Pranoto, Y.; Rohman, A.

    2018-03-01

    Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) skin is a by-product of the fish processing industry. Yellowfin tuna skin was used as materials for gelatin because it contains collagen. This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of yellowfin tuna skin gelatin (YSG). In this study, YSG was obtained by the extraction process in 0.01 M NaOH solution for 12 h. The results show that the yield of YSG was 12.49 % dry basis, with the gel strength of 291.73 g Bloom, viscosity of 8.6 cPs and melting point of 35 °C. The gel strength and melting point of YSG were lower than commercial bovine gelatin (CBG), which was 309.7401 g Bloom and 36.33 °C, respectively. However, the viscosity of YSG was higher than the CBG which was 5.6 cPs.

  5. Nisin Migration in Shelf Stable, Tuna-Filled Tortillas During Storage

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-09-22

    RATIONS SHELF LIFE ACCEPTABILITY MICROCOCCUS LUTEUS STORAGE INHIBITION MILITARY RATIONS...7 Figure 3. The assay of nisin against Micrococcus luteus ATCC 10240 in tuna enrobed in a tortilla wrap...METHODS 2.1 BACTERIAL STRAINS, MEDIA, AND BUFFER The nisin-sensitive test organism, Micrococcus luteus ATCC® 10240, was obtained from the American

  6. Persistent Organic Pollutants in albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) from Reunion Island (Southwest Indian Ocean) and South Africa in relation to biological and trophic characteristics.

    PubMed

    Munschy, C; Bodin, N; Potier, M; Héas-Moisan, K; Pollono, C; Degroote, M; West, W; Hollanda, S J; Puech, A; Bourjea, J; Nikolic, N

    2016-07-01

    The contamination of albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) by Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), namely polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), was investigated in individuals collected from Reunion Island (RI) and South Africa's (SA) southern coastlines in 2013, in relation to biological parameters and feeding ecology. The results showed lower PCB and DDT concentrations than those previously reported in various tuna species worldwide. A predominance of DDTs over PCBs was revealed, reflecting continuing inputs of DDT. Tuna collected from SA exhibited higher contamination levels than those from RI, related to higher dietary inputs and higher total lipid content. Greater variability in contamination levels and profiles was identified in tuna from RI, explained by a higher diversity of prey and more individualistic foraging behaviour. PCB and DDT contamination levels and profiles varied significantly in tuna from the two investigated areas, probably reflecting exposure to different sources of contamination. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Characterization and ontogenetic development of digestive enzymes in Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis larvae.

    PubMed

    Murashita, Koji; Matsunari, Hiroyuki; Kumon, Kazunori; Tanaka, Yosuke; Shiozawa, Satoshi; Furuita, Hirofumi; Oku, Hiromi; Yamamoto, Takeshi

    2014-12-01

    The major digestive enzymes in Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis larvae were characterized, and the physiological characteristics of the enzymes during early ontogeny were clarified using biochemical and molecular approaches. The maximum activity of trypsin (Try), chymotrypsin (Ct) and amylase (Amy) was observed at pH 6-11, 8-11 and 6-9, respectively. Maximum activity of Try, Ct and Amy occurred at 50 °C, that of lipase (Lip) was at 60 °C and that of pepsin (Pep) was at 40-50 °C. These pH and thermal profiles were similar to those for other fish species but differed from those previously reported for adult bluefin tuna. Enzyme activity for all enzymes assayed was found to decrease at high temperatures (Try, Ct, Amy and Pep: 50 °C; Lip: 40 °C), which is similar to findings for other fish species with one marked exception-increased Try activity was observed at 40 °C. Lip activity appeared to be dependent on bile salts under our assay conditions, resulting in a significant increase in activity in the presence of bile salts. Ontogenetic changes in pancreatic digestive enzymes showed similar gene expression patterns to those of other fish species, whereas marked temporal increases in enzyme activities were observed at 10-12 days post hatching (dph), coinciding with previously reported timing of the development of the pyloric caeca in bluefin tuna larvae. However, complete development of digestive function was indicated by the high pep gene expression from 19 dph, which contradicts the profile of Pep activity and previously reported development timing of the gastric gland. These findings contribute to the general knowledge of bluefin tuna larval digestive system development.

  8. Cadmium, lead, tin, total mercury, and methylmercury in canned tuna commercialised in São Paulo, Brazil.

    PubMed

    de Paiva, Esther Lima; Morgano, Marcelo Antonio; Milani, Raquel Fernanda

    2017-09-01

    The objective of this work was to determine levels of inorganic contaminants in 30 samples of five commercial brands of canned tuna, acquired on the local market in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, in the year of 2015. Total mercury and methylmercury (MeHg+) were determined by atomic absorption with thermal decomposition and amalgamation; and cadmium, lead, and tin were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Results indicated that 20% of the tuna samples surpassed limits determined by the Brazilian and European Commission legislation for cadmium; for lead, the maximum value found was 59 µg kg -1 and tin was not detected in any samples. The maximum values found for total Hg and MeHg+ were 261 and 258 µg kg -1 , respectively. As from the results obtained, it was estimated that the consumption of four cans per week (540 g) of tuna canned in water could surpass the provisional tolerable monthly intake for MeHg + by 100%.

  9. Nitrogen isotopic baselines and implications for estimating foraging habitat and trophic position of yellowfin tuna in the Indian and Pacific Oceans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lorrain, Anne; Graham, Brittany S.; Popp, Brian N.; Allain, Valérie; Olson, Robert J.; Hunt, Brian P. V.; Potier, Michel; Fry, Brian; Galván-Magaña, Felipe; Menkes, Christophe E. R.; Kaehler, Sven; Ménard, Frédéric

    2015-03-01

    Assessment of isotopic compositions at the base of food webs is a prerequisite for using stable isotope analysis to assess foraging locations and trophic positions of marine organisms. Our study represents a unique application of stable-isotope analyses across multiple trophic levels (primary producer, primary consumer and tertiary consumer) and over a large spatial scale in two pelagic marine ecosystems. We found that δ15N values of particulate organic matter (POM), barnacles and phenylalanine from the muscle tissue of yellowfin tuna all showed similar spatial patterns. This consistency suggests that isotopic analysis of any of these can provide a reasonable proxy for isotopic variability at the base of the food web. Secondly, variations in the δ15N values of yellowfin tuna bulk-muscle tissues paralleled the spatial trends observed in all of these isotopic baseline proxies. Variation in isotopic composition at the base of the food web, rather than differences in tuna diet, explained the 11‰ variability observed in the bulk-tissue δ15N values of yellowfin tuna. Evaluating the trophic position of yellowfin tuna using amino-acid isotopic compositions across the western Indian and equatorial Pacific Oceans strongly suggests these tuna occupy similar trophic positions, albeit absolute trophic positions estimated by this method were lower than expected. This study reinforces the importance of considering isotopic baseline variability for diet studies, and provides new insights into methods that can be applied to generate nitrogen isoscapes for worldwide comparisons of top predators in marine ecosystems.

  10. A functional genomics tool for the Pacific bluefin tuna: Development of a 44K oligonucleotide microarray from whole-genome sequencing data for global transcriptome analysis.

    PubMed

    Yasuike, Motoshige; Fujiwara, Atushi; Nakamura, Yoji; Iwasaki, Yuki; Nishiki, Issei; Sugaya, Takuma; Shimizu, Akio; Sano, Motohiko; Kobayashi, Takanori; Ototake, Mitsuru

    2016-02-01

    Bluefin tunas are one of the most important fishery resources worldwide. Because of high market values, bluefin tuna farming has been rapidly growing during recent years. At present, the most common form of the tuna farming is based on the stocking of wild-caught fish. Therefore, concerns have been raised about the negative impact of the tuna farming on wild stocks. Recently, the Pacific bluefin tuna (PBT), Thunnus orientalis, has succeeded in completing the reproduction cycle under aquaculture conditions, but production bottlenecks remain to be solved because of very little biological information on bluefin tunas. Functional genomics approaches promise to rapidly increase our knowledge on biological processes in the bluefin tuna. Here, we describe the development of the first 44K PBT oligonucleotide microarray (oligo-array), based on whole-genome shotgun (WGS) sequencing and large-scale expressed sequence tags (ESTs) data. In addition, we also introduce an initial 44K PBT oligo-array experiment using in vitro grown peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) stimulated with immunostimulants such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS: a cell wall component of Gram-negative bacteria) or polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C: a synthetic mimic of viral infection). This pilot 44K PBT oligo-array analysis successfully addressed distinct immune processes between LPS- and poly I:C- stimulated PBLs. Thus, we expect that this oligo-array will provide an excellent opportunity to analyze global gene expression profiles for a better understanding of diseases and stress, as well as for reproduction, development and influence of nutrition on tuna aquaculture production. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Discovery of intermediate hosts for two species of blood flukes Cardicola orientalis and Cardicola forsteri (Trematoda: Aporocotylidae) infecting Pacific bluefin tuna in Japan.

    PubMed

    Shirakashi, Sho; Tani, Kazuki; Ishimaru, Katsuya; Shin, Sang Phil; Honryo, Tomoki; Uchida, Hiro'omi; Ogawa, Kazuo

    2016-04-01

    Fish blood flukes (Aporocotylidae) are important pathogens of farmed finfish around the world. Among them, Cardicola spp. infecting farmed tuna are considered to be serious threats to tuna farming and have received tremendous attention. We conducted periodical samplings at a tuna farming site in Japan between January and May, 2015 to determine the life cycle of Cardicola spp. We collected over 4700 terebellid polychaetes from ropes, floats and frames of tuna culture cages and found nearly 400 infected worms. Sporocysts and cercariae found in Nicolea gracilibranchis were genetically identified as Cardicola orientalis by 28S and ITS2 ribosomal DNA sequences. This was the first discovery of the intermediate host for this parasite species. Infection prevalence and the abundance of N. gracilibranchis significantly varied between sampling points and the highest number of infected terebellids were collected from ropes. We also demonstrated morphologically and molecularly that asexual stages found in a single Amphitrite sp. (Terebellidae) and adult worms isolated from farmed juvenile tuna were Cardicola forsteri. This is the first report of C. forsteri in Pacific bluefin tuna (PBT) Thunnus orientalis in Japan. Our results demonstrated that all three species of Cardicola orientalis, C. forsteri and Cardicola opisthorchis exist in Japanese farmed PBTs and that they all use terebellid polychaetes as the intermediate hosts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. 31 CFR 515.553 - Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. 515.553 Section 515.553 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments for transactions...

  13. 31 CFR 515.553 - Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. 515.553 Section 515.553 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments for transactions...

  14. 31 CFR 515.553 - Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. 515.553 Section 515.553 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments for transactions...

  15. 31 CFR 515.553 - Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. 515.553 Section 515.553 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments for transactions...

  16. 31 CFR 515.553 - Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. 515.553 Section 515.553 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... Bank accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives in Cuba of foreign governments for transactions...

  17. 31 CFR 515.559 - Certain transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... controlled foreign firms with Cuba. 515.559 Section 515.559 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba. (a) Effective October 23, 1992, no specific... controlled firms in third countries and Cuba for the exportation to Cuba of commodities produced in the...

  18. 31 CFR 515.559 - Certain transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... controlled foreign firms with Cuba. 515.559 Section 515.559 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba. (a) Effective October 23, 1992, no specific... controlled firms in third countries and Cuba for the exportation to Cuba of commodities produced in the...

  19. 31 CFR 515.559 - Certain transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... controlled foreign firms with Cuba. 515.559 Section 515.559 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba. (a) Effective October 23, 1992, no specific... controlled firms in third countries and Cuba for the exportation to Cuba of commodities produced in the...

  20. 31 CFR 515.559 - Certain transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... controlled foreign firms with Cuba. 515.559 Section 515.559 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba. (a) Effective October 23, 1992, no specific... controlled firms in third countries and Cuba for the exportation to Cuba of commodities produced in the...

  1. 31 CFR 515.559 - Certain transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... controlled foreign firms with Cuba. 515.559 Section 515.559 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating... transactions by U.S.-owned or controlled foreign firms with Cuba. (a) Effective October 23, 1992, no specific... controlled firms in third countries and Cuba for the exportation to Cuba of commodities produced in the...

  2. 77 FR 23598 - Technical Amendment to Cuba Airport List: Addition of Recently Approved Airports

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-20

    ...] Technical Amendment to Cuba Airport List: Addition of Recently Approved Airports AGENCY: Customs and Border... accept aircraft traveling to or from Cuba. DATES: Effective: April 20, 2012. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION... States to or from Cuba. Prior to January 2011, the regulations required direct flights between the United...

  3. The challenge for Cuba.

    PubMed Central

    Claudio, L

    1999-01-01

    The restrictions of a U.S. trade embargo and the collapse of the Soviet Union marked the beginning of a period of extreme economic hardship in Cuba. Economic adversity has had tremendous effects, both positive and negative, on all aspects of life on the Island, including environmental and public health. PMID:10210701

  4. Geographic Differences in Persistent Organic Pollutant Levels of Yellowfin Tuna

    PubMed Central

    Nicklisch, Sascha C.T.; Bonito, Lindsay T.; Sandin, Stuart

    2017-01-01

    Background: Fish are a source of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the human diet. Although species, trophic level, and means of production are typically considered in predicting fish pollutant load, and thus recommendations of consumption, capture location is usually not accounted for. Objectives: Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) are harvested from across the world’s oceans and are widely consumed. Here, we determined geographic variation in the overall mass, concentration, and composition of POPs in yellowfin and examined the differences in levels of several POP congeners of potential relevance to human health. Methods: We sampled dorsal muscle of 117 yellowfin tuna from 12 locations worldwide, and measured POP levels using combined liquid or gas chromatography and mass spectrometry according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard procedures. Results: POP levels varied significantly among sites, more than 36-fold on a mass basis. Individual fish levels ranged from 0.16 to 138.29ng/g wet weight and lipid-normalized concentrations from 0.1 to 12.7μM. Levels of 10 congeners that interfere with the cellular defense protein P-glycoprotein, termed transporter interfering compounds (TICs), ranged from 0.05 to 35.03ng/g wet weight and from 0.03 to 3.32μM in tuna lipid. Levels of TICs, and their individual congeners, were strongly associated with the overall POP load. Risk-based analysis of several carcinogenic POPs indicated that the fish with the highest levels of these potentially harmful compounds were clustered at specific geographic locations. Conclusions: Capture location is an important consideration when assessing the level and risk of human exposure to POPs through ingestion of wild fish. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP518 PMID:28686554

  5. Culturable microbiota of ranched southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii Castelnau).

    PubMed

    Valdenegro-Vega, V; Naeem, S; Carson, J; Bowman, J P; Tejedor del Real, J L; Nowak, B

    2013-10-01

    The Australian tuna industry is based on the ranching of wild southern bluefin tuna (SBT, Thunnus maccoyii). Within this industry, only opportunistic pathogens have been reported infecting external wounds of fish. This study aimed to identify different culturable bacteria present in three cohorts of SBT and to determine normal bacteria and potential pathogens in isolates from harvest fish and moribund/dead fish. Post-mortem changes in the microbiota were also studied. Moribund/dead showed a greater proportion of members from the family Vibrionaceae than harvested fish; the latter presented mainly non-Vibrio species. In harvested fish spleens, Vibrio splendidus I complex was the most commonly identified group among Vibrio isolates, while most groups from the family Vibrionaceae were isolated from gills. For moribund/dead, Vibrio chagasii and Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae were common in gill, spleen and kidney samples. Non-Vibrio isolates from gills were characterized using 16S rRNA sequencing as Flavobacteriaceae and classes Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria, mainly from the genera Winogradskyella and Tenacibaculum. Post-mortem changes showed dynamic shifts in bacterial dominance in gills, with Vibrionaceae and non-Vibrio spp. found in similar proportions initially and types related to Pseudoalteromonas ruthenica prevailing after 27 h. Spleen samples showed little bacterial growth until 5 h post-mortem, while various Vibrio-associated species were isolated 27 h post-mortem. Bacterial isolates found include a range of potentially pathogenic bacteria that should be monitored though most of them have yet to be associated with disease in tuna. This study forms a foundation for future research into the bacterial population dynamics under different culture conditions of SBT. An understanding of the bacterial compositions in SBT is necessary to evaluate the effects of some bacterial species on their health. © 2013 The Society for Applied

  6. Zoological Collections and Collecting in Cuba during the Twentieth Century.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taboada, Gilberto Silva

    1994-01-01

    Traces the history of 20th-century zoological collections in Cuba, and the present whereabouts of Cuba's zoological collections. The historical accounts are divided into two periods: from 1902 to 1959 and from 1959 to the present. A preliminary survey of the nature, size, and current state of these collections is included. (MDH)

  7. Seasonal Variations of Oceanographic Variables and Eastern Little Tuna (Euthynnus affinis) Catches in the North Indramayu Waters Java Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Syamsuddin, Mega; Sunarto; Yuliadi, Lintang

    2018-02-01

    The remotely derived oceanographic variables included sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and Eastern Little Tuna (Euthynnus affinis) catches are used as a combined dataset to understand the seasonal variation of oceanographic variables and Eastern Little Tuna catches in the north Indramayu waters, Java Sea. The fish catches and remotely sensed data were analysed for the 5 years datasets from 2010-2014. This study has shown the effect of monsoon inducing oceanographic condition in the study area. Seasonal change features were dominant for all the selected oceanographic parameters of SST and Chl-a, and also Eastern Little Tuna catches, respectively. The Eastern Little Tuna catch rates have the peak season from September to December (700 to 1000) ton that corresponded with the value of SST ranging from 29 °C to 30 °C following the decreasing of Chl-a concentrations in September to November (0.4 to 0.5) mg m-3. The monsoonal system plays a great role in determining the variability of oceanographic conditions and catch in the north Indramayu waters, Java Sea. The catches seemed higher during the northwest monsoon than in the southeast monsoon for all year observations except in 2010. The wavelet spectrum analysis results confirmed that Eastern Little Tuna catches had seasonal and inter-annual variations during 2012-2014. The SST had seasonal variations during 2010-2014. The Chl-a also showed seasonal variations during 2010-2011 and interannual variations during 2011-2014. Our results would benefit the fishermen and policy makers to have better management for sustainable catch in the study area.

  8. First report of a Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in Cuba

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Alvarez-Aleman, Anmari; Beck, Cathy A.; Powell, James A.

    2010-01-01

    Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in Florida utilize intake and effluent canals of power plants as resting and thermoregulatory habitat. We report the use of a power plant canal in Cuba by a known Florida manatee, the first documented case of movement by a manatee between Florida and Cuba. In January, February, and April 2007, two manatees (mother and calf) were reported entering a power plant canal in north Havana, Cuba. The larger manatee had several distinctive scars which were photographed. Digital images were matched to a previously known Florida manatee (CR131) with a sighting history dating from December 1979 to July 2006. Exchanges of individuals between Florida and Cuba may have important genetic implications, particularly since there appears to be little genetic exchange between the Florida manatee subspecies with populations of the Antillean manatee subspecies (T. m. manatus) in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

  9. Species identification in mixed tuna samples with next-generation sequencing targeting two short cytochrome b gene fragments.

    PubMed

    Kappel, Kristina; Haase, Ilka; Käppel, Christine; Sotelo, Carmen G; Schröder, Ute

    2017-11-01

    Conventional Sanger sequencing of PCR products is the gold standard for species authentication of seafood products. However, this method is inappropriate for the analysis of products that might contain mixtures of species, such as tinned tuna. The purpose of this study was to test whether next-generation sequencing (NGS) can be a solution for the authentication of mixed products. Nine tuna samples containing mixtures of up to four species were prepared and subjected to an NGS approach targeting two short cytochrome b gene (cytb) fragments on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Sequence recovery was precise and admixtures of as low as 1% could be identified, depending on the species composition of the mixtures. Duplicate samples as well as two individual NGS runs produced very similar results. A first test of three commercial tinned tuna samples indicated the presence of different species in the same tin, although this is forbidden by EU law. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. 76 FR 5058 - Airports of Entry or Departure for Flights to and From Cuba

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-28

    ... [CBP Dec 11-05] RIN 1651-AA86 Airports of Entry or Departure for Flights to and From Cuba AGENCY: U.S... (DHS) regulations, direct flights between the United States and Cuba must arrive at or depart from one... Border Protection (CBP) to process authorized flights between the United States and Cuba. These...

  11. Transectional heat transfer in thermoregulating bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - a 2D heat flux model.

    PubMed

    Boye, Jess; Musyl, Michael; Brill, Richard; Malte, Hans

    2009-11-01

    We developed a 2D heat flux model to elucidate routes and rates of heat transfer within bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus Lowe 1839 in both steady-state and time-dependent settings. In modeling the former situation, we adjusted the efficiencies of heat conservation in the red and the white muscle so as to make the output of the model agree as closely as possible with observed cross-sectional isotherms. In modeling the latter situation, we applied the heat exchanger efficiencies from the steady-state model to predict the distribution of temperature and heat fluxes in bigeye tuna during their extensive daily vertical excursions. The simulations yielded a close match to the data recorded in free-swimming fish and strongly point to the importance of the heat-producing and heat-conserving properties of the white muscle. The best correspondence between model output and observed data was obtained when the countercurrent heat exchangers in the blood flow pathways to the red and white muscle retained 99% and 96% (respectively) of the heat produced in these tissues. Our model confirms that the ability of bigeye tuna to maintain elevated muscle temperatures during their extensive daily vertical movements depends on their ability to rapidly modulate heating and cooling rates. This study shows that the differential cooling and heating rates could be fully accounted for by a mechanism where blood flow to the swimming muscles is either exclusively through the heat exchangers or completely shunted around them, depending on the ambient temperature relative to the body temperature. Our results therefore strongly suggest that such a mechanism is involved in the extensive physiological thermoregulatory abilities of endothermic bigeye tuna.

  12. 31 CFR 515.564 - Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... to professional research by full-time professionals who travel to Cuba to conduct professional... transactions as are directly incident to travel to Cuba by full-time professionals to attend professional... such a provider; and (ii) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time, travel, or...

  13. 31 CFR 515.564 - Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... research by full-time professionals who travel to Cuba to conduct professional research in their... directly incident to travel to Cuba by full-time professionals to attend professional meetings or... provider; and (ii) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time, travel, or recreation...

  14. 31 CFR 515.564 - Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... research by full-time professionals who travel to Cuba to conduct professional research in their... directly incident to travel to Cuba by full-time professionals to attend professional meetings or... provider; and (ii) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time, travel, or recreation...

  15. 31 CFR 515.564 - Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... research by full-time professionals who travel to Cuba to conduct professional research in their... directly incident to travel to Cuba by full-time professionals to attend professional meetings or... provider; and (ii) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time, travel, or recreation...

  16. 31 CFR 515.564 - Professional research and professional meetings in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... research by full-time professionals who travel to Cuba to conduct professional research in their... directly incident to travel to Cuba by full-time professionals to attend professional meetings or... provider; and (ii) The traveler's schedule of activities does not include free time, travel, or recreation...

  17. Cuba's response to the HIV epidemic.

    PubMed Central

    Pérez-Stable, E J

    1991-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Cuba's response to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has been to conduct mass testing of the population to ascertain seroprevalence, to enforce mandatory relative quarantine of persons testing positive, and to implement educational interventions using media and school-based programs. METHODS: Interview with the Vice-Minister of Health and review of available data. RESULTS: Reports to date show a very low seroprevalence rate without evidence of a widespread epidemic. Sexual contact with foreign-born persons is the primary risk factor. Possible advantages of Cuba's policy include rapid reduction in the risk of HIV transmission by infected blood products, an opportunity for focused education and secondary prevention, and limitation of new infections. Possible disadvantages include the restriction of individual freedom in those who are not guilty of any illegal act, quarantine of persons with false positive HIV tests, and ongoing transmission because of the incomplete nature of the quarantine. The policy is expensive and may displace other public health priorities. The content of the media-based educational interventions has emphasized rational medical information in unimaginative formats with a limited focus on prevention. CONCLUSIONS: The issue of personal responsibility for behavioral change versus government imposed regulations is at the core of Cuba's HIV policy. The quarantine policy may paradoxically permit most Cubans to feel that they are personally invulnerable to the HIV epidemic. PMID:2014854

  18. Cuba's response to the HIV epidemic.

    PubMed

    Pérez-Stable, E J

    1991-05-01

    Cuba's response to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has been to conduct mass testing of the population to ascertain seroprevalence, to enforce mandatory relative quarantine of persons testing positive, and to implement educational interventions using media and school-based programs. Interview with the Vice-Minister of Health and review of available data. Reports to date show a very low seroprevalence rate without evidence of a widespread epidemic. Sexual contact with foreign-born persons is the primary risk factor. Possible advantages of Cuba's policy include rapid reduction in the risk of HIV transmission by infected blood products, an opportunity for focused education and secondary prevention, and limitation of new infections. Possible disadvantages include the restriction of individual freedom in those who are not guilty of any illegal act, quarantine of persons with false positive HIV tests, and ongoing transmission because of the incomplete nature of the quarantine. The policy is expensive and may displace other public health priorities. The content of the media-based educational interventions has emphasized rational medical information in unimaginative formats with a limited focus on prevention. The issue of personal responsibility for behavioral change versus government imposed regulations is at the core of Cuba's HIV policy. The quarantine policy may paradoxically permit most Cubans to feel that they are personally invulnerable to the HIV epidemic.

  19. 77 FR 74612 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-17

    ... Atlantic tunas General category BFT daily retention limit to two large medium or giant BFT for the January... might be exceeded; effects of the adjustment on BFT rebuilding and overfishing; effects of the... distribution, abundance, or migration patterns of BFT; effects of catch rates in one area precluding vessels in...

  20. Ecological role of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) fish farms for associated wild fish assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea.

    PubMed

    Stagličić, Nika; Šegvić-Bubić, Tanja; Ugarković, Pero; Talijančić, Igor; Žužul, Iva; Tičina, Vjekoslav; Grubišić, Leon

    2017-12-01

    The ecological effects of tuna fish farms are largely undocumented. This study confirmed their high capacity to attract surrounding wild fish. The aggregation effect persisted year round, without detectable seasonal differences. Farm impact was restricted to close proximity of the sea cages, and was more prominent over the bottom than in the water column strata. Tuna fish farms proved to be high energy trophic resources, as indicated by the enhanced fitness status of two focal species, bogue and seabream. Under abundant food supply, seabream appear to allocate the majority of energy reserves to gonad development. Farm associated bogue had greater parasite loads, with no detrimental effect on fitness status. Overall, tuna fish farms can be regarded as population sources for aggregated wild fish, and under the no fishing conditions within the leasehold areas, can serve as functional marine protected areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Effect of electron irradiation and bayberry polyphenols on the quality change of yellowfin tuna fillets during refrigerated storage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bu, Tingting; Jin, Yang; Li, Xiaohui; Zhang, Jinjie; Xu, Dalun; Yang, Wenge; Lou, Qiaoming

    2017-09-01

    This study evaluated the synergistic effect of bayberry polyphenols and electron irradiation in controlling the chemical, microbiological and sensory changes of raw yellowfin tuna fillets at 4 °C for 7 days. The results indicated that the initial values of each index were dose-dependent. The dose of 5 kGy notably accelerated adenosine triphosphate degradation and lipid oxidation, while the doses of 1 and 3 kGy had acceptable sensory quality and yielded a shelf-life of 5 days. The addition of bayberry polyphenols had evident effect in inhibiting freshness breakdown, bacteria growth, histamine formation, and discoloration of tuna fillets. Bayberry polyphenols, as an antioxidant, could inhibit lipid oxidation and sensory side-effects made by irradiation up to 3 kGy. The dose of 1-3 kGy coupled with bayberry polyphenols was optimum to preserve tuna fillets which prolonged the shelf-life to 7 days.

  2. Cholera with severe renal failure in an Italian tourist returning from Cuba, July 2013.

    PubMed

    Mascarello, M; Deiana, M L; Maurel, C; Lucarelli, C; Luzzi, I; Luzzati, R

    2013-08-29

    In July 2013, an Italian tourist returning from Cuba was hospitalised in Trieste, Italy, for cholera caused by Vibrio cholerae O1 serotype Ogawa with severe renal failure. An outbreak of cholera was reported in Cuba in January 2013. Physicians should consider the diagnosis of cholera in travellers returning from Cuba presenting with acute watery diarrhoea.

  3. Acute myocardial infarction mortality in Cuba, 1999-2008.

    PubMed

    Armas, Nurys B; Ortega, Yanela Y; de la Noval, Reinaldo; Suárez, Ramón; Llerena, Lorenzo; Dueñas, Alfredo F

    2012-10-01

    Acute myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of death in the world. This is also true in Cuba, where no national-level epidemiologic studies of related mortality have been published in recent years. Describe acute myocardial infarction mortality in Cuba from 1999 through 2008. A descriptive study was conducted of persons aged ≥25 years with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction from 1999 through 2008. Data were obtained from the Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division database for variables: age; sex; site (out of hospital, in hospital or in hospital emergency room) and location (jurisdiction) of death. Proportions, age- and sex-specific rates and age-standardized overall rates per 100,000 population were calculated and compared over time, using the two five-year time frames within the study period. A total of 145,808 persons who had suffered acute myocardial infarction were recorded, 75,512 of whom died, for a case-fatality rate of 51.8% (55.1% in 1999-2003 and 49.7% in 2004-2008). In the first five-year period, mortality was 98.9 per 100,000 population, falling to 81.8 per 100,000 in the second; most affected were people aged ≥75 years and men. Of Cuba's 14 provinces and special municipality, Havana, Havana City and Camagüey provinces, and the Isle of Youth Special Municipality showed the highest mortality; Holguín, Ciego de Ávila and Granma provinces the lowest. Out-of-hospital deaths accounted for the greatest proportion of deaths in both five-year periods (54.8% and 59.2% in 1999-2003 and 2004-2008, respectively). Although risk of death from acute myocardial infarction decreased through the study period, it remains a major health problem in Cuba. A national acute myocardial infarction case registry is needed. Also required is further research to help elucidate possible causes of Cuba's high acute myocardial infarction mortality: cardiovascular risk studies, studies of out-of-hospital mortality and quality of care

  4. Increased sex ratio in Russia and Cuba after Chernobyl: a radiological hypothesis.

    PubMed

    Scherb, Hagen; Kusmierz, Ralf; Voigt, Kristina

    2013-08-15

    The ratio of male to female offspring at birth may be a simple and non-invasive way to monitor the reproductive health of a population. Except in societies where selective abortion skews the sex ratio, approximately 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. Generally, the human sex ratio at birth is remarkably constant in large populations. After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in April 1986, a long lasting significant elevation in the sex ratio has been found in Russia, i.e. more boys or fewer girls compared to expectation were born. Recently, also for Cuba an escalated sex ratio from 1987 onward has been documented and discussed in the scientific literature. By the end of the eighties of the last century in Cuba as much as about 60% of the food imports were provided by the former Soviet Union. Due to its difficult economic situation, Cuba had neither the necessary insight nor the political strength to circumvent the detrimental genetic effects of imported radioactively contaminated foodstuffs after Chernobyl. We propose that the long term stable sex ratio increase in Cuba is essentially due to ionizing radiation. A synoptic trend analysis of Russian and Cuban annual sex ratios discloses upward jumps in 1987. The estimated jump height from 1986 to 1987 in Russia measures 0.51% with a 95% confidence interval (0.28, 0.75), p value < 0.0001. In Cuba the estimated jump height measures 2.99% (2.39, 3.60), p value < 0.0001. The hypothesis may be tested by reconstruction of imports from the world markets to Cuba and by radiological analyses of remains in Cuba for Cs-137 and Sr-90. If the evidence for the hypothesis is strengthened, there is potential to learn about genetic radiation risks and to prevent similar effects in present and future exposure situations.

  5. Baseline research for action: adolescent alcohol consumption in Los Palacios Municipality, Cuba.

    PubMed

    Díaz, Yolanda; Espinosa, Yairelis

    2013-04-01

    In Cuba, alcohol is an important contributor to morbidity, mortality and social problems. The foundation of Cuba's universal primary health care coverage, family doctor-and-nurse offices play a critical role in prevention, early detection and treatment of alcohol abuse. Los Palacios Municipality of the westernmost province of Pinar del Río, Cuba, is a socially complex, periurban area where alcohol abuse and alcoholism have been identified as important health problems. Adolescents constitute a population at high risk for alcohol abuse because of their receptivity to social influences, but the precise extent of the problem is unknown. This paper reports baseline findings from a survey and direct observation of alcohol consumption in the catchment area of a primary care center, conducted to inform planning for an educational intervention. KEYWORDS Alcohol, alcoholism, alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, adolescence, primary health care, Cuba.

  6. 78 FR 26709 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-08

    ... the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category daily retention limit to three large medium or giant... medium or giant BFT (measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL) or greater) per vessel per day... 2012 fishing year, NMFS adjusted the General category limit from the default level of one large medium...

  7. Gender Transformations and Colonial Displacements in Laura Antillano's "Tuna de mar"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reid, Alana

    2015-01-01

    This paper examines the trajectories of two characters in Laura Antillano's short story, "Tuna de mar" (1991), as they navigate interrelated systems of power and attempt to position themselves closer to, or further away from, the margins. Set in the late eighteenth century, the tale features a female protagonist who escapes prostitution…

  8. Orienete Province, eastern end of Cuba as seen from Gemini 7 spacecraft

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1965-12-05

    S65-63826 (5 Dec. 1965) --- Oriente Province, eastern end of Cuba, as seen from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Gemini-7 spacecraft during its 14th revolution of Earth. Guantanamo Bay is in the center of the picture on the southern coast of Cuba. Santiago de Cuba is located about one inch from the bottom edge of the picture, or about three inches westward down the coast from Guantanamo. This photograph was taken with a modified 70mm Hasselblad camera, using Eastman Kodak, Ektachrome MS (S.O. 217) color film. Photo credit: NASA

  9. Time for a New Cuba Policy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-03-11

    achieve. It is time for the United States to pursue its national interests with regard to Cuba and implement a completely new policy in order to improve regional security and economic stability in Latin America.

  10. Four decades of kidney transplantation in Cuba.

    PubMed

    Alfonzo, Jorge P

    2013-01-01

    This article describes the background, beginnings, development, evolution and outcomes of kidney transplantation in Cuba. Nephrology as a medical specialty in Cuba began in 1962 and was formalized in 1966. Conditions were created to implement renal replacement therapy (including transplants), bring nephrology care to the entire country and train human resources who would assume this responsibility, making Cuba one of the first countries with a comprehensive program for renal patient care. After three unsuccessful cadaveric-donor kidney transplantations in 1968-69, the ensuing history of kidney transplantation can be summarized in the following three stages. 1970-1975: In January 1970, cadaveric-donor kidney transplantation began at the Nephrology Institute. That year, 17 kidney transplantations were performed; four of these patients lived with functional kidneys for 15-25 years; 10-year graft survival was 23.5% (Kaplan-Meier survival curve); HLA typing began in 1974. By December 1975, 170 grafts had been done in three hospitals. 1976-1985: Seven transplantation centers performed 893 grafts during this period. HLA-DR typing was introduced in 1976 and the National Histocompatibility Laboratory Network was founded in 1978. The first related living-donor kidney transplantation was done in 1979. 1986-2011: The National Kidney Transplantation Coordinating Center and the National Kidney Transplantation Program were created in 1986; the first combined kidney-pancreas transplantation was performed the same year. In 1990, cyclosporine and the Cuban monoclonal antibody IOR-T3 were introduced for immunosuppression to prevent rejection, as were other Cuban products (hepatitis B vaccine and recombinant human erythropoietin) for transplant patients. By December 2011, the cumulative number of transplants was 4636 (384 from related living donors). With over 40 years of experience, kidney transplantation is now well established in Cuba; it is free and universally accessible, on the

  11. American Delegation Is Blocked from Attending an Academic Conference in Cuba.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haworth, Karla

    1997-01-01

    American academics planning to attend an international conference on operations research in Cuba, including the keynote speaker, had to cancel plans when the Treasury Department did not approve licenses they needed to spend money in Cuba. They claim the lack of approval was for political reasons, but the government claims the application was…

  12. The imprint of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on Atlantic bluefin tuna otoliths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fraile, Igaratza; Arrizabalaga, Haritz; Groeneveld, Jeroen; Kölling, Martin; Santos, Miguel Neves; Macías, David; Addis, Piero; Dettman, David L.; Karakulak, Saadet; Deguara, Simeon; Rooker, Jay R.

    2016-06-01

    Otoliths of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) collected from the Mediterranean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean were analyzed to evaluate changes in the seawater isotopic composition over time. We report an annual otolith δ13C record that documents the magnitude of the δ13C depletion in the Mediterranean Sea between 1989 and 2010. Atlantic bluefin tuna in our sample (n = 632) ranged from 1 to 22 years, and otolith material corresponding to the first year of life (back-calculated birth year) was used to reconstruct seawater isotopic composition. Otolith δ18O remained relatively stable between 1989 and 2010, whereas a statistically significant decrease in δ13C was detected across the time interval investigated, with a rate of decline of 0.05‰ yr- 1 (- 0.94‰ depletion throughout the recorded period). The depletion in otolith δ13C over time was associated with the oceanic uptake of anthropogenically derived CO2.

  13. Readiness Assessment Towards Smart Manufacturing System for Tuna Processing Industry in Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anggrahini, D.; Kurniati, N.; Karningsih, P. D.; Parenreng, S. M.; Syahroni, N.

    2018-04-01

    Marine product processing is one of the top priority clusters in the national development. Tuna, as a kind of deep ocean fishes, has the highest number of production that significantly increased throughout the years. Indonesia government encourages tuna processing industry, which are mostly dominated by small to medium enterprises, to grow continuously. Nowadays, manufacturers are facing substantial challenges in adopting modern system and technology that will lead a significant improvement through the internet of things (IoT). A smart factory transform integrated manufacturing process, in a high speed processing to respond customer needs. It has some positive impacts, such as increasing productivity, reducing set up time, shortening marketing and other support activities, hence the process is being more flexible and efficient. To implement smart manufacturing system, factories should know the readiness at any level of them, technology capability and strategy appropriateness. This exploratory study aims to identify the criterias, and develop an assessment tools to measure the level towards smart factory.

  14. Distribution of persistent organic pollutants (POPS) IN wild Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) from different FAO capture zones.

    PubMed

    Chiesa, L M; Labella, G F; Panseri, S; Pavlovic, R; Bonacci, S; Arioli, F

    2016-06-01

    Residues of environmental contaminants in food represent a concern in food safety programs. In this study, the distribution of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were evaluated in 79 tuna samples from FAO areas 51 (Indian Ocean), 71 (Pacific Ocean), 34 (Atlantic Ocean), and 37 (Mediterranean Sea). 6 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 16 organochlorines (OCs) and 7 polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were selected as representative compounds according to EFSA POPs monitoring guidelines. An analytical method, based on Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE), with an "in-line" clean-up step and GC-MS/MS detection, was developed, validated and applied. PCBs were detected in all FAO areas, with a prevalence of 100% for most of them. In the FAO area 37, only, all PBDEs were detected. Only 5 OCs were detected. The results showed that POPs contamination of tuna reflects FAO area contamination; in particular FAO area 37 was the most polluted. Moreover, tuna muscle was an appropriate matrix for monitoring contamination and for obtaining information about food safety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) Biometrics and Condition.

    PubMed

    Rodriguez-Marin, Enrique; Ortiz, Mauricio; Ortiz de Urbina, José María; Quelle, Pablo; Walter, John; Abid, Noureddine; Addis, Piero; Alot, Enrique; Andrushchenko, Irene; Deguara, Simeon; Di Natale, Antonio; Gatt, Mark; Golet, Walter; Karakulak, Saadet; Kimoto, Ai; Macias, David; Saber, Samar; Santos, Miguel Neves; Zarrad, Rafik

    2015-01-01

    The compiled data for this study represents the first Atlantic and Mediterranean-wide effort to pool all available biometric data for Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) with the collaboration of many countries and scientific groups. Biometric relationships were based on an extensive sampling (over 140,000 fish sampled), covering most of the fishing areas for this species in the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Sensitivity analyses were carried out to evaluate the representativeness of sampling and explore the most adequate procedure to fit the weight-length relationship (WLR). The selected model for the WLRs by stock included standardized data series (common measurement types) weighted by the inverse variability. There was little difference between annual stock-specific round weight-straight fork length relationships, with an overall difference of 6% in weight. The predicted weight by month was estimated as an additional component in the exponent of the weight-length function. The analyses of monthly variations of fish condition by stock, maturity state and geographic area reflect annual cycles of spawning and feeding behavior. We update and improve upon the biometric relationships for bluefin currently used by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, by incorporating substantially larger datasets than ever previously compiled, providing complete documentation of sources and employing robust statistical fitting. WLRs and other conversion factors estimated in this study differ from the ones used in previous bluefin stock assessments.

  16. Trophic niches of sympatric tropical tuna in the Western Indian Ocean inferred by stable isotopes and neutral fatty acids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sardenne, Fany; Bodin, Nathalie; Chassot, Emmanuel; Amiel, Aurélien; Fouché, Edwin; Degroote, Maxime; Hollanda, Stéphanie; Pethybridge, Heidi; Lebreton, Benoit; Guillou, Gaël; Ménard, Frédéric

    2016-08-01

    This study examined the trophic ecology of three sympatric tropical tuna species (bigeye BET, skipjack SKJ, and yellowfin YFT) sampled in the Western Indian Ocean throughout 2013. Specifically we explored inter-specific resource partitioning and ontogenetic variability using neutral fatty acids and stable isotope analysis of liver and muscle from small (⩽100 cm fork length, FL) and large (>100 cm FL) tuna collected in mixed schools at the surface by purse-seine. Both biochemical tracers were used to calculate trophic niche indices that collectively revealed high potential for resource overlap, especially among small tuna. Resource overlap appeared strongest between BET and YFT, with SKJ tissues having high carbon isotope (δ13C) values (-17 ± 0.3‰), lower nitrogen isotope (δ15N) values (11.4 ± 0.6‰), and higher relative proportion of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) than the two other species, indicating a different diet. Size was found to be a strong predictor for most biochemical tracers in the three species with δ13C, δ15N and total lipid content in the liver. In the larger species (YFT and BET), proportions of mono-unsaturated fatty acids typically increased with size, while quantities of PUFA decreased. In addition to ontogenetic variability, trophic markers were shown to vary between sampling area and season: higher lipid reserves and δ15N values, and lower δ13C values occurred during monsoon periods around Seychelles than in the Mozambique Channel (parted from about 1500 km). Our multi-tracer approach reveals the magnitude of potential competitive interactions in mixed tropical tuna schools at both small and large sizes and demonstrates that ontogenetic niche differentiation acts as a major factor of coexistence in tropical tuna.

  17. Examining dolphin hydrodynamics provides clues to calf-loss during tuna fishing

    PubMed Central

    Moore, Pete

    2004-01-01

    A combination of mathematical modeling and direct observation of the swimming behavior of dolphin mother-calf pairs has shown how the calf can gain much of the energy required for swimming if it is positioned correctly relative to the mother, a situation that may be disrupted during the chases that result from tuna-fishing practices. PMID:15132739

  18. [Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) glazed with hydrocolloids as alternative of edible coatings and storaged at -10 degrees C].

    PubMed

    Mena, Sarahi; Rodriguez, Leonardo; Barrero, Marinela

    2010-09-01

    Numerous studies have been focused to natural ingredients to maintain the quality and shell life of foods. Edibles coating, biodegradable ingredients, such as hydrocolloids and proteins can be used for coating fish with the purpose to suppress changes of quality during frozen storage. At the present time several developing of edibles packing, like glaze using hydrocolloids, (gelatin, carrageen, starch), that besides acts as protective film for food, they are economic, can be ingested by the consumer without toxicity risk, help to preserve organoleptics and nutritional characteristics of the product and, being biodegradable they contribute to the conservation of the atmosphere. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the incorporation ofhydrocolloids in the glazing tuna process as alternative of packing, to enhance its physical and chemical characteristics. Samples of tuna was glazed incorporating to its solutions of carrageen at 0.05, 0,1 and 0.15%, and gelatin at 0.5, 1%. The samples were shaped as square (15 cm3), frozen al -30 degrees C and glazed incorporating hydrocolloids submerging the sample its solutions at 0 degrees C by 30 seconds and storage at -10 degrees C by 0, 15 and 30 days. Proximal analysis results, soluble proteins, TBA, and color showed that all the samples glazed with hydrocolloids decrease deterioration of the tuna products respect to samples glazed without hydrocolloids; concluding that glazing adding hydrocolloids protects tuna for loss humidity and delays degradation of proteins. Moreover, carrageen shows to a better performance at the concentrations of 0.05% compared with the gelatin and the starch.

  19. Characterization of the spoilage potential of pure and mixed cultures of bacterial species isolated from tropical yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares).

    PubMed

    Silbande, A; Cornet, J; Cardinal, M; Chevalier, F; Rochefort, K; Smith-Ravin, J; Adenet, S; Leroi, F

    2018-02-01

    The spoilage potential of 28 bacterial strains isolated from spoiled raw yellowfin tuna was evaluated. Bacterial species were inoculated in irradiated tuna matrix. Chemical changes, bacterial growth and sensory quality were monitored during aerobic storage at 8°C. Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacter spp. and Escherichia hermanii had no spoiling effect. Brochothrix thermosphacta and Carnobacterium divergens/maltaromaticum developed moderate unpleasant odours. Hafnia paralvei and Serratia spp. released strong off-odours (pyrrolidine, sulphur/cabbage). No bacterial group (except H. paralvei) combined with Pseudomonas spp. deteriorated the sensory quality of tuna. When C. divergens/maltaromaticum was associated with H. paralvei or B. thermosphacta, the odour is close to the naturally contaminated tuna stored on the same conditions. The pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) and trimethylamine (TMA) were not correlated with the spoilage. The bacterial species had a different impact on the sensory quality of the fish. The bacterial interactions lead to an enhancement or an inhibition of the spoilage potential and the bacterial growth. The specific spoilage organism (SSO) appears to be an association of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with Enterobacteriaceae or B. thermosphacta. Pseudomonas, often dominant at the sensory rejection time, is not a good quality indicator. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  20. Fifty years of Cuba's medical diplomacy: from idealism to pragmatism.

    PubMed

    Feinsilver, Julie M

    2010-01-01

    Medical diplomacy, the collaboration between countries to simultaneously produce health benefits and improve relations, has been a cornerstone of Cuban foreign policy since the outset of the revolution fifty years ago. It has helped Cuba garner symbolic capital (goodwill, influence, and prestige) well beyond what would have been possible for a small, developing country, and it has contributed to making Cuba a player on the world stage. In recent years, medical diplomacy has been instrumental in providing considerable material capital (aid, credit, and trade), as the oil-for-doctors deals with Venezuela demonstrates. This has helped keep the revolution afloat in trying economic times. What began as the implementation of the one of the core values of the revolution, namely health as a basic human right for all peoples, has continued as both an idealistic and a pragmatic pursuit. This article examines the factors that enabled Cuba to conduct medical diplomacy over the past fifty years, the rationale behind the conduct of this type of soft power politics, the results of that effort, and the mix of idealism and pragmatism that has characterized the experience. Moreover, it presents a typology of medical diplomacy that Cuba has used over the past fifty years.

  1. Increased sex ratio in Russia and Cuba after Chernobyl: a radiological hypothesis

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The ratio of male to female offspring at birth may be a simple and non-invasive way to monitor the reproductive health of a population. Except in societies where selective abortion skews the sex ratio, approximately 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. Generally, the human sex ratio at birth is remarkably constant in large populations. After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in April 1986, a long lasting significant elevation in the sex ratio has been found in Russia, i.e. more boys or fewer girls compared to expectation were born. Recently, also for Cuba an escalated sex ratio from 1987 onward has been documented and discussed in the scientific literature. Presentation of the hypothesis By the end of the eighties of the last century in Cuba as much as about 60% of the food imports were provided by the former Soviet Union. Due to its difficult economic situation, Cuba had neither the necessary insight nor the political strength to circumvent the detrimental genetic effects of imported radioactively contaminated foodstuffs after Chernobyl. We propose that the long term stable sex ratio increase in Cuba is essentially due to ionizing radiation. Testing of the hypothesis A synoptic trend analysis of Russian and Cuban annual sex ratios discloses upward jumps in 1987. The estimated jump height from 1986 to 1987 in Russia measures 0.51% with a 95% confidence interval (0.28, 0.75), p value < 0.0001. In Cuba the estimated jump height measures 2.99% (2.39, 3.60), p value < 0.0001. The hypothesis may be tested by reconstruction of imports from the world markets to Cuba and by radiological analyses of remains in Cuba for Cs-137 and Sr-90. Implications of the hypothesis If the evidence for the hypothesis is strengthened, there is potential to learn about genetic radiation risks and to prevent similar effects in present and future exposure situations. PMID:23947741

  2. The efficacy of X-ray does on murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) in pure culture, half-shell oyster, salmon sushi, and tuna salad

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In this investigation, we determined the efficacy of X-ray doses on reducing a human norovirus (HuNoV) surrogate [murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1)] in pure culture, half-shell oyster, salmon sushi and tuna salad. The pure culture (phosphate-buffer saline, pH 7.4), half-shell oyster, salmon sushi and tuna ...

  3. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation... aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national...

  4. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation... aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national...

  5. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation... aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national...

  6. Physics and Women: A Challenge Being Successfully Met in Cuba

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arias de Fuentes, Olimpia

    The history of physics in Cuba, like all the country's educational and scientific development, cannot be understood without taking into account its close relationship with the social changes that took place in Cuba during the five decades elapsed since 1959. This should include due consideration to the role played by women in this process, all the more since the link between science and gender is now generally regarded as a subject of growing special interest

  7. Cuba: Clearing Perilous Waters?

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1996-01-01

    tourists and earn dollars—were precisely the ones benefiting most from the "dollarization" of the economy in 1993, a move that decriminalized the...fragmented. As with many dissident and opposition groups today, they probably would be divided by ideological, gen- erational, and racial differences. The...intensifying racial animosities stemming from the Castro era. Cuba is thus left ideologically, politically, and racially divided. The new government’s

  8. Mercury in Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis):bioaccumulation and trans-Pacific Ocean migration

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Colman, John A.; Nogueira, Jacob I.; Pancorbo, Oscar C.; Batdorf, Carol A.; Block, Barbara A.

    2015-01-01

    Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) have the largest home range of any tuna species and are well known for the capacity to make transoceanic migrations. We report the measurement of mercury (Hg) concentrations in wild Pacific bluefin tuna (PBFT), the first reported with known size-of-fish and capture location. The results indicate juvenile PBFT that are recently arrived in the California Current from the western Pacific Ocean have significantly higher Hg concentrations in white muscle (0.51 ug/g wet mass, wm) than PBFT of longer California Current residency (0.41 ug/g wm). These new arrivals are also higher in Hg concentration than PBFT in farm pens (0.43 ug/g wm) that were captured on arrival in the California Current and raised in pens on locally derived feed. Analysis by direct Hg analyzer and attention to Hg by tissue type and location on the fish allowed precise comparisons of mercury among wild and captive fish populations. Analysis of migration and nearshore residency, determined through extensive archival tagging, bioaccumulation models, trophic investigations, and potential coastal sources of methylmercury, indicates Hg bioaccumulation is likely greater for PBFT juvenile habitats in the western Pacific Ocean (East China Sea, Yellow Sea) than in the eastern Pacific Ocean (California Current). Differential bioaccumulation may be a trophic effect or reflect methylmercury availability, with potential sources for coastal China (large hypoxic continental shelf receiving discharge of three large rivers, and island-arc volcanism) different from those for coastal Baja California (small continental shelf, no large rivers, spreading-center volcanism).

  9. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of Vessels... Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and... north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national emergency was extended and its...

  10. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of Vessels... Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and... north of Cuba. In July 1996 and on subsequent occasions, the Cuban government stated its intent to...

  11. Impressions of the Republic of Cuba. A Report by a Delegation of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities to the Republic of Cuba, December 2-10, 1978.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schwartz, Carol R., Ed.

    Impressions of the Republic of Cuba are presented based on a visit to Cuba in 1978 by a delegation of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. The following topics are discussed: the Cuban educational system, Cuban postsecondary education, goals of postsecondary education, elementary education, vocational and technical…

  12. The US blockade and Cuba's AIDS sanatoria system.

    PubMed

    Landau, J G

    1998-01-01

    Cuba's low rate of HIV infection is due to several factors that include early HIV detection campaigns, the sanatoria system, and the U.S. embargo that has restricted sex tourism and drugs. People diagnosed with HIV are scheduled for entry into the sanatoria system within their province. Food and medical care are guaranteed in the sanatoria, as are educational opportunities and work for the unskilled, a powerful incentive in an impoverished nation. Ironically, while the U.S. embargo partly contributes to keeping the HIV infection rate low, it also is severely and adversely affecting public health in Cuba by creating widespread shortages in medical care resources.

  13. The efficacy of x-ray doses on murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) in pure culture, half-shell oyster, salmon sushi, and tuna salad

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    n this investigation, we determined the efficacy of X-ray doses on reducing a human norovirus (HuNoV) surrogate [murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1)] in pure culture, half-shell oyster, salmon sushi and tuna salad. The pure culture (phosphate-buffer saline, pH 7.4), half-shell oyster, salmon sushi and tuna s...

  14. Microencapsulated krill and tuna oil blend raises plasma long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels compared to tuna oil with similar increases in ileal contractility in rats.

    PubMed

    Patten, Glen S; Sanguansri, Luz; Augustin, Mary Ann; Abeywardena, Mahinda Y; Bird, Anthony R; Patch, Craig S; Belobrajdic, Damien P

    2017-03-01

    Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) may be more bioavailable from krill oil compared to fish oil due to their phospholipid structure. We tested whether a microencapsulated krill and tuna oil blend (ME-TOKO) provided greater LC n-3 PUFA bioavailability, improved blood lipid profiles and increased intestinal contractility compared to microencapsulated tuna oil (ME-TO). Rats were divided into three groups to receive isocaloric diets containing ME-TO, ME-TOKO and microencapsulated olive oil (ME-OO) at 0.3 or 2 g/100 g for 4 weeks. Final body and organ weights, feed intake and waste output were similar. ME-TOKO rats had higher plasma total LC n-3 PUFA levels compared to ME-TO, but liver LC n-3 PUFA levels and plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels were similar in non-fasted rats. Diets containing 2% ME-TO and ME-TOKO also showed similar increases in ileal contractility. In summary, ME-TO bioavailability of LC n-3 PUFA was similar to ME-TOKO.

  15. El Niño revisited: the influence of El Niño Southern Oscillation on the world's largest tuna fisheries.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Receveur, A.; Simon, N.; Menkes, C.; Tremblay-Boyer, L.; Senina, I.; Lehodey, P.

    2016-12-01

    El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) drives global climate on inter-annual scales and impacts the ecosystem structure in the warm-pool and cold-tongue of the Pacific Ocean. During the El Niño phase of ENSO, the warm-pool can stretch from the western equatorial Pacific to the eastern Pacific allowing species associated with the warm-pool to correspondingly spread eastwards. Conversely, during the la Niña phase the warm-pool is pushed to the far western equatorial Pacific by the cold-tongue allowing species associated with this ecosystem to spread westwards. Consequently, ENSO dynamics are likely to be critical for understanding the ecological processes supporting fisheries in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Surface inhabiting tuna, such as skipjack, are thought to track the convergence of the warm-pool and cold-tongue with fishing vessels tracking this tuna behavior. Given the reliance of Pacific Island economies on tuna fisheries, knowing when tunas are more likely to be present in high density in their territorial waters is beneficial for harvest control policies such as effort trading between nations. We use the SEAPODYM model to investigate the response of bigeye and skipjack tuna species to the phases of ENSO. SEAPODYM is an age structured model that integrates fisheries dependent and independent data with environmental data. We analyze the outputs of SEAPODYM using wavelets to assess the impact of environmental and biotic variables on the abundance and distribution of adult and juvenile age classes and to study time series cycle and temporal lags to ENSO. The main result for skipjack is the eastward or westward movement of the biomass pattern which is significantly lagged with the warm pool ENSO displacement. That lag ranges from 8 months for juvenile up to 18 months for adults. Such delayed response, can be traced in the model. Higher temperature in the central Pacific during El Niño leads to better recruitment which leads to lagged increase of juvenile

  16. Spillover of the Atlantic bluefin tuna offspring from cages in the Adriatic Sea: A multidisciplinary approach and assessment.

    PubMed

    Džoić, Tomislav; Beg Paklar, Gordana; Grbec, Branka; Ivatek-Šahdan, Stjepan; Zorica, Barbara; Šegvić-Bubić, Tanja; Čikeš Keč, Vanja; Lepen Pleić, Ivana; Mladineo, Ivona; Grubišić, Leon; Verley, Philippe

    2017-01-01

    During routine monitoring of commercial purse seine catches in 2011, 87 fingerling specimens of scombrids were collected in the southern Adriatic Sea. Sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA control region locus inferred that specimens belonged to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758) (N = 29), bullet tuna, Auxis rochei (Risso, 1810) (N = 30) and little tunny, Euthynnus alletteratus, Rafinesque, 1810 (N = 28). According to previously published growth parameters, the age of the collected specimens was estimated at approximately 30-40 days, suggesting they might have been spawned in the Adriatic Sea, contrary to the current knowledge. A coupled modelling system with hydrodynamic (ROMS) and individual based model (IBM-Ichthyop) was set up to determine the location of the spawning event. Numerical simulations with the IBM model, both backward and forward in time, indicate commercial tuna cages in the middle Adriatic coastal area as possible spawning location. The two other non-commercial species likely opportunistically use the positive environmental (abiotic and biotic) conditions to spawn in the same area.

  17. Spillover of the Atlantic bluefin tuna offspring from cages in the Adriatic Sea: A multidisciplinary approach and assessment

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    During routine monitoring of commercial purse seine catches in 2011, 87 fingerling specimens of scombrids were collected in the southern Adriatic Sea. Sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA control region locus inferred that specimens belonged to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758) (N = 29), bullet tuna, Auxis rochei (Risso, 1810) (N = 30) and little tunny, Euthynnus alletteratus, Rafinesque, 1810 (N = 28). According to previously published growth parameters, the age of the collected specimens was estimated at approximately 30–40 days, suggesting they might have been spawned in the Adriatic Sea, contrary to the current knowledge. A coupled modelling system with hydrodynamic (ROMS) and individual based model (IBM—Ichthyop) was set up to determine the location of the spawning event. Numerical simulations with the IBM model, both backward and forward in time, indicate commercial tuna cages in the middle Adriatic coastal area as possible spawning location. The two other non-commercial species likely opportunistically use the positive environmental (abiotic and biotic) conditions to spawn in the same area. PMID:29190825

  18. 76 FR 38620 - International Fisheries; Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Bluefin Tuna Import, Export, Re-Export

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-07-01

    ...: Libya's inability to participate in the ICCAT regional observer program this year as confirmed by the... the bluefin tuna fishery. Thus, any product taken by Libya's purse seine fleet under these conditions...

  19. Diagnostic accuracy of the light microscope method to detect the eggs of Cardicola spp. in the gill filaments of the bluefin tuna.

    PubMed

    Palacios-Abella, José F; Rodríguez-Llanos, Javier; Víllora-Montero, María; Mele, Salvatore; Raga, Juan A; Montero, Francisco E

    2017-11-30

    Trematode blood flukes of the genus Cardicola are potentially lethal in bluefin tuna cultures. The present study proposed a new method to detect aporocotylid eggs in tuna gills. Aporocotylid eggs were detected by analysing a pair of gill filaments of five transversal areas of the eight holobranches of one hundred Atlantic bluefin tuna and observed with glycerol and a stereomicroscope with an oblique brightfield. Data were gathered according to holobranches, transversal areas and their combination. Eggs were uniformly distributed among the holobranches, but they had the highest prevalence in the second and fifth transversal areas, which is controversial with respect to previous studies of egg distribution. An abbreviated method called the T-two test, which had the highest sensitivity (96.8%), is proposed for the detection of Cardicola spp. infections instead of the analysis all the holobranches. The T-two test limits the time and cost of the egg parasite screening analysis. The analyses of ten samples could be sufficient to detect the presence of parasites in farmed bluefin tuna; fish from the wild are expected to be less infected and more samples (45) would therefore be necessary. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Defining the Habitat of Pacific Tuna of the Eastern Tropical Pacific from Satellite Imagery, Climatologies, and a Global Circulation Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kiefer, D. A.; Hinton, M. G.; Armstrong, E. M.; Harrison, D. P.; Menemenlis, D.; Hu, C.

    2016-02-01

    With support from NASA's Ecological Forecasting program, we have developed a Tuna Stock Assessment Support System, which merges time series of satellite imagery, a global ocean circulation model, climatology from field surveys, and fisheries data on catch and effort. The purpose of this software is to extract information on the habitat of skipjack, bigeye, and yellowfin tuna in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. The support system is based upon a 50-year record of catch and effort from long-line and purse seine vessels provide by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission. This database, which covers thousands of kilometers of ocean surface, provides monthly information at a 1 degree spatial resolution for the purse seine fleet and 5 degree resolution for the long line fishery. This data is then merged in time and space with satellite imagery of sea surface temperature, chlorophyll, and height, as well as NODC climatologies of oxygen concentration and temperature, and output from NASA's ECCO-2 global circulation model, which provides 3-dimensional simulations of water density, current velocity, mixed layer depth, and sea surface height. Our analyses have yielded a broad range of understanding of the habitat and dynamics both the fish and the fisherman. The purse seine ground, which targets younger tuna, is constrained to waters where the hypoxic layer is shallow. The longline fishery, which targets older tuna, is not constrained by the hypoxic layer and has a much larger distribution. We have characterized the preferences of each species to environmental variables including the depth of the hypoxic layer, the depth of the water column, as well as sea surface height, temperature, and chlorophyll concentration. Finally, the analyses have revealed information on local depletion by fishing, the size distribution of the schools of younger fish, and the impact of ENSO on fishing activities.

  1. Flow-cytometric enrichment of Pacific bluefin tuna type A spermatogonia based on light-scattering properties.

    PubMed

    Ichida, Kensuke; Kise, Kazuyoshi; Morita, Tetsuro; Yazawa, Ryosuke; Takeuchi, Yutaka; Yoshizaki, Goro

    2017-10-01

    We previously established surrogate broodstock in which the donor germ cells transplanted into the peritoneal cavities of xenogeneic recipients were capable of developing into functional eggs and sperm in teleost fish. In this transplantation system, only the undifferentiated germ cells such as type A spermatogonia (ASG) or a portion of the ASG population were capable of being incorporated into the genital ridges of the recipients and undergo gametogenesis. Therefore, the use of enriched ASGs can be expected to achieve efficient donor-cell incorporation. Here, we established a method of isolation and enrichment of the ASG of Pacific bluefin tuna using flow cytometry. Whole testicular cell suspensions were fractionated by forward and side scatter properties, following which ASGs were enriched in a fraction in which the forward scatter signal was relatively high and side scatter signal was relatively low. The diameter of sorted cells using the fraction was identical to the size of ASGs observed in histological analysis, and these cells also expressed the vasa gene. In addition, we succeeded in applying this method to several maturation stages of Pacific bluefin tuna. Since this method was based on light-scattering characteristics of ASGs, it can potentially be applied to various teleosts. We expect that this method can contribute to the production of seeds of Pacific bluefin tuna using surrogate broodstock. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Evidence of discrete yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) populations demands rethink of management for this globally important resource.

    PubMed

    Grewe, P M; Feutry, P; Hill, P L; Gunasekera, R M; Schaefer, K M; Itano, D G; Fuller, D W; Foster, S D; Davies, C R

    2015-11-23

    Tropical tuna fisheries are central to food security and economic development of many regions of the world. Contemporary population assessment and management generally assume these fisheries exploit a single mixed spawning population, within ocean basins. To date population genetics has lacked the required power to conclusively test this assumption. Here we demonstrate heterogeneous population structure among yellowfin tuna sampled at three locations across the Pacific Ocean (western, central, and eastern) via analysis of double digest restriction-site associated DNA using Next Generation Sequencing technology. The differences among locations are such that individuals sampled from one of the three regions examined can be assigned with close to 100% accuracy demonstrating the power of this approach for providing practical markers for fishery independent verification of catch provenance in a way not achieved by previous techniques. Given these results, an extended pan-tropical survey of yellowfin tuna using this approach will not only help combat the largest threat to sustainable fisheries (i.e. illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing) but will also provide a basis to transform current monitoring, assessment, and management approaches for this globally significant species.

  3. Evidence of discrete yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) populations demands rethink of management for this globally important resource

    PubMed Central

    Grewe, P. M.; Feutry, P.; Hill, P. L.; Gunasekera, R. M.; Schaefer, K. M.; Itano, D. G.; Fuller, D. W.; Foster, S. D.; Davies, C. R.

    2015-01-01

    Tropical tuna fisheries are central to food security and economic development of many regions of the world. Contemporary population assessment and management generally assume these fisheries exploit a single mixed spawning population, within ocean basins. To date population genetics has lacked the required power to conclusively test this assumption. Here we demonstrate heterogeneous population structure among yellowfin tuna sampled at three locations across the Pacific Ocean (western, central, and eastern) via analysis of double digest restriction-site associated DNA using Next Generation Sequencing technology. The differences among locations are such that individuals sampled from one of the three regions examined can be assigned with close to 100% accuracy demonstrating the power of this approach for providing practical markers for fishery independent verification of catch provenance in a way not achieved by previous techniques. Given these results, an extended pan-tropical survey of yellowfin tuna using this approach will not only help combat the largest threat to sustainable fisheries (i.e. illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing) but will also provide a basis to transform current monitoring, assessment, and management approaches for this globally significant species. PMID:26593698

  4. Effect of the Cu/Ba ratio for the YBCO deposition onto IBAD template by the MOCVD method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choi, J. K.; Kim, H. J.; Jun, B. H.; Kim, C. J.

    2005-10-01

    YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) thin films were fabricated by the metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using a single liquid source. The copper/barium (Cu/Ba) ratio was varied from 1.26 to 1.38 to optimize the deposition condition. The IBAD template (CeO2/YSZ/stainless steel) was used as a substrate. The growth features of the YBCO films were not significantly influenced by the Cu/Ba ratio, while the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) and critical current (Ic) depended on the Cu/Ba ratio. When Cu/Ba ratio was between 1.26 and 1.29, Tc was as low as 80 K, while as Cu/Ba ratio increased to 1.38, it increased to above 85 K. The highest Tc (89.0 K) and Ic (46.3 A/cm-width) were achieved at the Cu/Ba ratio of 1.38 (Y:Ba:Cu = 1:2.1:2.9). It indicates that the optimum Cu/Ba ratio which differs from stoichiometric balance exists for the formation of the superconducting phase with a high Tc and Ic in MOCVD method.

  5. A review of the genus Berosus Leach of Cuba (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae)

    PubMed Central

    Deler-Hernández, Albert; Fikáček, Martin; Cala-Riquelme, Franklyn

    2013-01-01

    Abstract The Cuban fauna of the genus Berosus Leach, 1817 is reviewed based on newly collected material as well as historical and type specimens. Nine species are recognized, including three recorded from Cuba for the first time: Berosus infuscatus LeConte, 1855, Berosus interstitialis Knisch, 1924 (= Berosus stribalus Orchymont, 1946 syn. n.) and Berosus metalliceps Sharp, 1882. Only one of the nine Cuban species, Berosus chevrolati, remains endemic to Cuba, as two other species previously considered as endemic to Cuba are recorded from elsewhere: Berosus quadridens from Mexico and Central America and Berosus trilobus from the Dominican Republic. Notes on biology and Cuban distribution are provided for all nine species. Berosus quadridens Chevrolat, 1863, stat. restit. is removed from synonym with Berosus truncatipennis and considered a valid species. PMID:23794806

  6. The age of the Tunas formation in the Sauce Grande basin-Ventana foldbelt (Argentina): Implications for the Permian evolution of the southwestern margin of Gondwana

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    López-Gamundí, Oscar; Fildani, Andrea; Weislogel, Amy; Rossello, Eduardo

    2013-08-01

    New SHRIMP radiogenic isotope dating on zircons in tuffs (280.8 ± 1.9 Ma) confirms the Early Permian (Artinskian) age of the uppermost section of the Tunas Formation. Tuff-rich levels in the Tunas Formation are exposed in the Ventana foldbelt of central Argentina; they are part of a deltaic to fluvial section corresponding to the late overfilled stage of the Late Paleozoic Sauce Grande foreland basin. Recent SHRIMP dating of zircons from the basal Choiyoi volcanics exposed in western Argentina yielded an age of 281.4 ± 2.5 Ma (Rocha-Campos et al., 2011). The new data for the Tunas tuffs suggest that the volcanism present in the Sauce Grande basin can be considered as the distal equivalent of the earliest episodes of the Choiyoi volcanism of western Argentina. From the palaeoclimatic viewpoint the new Tunas SHRIMP age confirms that by early Artinskian glacial conditions ceased in the Sauce Grande basin and, probably, in adajacent basins in western Gondwana.

  7. The Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) dead end gene is suitable as a specific molecular marker of type A spermatogonia.

    PubMed

    Yazawa, Ryosuke; Takeuchi, Yutaka; Morita, Tetsuro; Ishida, Masashi; Yoshizaki, Goro

    2013-10-01

    We developed a spermatogonial transplantation technique to produce donor-derived gametes in surrogate fish. Our ultimate aim is to establish surrogate broodstock that can produce bluefin tuna. We previously determined that only type A spermatogonia (ASG) could colonize recipient gonads in salmonids. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a precise molecular marker that can distinguish ASG in order to develop efficient spermatogonial transplantation methods. In this study, the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) dead end (BFTdnd) gene was identified as a specific marker for ASG. In situ hybridization and RT-PCR analysis with various types of spermatogenic cell populations captured by laser microdissection revealed that localization of BFTdnd mRNA was restricted to ASG, and not detected in other differentiated spermatogenic cells. In order to determine if BFTdnd can be used as a molecular marker to identify germ cells with high transplantability, transplantation of dissociated testicular cells isolated from juvenile, immature, and mature Pacific bluefin tuna, which have different proportions of dnd-positive ASG, were performed using chub mackerel as the surrogate recipient species. Colonization of transplanted donor germ cells was only successful with testicular cells from immature Pacific Bluefin tuna, which contained higher proportions of dnd-positive ASG than juvenile and mature fish. Thus, BFTdnd is a useful tool for identifying highly transplantable ASG for spermatogonial transplantation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Dispersal Routes and Habitat Utilization of Juvenile Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus thynnus, Tracked with Mini PSAT and Archival Tags

    PubMed Central

    Galuardi, Benjamin; Lutcavage, Molly

    2012-01-01

    Between 2005 and 2009, we deployed 58 miniature pop-up satellite archival tags (PSAT) and 132 implanted archival tags on juvenile Atlantic bluefin tuna (age 2–5) in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Data returned from these efforts (n = 26 PSATs, 1 archival tag) revealed their dispersal routes, horizontal and vertical movements and habitat utilization. All of the tagged bluefin tuna remained in the northwest Atlantic for the duration observed, and in summer months exhibited core-use of coastal seas extending from Maryland to Cape Cod, MA, (USA) out to the shelf break. Their winter distributions were more spatially disaggregated, ranging south to the South Atlantic Bight, northern Bahamas and Gulf Stream. Vertical habitat patterns showed that juvenile bluefin tuna mainly occupied shallow depths (mean  = 5–12 m, sd  = 15–23.7 m) and relatively warm water masses in summer (mean  = 17.9–20.9°C, sd  = 4.2–2.6°C) and had deeper and more variable depth patterns in winter (mean  = 41–58 m, sd  = 48.9–62.2 m). Our tagging results reveal annual dispersal patterns, behavior and oceanographic associations of juvenile Atlantic bluefin tuna that were only surmised in earlier studies. Fishery independent profiling from electronic tagging also provide spatially and temporally explicit information for evaluating dispersals rates, population structure and fisheries catch patterns. PMID:22629461

  9. Mercury levels of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) are associated with capture location.

    PubMed

    Nicklisch, Sascha C T; Bonito, Lindsay T; Sandin, Stuart; Hamdoun, Amro

    2017-10-01

    Mercury is a toxic compound to which humans are exposed by consumption of fish. Current fish consumption advisories focus on minimizing the risk posed by the species that are most likely to have high levels of mercury. Less accounted for is the variation within species, and the potential role of the geographic origin of a fish in determining its mercury level. Here we surveyed the mercury levels in 117 yellowfin tuna caught from 12 different locations worldwide. Our results indicated significant variation in yellowfin tuna methylmercury load, with levels that ranged from 0.03 to 0.82 μg/g wet weight across individual fish. Mean mercury levels were only weakly associated with fish size (R 2  < 0.1461) or lipid content (R 2  < 0.00007) but varied significantly, by a factor of 8, between sites. The results indicate that the geographic origin of fish can govern mercury load, and argue for better traceability of fish to improve the accuracy of exposure risk predictions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Phylodynamics of the HIV-1 epidemic in Cuba.

    PubMed

    Delatorre, Edson; Bello, Gonzalo

    2013-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that the HIV-1 epidemic in Cuba displayed a complex molecular epidemiologic profile with circulation of several subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRF); but the evolutionary and population history of those viral variants remains unknown. HIV-1 pol sequences of the most prevalent Cuban lineages (subtypes B, C and G, CRF18_cpx, CRF19_cpx, and CRFs20/23/24_BG) isolated between 1999 and 2011 were analyzed. Maximum-likelihood analyses revealed multiple introductions of subtype B (n≥66), subtype C (n≥10), subtype G (n≥8) and CRF18_cpx (n≥2) viruses in Cuba. The bulk of HIV-1 infections in this country, however, was caused by dissemination of a few founder strains probably introduced from North America/Europe (clades B(CU-I) and B(CU-II)), east Africa (clade C(CU-I)) and central Africa (clades G(CU), CRF18(CU) and CRF19(CU)), or locally generated (clades CRFs20/23/24_BG). Bayesian-coalescent analyses show that the major HIV-1 founder strains were introduced into Cuba during 1985-1995; whereas the CRFs_BG strains emerged in the second half of the 1990s. Most HIV-1 Cuban clades appear to have experienced an initial period of fast exponential spread during the 1990s and early 2000s, followed by a more recent decline in growth rate. The median initial growth rate of HIV-1 Cuban clades ranged from 0.4 year⁻¹ to 1.6 year⁻¹. Thus, the HIV-1 epidemic in Cuba has been a result of the successful introduction of a few viral strains that began to circulate at a rather late time of the AIDS pandemic, but then were rapidly disseminated through local transmission networks.

  11. Scombroid fish poisoning after eating seared tuna.

    PubMed

    Codori, Nancy; Marinopoulos, Spyridon

    2010-04-01

    Food safety is an increasing concern to Americans. Recent recalls of peanuts and pistachios, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings to pregnant women to avoid eating fish have increased government oversight of food processing and handling. Consumers can play an important role in alerting their healthcare providers to food-related illness. Vigilant healthcare providers can notify public health officials to investigate a suspected foodborne illness. The authors present a case of a healthy postdoctoral fellow who developed symptoms of scombroid fish poisoning immediately after consuming a salad containing seared tuna. The successful diagnosis of this case occurred because the patient, physician, city health department and FDA lab collaborated in a coordinated fashion.

  12. 75 FR 8791 - Continuation of the National Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-02-25

    ... to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... February 23, 2010 Continuation of the National Emergency Relating to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority....-registered civilian aircraft in international airspace north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation...

  13. Theological Higher Education in Cuba: Part 2--Origins and Ministry of Protestant Seminaries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Esqueda, Octavio J.

    2007-01-01

    This article provides an overview of the main Protestant theological seminaries in Cuba: Western Cuba Baptist Seminary, Cedars of Lebanon Seminary, The New Pines Evangelical Seminary, Evangelical Theological Seminary, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center, Nazarene Theological Seminary and International School of Theology. The history and…

  14. 75 FR 33731 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 2010 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quota Specifications

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-15

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 635 [Docket No. 100317152-0176-01] RIN 0648-AY77 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 2010 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quota Specifications Correction In rule document 2010-13207 beginning on page 30732 in the issue of Wednesday, June 2...

  15. Mathematics and Physics in Cuba Before 1959: A Personal Recollection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Altshuler, José

    On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the formal inauguration of the Republic of Cuba (May 20, 1902), the then Historian of the City of Havana, Emilio Roig de Leuchsenring, decided to publish a memorial volume which would include various special studies on the progress made in the country during the preceding half century with regard to specific aspects of national collective life. The volume, entitled Facetas de la vida de Cuba republicana, 1902-1952 (Facets of Life in Republican Cuba, 1902-1952) appeared in print in 1954. Its publication was delayed—as Roig explained in his prologue, somewhat cryptically—"due to causes beyond our control or of that of the Cuban writers to whom we entrusted the preparation of the said studies." Needless to say, the causes referred to were none other than those derived from the atmosphere of political unrest in the country after the military coup staged in March 1952 by former strongman, General Batista.

  16. Case Study in International Cooperation: Cuba's Molecular Immunology Center and Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

    PubMed

    Evans, Rachel; Reid, Mary; Segal, Brahm; Abrams, Scott I; Lee, Kelvin

    2018-04-01

    In 1961, the USA severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, and in 1962 an embargo was imposed on trade and financial relations with that country. It was not until five decades later that the USA and Cuba would reestablish relations. This opened the way for the New York State Trade Mission to Cuba in April 2015, during which Cuba's Molecular Immunology Center and Buffalo, New York's Roswell Park Cancer Institute signed a formal agreement that would set in motion biotechnology research collaboration to address one of the most important causes of death in both countries. Significant research from Cuba led to this groundbreaking collaboration. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of this cooperation, from the Molecular Immunology Center's initial investigations, through the opening of a phase I clinical trial at Roswell Park Cancer Institute with therapies developed at the Center. This cooperation was responsible for the first clinical trial for CIMAvax-EGF involving advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients in the USA. A license was also approved by the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control authorizing a commercial partnership for development of biotechnology products, combining the cancer research efforts of both institutions. This unusual collaboration between Cuba and the USA-the US economic embargo and travel restrictions not withstanding-opens good prospects for expanded medical research between the two countries. While political and logistical challenges remain, the shared mission and dedication of these Cuban and US scientists points the way towards relationships that can lead to development, testing, approval and use of promising new therapies for cancer patients. KEYWORDS Biotechnology, clinical trials, cancer vaccines, cancer immunotherapy, non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC, Cuba, USA.

  17. Reflections on Educational Reform in Cuba.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindahl, Ronald A.

    1998-01-01

    Reviews Cuban educational reforms, highlighting 1959, 1976, and 1980s initiatives. Compares Cuba's progress with John Kotter's eight-step process based on establishing a sense of urgency, creating a guiding coalition, developing and communicating the change vision, empowering broad-based action, generating short-term wins, consolidating gains, and…

  18. Storm Warnings for Cuba

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-01-01

    Services: Telephone: (310) 451-7002; Fax: (310) 451-6915; Internet : order@rand.org. al Accesion For "Ni %&’ Storm WarningsDTI’ TAB E03 --- - - -for...reaction leading to an uncontrol- lable burgeoning of private entrepreneurial activity. As one observer 14See Acuerdo del Buro Politico , "Para llevar a...34 10Comisi6n de Relaciones Internacionales, Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular, Datos, Reflexiones y Argumentos Sobre la Actual Situaci6n de Cuba, n.p

  19. Diversidad haplotípica en el manatí Trichechus manatus en Cuba: resultados preliminares

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hernandez-Martinez, Damir; Alvarez-Aleman, Anmari; Bonde, Robert K.; Powell, James A.; Garcia-Machado, Erik

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this analysis was to obtain information regarding the mtDNA haplotype composition of the manatee (T. manatus) occupying the Cuban archipelago. A fragment of 410 bp of the non-coding region was analyzed for 12 individual manatees from Cuba and one from Florida, USA. Only two haplotypes were identified. Haplotype A1, found exclusively in Florida (including in the sample analyzed here) but also found in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, was the most frequent haplotype (11 of the 12 samples from Cuba) and widely distributed. The second haplotype A3, previously referred to as endemic from Belize, was identified from an individual stranded in Isabela de Sagua, north of Cuba. These preliminary results provide information about three major aspects of manatee biology: (1) the mtDNA genetic diversity of T. manatus in Cuba seems low as compared to other regions of the Caribbean; (2) the Cuban population likely belongs to the group comprising Florida and the portions of the Greater Antilles; and (3) the territories of Belize and Cuba have exchanged individuals at present or in a relatively recent past.

  20. Molecular detection and characterization of Anaplasma platys in dogs and ticks in Cuba.

    PubMed

    Silva, Claudia Bezerra da; Santos, Huarrisson Azevedo; Navarrete, Maylín González; Ribeiro, Carla Carolina Dias Uzedo; Gonzalez, Belkis Corona; Zaldivar, Maykelin Fuentes; Pires, Marcus Sandes; Peckle, Maristela; Costa, Renata Lins da; Vitari, Gabriela Lopes Vivas; Massard, Carlos Luiz

    2016-07-01

    Canine cyclic thrombocytopenia, an infectious disease caused by Anaplasma platys is a worldwide dog health problem. This study aimed to detect and characterize A. platys deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in dogs and ticks from Cuba using molecular methods. The study was conducted in four cities of Cuba (Habana del Este, Boyeros, Cotorro and San José de las Lajas). Blood samples were collected from 100 dogs in these cities. The animals were inspected for the detection of tick infestation and specimens were collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from dog blood and ticks using a commercial kit. Genomic DNA samples from blood and ticks were tested by a nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) to amplify 678 base pairs (bp) from the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of A. platys. Positive samples in nPCR were also subjected to PCR to amplify a fragment of 580bp from the citrate synthase (gltA) gene and the products were sequenced. Only Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) was found on dogs, and 10.20% (n=5/49) of these ticks plus sixteen percent (16.0%, n=16/100) of dogs were considered positive for A. platys by nPCR targeting the 16S rDNA gene. All analyzed gltA and 16S rDNA sequences showed a 99-100% identity with sequences of A. platys reported in around the world. Phylogenetic analysis showed two defined clusters for the 16S rDNA gene and three defined clusters for the gltA gene. Based on the gltA gene, the deduced amino acid sequence showed two mutations at positions 88 and 168 compared with the sequence DQ525687 (GenBank ID from Italian sample), used as a reference in the alignment. A preliminary study on the epidemiological aspects associated with infection by A. platys showed no statistical association with the variables studied (p>0.05). This is the first evidence of the presence of A. platys in dogs and ticks in Cuba. Further studies are needed to evaluate the epidemiological aspects of A. platys infection in Cuban dogs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights

  1. 78 FR 13207 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-26

    ...--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the... Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national emergency was extended and its...

  2. 76 FR 11071 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-28

    ...--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the... Respect to Cuba and of the Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of... north of Cuba. On February 26, 2004, by Proclamation 7757, the national emergency was extended and its...

  3. Cuba: Issues for 111th Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-04-14

    Humanos y Reconciliacion Nacional, “Cuba en el año 2009: la situacíon de derechos civiles, políticos y económicos,” February 2, 2009. 13 Anita Snow...park. On April 21, 2008, ten members of the Ladies in White were 12 Comision Cubana de Derechos

  4. Revisiting the vulnerability of juvenile bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (T. albacares) tuna caught by purse-seine fisheries while associating with surface waters and floating objects.

    PubMed

    Scutt Phillips, Joe; Pilling, Graham M; Leroy, Bruno; Evans, Karen; Usu, Thomas; Lam, Chi Hin; Schaefer, Kurt M; Nicol, Simon

    2017-01-01

    Tuna fisheries catch over three million tonnes of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) each year, the majority of which come from purse-seine vessels targeting fish associated with man-made fish aggregating devices (FADs). A significant challenge for fisheries management is to maximize the efficiency of skipjack tuna catches whilst minimizing the bycatch of small and immature bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (T. albacares) tuna, for which long-term sustainability is uncertain in 75% of the world's stocks. To better manage the issues common with this fishing method, an improved understanding of tuna behaviour around FADs is necessary. We probabilistically classified the vertical behavioural patterns of 50 bigeye and 35 yellowfin tuna (mean fork length 72cm and 70cm, respectively) electronically tagged throughout the western and central Pacific Ocean into shallow and deep states, using a state-space modelling approach. The occurrence of surface-association behaviours, defined as an individual remaining in a shallow state for 24-hours, was examined in relation to known capture events and FAD density. In general, surface-association events for both species were short and lasted on average less than three days, although events as long as 28 days were observed, and were more common in yellowfin when in archipelagic waters. Events were longest immediately following tagging in 62% and 17% of bigeye and yellowfin, respectively. Surface-association behaviour was not generally estimated just prior to recapture, being either non-existent or shorter than two days for 85% of bigeye and 74% of yellowfin. Current management measures in purse-seine tuna fisheries involve periodic or spatial closures for FAD use. If the chief benefit to purse-seine fishers of surface-association around floating objects is in locating schools in horizontal space at short-term time-scales, rather than holding fish near the surface for extended periods, controlling the number of sets made on FADs

  5. Revisiting the vulnerability of juvenile bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (T. albacares) tuna caught by purse-seine fisheries while associating with surface waters and floating objects

    PubMed Central

    Scutt Phillips, Joe; Pilling, Graham M.; Leroy, Bruno; Evans, Karen; Usu, Thomas; Lam, Chi Hin; Schaefer, Kurt M.; Nicol, Simon

    2017-01-01

    Tuna fisheries catch over three million tonnes of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) each year, the majority of which come from purse-seine vessels targeting fish associated with man-made fish aggregating devices (FADs). A significant challenge for fisheries management is to maximize the efficiency of skipjack tuna catches whilst minimizing the bycatch of small and immature bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (T. albacares) tuna, for which long-term sustainability is uncertain in 75% of the world’s stocks. To better manage the issues common with this fishing method, an improved understanding of tuna behaviour around FADs is necessary. We probabilistically classified the vertical behavioural patterns of 50 bigeye and 35 yellowfin tuna (mean fork length 72cm and 70cm, respectively) electronically tagged throughout the western and central Pacific Ocean into shallow and deep states, using a state-space modelling approach. The occurrence of surface-association behaviours, defined as an individual remaining in a shallow state for 24-hours, was examined in relation to known capture events and FAD density. In general, surface-association events for both species were short and lasted on average less than three days, although events as long as 28 days were observed, and were more common in yellowfin when in archipelagic waters. Events were longest immediately following tagging in 62% and 17% of bigeye and yellowfin, respectively. Surface-association behaviour was not generally estimated just prior to recapture, being either non-existent or shorter than two days for 85% of bigeye and 74% of yellowfin. Current management measures in purse-seine tuna fisheries involve periodic or spatial closures for FAD use. If the chief benefit to purse-seine fishers of surface-association around floating objects is in locating schools in horizontal space at short-term time-scales, rather than holding fish near the surface for extended periods, controlling the number of sets made on FADs

  6. Identification of a novel selenium-containing compound, selenoneine, as the predominant chemical form of organic selenium in the blood of bluefin tuna.

    PubMed

    Yamashita, Yumiko; Yamashita, Michiaki

    2010-06-11

    A novel selenium-containing compound having a selenium atom in the imidazole ring, 2-selenyl-N(alpha),N(alpha),N(alpha)-trimethyl-L-histidine, 3-(2-hydroseleno-1H-imidazol-5-yl)-2-(trimethylammonio)propanoate, was identified from the blood and other tissues of the bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis. The selenium-containing compound was purified from the tuna blood in several chromatographic steps. High resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that the exact mass of the [M+H](+) ion of the compound was 533.0562 and the molecular formula was C(18)H(29)N(6)O(4)Se(2). Its gross structure was assigned as the oxidized dimeric form of an ergothioneine selenium analog in which the sulfur of ergothioneine is replaced by selenium. Therefore, we named this novel selenium-containing compound "selenoneine." By speciation analysis of organic selenium compounds using liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, selenoneine was found widely distributed in various tissues of the tuna, with the highest concentration in blood; mackerel blood contained similar levels. Selenoneine was measurable at 2-4 orders of magnitude lower concentration in a limited set of tissues from squid, tilapia, pig, and chicken. Quantitatively, selenoneine is the predominant form of organic selenium in tuna tissues.

  7. Influence of carbon monoxide on the colour stability of defrosted yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) muscle stored under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

    PubMed

    Neethling, Nikki E; Hoffman, Louwrens C; Britz, Trevor J; O'Neill, Bernadette

    2015-06-01

    The use of carbon monoxide (CO) and various packaging types has been suggested to improve/stabilise the colour and oxidative processes of red meats, thereby improving the retail value and revenue. The main aim of this study was to investigate the influence of packaging type and CO treatment on the colour and oxidative stability of tuna. The addition of CO significantly increased the redness (a(*) ) of the tuna steaks but the redness was not equally stable for all treatments. The aerobically packaged steaks showed a temporal decrease in redness while the redness of anaerobically packaged steaks remained relatively stable. The addition of CO did not significantly affect (P >0.05) the brownness (b(*) ) (with one exception) and lightness (L(*) ) of the steaks. The anaerobically packaged steaks showed a significant difference (P <0.05) in the b(*) values. No significant differences (P >0.05) in lipid or protein oxidation were observed between treatments. The aerobically packaged steaks had a significant temporal increase (P <0.05) in lipid oxidation while no such trend was apparent in the anaerobically packaged steaks. Protein oxidation remained relatively stable over time for both aerobically and anaerobically packaged steaks. Storing CO treated tuna steaks in anaerobic packaging can improve the oxidative and colour stability of tuna. Such treatment can reduce spoilage and wastage thereby potentially increasing revenue. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  8. Comparative Assessment of the Reproductive Status of Female Atlantic Bluefin Tuna from the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea

    PubMed Central

    Knapp, Jessica M.; Aranda, Guillermo; Medina, Antonio; Lutcavage, Molly

    2014-01-01

    Despite attention focused on the population status and rebuilding trajectory of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), the reproduction and spawning biology remains poorly understood, especially in the NW Atlantic. At present, the eastern and western spawning populations are believed to exhibit different reproductive characteristics and, consequently, stock productivity. However, our study suggests that the two spawning populations, the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea, could show similar reproductive features and spawning strategies. Between 2007 and 2009, gonad samples from female Atlantic bluefin tuna were collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico (n = 147) and in the western Mediterranean Sea (n = 40). The histological and stereological analysis confirmed that sampled eastern and western bluefin tuna exhibit the same spawning duration (three months) but the spawning in the Gulf of Mexico begins one month earlier than in the Mediterranean Sea. Western bluefin tuna caught in the peak of the spawning season (May) showed a similar spawning frequency (60%) to the spawning peak observed in the Mediterranean Sea (June). Fecundity for the Gulf of Mexico fish () was lower but not significantly different than for fish sampled in the Mediterranean Sea (). Our study represents the first comparative histological analysis of the eastern and western spawning stocks whose findings, combined with new determinations of size/age at maturity and possible alternative spawning areas, might suggest basic life history attributes warrant further scientific and management attention. PMID:24911973

  9. Comparative assessment of the reproductive status of female Atlantic bluefin tuna from the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea.

    PubMed

    Knapp, Jessica M; Aranda, Guillermo; Medina, Antonio; Lutcavage, Molly

    2014-01-01

    Despite attention focused on the population status and rebuilding trajectory of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), the reproduction and spawning biology remains poorly understood, especially in the NW Atlantic. At present, the eastern and western spawning populations are believed to exhibit different reproductive characteristics and, consequently, stock productivity. However, our study suggests that the two spawning populations, the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea, could show similar reproductive features and spawning strategies. Between 2007 and 2009, gonad samples from female Atlantic bluefin tuna were collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico (n = 147) and in the western Mediterranean Sea (n = 40). The histological and stereological analysis confirmed that sampled eastern and western bluefin tuna exhibit the same spawning duration (three months) but the spawning in the Gulf of Mexico begins one month earlier than in the Mediterranean Sea. Western bluefin tuna caught in the peak of the spawning season (May) showed a similar spawning frequency (60%) to the spawning peak observed in the Mediterranean Sea (June). Fecundity for the Gulf of Mexico fish (28.14 eggs · g(-1)) was lower but not significantly different than for fish sampled in the Mediterranean Sea (45.56 eggs · g(-1)). Our study represents the first comparative histological analysis of the eastern and western spawning stocks whose findings, combined with new determinations of size/age at maturity and possible alternative spawning areas, might suggest basic life history attributes warrant further scientific and management attention.

  10. Methodological assessment of 2b-RAD genotyping technique for population structure inferences in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares).

    PubMed

    Pecoraro, Carlo; Babbucci, Massimiliano; Villamor, Adriana; Franch, Rafaella; Papetti, Chiara; Leroy, Bruno; Ortega-Garcia, Sofia; Muir, Jeff; Rooker, Jay; Arocha, Freddy; Murua, Hilario; Zudaire, Iker; Chassot, Emmanuel; Bodin, Nathalie; Tinti, Fausto; Bargelloni, Luca; Cariani, Alessia

    2016-02-01

    Global population genetic structure of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is still poorly understood despite its relevance for the tuna fishery industry. Low levels of genetic differentiation among oceans speak in favour of the existence of a single panmictic population worldwide of this highly migratory fish. However, recent studies indicated genetic structuring at a much smaller geographic scales than previously considered, pointing out that YFT population genetic structure has not been properly assessed so far. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time, the utility of 2b-RAD genotyping technique for investigating population genetic diversity and differentiation in high gene-flow species. Running de novo pipeline in Stacks, a total of 6772 high-quality genome-wide SNPs were identified across Atlantic, Indian and Pacific population samples representing all major distribution areas. Preliminary analyses showed shallow but significant population structure among oceans (FST=0.0273; P-value<0.01). Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components endorsed the presence of genetically discrete yellowfin tuna populations among three oceanic pools. Although such evidence needs to be corroborated by increasing sample size, these results showed the efficiency of this genotyping technique in assessing genetic divergence in a marine fish with high dispersal potential. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Test of an antifouling treatment on tuna fish-cages in Boston Bay, Port Lincoln, South Australia.

    PubMed

    Svane, Ib; Cheshire, Anthony; Barnett, Jeremy

    2006-01-01

    A test of the antifouling properties of Wattyl NetClear was conducted on fish farms containing southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) during a 6-month period (February-July 2002). Wattyl NetClear is a water-based synthetic latex-based coating where the active antifouling agent is a mixture of two isothiazolinones likely to affect both biochemical conditioning and bacterial colonisation. The development of fouling was monitored using underwater stereo-photogrammetry on 3 treated and 3 untreated net cages with the main factors treatment, depth and cage nested within treatment. A significant treatment and depth effect was found but variable through time and in some instances with significant cage effects. By the end of the study, the difference in fouling load between treated and untreated nets was 14.7%. In total 72% of all free-space data points were on treated nets. The dominating fouling organisms were Enteromorpha sp. and sponges with low settlement of blue mussel and paper oysters. Passive deposition of tuna faeces contributed significantly to the cover. The largest cover of fouling was observed in April-May with a dominance of sponges in June-July. Enteromorpha sp. dominated shallow depths while sponges dominated at deeper levels. Tuna faeces were distributed independent of depth but varied with time. The results showed that fouling of fish cages consisted of both active settlement and passive deposition, the latter independent on antifouling treatment.

  12. 50 CFR 635.24 - Commercial retention limits for sharks, swordfish, and BAYS tunas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Commercial retention limits for sharks... Management Measures § 635.24 Commercial retention limits for sharks, swordfish, and BAYS tunas. The retention... gear operation and deployment restrictions in § 635.21. (a) Sharks. (1) A person who owns or operates a...

  13. Jurassic-Cretaceous Composite Total Petroleum System and Geologic Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources of the North Cuba Basin, Cuba

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) World Oil and Gas Assessment is to develop geologically based hypotheses regarding the potential for additions to oil and gas reserves in priority areas of the world. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the North Cuba Basin. The assessment is based on the geologic elements of the total petroleum system (TPS) defined in the province, including petroleum source rocks (source-rock maturation, generation, and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and petroleum traps (Trap formation and timing). Using this geologic framework, the USGS defined a Jurassic-Cretaceous Total Petroleum System in the North Cuba Basin Province. Within this TPS, three assessment units were defined and assessed for undiscovered oil and gas resources.

  14. Research colloquium on occupational respiratory diseases: a conference in Cuba (1984)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rosenstock, L.; Orris, P.

    At an international conference in Havana, Cuba, March 19-21, 1984, health professional from the US, Canada, and Cuba participated in a research colloquium on occupational lung diseases. Participants and speakers discussed the state of the art of knowledge, research, and management of key occupational lung diseases, and suggested directions for future efforts. Differences among the three countries in terms of the medical, economic, and social aspects of defining, treating, and compensating occupational diseases were also considered.

  15. Rivulus berovidesi, a new killifish species (Teleostei: Rivulidae) from western Cuba.

    PubMed

    Silva, Rodet Rodriguez

    2015-04-24

    Rivulus berovidesi, a new killifish species, is described from a small stream in Sierra de Cajalbana, northwestern Cuba. It is readily distinguished from Rivulus cylindraceus Poey by the combination of an exclusive color pattern and meristic characters such as a d-type frontal scalation pattern (versus e-type pattern in Rivulus cylindraceus). The current diagnosis of Rivulus berovidesi based on chromatic, morphological and meristic characters is consistent with a recent molecular analysis of this genus in Cuba.

  16. 77 FR 24669 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Public Conference Call Regarding Recreational Yellowfin Tuna...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-04-25

    ... Fishery Data Collection AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric... public and NMFS, a conference call that is open to the public will be held to discuss historical and future data collection in the U.S. recreational yellowfin tuna fishery and the relationship to...

  17. 78 FR 2273 - Canned Tuna Deviating From Identity Standard; Temporary Permit for Market Testing

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-10

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2012-P-1189] Canned Tuna Deviating From Identity Standard; Temporary Permit for Market Testing AGENCY: Food and Drug... interstate shipment of experimental packs of food varying from the requirements of standards of identity...

  18. Current observations offshore Punta Tuna, Puerto Rico, 21 June-7 December 1980. Part A

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Frye, D.; Leavitt, K.; Whitney, A.

    1981-08-01

    An oceanographic measurement program was conducted in the vicinity of a proposed ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) site about 20 km offshore of Punta Tuna, Puerto Rico. As part of the program, a mooring consisting of five current meters was maintained between 21 June and 7 December, 1980. The current data collected are summarized according to frequency of occurrence within 5 cm/sec speed and 15/sup 0/ direction intervals. Sums and percentages of total occurrence are given for each speed and direction class, along with mean speed, extreme speeds, mean component speeds, and standard deviations. Hourly averages of current speed, truemore » direction, current vector, temperature, and pressure are plotted as a function of time. On 13 December, 1980, a current meter array was deployed at the Punta Tuna site and recovered on May 16, 1981. The processed current data from this current meter array are described. (LEW)« less

  19. HIV-1 Genetic Variability in Cuba and Implications for Transmission and Clinical Progression.

    PubMed

    Blanco, Madeline; Machado, Liuber Y; Díaz, Héctor; Ruiz, Nancy; Romay, Dania; Silva, Eladio

    2015-10-01

    INTRODUCTION Serological and molecular HIV-1 studies in Cuba have shown very low prevalence of seropositivity, but an increasing genetic diversity attributable to introduction of many HIV-1 variants from different areas, exchange of such variants among HIV-positive people with several coinciding routes of infection and other epidemiologic risk factors in the seropositive population. The high HIV-1 genetic variability observed in Cuba has possible implications for transmission and clinical progression. OBJECTIVE Study genetic variability for the HIV-1 env, gag and pol structural genes in Cuba; determine the prevalence of B and non-B subtypes according to epidemiologic and behavioral variables and determine whether a relationship exists between genetic variability and transmissibility, and between genetic variability and clinical disease progression in people living with HIV/AIDS. METHODS Using two molecular assays (heteroduplex mobility assay and nucleic acid sequencing), structural genes were characterized in 590 people with HIV-1 (480 men and 110 women), accounting for 3.4% of seropositive individuals in Cuba as of December 31, 2013. Nonrandom sampling, proportional to HIV prevalence by province, was conducted. Relationships between molecular results and viral factors, host characteristics, and patients' clinical, epidemiologic and behavioral variables were studied for molecular epidemiology, transmission, and progression analyses. RESULTS Molecular analysis of the three HIV-1 structural genes classified 297 samples as subtype B (50.3%), 269 as non-B subtypes (45.6%) and 24 were not typeable. Subtype B prevailed overall and in men, mainly in those who have sex with men. Non-B subtypes were prevalent in women and heterosexual men, showing multiple circulating variants and recombinant forms. Sexual transmission was the predominant form of infection for all. B and non-B subtypes were encountered throughout Cuba. No association was found between subtypes and

  20. Studies in neotropical paleobotany. XIV. A palynoflora from the middle Eocene Saramaguacan formation of Cuba

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Graham, A.; Cozadd, D.; Areces-Mallea, A.; Frederiksen, N.O.

    2000-01-01

    An assemblage of 46 fossil pollen and spore types is described from a core drilled through the middle Eocene Saramaguacan Formation, Camaguey Province, eastern Cuba. Many of the specimens represent unidentified or extinct taxa but several can be identified to family (Palmae, Bombacaceae, Gramineae, Moraceae, Myrtaceae) and some to genus (Pteris, Crudia, Lymingtonia?). The paleo-climate was warm-temperate to subtropical which is consistent with other floras in the region of comparable age and with the global paleotemperature curve. Older plate tectonic models show a variety of locations for proto-Cuba during Late Cretaceous and later times, including along the norther coast of South America. More recent models depict western and central Cuba as two separate parts until the Eocene, and eastern Cuba (joined to northern Hispaniola) docking to central Cuba also in the Eocene. All fragments are part of the North American Plate and none were directly connected with northern South America in late Mesozoic or Cenozoic time. The Saramaguacan flora supports this model because the assemblage is distinctly North American in affinities, with only one type (Retimonocolpites type 1) found elsewhere only in South America.

  1. 76 FR 39808 - International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; Recommendations Adopted by the Inter-American...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-07-07

    .... 110620342-1340-02] RIN 0648-BA66 International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; Recommendations Adopted by... species in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) to conform to recommendations adopted by the Inter- American... Act of 1950. At its Eighty-first Meeting, held in September 2010, members of the IATTC adopted three...

  2. The potential impact of ocean acidification upon eggs and larvae of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bromhead, Don; Scholey, Vernon; Nicol, Simon; Margulies, Daniel; Wexler, Jeanne; Stein, Maria; Hoyle, Simon; Lennert-Cody, Cleridy; Williamson, Jane; Havenhand, Jonathan; Ilyina, Tatiana; Lehodey, Patrick

    2015-03-01

    Anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are resulting in increasing absorption of CO2 by the earth's oceans, which has led to a decline in ocean pH, a process known as ocean acidification (OA). Evidence suggests that OA may have the potential to affect the distribution and population dynamics of many marine organisms. Early life history processes (e.g. fertilization) and stages (eggs, larvae, juveniles) may be relatively more vulnerable to potential OA impacts, with implications for recruitment in marine populations. The potential impact of OA upon tuna populations has not been investigated, although tuna are key components of pelagic ecosystems and, in the Pacific Ocean, form the basis of one of the largest and most valuable fisheries in the world. This paper reviews current knowledge of potential OA impacts on fish and presents results from a pilot study investigating how OA may affect eggs and larvae of yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares. Two separate trials were conducted to test the impact of pCO2 on yellowfin egg stage duration, larval growth and survival. The pCO2 levels tested ranged from present day ( 400 μatm) to levels predicted to occur in some areas of the spawning habitat within the next 100 years (<2500 μatm) to 300 years ( <5000 μatm) to much more extreme levels ( 10,000 μatm). In trial 1, there was evidence for significantly reduced larval survival (at mean pCO2 levels≥4730 μatm) and growth (at mean pCO2 levels≥2108 μatm), while egg hatch time was increased at extreme pCO2 levels≥10,000 μatm (*intermediate levels were not tested). In trial 2, egg hatch times were increased at mean pCO2 levels≥1573 μatm, but growth was only impacted at higher pCO2 (≥8800 μatm) and there was no relationship with survival. Unstable ambient conditions during trial 2 are likely to have contributed to the difference in results between trials. Despite the technical challenges with these experiments, there is a need for future empirical work which

  3. The conservation and management of tunas and their relatives: setting life history research priorities.

    PubMed

    Juan-Jordá, Maria José; Mosqueira, Iago; Freire, Juan; Dulvy, Nicholas K

    2013-01-01

    Scombrids (tunas, bonitos, Spanish mackerels and mackerels) support important fisheries in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters around the world, being one of the most economically- and socially-important marine species globally. Their sustainable exploitation, management and conservation depend on accurate life history information for the development of quantitative fisheries stock assessments, and in the fishery data-poor situations for the identification of vulnerable species. Here, we assemble life history traits (maximum size, growth, longevity, maturity, fecundity, spawning duration and spawning interval) for the 51 species of scombrids globally. We identify major biological gaps in knowledge and prioritize life history research needs in scombrids based on their biological gaps in knowledge, the importance of their fisheries and their current conservation status according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. We find that the growth and reproductive biology of tunas and mackerel species have been more extensively studied than for Spanish mackerels and bonitos, although there are notable exceptions in all groups. We also reveal that reproductive biology of species, particular fecundity, is the least studied biological aspect in scombrids. We identify two priority groups, including 32 species of scombrids, and several populations of principal market tunas, for which life history research should be prioritized following the species-specific life history gaps identified in this study in the coming decades. By highlighting the important gaps in biological knowledge and providing a priority setting for life history research in scombrid species this study provides guidance for management and conservation and serves as a guide for biologists and resource managers interested in the biology, ecology, and management of scombrid species.

  4. The Conservation and Management of Tunas and Their Relatives: Setting Life History Research Priorities

    PubMed Central

    Juan-Jordá, Maria José; Mosqueira, Iago; Freire, Juan; Dulvy, Nicholas K.

    2013-01-01

    Scombrids (tunas, bonitos, Spanish mackerels and mackerels) support important fisheries in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters around the world, being one of the most economically- and socially-important marine species globally. Their sustainable exploitation, management and conservation depend on accurate life history information for the development of quantitative fisheries stock assessments, and in the fishery data-poor situations for the identification of vulnerable species. Here, we assemble life history traits (maximum size, growth, longevity, maturity, fecundity, spawning duration and spawning interval) for the 51 species of scombrids globally. We identify major biological gaps in knowledge and prioritize life history research needs in scombrids based on their biological gaps in knowledge, the importance of their fisheries and their current conservation status according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. We find that the growth and reproductive biology of tunas and mackerel species have been more extensively studied than for Spanish mackerels and bonitos, although there are notable exceptions in all groups. We also reveal that reproductive biology of species, particular fecundity, is the least studied biological aspect in scombrids. We identify two priority groups, including 32 species of scombrids, and several populations of principal market tunas, for which life history research should be prioritized following the species-specific life history gaps identified in this study in the coming decades. By highlighting the important gaps in biological knowledge and providing a priority setting for life history research in scombrid species this study provides guidance for management and conservation and serves as a guide for biologists and resource managers interested in the biology, ecology, and management of scombrid species. PMID:23950930

  5. HIV/AIDS among women in Havana, Cuba: 1986-2011.

    PubMed

    Oliva, Dinorah C; Viñas, Arturo L; Saavedra, Clarivel; Oliva, Maritza; González, Ciro; de la Torre, Caridad

    2013-10-01

    Women are being diagnosed with HIV infection in increasing numbers, and now account for 50% of cases worldwide. In Cuba, HIV is more frequent in men, but in recent years, a growing number of women have been diagnosed. Describe patterns of HIV among women in Havana, Cuba, 1986-2011. Descriptive study of women with HIV aged >14 years, residents of Havana, Cuba, who were diagnosed with HIV from 1 January 1986 through 31 December 2011. Information was obtained from the limited-access HIV/AIDS database of Cuba's Ministry of Public Health. Data were studied from all reported cases, a total of 1274 women. Variables selected were age at diagnosis, education, municipality of residence, screening group, year of HIV diagnosis, late presentation, AIDS-defining condition, year of diagnosis as AIDS case, vital status at the end of 2011, and year of death (if applicable). Incidence of HIV and AIDS, cumulative incidence by municipality of residence, and case fatality rates were calculated. Those aged 20-29 years were most affected by HIV. Almost half (46.7%) the women had completed middle school, and a further 35.4% had completed high school or middle-level technical studies. HIV incidence began to increase more steeply starting in 1998, as did AIDS incidence by year of diagnosis, though to a lesser extent. Central Havana and Old Havana municipalities had the highest cumulative incidence. Late presentation was seen in 7.4% of cases; mean age of those diagnosed late was 38.9 years. Wasting syndrome and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia were the most frequent AIDS-defining conditions. Case fatality rates started to decline in 1998. HIV infection in women is occurring in a predominantly young, relatively well-educated population. Increasing rates of HIV and AIDS in the past decade are a warning sign of the possible expansion of HIV infection in women, even though mortality is declining.

  6. Forest nursery pest management in Cuba

    Treesearch

    Rene Alberto Lopez Castilla; Angela Duarte Casanova; Celia Guerra Rivero; Haylett Cruz Escoto; Natividad Triguero Issasi

    2002-01-01

    A systematic survey of methods to detect pests in forest nurseries before they damage plants was done. These surveys recorded the most important forest nursery pests during 18 years (from 1980 to 1998) and their geographical and temporal distribution in the principal enterprises in Cuba. Approximately a dozen insect species and three fungi species responsible for the...

  7. FINAL REPORT--PART I. EFFECT OF IONIZED RADIATION ON THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF FOOD (TUNA FISH) AS DETERMINED BY GROWTH, REPRODUCTION, AND LACTATION STUDIES WITH DOGS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McCay, C.M.; Rumsey, G.L.

    1960-03-15

    A study was made of the effects of radiation on the nutritive value of tuna fish in the diet of beagle dogs. A study of the data pertaining to hematology, x-ray photographs of the bones, growth, and reproduction indicates that irradiated tuna fish is satisfactory in the diet of a dog. (T.R.H.)

  8. Moving Cages Further Offshore: Effects on Southern Bluefin Tuna, T. maccoyii, Parasites, Health and Performance

    PubMed Central

    Kirchhoff, Nicole T.; Rough, Kirsty M.; Nowak, Barbara F.

    2011-01-01

    The effects of offshore aquaculture on SBT health (particularly parasitic infections and haematology) and performance were the main aim of this study. Two cohorts of ranched Southern Bluefin tuna (SBT) (Thunnus maccoyii) were monitored throughout the commercial season, one maintained in the traditional near shore tuna farming zone and one maintained further offshore. SBT maintained offshore had reduced mortality, increased condition index at week 6 post transfer, reduced blood fluke and sealice loads, and haematological variables such as haemoglobin or lysozyme equal to or exceeding near shore maintained fish. The offshore cohort had no Cardicola forsteri and a 5% prevalence of Caligus spp., compared to a prevalence of 85% for Cardicola forsteri and 55% prevalence for Caligus spp. near shore at 6 weeks post transfer. This study is the first of its kind to examine the effects of commercial offshore sites on farmed fish parasites, health and performance. PMID:21901129

  9. A New Approach to Health Services and Pharmacy in Cuba.

    PubMed

    Sánchez, Alina M

    2015-12-01

    In December 17, 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama surprised the world by announcing his intention to enter into negotiations aimed at reestablishing diplomatic relations with Cuba. Since then, expectations and interest regarding the health system of that country have increased. This report focuses on the Cuban health and pharmacy systems from a practical and educational standpoint. Pharmaceutical services, strengths, opportunities, and challenges are described. Cuba's new trends toward patient-centered care are analyzed to provide insights for developing pharmaceutical care practice and implementing policies suitable for practice in all health care settings. © 2015 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

  10. [A battle won: the elimination of poliomyelitis in Cuba].

    PubMed

    Chaple, Enrique Beldarraín

    2015-01-01

    Poliomyelitis was introduced in Cuba in the late nineteenth century by American residents in Isla de Pinos. The first epidemics occurred in 1906 and 1909 and increased in intensity between 1930 and 1958. The scope of the paper is to reconstruct the history of the disease and its epidemics in Cuba prior to 1961, the first National Polio Vaccination Campaign (1962) and its results, as well as analyze the ongoing annual vaccination campaigns through to certified elimination of the disease (1994). The logical historical method was used and archival documents and statistics from the Ministry of Health on morbidity and mortality through 2000 were reviewed. Gross morbidity and mortality rates were calculated and interviews with key figures were conducted.

  11. Simple measurements reveal the feeding history, the onset of reproduction, and energy conversion efficiencies in captive bluefin tuna

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jusup, Marko; Klanjšček, Tin; Matsuda, Hiroyuki

    2014-11-01

    We present a numerical approach that, in conjunction with a fully set up Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model, aims at consistently approximating the feeding history of cultivated fish from the commonly measured aquaculture data (body length, body mass, or the condition factor). We demonstrate the usefulness of the approach by performing validation of a DEB-based model for Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) on an independent dataset and exploring the implied bioenergetics of this species in captivity. In the context of validation, the results indicate that the model successfully accounts for more than 75% of the variance in actual fish feed. At the 5% significance level, predictions do not underestimate nor overestimate observations and there is no bias. The overall model accuracy of 87.6% is satisfactory. In the context of tuna bioenergetics, we offer an explanation as to why the first reproduction in the examined case occurred only after the fish reached seven years of age, whereas it takes five years in the wild and sometimes as little as three years in captivity. Finally, we calculate energy conversion efficiencies and the supply stress throughout the entire lifetime to theoretically underpin the relatively low contribution of growth to aerobic metabolism implied by respirometry and high feed conversion ratio observed in bluefin tuna aquaculture.

  12. The Southern Oscillation, Hypoxia, and the Eastern Pacific Tuna Fishery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webster, D.; Kiefer, D.; Lam, C. H.; Harrison, D. P.; Armstrong, E. M.; Hinton, M.; Luo, L.

    2012-12-01

    The Eastern Pacific tuna fishery, which is one of the world's major fisheries, covers thousands of square kilometers. The vessels of this fishery are registered in more than 30 nations and largely target bigeye (Thunnus obesus), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), and yellowfin (T. albacores) tuna. In both the Pelagic Habitat Analysis Module project, which is sponsored by NASA, and the Fishscape project, which is sponsored by NSF, we have attempted to define the habitat of the three species by matching a 50 year time series on fish catch and effort with oceanographic information obtained from satellite imagery and from a global circulation model. The fishery time series, which was provided by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, provided spatial maps of catch and effort at monthly time steps; the satellite imagery of the region consisted of sea surface temperature, chlorophyll, and height from GHRSST, SEAWiFS, and AVISO products, and the modeled flow field at selected depths was output from ECCO-92 simulations from 1992 to present. All information was integrated and analyzed within the EASy marine geographic information system. This GIS will also provides a home for the Fishscape spatial simulation model of the coupled dynamics of the ocean, fish, fleets, and markets. This model will then be applied to an assessment of the potential ecological and economic impacts of climate change, technological advances in fleet operations, and increases in fuel costs. We have determined by application of EOF analysis that the ECCO-2 simulation of sea surface height fits well with that of AVISO imagery; thus, if driven properly by predictions of future air-sea exchange, the model should provide good estimates of circulation patterns. We have also found that strong El Nino events lead to strong recruitment of all three species and strong La Nina events lead to weak recruitment. Finally, we have found that the general spatial distribution of the Eastern Pacific fishing grounds

  13. Solenoptera Audinet-Serville, 1832 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae, Solenopterini) in Cuba, with description of a new species.

    PubMed

    Devesa, Sergio; Fonseca, Elier; Barro, Alejandro

    2016-11-02

    The genus Solenoptera Audinet-Serville in Cuba is reviewed and S. zayasi sp. nov. is described from Cuba. The following nomenclatural changes are proposed: 1) S. fraudulenta Galileo & Martins, 1993 is synonymized with S. dominicensis Gahan, 1890; 2) S. cubana (Zayas, 1975) is transferred from Prosternodes cubanus Zayas, 1975. Furthermore, S. dominicensis is removed from the Cuban fauna and new localities for S. cubana are recorded. A key to all three Solenoptera species known from Cuba, both for males and females, is included.

  14. Environmental and biological characteristics of Atlantic bluefin tuna and albacore spawning habitats based on their egg distributions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reglero, Patricia; Santos, Maria; Balbín, Rosa; Laíz-Carrión, Raul; Alvarez-Berastegui, Diego; Ciannelli, Lorenzo; Jiménez, Elisa; Alemany, Francisco

    2017-06-01

    Tuna spawning habitats are traditionally characterized using data sets of larvae or gonads from mature adults and concurrent environmental variables. Data on egg distributions have never previously been used since molecular analyses are mandatory to identify tuna eggs to species level. However, in this study we use molecularly derived egg distribution data, in addition to larval data, to characterize hydrographic and biological drivers of the spatial distribution of eggs and larvae of bluefin Thunnus thynnus and albacore tuna Thunnus alalunga in the Balearic Sea, a main spawning area of these species in the Mediterranean. The effects of the hydrography, characterized by salinity, temperature and geostrophic velocity, on the spatial distributions of the eggs and larvae are investigated. Three biological variables are used to describe the productivity in the area: chlorophyll a in the mixed layer, chlorophyll a in the deep chlorophyll maximum and mesozooplankton biomass in the mixed layer. Our results point to the importance of salinity fronts and temperatures above a minimum threshold in shaping the egg and larval distribution of both species. The spatial distribution of the biotic variables was very scattered, and they did not emerge as significant variables in the presence-absence models. However, they became significant when modeling egg and larval abundances. The lack of correlation between the three biotic variables challenges the use of chlorophyll a to describe trophic scenarios for the larvae and suggests that the spatial distribution of resources is not persistent in time. The different patterns in relation to biotic variables across species and stages found in this and other studies indicate a still elusive understanding of the link between trophic levels involving tuna early larval stages. Our ability to improve short-term forecasting and long-term predictions of climate effects on the egg and larval distributions is discussed based on the consistency of

  15. Economic and Security Reasons Why the U.S. Should Normalize Relations with Cuba

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-06-01

    45 “Overview of Cuban Business Environment.” 27 Table 2. Active International Economic...reveals the depth and variety of Cuba’s FDI. By the end of 2000, the approximately 400 joint ventures in business in Cuba by the end of 2000...47 “Cuba Facts.” 48 “Overview of Cuban Business Environment.” 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 1993 1994 1995

  16. Improving the safety and quality of raw tuna fillets by x-ray irradiation

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In this study, raw tuna fillet (25 g) samples were inoculated by immersing in 0.1% peptone water that contained 108-9 CFU ml-1 of a three-strain mixture of Salmonella enterica for 1 min. The samples were then air dried at 22 oC for 30 min and were packaged separately in sterilized bags prior to X-ra...

  17. Origin of invasive Florida frogs traced to Cuba

    PubMed Central

    Heinicke, Matthew P.; Diaz, Luis M.; Hedges, S. Blair

    2011-01-01

    Two of the earliest examples of successful invasive amphibians are the greenhouse frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris) and the Cuban treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) in Florida. Although both are generally assumed to be recent introductions, they are widespread on Caribbean islands and also have been proposed as natural colonizers. We obtained nucleotide sequence data for both species and their closest relatives in their native and introduced ranges. Phylogenetic analyses trace the origin of E. planirostris to a small area in western Cuba, while O. septentrionalis is derived from at least two Cuban sources, one probably a remote peninsula in western Cuba. The tropical-to-temperate invasion began with colonization of the Florida Keys followed by human-mediated dispersal within peninsular Florida. The subtropical Keys may have served as an adaptive stepping stone for the successful invasion of the North American continent. PMID:21270024

  18. 8 CFR 1245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 1245.13 Section 1245.13 Aliens and Nationality... nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. (a) Aliens eligible to apply for adjustment. An... Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided in paragraph (o) of this section, has been physically present in...

  19. 8 CFR 1245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 1245.13 Section 1245.13 Aliens and Nationality... nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. (a) Aliens eligible to apply for adjustment. An... Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided in paragraph (o) of this section, has been physically present in...

  20. 8 CFR 1245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 1245.13 Section 1245.13 Aliens and Nationality... nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. (a) Aliens eligible to apply for adjustment. An... Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided in paragraph (o) of this section, has been physically present in...

  1. 8 CFR 1245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 1245.13 Section 1245.13 Aliens and Nationality... nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. (a) Aliens eligible to apply for adjustment. An... Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided in paragraph (o) of this section, has been physically present in...

  2. 8 CFR 1245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 1245.13 Section 1245.13 Aliens and Nationality... nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. (a) Aliens eligible to apply for adjustment. An... Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided in paragraph (o) of this section, has been physically present in...

  3. 76 FR 68332 - International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; Fishing Restrictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-04

    ...://www.iattc.org/ResolutionsActiveENG.htm . Changes to Tuna Conservation Measures for 2011-2013... fishing vessels that often leads to loss of data critical to weather forecasting, tsunami warnings, search... of Climate Observations at http://osmc.noaa.gov/Monitor/OSMC/OSMC.html , also provides information...

  4. The Cuba-United States Thaw: Building Bridges Through Science and Global Health.

    PubMed

    Bausch, Daniel G; Kouri, Vivian; Resik, Sonia; Acosta, Belsy; Guillen, Gerardo; Goraleski, Karen; Espinal, Marcos; Guzman, Maria G

    2017-06-01

    AbstractBeginning in 2014, there has been significant progress in normalization of relations between Cuba and the United States. Herein, we discuss the history and recent progress in scientific collaboration between the two countries as well as the continued challenges. Science and global health diplomacy can be key tools in reestablishing a trusting and productive relationship of mutual and global benefit, bringing about better and healthier lives for people in both Cuba and the United States.

  5. In Defense of Clinical Autopsy and Its Practice in Cuba.

    PubMed

    Espinosa-Brito, Alfredo D; de Mendoza-Amat, José Hurtado

    2017-01-01

    There has been a notable decrease in the global practice of clinical autopsy; the rate has fallen to below 10%, even in high-income countries. This is attributed to several causes, including increased costs, overreliance on modern diagnostic techniques, cultural and religious factors, the emergence of new infectious diseases and negative attitudes on the part of doctors, even pathologists. Alternative methods to autopsy in postmortem studies have been developed based on imaging, endoscopy and biopsy (all quite expensive). These methods have been used in developed countries but never as effectively as the classic autopsy for identifying cause of death and potential medical errors. Although Cuba has also seen a decrease in its autopsy rates, they remain comparatively high. Between 1996 and 2015, there were 687,689 hospital deaths in Cuba and 381,193 autopsies, 55.4% of the total. These autopsies have positively affected medical care, training, research, innovation, management and society as a whole. Autopsies are an important tool in the National Health System's quest for safe, quality patient care based on the lessons learned from studying the deceased. KEYWORDS Autopsy, postmortem examination, postmortem diagnosis, quality of care, patient safety, medical error, Cuba.

  6. The Large-Scale Deployment of Fish Aggregation Devices Alters Environmentally-Based Migratory Behavior of Skipjack Tuna in the Western Pacific Ocean

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xuefang; Chen, Yong; Truesdell, Samuel; Xu, Liuxiong; Cao, Jie; Guan, Wenjiang

    2014-01-01

    Fish aggregation devices (FADs) have been used extensively in the tuna purse seine fishery since the 1980s. This long-term modification of natural habitat has generated discussions as to whether FADs impact movement patterns of tuna species. We examined this question using data collected from the skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) fishery. We used the longitudinal gravitational center of catch (G) to examine temporal variability in skipjack movement in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, and related this to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. We found that in most cases G for free-swimming school sets changed with the onset of ENSO events, while G for floating-object-associated school sets remained relatively constant. This suggests that skipjack exhibit distinguishable behavioral strategies in response to ENSO events: they either react by moving long distances or they associate with floating objects. There has been no previous attempt to evaluate the interaction between FADs and the environmentally-determined movement of skipjack; this study shows evidence of an interaction, which should be considered when managing skipjack populations. PMID:24849561

  7. 31 CFR 515.560 - Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ..., and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction. 515.560 Section 515.560 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 515.560 Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S... guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign firms (general and...

  8. 31 CFR 515.560 - Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction. 515.560 Section 515.560 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 515.560 Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S... Department of Commerce regulations and guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or...

  9. 31 CFR 515.560 - Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ..., and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction. 515.560 Section 515.560 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 515.560 Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S... Department of Commerce regulations and guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or...

  10. 31 CFR 515.560 - Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ..., and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction. 515.560 Section 515.560 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 515.560 Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S... Department of Commerce regulations and guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or...

  11. 31 CFR 515.560 - Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ..., and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction. 515.560 Section 515.560 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 515.560 Travel-related transactions to, from, and within Cuba by persons subject to U.S... Department of Commerce regulations and guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or...

  12. Cuba: Multidimensional numerical integration library

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hahn, Thomas

    2016-08-01

    The Cuba library offers four independent routines for multidimensional numerical integration: Vegas, Suave, Divonne, and Cuhre. The four algorithms work by very different methods, and can integrate vector integrands and have very similar Fortran, C/C++, and Mathematica interfaces. Their invocation is very similar, making it easy to cross-check by substituting one method by another. For further safeguarding, the output is supplemented by a chi-square probability which quantifies the reliability of the error estimate.

  13. Geology of the manganese deposits of Cuba

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Simons, Frank S.; Straczek, John A.

    1958-01-01

    Deposits of manganese ore have been found in five of the six provinces of Cuba and have been reported from the sixth.  Only Oriente and Pinar del Rio provinces have more than a few known deposits and only the deposits of Oriente have yielded any appreciable amount of ore.

  14. Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-03-18

    April 21, 2008, ten members of the Ladies in White were 12 Comision Cubana de Derechos Humanos y...Reconciliacion Nacional, “Cuba en el año 2009: la situacíon de derechos civiles, políticos y económicos,” February 2, 2009. 13 Anita Snow, “Cuban

  15. Kudoa hexapunctata n. sp. (Myxozoa: Multivalvulida) from the somatic muscle of Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis and re-description of K. neothunni in yellowfin tuna T. albacares.

    PubMed

    Yokoyama, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Jun; Shirakashi, Sho

    2014-08-01

    Since Kudoa septempunctata in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) was indicated to cause food poisoning in humans, other Kudoa species are suspected to have pathogenic potential. Recently, a myxosporean possibly associated with food poisoning in humans consuming raw Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis, was identified as Kudoa neothunni. This is a known causative myxosporean of post-harvest myoliquefaction in yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares. Regardless of the significant differences in the 28S rDNA sequence and the pathological character (with/without myoliquefaction) between the two T. orientalis and T. albacares isolates, they were considered intraspecific variants of K. neothunni. However, the light and low-vacuum electron microscopic observations in the present study revealed that there were two morphotypes; pointed- and round-type spores, which were significantly differentiated by the ratio of suture width to spore width. Furthermore, the two morphotypes were genetically distinguishable by the 28S rDNA sequence analysis. This morphological and molecular evidence validates that the two Kudoa types are separate species, and thus the pointed- and round-types are referred to as K. neothunni and Kudoa hexapunctata n. sp., respectively. K. neothunni was detected solely from T. albacares, whereas K. hexapunctata n. sp. was found not only from T. orientalis but also from T. albacares. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. High proportion of mannosidosis and fucosidosis among lysosomal storage diseases in Cuba.

    PubMed

    Menéndez-Sainz, C; González-Quevedo, A; González-García, S; Peña-Sánchez, M; Giugliani, R

    2012-08-13

    Although lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are considered individually rare, as a group they present a non-negligible frequency. Few studies have been made of populational occurrence of LSDs; they have been conducted predominantly on Caucasian populations. We studied the occurrence of LSDs in Cuba. Data from individuals who had been referred to the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery in Havana from hospitals all over the country between January 1990 and December 2005 were analyzed. This institute was the only laboratory to provide enzyme-based diagnostic testing for 19 LSDs in Cuba during this period. Occurrence rates were calculated by dividing the number of postnatal diagnoses by the number of births during the study period. The combined occurrence of LSDs in Cuba was 5.6 per 100,000, lower than that reported in other studies conducted on Caucasian populations. The most frequent individual LSDs were: mucopolysaccharidosis type I (1.01 per 100,000) and, surprisingly, alpha-mannosidosis (0.72 per 100,000) and fucosidosis (0.62 per 100,000). These findings may be related to specific genetic characteristics and admixture of the Cuban population. This is the first comprehensive study of the occurrence of LSDs in Cuba. We conclude that the epidemiology of these diseases can vary regionally, and we stress the need for similar surveys in other Latin American countries.

  17. The Tunas Formation (Permian) in the Sierras Australes foldbelt, east central Argentina: evidence for syntectonic sedimentation in a foreland basin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lopez-Gamundi, O. R.; Conaghan, P. J.; Rossello, E. A.; Cobbold, P. R.

    1995-04-01

    The Tunas Formation, extensively exposed in the Sierras Australes foldbelt of eastern central Argentina, completes the sedimentation of the Gondwanan (Late Carboniferous-Permian) sequence, locally known as the Pillahuincó Group. The underlying units of the Group show an integrated depositional history which can be explained in terms of glaciomarine sedimentation (Sauce Grande Formation) and postglacial transgression (Piedra Azul and Bonete Formations). This succession also has a rather uniform quartz-rich, sand-sized composition indicative of a cratonic provenance from the Tandilia Massif to the northeast. Early to Late Permian deformation folded and thrusted the southwestern basin margin (Sierras Australes) and triggered the deposition of a 1,500 m — thick, synorogenic prograding wedge, the Tunas Formation, in the adjacent foreland basin (Sauce Grande or Claromecó Basin). Sandstone detrital modes for the Tunas deposits show moderate to low contents of quartz and abundant lithics, mostly of volcanic and metasedimentary origin. Paleocurrents are consistently from the SW. Tuffs interbedded with sandstones in the upper half of Tunas Formation (Early — early Late? Permian) are interpreted as being derived from volcanic glass-rich tuffs settled in a body of water. Extensive rhyolitic ignimbrites and consanguineous airborne tuffaceous material erupted in the northern Patagonian region during that period. The age constraints and similarities in composition between these volcanics and the tuffaceous horizons present in the Sauce Grande, Parana and Karoo Basins suggest a genetic linkage between these two episodes. The intimate relationship between volcanic activity inboard of the paleo-Pacific margin, deformation in the adjacent orogenic belt and subsidence and sedimentation in the contiguous foreland basin constitutes a common motif in the Sauce Grande and Karoo Basins of southwestern Gondwana.

  18. 8 CFR 245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 245.13 Section 245.13 Aliens and Nationality... PERMANENT RESIDENCE § 245.13 Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public... section 241(a)(5) of the Act, if the alien: (1) Is a national of Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided...

  19. 8 CFR 245.13 - Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public Law 105-100. 245.13 Section 245.13 Aliens and Nationality... PERMANENT RESIDENCE § 245.13 Adjustment of status of certain nationals of Nicaragua and Cuba under Public... section 241(a)(5) of the Act, if the alien: (1) Is a national of Nicaragua or Cuba; (2) Except as provided...

  20. Transverse tectonic zonation of Cuba and its significance for oil exploration

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Levchenko, V.A.

    The Laramide structures of Cuba and its continental shelf, which are oriented sublatitudinally, are divided into variously elevated blocks by transverse faults of submeridional strike, movements along which have occurred since the end of the Paleozoic. This division, inherited from the region's pre-Mesozoic stage of development, has determined the heterogeneous composition of the Cuban geosyncline's folded basement, which may be characterized by an alternation of areas of Paleozoic uplifts and intervening grabens filled with metamorphosed deposits of Early and Middle Jurassic and Triassic age, and also areas of oceanic crust. In the concluding phase of the Laramide orogeny, there weremore » northward strike-slip movements of individual blocks in the central part of Cuba. The oil potential of Cuba is associated mainly with the depressed blocks, above which the section through the Mesozoic deposits may be presumed to be more complete. The best potential for finding oil exists in the zones of the transverse regional faults along which there may have been both lateral and vertical migration of oil hydrocarbons in the stages of crustal upwarp and extension.« less

  1. Cuba in Transition: Communism vs Charisma Who Will Emerge as Cuba’s Next Leader

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-04-04

    38 Olivo Verde, Defense of the Socialist Homeland, 6 March 1986. 26 MajGen Frias LtGen Espinosa MajGen Sola Cuban forces.39 The FAR is...comprised of three separate branches: the Army (Ejercito 150,000 troops strong), the Navy [Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria (MG) 5,000 troops strong] and...Cintro Frias , and is headquartered in Havana. The Eastern Army Corps, is led by General Ramon Espinosa Martin, and is headquartered in Santiago de Cuba

  2. Feeding habits of the Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (L. 1758), in the central Mediterranean Sea (Strait of Messina)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Battaglia, Pietro; Andaloro, Franco; Consoli, Pierpaolo; Esposito, Valentina; Malara, Danilo; Musolino, Simona; Pedà, Cristina; Romeo, Teresa

    2013-03-01

    The study of feeding habits of the Atlantic bluefin tuna was carried out in 123 specimens, ranging from 115 to 222 cm fork length (FL) and collected during spring seasons of 2010 and 2011 in the central Mediterranean Sea (Strait of Messina). The analysis of stomach contents allowed us to identify 91 taxa of prey items, mainly belonging to Teleostea (54), Cephalopoda (20) and Crustacea (13). The percentage of index of relative abundance ( IRI) shows the highest values for the myctophid Hygophum benoiti (% IRI = 22.854) and the stomiid Chauliodus sloani (% IRI = 15.124), followed by the oegopsid squid Illex coindetii (% IRI = 14.316). The broad spectrum of prey items could suggest a generalist behavior of this predator, with several species that occasionally occurs in its diet. However, if prey are grouped into food categories, the importance of mesopelagic and benthopelagic fishes can be appreciated (54.41 % of % IRI). The assessment of the hypothetical foraging rhythm of the Atlantic bluefin tuna highlighted that its feeding activity is concentrated on diel migrating fauna during night and on larger preys upon daylight. The predation on the high-energetic food as mesopelagic and bathypelagic fishes during the pre-spawning and the spawning period may bring an energetic advantage in tuna metabolism and gonadal maturation

  3. Comparing the Role of Education in Serving Socioeconomic and Political Development in Tanzania and Cuba.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mtonga, Harry L.

    1993-01-01

    Compares Tanzania and Cuba to show how, in each case, the state has used education in political and socioeconomic development as a means of achieving socialism. In Cuba, the school system has contributed to creation of the new society, whereas Tanzania continues with piecemeal reconstruction of the educational system. (SLD)

  4. Comparison of family planning in Cuba and Ireland.

    PubMed

    Smyth, Suzie; Stronge, Shirley

    2015-08-26

    Family planning gives individuals and couples control and choice over the number of children they have and the timing of their births. Developments in reproductive health have resulted in major changes in the options for family planning, providing more choice and control over fertility. This article explores reproductive health in the Republic of Cuba and the Republic of Ireland, with a focus on contraceptive use and termination of pregnancy as methods of family planning. The predominant religion in both countries is Catholicism, which promotes the right to life of the unborn child. The two countries have adopted different approaches to the availability of both contraception and termination of pregnancy. Cuba has offered free access to contraception and termination of pregnancy since the 1960s to reduce maternal mortality. In Ireland, contraception was not widely available until 1995 and termination of pregnancy is available only in extremely limited circumstances.

  5. Eradication of poliomyelitis in Cuba: a historical perspective.

    PubMed Central

    Más Lago, P.

    1999-01-01

    The eradication of poliomyelitis in Cuba, for which effective vaccines had to be acquired, is reviewed in this article. The strategy for eradication was based on mass immunization campaigns for the annual delivery of two doses of trivalent Sabin oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). Except during the first campaign in 1962, the ages of the children for immunization were determined through national serological surveys of the entire country, including rural and urban areas. The interruption of wild virus transmission had been suspected since 1967 in Cuba, and since 1970 no studies have detected any wild virus. The important role of political and social organizations in the success of the programme and in the execution of the mass immunization campaigns is underscored. Countries that have successfully interrupted poliovirus circulation should maintain high immunization coverage for as long as there are other countries in the world where poliovirus still exists. PMID:10516790

  6. Assessment of yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) as a surrogate host for the production of southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) seed via spermatogonial germ cell transplantation.

    PubMed

    Bar, Ido; Smith, Andre; Bubner, Erin; Yoshizaki, Goro; Takeuchi, Yutaka; Yazawa, Ryosuke; Chen, Ben Nan; Cummins, Scott; Elizur, Abigail

    2016-10-01

    Germ cell transplantation is an innovative technology for the production of interspecies surrogates, capable of facilitating easier and more economical management of large-bodied broodstock, such as the bluefin tuna. The present study explored the suitability of yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) as a surrogate host for transplanted southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) spermatogonial cells to produce tuna donor-derived gametes upon sexual maturity. Germ cell populations in testes of donor T. maccoyii males were described using basic histology and the molecular markers vasa and dead-end genes. The peripheral area of the testis was found to contain the highest proportions of dead-end-expressing transplantable Type A spermatogonia. T. maccoyii Type A spermatogonia-enriched preparations were transplanted into the coelomic cavity of 6-10-day-old post-hatch S. lalandi larvae. Fluorescence microscopy and polymerase chain reaction analysis detected the presence of tuna cells in the gonads of the transplanted kingfish fingerlings at 18, 28, 39 and 75 days after transplantation, indicating that the transplanted cells migrated to the genital ridge and had colonised the developing gonad. T. maccoyii germ cell-derived DNA or RNA was not detected at later stages, suggesting that the donor cells were not maintained in the hosts' gonads.

  7. Tuberculosis mortality trends in cuba, 1998 to 2007.

    PubMed

    González, Edilberto; Risco, Grisel E; Borroto, Susana; Perna, Abel; Armas, Luisa

    2009-01-01

    Introduction Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of illness and death throughout the world. The World Health Organization's Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-2015 proposes that countries cut TB mortality by half compared to 1990 rates. In Cuba, TB mortality declined steadily throughout the 20th century, particularly after 1960. Objective Describe TB mortality distribution and trends in Cuba from January 1998 to December 2007 by infection site, sex, age and province, and determine progress towards the WHO's 2015 target for TB mortality reduction. Methods A time series ecological study was conducted. Death certificates stating TB as cause of death were obtained from the Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division, and population data by age group, sex, and province were obtained from the National Statistics Bureau. Crude and specific death rate trends and variation were analyzed. Results TB mortality declined from 0.4 per 100,000 population in 1998 to 0.2 (under half the 1990 rate) in 2007. Clinical forms of the disease, both pulmonary and extrapulmonary, also declined. The highest mortality rates were found in males and in the group aged ≥ 65 years. Rates were also highest in the capital, Havana, with extreme values of 0.73 and 0.39 per 100,000 population at the beginning and end of the period, respectively. Conclusions Deaths from TB declined steadily compared to total deaths and deaths caused by infectious diseases. The Global Plan to Stop TB target was met well ahead of 2015. If this trend continues, TB is likely to become an exceptional cause of death in Cuba.

  8. Teaching American Diplomacy Using Primary Sources: Cuba

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kraft, Michael; Anderson, David J.; Starbird, Caroline; Ertenberg, Samantha

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this book is to allow high school students to examine the relationship between Cuba and the United States by studying a rich collection of primary materials and classroom-ready lessons which incorporate those materials. This book contains materials from 27 primary sources, including texts of speeches before the House and Senate,…

  9. Development and validation of a mixed-tissue oligonucleotide DNA microarray for Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758).

    PubMed

    Trumbić, Željka; Bekaert, Michaël; Taggart, John B; Bron, James E; Gharbi, Karim; Mladineo, Ivona

    2015-11-25

    The largest of the tuna species, Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), inhabits the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and is considered to be an endangered species, largely a consequence of overfishing. T. thynnus aquaculture, referred to as fattening or farming, is a capture based activity dependent on yearly renewal from the wild. Thus, the development of aquaculture practices independent of wild resources can provide an important contribution towards ensuring security and sustainability of this species in the longer-term. The development of such practices is today greatly assisted by large scale transcriptomic studies. We have used pyrosequencing technology to sequence a mixed-tissue normalised cDNA library, derived from adult T. thynnus. A total of 976,904 raw sequence reads were assembled into 33,105 unique transcripts having a mean length of 893 bases and an N50 of 870. Of these, 33.4% showed similarity to known proteins or gene transcripts and 86.6% of them were matched to the congeneric Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) genome, compared to 70.3% for the more distantly related Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) genome. Transcript sequences were used to develop a novel 15 K Agilent oligonucleotide DNA microarray for T. thynnus and comparative tissue gene expression profiles were inferred for gill, heart, liver, ovaries and testes. Functional contrasts were strongest between gills and ovaries. Gills were particularly associated with immune system, signal transduction and cell communication, while ovaries displayed signatures of glycan biosynthesis, nucleotide metabolism, transcription, translation, replication and repair. Sequence data generated from a novel mixed-tissue T. thynnus cDNA library provide an important transcriptomic resource that can be further employed for study of various aspects of T. thynnus ecology and genomics, with strong applications in aquaculture. Tissue-specific gene expression profiles inferred through the

  10. Biomagnification of mercury and its antagonistic interaction with selenium in yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares in the trophic web of Baja California Sur, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Ordiano-Flores, Alfredo; Rosíles-Martínez, Rene; Galván-Magaña, Felipe

    2012-12-01

    Mercury and selenium concentrations were determined in muscle of 37 yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) captured aboard of Mexican purse-seiners boats off western coast of Baja California Sur, between Punta Eugenia and Cabo Falso, from October to December 2006. Also, its prey (mainly, jumbo squid Dosidicus gigas and pelagic red crab Pleuroncodes planipes) were analyzed from the stomach contents. All the mercury values obtained were lower that mercury content recommended by standard legal limits for seafood adopted by Mexican norms (typically 0.5-1.0μg g(-1)). Mercury concentrations vary between 0.06 and 0.51μg g(-1) in yellowfin tuna, and from 0.01 to 0.20μg g(-1) in its prey, suggesting that mercury can accumulate in prey tissues and that of their predator. Biomagnification factors (BMF) between predator-prey associations were calculated. The BMFs were >1, indicating that mercury biomagnifies along the food web of yellowfin tuna. In all species studied there was a molar excess of selenium over mercury. The rank order of mean selenium/mercury molar ratios was for pufferfish (42.62)> diamond squid (15.09)>yellowfin tuna (10.29)>pelagic red crab (10.05)>panama lightfish (9.54)> jumbo squid (8.91). The selenium health benefit value (Se-HBV) was calculated to have an improved understanding of the health benefits and risk of fish consumption. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Knowledge of the Brain Death Concept Among the Population of Havana, Cuba.

    PubMed

    Ríos, A; López-Navas, A I; Sánchez, Á; Martinez-Alarcon, L; Ayala, M A; Garrido, G; Sebastián, M J; Ramis, G; Abdo-Cuza, A; Hernández, A; Ramírez, P; Parrilla, P

    2018-03-01

    One of the main reasons against organ donation is the fear of apparent death due to ignorance of the brain death concept. Our aim was to assess knowledge about and acceptance of the brain death concept among the population of Havana, Cuba. The population screened, stratified by gender and age, included those >15 years old and living in Havana, Cuba. The appraisal tool utilized was a questionnaire on attitude toward organ donation ("PCID-DTO Ríos"). A random selection of individuals were surveyed according to the stratification. Cuba's census data were used. The participation was anonymized and self-administered. The verbal consent of participants was provided. There were 920 respondents: 31% (n = 282) knew the concept of brain death and accepted it; 57% (n = 529) did not; and 12% (n = 109) had a misperception, or did not accept brain death as a person's death. Those who knew and accepted the concept had a more favorable attitude toward their own organ donation after death (85% vs 61%; P < .001). The psychosocial factors related to the knowledge of brain death concept were: the gender (P = .002), to make up for speaking at a family level about the organ transplant (P < .001), the couple's opinion about the organ donation (P < .001) and the religion (P < .001). The brain death concept is not well understood in the population of Havana, Cuba. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. The malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum in the endemic avifauna of eastern Cuba.

    PubMed

    Soares, Letícia; Marra, Peter; Gray, Lindsey; Ricklefs, Robert E

    2017-12-01

    Island populations are vulnerable to introduced pathogens, as evidenced by extinction or population decline of several endemic Hawaiian birds caused by the malaria parasite, Plasmodium relictum (order Haemosporida). We analyzed blood samples from 363 birds caught near Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for the presence of haemosporidian infections. We characterized parasite lineages by determining nucleotide variation of the parasite's mitochondrial cyt b gene. Fifty-nine individuals were infected, and we identified 7 lineages of haemosporidian parasites. Fifty individuals were infected by 6 Haemoproteus sp. lineages, including a newly characterized lineage of Haem. (Parahaemoproteus) sp. CUH01. Nine individuals carried the P. relictum lineage GRW4, including 5 endemic Cuban Grassquits (Tiaris canorus) and 1 migratory Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina). A sequence of the merozoite surface protein gene from one Cuban Grassquit infected with GRW4 matched that of the Hawaiian haplotype Pr9. Our results indicate that resident and migratory Cuban birds are infected with a malaria lineage that has severely affected populations of several endemic Hawaiian birds. We suggest GRW4 may be associated with the lack of several bird species on Cuba that are ubiquitous elsewhere in the West Indies. From the standpoint of avian conservation in the Caribbean Basin, it will be important to determine the distribution of haemosporidian parasites, especially P. relictum GRW4, in Cuba as well as the pathogenicity of this lineage in species that occur and are absent from Cuba. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

  13. Education in Cuba. Bulletin, 1943, No. 1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turosienski, Severin K.

    1943-01-01

    Education in Cuba is one of several basic studies on education in the other American republics planned by the U.S. Office of Education as a part of a program to promote better understanding of education in the Latin American countries and to encourage closer educational cooperation. The study is based on first-hand data gathered by the author…

  14. Spatial and Temporal Changes in the Distribution of Blood Fluke Infection in Nicolea gracilibranchis (Polychaeta: Terebellidae), the Intermediate Host for Cardicola orientalis (Digenea: Aporocotylidae), at a Tuna Farming Site in Japan.

    PubMed

    Shirakashi, Sho; Tani, Kazuki; Ishimuru, Katsuya; Honryo, Tomoki; Shin, Sang Phil; Uchida, Hiro'omi; Ogawa, Kazuo

    2017-10-01

    Fish blood flukes of the genus Cardicola (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) are important pathogens in tuna aquaculture. Recent advances in marine blood fluke research have led to the elucidation of the lifecycles of 3 Cardicola spp. infecting tuna; all 3 flukes utilize terebellid polychaetes as the intermediate host. In our survey, we obtained large numbers of Nicolea gracilibranchis infected by larval Cardicola orientalis at our tuna farming site. To determine the spatial and temporal changes in the distribution of N. gracilibranchis surrounding tuna culture cages and their infection by C. orientalis, we conducted monthly sampling for a period of 1 yr. Terebellids were most abundant on the floats and ropes of culture cages, but a significantly higher proportion of infected N. gracilibranchis was detected on ropes, particularly up to 4 m in depth. Cardicola orientalis infection in N. gracilibranchis was clearly seasonal, with a higher infection rate between April and July. Our findings indicate that the infected terebellids inhabit specific microhabitats, and both abiotic and biotic factors likely influence blood fluke infection in the intermediate terebellid host. This information is important to better understand the general biology of marine aporocotylids and may be useful to develop a control strategy for blood fluke infection in tuna aquaculture.

  15. 31 CFR 515.563 - Journalistic activities in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Journalistic activities in Cuba. 515.563 Section 515.563 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... free-lance journalistic project upon submission of an adequate written application including the...

  16. 31 CFR 515.563 - Journalistic activities in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Journalistic activities in Cuba. 515.563 Section 515.563 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... free-lance journalistic project upon submission of an adequate written application including the...

  17. 31 CFR 515.563 - Journalistic activities in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Journalistic activities in Cuba. 515.563 Section 515.563 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... free-lance journalistic project upon submission of an adequate written application including the...

  18. 31 CFR 515.563 - Journalistic activities in Cuba.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Journalistic activities in Cuba. 515.563 Section 515.563 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... free-lance journalistic project upon submission of an adequate written application including the...

  19. [Estimation of infant and child mortality in the eastern provinces of Cuba].

    PubMed

    Gonzalez, G; Herrera, L

    1986-01-01

    An estimate of infant and child mortality in the eastern provinces of Cuba is presented using the Brass method as adapted by Trussell. "Estimations by urban and rural zones are also performed within the provinces studied, and results are compared with those possible to obtain by continuous statistics. Results obtained show that in the eastern [part] of the country Holguin and Guantanamo are the provinces with highest infantile mortality rates, and the lowest rates correspond to Granma, followed by Santiago de Cuba." (SUMMARY IN ENG AND FRE) excerpt

  20. Use of commercially available antimicrobial compounds for prevention of Listeria monocytogenes growth in ready-to-eat minced tuna and salmon roe during shelf life.

    PubMed

    Takahashi, Hajime; Kuramoto, Shintaro; Miya, Satoko; Koiso, Hiroaki; Kuda, Takashi; Kimura, Bon

    2011-06-01

    Listeria monocytogenes found in minced tuna and fish roe can cause listeriosis. These products are classified in category B according to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, i.e., ready-to-eat foods in which L. monocytogenes growth can occur. We investigated the effectiveness of nisin and other commercially available antimicrobial compounds (lysozyme, ε-polylysine, and chitosan) for prevention of L. monocytogenes growth during the expected shelf life of raw minced tuna and salmon roe products. Food samples inoculated with L. monocytogenes were incubated with each antimicrobial at 10°C for 7 days or at 25°C for 12 h. Nisaplin (an antimicrobial containing nisin) effectively inhibited L. monocytogenes growth in minced tuna at 500 ppm and in salmon roe at 250 ppm within their standard shelf lives. The effective concentration of each antimicrobial was determined: 2,000 ppm for ART FRESH 50/50 (containing lysozyme) and SAN KEEPER No. 381 (containing ε-polylysine) and 10,000 ppm for SAN KEEPER K-3 (containing chitosan).

  1. Cuba: plenty of care, few condoms, no corruption.

    PubMed

    Veeken, H

    1995-10-07

    The health system in Cuba guarantees accessibility to the entire population, is free of charge, and covers the spectrum from vaccinations to sophisticated interventions. The results are impressive: Cuba's health figures are on a par with developed countries that have 20 times the budget. The country is experiencing a difficult period because of the collapse and loss of support from the Soviet Union; over 30 years' trade embargo by the United States; and the gradual change from a centrally planned economy towards more of a free market system. Shortages are experienced in every sector, and maintaining health care services at the current level is too expensive. Doctors and nurses continue to work towards the goal of health for all Cubans, even though their salaries are minimal. Signs of negligence or corruption, often seen in other socialist countries where incentives for output are lacking, are unknown. Topics such as family planning and AIDS deserve immediate attention.

  2. Epidemiology of Suicide in Cuba, 1987-2014.

    PubMed

    Corona-Miranda, Beatriz; Hernández-Sánchez, Mariela; Lomba-Acevedo, Paula

    2016-07-01

    INTRODUCTION Suicide is a health problem influenced by biological, genetic, psychological, social and economic factors. It is responsible for 50% of violent deaths in the male population, worldwide, and 71% in the female. In the Americas, 65,000 deaths by suicide occur every year. It is the ninth most frequent cause of death in Cuba, and third among people aged 10-19. OBJECTIVE Characterize the epidemiology of suicide in Cuba from 1987 to 2014. METHODS A retrospective descriptive study was conducted. The information comprised all records of death by suicide from January 1, 1987 to December 31, 2014, in the Cuban Ministry of Public Health's National Statistics Division database. The variables were sex, age, skin color, employment status/occupation, marital status, and method of suicide. Crude and age-standardized mortality rates and age-sex specific mortality rates were calculated, all per 100,000 population, as well as the sex ratio. Relative change over the series was calculated as a percentage. Distribution of suicides by variable was calculated and proportions expressed as percentages. RESULTS A total of 51,113 deaths by suicide were reported (annual average 1825), of which 34,671 (67.8%) were among men. The sex ratio was 2.1:1 for the entire study period, and 3.9:1 for 2011-2014. Over the course of the period studied, age-standardized suicide rates decreased from 23.9 to 10.8 per 100,000 population (54.8% reduction). The group aged ≥60 years had the highest average age-standardized rate, 44.6 per 100,000 population. The highest suicide burden by age was in the group aged 20-59 years (60.5%). By skin color, the highest burden was in those recorded as white, 68.9%. By marital status, the highest burden was in persons with a stable partner (46.7%), and by employment status/occupation, in retired (25.9%). The most commonly used method was hanging (59.4%). CONCLUSIONS Over the course of about three decades, suicide mortality rates have declined by almost half and

  3. Quantifying energy intake in Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) using the heat increment of feeding.

    PubMed

    Whitlock, R E; Walli, A; Cermeño, P; Rodriguez, L E; Farwell, C; Block, B A

    2013-11-01

    Using implanted archival tags, we examined the effects of meal caloric value, food type (sardine or squid) and ambient temperature on the magnitude and duration of the heat increment of feeding in three captive juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna. The objective of our study was to develop a model that can be used to estimate energy intake in wild fish of similar body mass. Both the magnitude and duration of the heat increment of feeding (measured by visceral warming) showed a strong positive correlation with the caloric value of the ingested meal. Controlling for meal caloric value, the extent of visceral warming was significantly greater at lower ambient temperature. The extent of visceral warming was also significantly higher for squid meals compared with sardine meals. By using a hierarchical Bayesian model to analyze our data and treating individuals as random effects, we demonstrate how increases in visceral temperature can be used to estimate the energy intake of wild Pacific bluefin tuna of similar body mass to the individuals used in our study.

  4. Temperature effects on metabolic rate of juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis.

    PubMed

    Blank, Jason M; Morrissette, Jeffery M; Farwell, Charles J; Price, Matthew; Schallert, Robert J; Block, Barbara A

    2007-12-01

    Pacific bluefin tuna inhabit a wide range of thermal environments across the Pacific ocean. To examine how metabolism varies across this thermal range, we studied the effect of ambient water temperature on metabolic rate of juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, swimming in a swim tunnel. Rate of oxygen consumption (MO2) was measured at ambient temperatures of 8-25 degrees C and swimming speeds of 0.75-1.75 body lengths (BL) s(-1). Pacific bluefin swimming at 1 BL s(-1) per second exhibited a U-shaped curve of metabolic rate vs ambient temperature, with a thermal minimum zone between 15 degrees C to 20 degrees C. Minimum MO2 of 175+/-29 mg kg(-1) h(-1) was recorded at 15 degrees C, while both cold and warm temperatures resulted in increased metabolic rates of 331+/-62 mg kg(-1) h(-1) at 8 degrees C and 256+/-19 mg kg(-1) h(-1) at 25 degrees C. Tailbeat frequencies were negatively correlated with ambient temperature. Additional experiments indicated that the increase in MO2 at low temperature occurred only at low swimming speeds. Ambient water temperature data from electronic tags implanted in wild fish indicate that Pacific bluefin of similar size to the experimental fish used in the swim tunnel spend most of their time in ambient temperatures in the metabolic thermal minimum zone.

  5. Situation Reports--Cuba, Guyana, St. Vincent, and Surinam.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Planned Parenthood Federation, London (England).

    Data relating to population and family planning in four foreign countries are presented in these situation reports. Countries included are Cuba, Guyana, St. Vincent, and Surinam. Information is provided, where appropriate and available, under two topics, general background and family planning situation. General background covers ethnic groups,…

  6. Detecting the presence-absence of bluefin tuna by automated analysis of medium-range sonars on fishing vessels

    PubMed Central

    Uranga, Jon; Arrizabalaga, Haritz; Boyra, Guillermo; Hernandez, Maria Carmen; Goñi, Nicolas; Arregui, Igor; Fernandes, Jose A.; Yurramendi, Yosu; Santiago, Josu

    2017-01-01

    This study presents a methodology for the automated analysis of commercial medium-range sonar signals for detecting presence/absence of bluefin tuna (Tunnus thynnus) in the Bay of Biscay. The approach uses image processing techniques to analyze sonar screenshots. For each sonar image we extracted measurable regions and analyzed their characteristics. Scientific data was used to classify each region into a class (“tuna” or “no-tuna”) and build a dataset to train and evaluate classification models by using supervised learning. The methodology performed well when validated with commercial sonar screenshots, and has the potential to automatically analyze high volumes of data at a low cost. This represents a first milestone towards the development of acoustic, fishery-independent indices of abundance for bluefin tuna in the Bay of Biscay. Future research lines and additional alternatives to inform stock assessments are also discussed. PMID:28152032

  7. A systematic review and meta-analysis of metal concentrations in canned tuna fish in Iran and human health risk assessment.

    PubMed

    Rahmani, Jamal; Fakhri, Yadolah; Shahsavani, Abbas; Bahmani, Zohreh; Urbina, Mauricio A; Chirumbolo, Salvatore; Keramati, Hassan; Moradi, Bigard; Bay, Abotaleb; Bjørklund, Geir

    2018-06-18

    Human consumption of fish protein, including canned tuna fish, is increasing steadily worldwide. However, there are some concerns about the potential exposure to elevated concentrations of metals in canned tuna fish. Several studies have been conducted in Iran regarding the concentration of metals in seafood, including copper (Cu), selenium (Se), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), tin (Sn), and cadmium (Cd) in canned tuna fish. The main aim of this study was to gather data from existing papers and to perform a meta-analysis of the pooled concentrations of metals to evaluate their non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks in children and adults consumers. Search was conducted retrieving data from the international biomedical databases with highly public access and consultation, e.g., Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus, and national database (SID and Irandoc) between 1983 and November of 2017. Data from 23 articles and 1295 samples were assessed and extracted. The ranking order of metals based on mean concentrations (μg/g wet weight) were Fe (13.17) > Zn (9.31) > Se (2.23) > Al (1.8) > Cr (1.63) > Cu (1.52) > As (0.38) > Ni (0.33) > Pb (0.24) > Cd (0.14) > Hg (0.11) > Sn (0.1). Except for Cd and Se, concentrations of other metals in the canned tuna fish were lower than the limits recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Iran National Standards Organization (INSO). The minimum and maximum target hazard quotient (THQ) for adults were 5.55E-5 for Al and 2.23E-08 for Cr. For children, they were 7.23E-05 for Al and 2.91E-08 for Cr. THQ, and total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) were ≤1.0 for adult and children consumers. The Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) of As was 3.21E-5 in adults and 4.18E-5 in children. Adults and children that consume

  8. Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV inhibitory activity of peptides derived from tuna cooking juice hydrolysates.

    PubMed

    Huang, Shih-Li; Jao, Chia-Ling; Ho, Kit-Pan; Hsu, Kuo-Chiang

    2012-05-01

    The in vitro DPP-IV inhibitory activity of isolated peptides from of tuna cooking juice hydrolyzed by Protease XXIII (PR) and orientase (OR) was determined. The results showed that the peptide fractions with the molecular weight over 1,422 Da possessed the greatest DPP-IV inhibitory activity. The amino acid sequences of the three peptides isolated from PR and OR hydrolysates were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS/MS, and they were Pro-Gly-Val-Gly-Gly-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-Ile-Gly-Pro-Cys-Tyr-Glu (1412.7 Da), Cys-Ala-Tyr-Gln-Trp-Gln-Arg-Pro-Val-Asp-Arg-Ile-Arg (1690.8 Da) and Pro-Ala-Cys-Gly-Gly-Phe-Try-Ile-Ser-Gly-Arg-Pro-Gly (1304.6 Da), while they showed the dose-dependent inhibition effect of DPP-IV with IC(50) values of 116.1, 78.0 and 96.4 μM, respectively. In vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion retained or even improved the DPP-IV inhibitory activities of the three peptides. The results suggest that tuna cooking juice would be a good precursor of DPP-IV inhibitor, and the DPP-IV inhibitory peptides can successfully passed through the digestive tract. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Chemical composition and insecticidal activity of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil from Cuba and Brazil against housefly.

    PubMed

    Pinto, Zeneida Teixeira; Sánchez, Félix Fernández; dos Santos, Arith Ramos; Amaral, Ana Claudia Fernandes; Ferreira, José Luiz Pinto; Escalona-Arranz, Julio César; Queiroz, Margareth Maria de Carvalho

    2015-01-01

    Essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus collected from Brazil and Cuba was tested to a chemical characterization and then was tested on the post-embryonic development of Musca domestica. The chemical composition analysis by GC-MS of the oils from Brazil/Cuba allowed the identification of 13 and 12 major constituents respectively; nine of them common to both. In the both oils, the main components were the isomers geranial and neral, which together form the compound citral. This corresponds to a total of 97.92%/Brazil and 97.69%/Cuba of the compounds identified. The monoterpene myrcene, observed only in the sample of Cuba, presented a large relative abundance (6.52%). The essential oil of C. citratus (Brazil/Cuba) was dissolved in DMSO and tested at concentrations of 5, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100% and citral was prepared by mixing 16.8 mg with 960 µL DMSO. Both essential oils and monoterpene citral were applied topically to newly-hatched larvae (1µL/larva). The results showed a lethal concentration (LC50) of 4.25 and 3.24% for the Brazilian and Cuban essential oils, respectively. Mortalities of larval and newly-hatched larvae to adult periods were dose-dependent for the two both oils as for monoterpene citral, reaching 90%. Both essential oils and citral caused morphological changes in adult specimens.

  10. Phthalates and perfluorinated alkylated substances in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) specimens from Mediterranean Sea (Sardinia, Italy): Levels and risks for human consumption.

    PubMed

    Guerranti, Cristiana; Cau, Alessandro; Renzi, Monia; Badini, Simone; Grazioli, Eleonora; Perra, Guido; Focardi, Silvano Ettore

    2016-10-02

    Atlantic blue fin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a species of great importance for Mediterranean Sea area, from both ecological and commercial points of view. The scientific literature reports few data on the contamination of this fish by emerging organic compounds such as perfluorinated alkylated substances(PFASs) and phthalates, being the latter never been studied in tuna. This study therefore investigated the presence of the PFASs perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) and perfluoroctanoic acid (PFOA) and the phthalate di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), also monitored by its metabolite mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate(MEHP), to assess both the state of contamination of Atlantic bluefin tuna specimen and the risk due to the toxicity of these compounds for human consumption. While PFOA was never found, detectable levels of PFOS (0.4-1.88 ng/g), DEHP (9-14.62 ng/g) and MEHP (1.5-6.30 ng/g) were found. The results were elaborated relating the accumulation to the size and age of the individuals and showed a correlation between the levels of different pollutants investigated.

  11. THERMAL TRANSITIONS IN NORMAL AND DEUTERATED RAT-TAIL TENDON, HUMAN SKIN, AND TUNA-FISH SKIN

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rigby, B.J.

    1962-07-30

    The transition temperature and shrinkage temperature of collogens were determined in normal and deuterated rat-tail tendon, human skin, and tuna-fish skin. Increases were observed in the deuterated samples. Results, obtained with solid collagen, are compared with those obtained with collagen in solution. It is concluded that hydrogen bonds are involved in both reactions. (C.H.)

  12. Cuba After Castro: Implications of Change

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-03-18

    Down,” Hoover Digest, 3 Summer 2004, available from <http://www.hooverdigest.org/030/ratliff.html>; Internet; accessed 07 January 2005. 39 Edward ...http://usembassy.state.gov/havana/wwwhc1109sp.html>; Internet; accessed 15 January 2005. 49 Vanessa Bauza, “Cuba Mill Closures,” available from <http...Lives, U.N. Report Says.” Available from <http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-20041209-20.html>. Internet. Accessed 01 February 2005. Bauza, Vanessa

  13. Cuba Adrift in a Postcommunist World

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-01-01

    Union’s collapse. Once the embargo is dismantled and U.S. business interests develop a stake in Cuba, reimp -tion of the embargo would become virtually ...34zero option" this year- a virtual cut-off of imports from the former Soviet Union, forcing them to endure even greater austerity, privations, and...black market and underground capitalist activities, but also crimes of violence that were virtually unheard of in the past. As a consequence, the

  14. Exploring Cuba: Mental Health, Art, and Cultural Insights

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elkis-Abuhoff, Deborah

    2018-01-01

    From an opportunity to explore Cuba in a people-to-people exchange that included study of its history and society; discussions with members of the Cuban community, artists, guides, and a professor; and personal experiences while traveling, this viewpoint offers insights into the sociopolitical culture and creative engagement within which the Cuban…

  15. Cuba: Moving Back to the Future with Tourism.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webster, Gerald R.

    1992-01-01

    Addresses Cuba's attempt to rebuild its tourism industry in an effort to combat its declining economy in the wake of reduced Russian aid. Provides a sketch of Cuban history and a discussion of the tourism highlighting contradictions between political rhetoric and economic policy. Reviews resource materials and ideas for classroom use. (DK)

  16. Epidemic optic neuropathy in Cuba. Eye findings.

    PubMed

    Sadun, A A; Martone, J F; Muci-Mendoza, R; Reyes, L; DuBois, L; Silva, J C; Roman, G; Caballero, B

    1994-05-01

    To characterize and establish a clinical definition of the optic neuropathy that appeared in epidemic form in Cuba in 1992 and 1993. At the invitation of the Cuban Ministry of Health, Havana, members of ORBIS International and the Pan American Health Organization, assembled teams that traveled to Cuba in May 1993. We were initially briefed by Cuban national experts in the areas of virology, nutrition, toxicology, ophthalmology, neurology, and public health. We then examined 20 patients on our own. Thirteen of these patients underwent a comprehensive neuro-ophthalmologic examination, including neurologic examination, ophthalmologic examination, visual fields, optic nerve function studies, contrast sensitivity studies, and funduscopy. We returned 4 months later to perform an additional 12 comprehensive neuro-ophthalmologic and follow-up examinations. Only seven of the 13 patients who were alleged to have the optic form of the epidemic and who were rigorously and systematically examined on the first visit demonstrated a bilateral optic neuropathy. These seven patients had several features that included decreased visual acuity, poor color vision, central scotomas, decreased contrast sensitivity, saccadic eye movements, and most prominent and distinctive of all, nerve fiber layer wedge defects of the papillomacular bundle. Our clinical definition was then implemented by the Cuban ophthalmologists and epidemiologists. On returning 4 months later, we found that all newly presented patients were correctly diagnosed to have the epidemic disease. With the new case definition and the application of a few simple psychophysical tests, the false-positive rate of diagnosis became much lower. After vitamin therapy, we reexamined the patients seen on our initial visit, and all showed marked improvement. The Cuban epidemic was characterized by an optic neuropathy with features that were similar to those of tobacco/alcohol amblyopia and Leber's optic atrophy. Recent political

  17. Active nanocomposite films based on soy proteins-montmorillonite- clove essential oil for the preservation of refrigerated bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) fillets.

    PubMed

    Echeverría, Ignacio; López-Caballero, María Elvira; Gómez-Guillén, María Carmen; Mauri, Adriana Noemi; Montero, María Pilar

    2018-02-02

    This manuscript evaluates the potential application of active nanocomposite films based on soy protein isolate (SPI)-montmorillonite (MMT)-clove essential oil (CEO) to the preservation of muscle fillets of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) during refrigerated storage, and furthermore analyzes whether the clay diffuses from the package to food. SPI films with: CEO (SPI-CEO), MMT (SPI-MMT), or both CEO and MMT (SPI-MMT-CEO), were prepared and used to cover tuna fillets during 17days of storage at 2°C. Polyethylene films were also used as control. Protein films nanoreinforced with 10g MMT/100g SPI and activated with CEO were able to decrease microbial growth (evaluated by TVBN and microorganism counts) and lipid autooxidation (evaluated according to the TBA index, FTIR and color parameters) of tuna fillets during the storage period studied. The presence of clay seemed to favor the release of the active principles of clove oil by prolonging its antimicrobial (especially effective to inhibit Pseudomonas spp.) and antioxidant activity over time without observing the diffusion of the clay's own metals (Si and Al) from the nanocomposite materials to the muscle of fish. These results are encouraging for the use of nanocomposite films in food packaging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Genetic structuring and migration patterns of Atlantic bigeye tuna, Thunnus obesus (Lowe, 1839).

    PubMed

    Gonzalez, Elena G; Beerli, Peter; Zardoya, Rafael

    2008-09-17

    Large pelagic fishes are generally thought to have little population genetic structuring based on their cosmopolitan distribution, large population sizes and high dispersal capacities. However, gene flow can be influenced by ecological (e.g. homing behaviour) and physical (e.g. present-day ocean currents, past changes in sea temperature and levels) factors. In this regard, Atlantic bigeye tuna shows an interesting genetic structuring pattern with two highly divergent mitochondrial clades (Clades I and II), which are assumed to have been originated during the last Pleistocene glacial maxima. We assess genetic structure patterns of Atlantic bigeye tuna at the nuclear level, and compare them with mitochondrial evidence. We examined allele size variation of nine microsatellite loci in 380 individuals from the Gulf of Guinea, Canary, Azores, Canada, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. To investigate temporal stability of genetic structure, three Atlantic Ocean sites were re-sampled a second year. Hierarchical AMOVA tests, RST pairwise comparisons, isolation by distance (Mantel) tests, Bayesian clustering analyses, and coalescence-based migration rate inferences supported unrestricted gene flow within the Atlantic Ocean at the nuclear level, and therefore interbreeding between individuals belonging to both mitochondrial clades. Moreover, departures from HWE in several loci were inferred for the samples of Guinea, and attributed to a Wahlund effect supporting the role of this region as a spawning and nursery area. Our microsatellite data supported a single worldwide panmictic unit for bigeye tunas. Despite the strong Agulhas Current, immigration rates seem to be higher from the Atlantic Ocean into the Indo-Pacific Ocean, but the actual number of individuals moving per generation is relatively low compared to the large population sizes inhabiting each ocean basin. Lack of congruence between mt and nuclear evidences, which is also found in other species, most likely reflects

  19. Florida, Bahama Islands, Cuba as seen from Gemini 12 spacecraft

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1966-11-13

    S66-63418 (13 Nov. 1966) --- Florida (south half), Bahamas Islands (Andros-Grand Bahamas-Bimini), and Cuba, looking south as seen from Gemini-12 spacecraft on its 15th revolution of Earth. Photo credit: NASA

  20. Cuba's Aging and Alzheimer Longitudinal Study.

    PubMed

    Llibre-Rodríguez, Juan de Jesús; Valhuerdi-Cepero, Adolfo; López-Medina, Ana M; Noriega-Fernández, Lisseth; Porto-Álvarez, Rutbeskia; Guerra-Hernández, Milagros A; Bosch-Bayard, Rodolfo I; Zayas-Llerena, Tania; Hernandez-Ulloa, Elaine; Rodríguez-Blanco, Ana L; Salazar-Pérez, Enrique; Llibre-Guerra, Juan C; Llibre-Guerra, Jorge J; Marcheco-Teruel, Beatriz

    2017-01-01

    Aging and Alzheimer is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study involving 2944 adults aged ≥65 years from selected areas in Cuba's Havana and Matanzas Provinces. This door-to-door study, which began in 2003, includes periodic assessments of the cohort based on an interview; physical exam; anthropometric measurements; and diagnosis of dementia and its subtypes, other mental disorders, and other chronic non-communicable diseases and their risk factors. Information was gathered on sociodemographic characteristics; disability, dependency and frailty; use of health services; and characteristics of care and caregiver burden. The first assessment also included blood tests: complete blood count, blood glucose, kidney and liver function, lipid profile and ApoE4 genotype (a susceptibility marker). In 2007-2011, the second assessment was done of 2010 study subjects aged ≥65 years who were still alive. The study provides data on prevalence and incidence of dementia and its risk factors, and of related conditions that affect the health of older adults. It also contributes valuable experiences from field work and interactions with older adults and their families. Building on lessons learned, a third assessment to be done in 2016-2018 will incorporate a community intervention strategy to respond to diseases and conditions that predispose to dementia, frailty and dependency in older adults. KEYWORDS Dementia, Alzheimer disease, chronic disease, aging, chronic illness, frailty, dependency, cohort studies, Cuba.