Consumer beliefs regarding farmed versus wild fish.

Aquaculture is a food-producing activity, alternative to traditional extractive fishing, which still acts as a reference for most consumers. The main objective of the present paper was to study which consumer beliefs, regarding farmed versus wild fish, hinder the potential development of the aquaculture sector. To achieve this purpose the study was organized into two complementary steps: a qualitative approach (focus groups) aimed at assessing consumer perception about wild and farmed fish and to identify the salient beliefs that differentiate them; and a quantitative approach (survey by means of a questionnaire) to validate the results obtained in the focus group discussions over a representative sample of participants (n = 919). Results showed that participants perceive clear differences between farmed and wild fish. Although no significant differences between both kinds of fish were detected on safety, in general farmed fish was perceived to be less affected by marine pollution, heavy metals and parasites. In the contrary, wild fish was considered to have healthier feeding, to contain fewer antibiotics and to be fresher, healthier, less handled and more natural. Beliefs related to quality were in favour of wild fish, while those related to availability and price were in favour of farmed fish. Significant differences were observed in the perception of both kinds of fish depending on the consumers' objective knowledge about fish, on the level of education, age and gender and on the three segments of consumers identified: "Traditional/Conservative", "Connoisseur", "Open to aquaculture". The results provided could play an important role when planning and designing efficient marketing strategies for promoting farmed fish by adapting the information provided to the perception of each segment of consumers identified by the present study.

Heat capacity singularity of binary liquid mixtures at the liquid-liquid critical point.

The critical anomaly of the isobaric molar heat capacity for the liquid-liquid phase transition in binary nonionic mixtures is explained through a theory based on the general assumption that their partition function can be exactly mapped into that of the Ising three-dimensional model. Under this approximation, it is found that the heat capacity singularity is directly linked to molar excess enthalpy. In order to check this prediction and complete the available data for such systems, isobaric molar heat capacity and molar excess enthalpy near the liquid-liquid critical point were experimentally determined for a large set of binary liquid mixtures. Agreement between theory and experimental results-both from literature and from present work-is good for most cases. This fact opens a way for explaining and predicting the heat capacity divergence at the liquid-liquid critical point through basically the same microscopic arguments as for molar excess enthalpy, widely used in the frame of solution thermodynamics.

Thermal properties of ionic systems near the liquid-liquid critical point.

Isobaric heat capacity per unit volume, C(p), and excess molar enthalpy, h(E), were determined in the vicinity of the critical point for a set of binary systems formed by an ionic liquid and a molecular solvent. Moreover, and, since critical composition had to be accurately determined, liquid-liquid equilibrium curves were also obtained using a calorimetric method. The systems were selected with a view on representing, near room temperature, examples from clearly solvophobic to clearly coulombic behavior, which traditionally was related with the electric permittivity of the solvent. The chosen molecular compounds are: ethanol, 1-butanol, 1-hexanol, 1,3-dichloropropane, and diethylcarbonate, whereas ionic liquids are formed by imidazolium-based cations and tetrafluoroborate or bis-(trifluromethylsulfonyl)amide anions. The results reveal that solvophobic critical behavior-systems with molecular solvents of high dielectric permittivity-is very similar to that found for molecular binary systems. However, coulombic systems-those with low permittivity molecular solvents-show strong deviations from the results usually found for these magnitudes near the liquid-liquid phase transition. They present an extremely small critical anomaly in C(p)-several orders of magnitude lower than those typically obtained for binary mixtures-and extremely low h(E)-for one system even negative, fact not observed, up to date, for any liquid-liquid transition in the nearness of an upper critical solution temperature.

Effects of in vivo treatment with the dopamine antagonist pimozide and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) on the reproductive axis of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis).

The Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) is a flatfish that exhibits severe reproductive dysfunctions in captivity. This study aimed at investigating the existence of a dopamine (DA) inhibitory tone on the reproductive axis of this species. Four groups of Senegalese sole breeders were treated with, saline (controls, CNT), the DA antagonist pimozide (PIM, 5 mg kg(-1)), gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa, 40 µg kg(-1)) or a combination of PIM+GnRHa (COMB). Effects were evaluated on pituitary GnRH levels (ELISA), pituitary gonadotropin subunit transcript levels (qPCR), plasma levels of sex steroids and vitellogenin (ELISA), gonad development (histology), spermiation and egg production. The GnRHa treatment induced egg release and stimulated testis maturation. In males, PIM did not affect pituitary GnRH content, but enhanced GnRHa-induced pituitary GPα transcripts and modified plasma androgen levels; moreover, PIM stimulated spermatogenesis and milt production, both alone and combined with GnRHa. In females, PIM did not affect pituitary and plasma endocrine parameters and did not affect egg production and fertilization success of the broodstock, either alone or in the combined treatment. In conclusion, data indicated the existence of a DA inhibition in mature males, which would be absent or weakly expressed in females.

Modulation of blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo) intermediary metabolic pathways by dispensable amino acids.

The objective of the present work is to investigate the main metabolic pathways by which dispensable amino acids (DAA) are diverted towards lipid formation in blackspot seabream. For that purpose, a control diet was formulated to contain 45% of crude protein (7.2 g N/100 g dry matter) mainly supplied by fish meal (45P). In two other diets, 22.2% of the dietary nitrogen (1.6 g N/100 g dry matter) was replaced by an equivalent amount of nitrogen provided by two different mixtures of DAA: alanine and serine (diet AS) or aspartic and glutamic acid (diet AG). A fourth diet (diet 35P) only containing 35% of crude protein (5.6 g N/100 g dry matter) was included in order to analyze the possible additive effects of DAA. Compared to fish fed diet 35P, blackspot seabream appear to make a more efficient use of the nitrogen provided by alanine and serine than that provided by aspartic and glutamic acids in terms of growth. Contrary to fish fed AG, fish fed AS attained similar specific FAS activities as 45P fed fish, suggesting a further role of alanine and serine on this lipogenic pathway. Dietary nitrogen reduction (45P vs. 35P) or its replacement by a mixture of aspartic and glutamic acids (diet AG) were shown to up-regulate phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) but without, however, any effect on plasma glucose levels. Dietary nitrogen level and nature seems to exert a complex regulation on energetic pathways through the gluconeogenesis/tricarboxylic acids cycle interaction.

Polyethyleneglycol-pepsin interaction and its relationship with protein partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems.

The interaction between the acidic protein, pepsin, and the non-charged polyethyleneglycol polymer was studied by dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy and measurements of the protein thermal stability at neutral pH. Polyethyleneglycol of average molecular mass 1450 showed a higher interaction capacity with the protein than polyethyleneglycol of average molecular mass 8000. Polyethyleneglycol of average molecular mass 1450 showed a molecular mechanism where the interpolymer interaction led to the complex formation. This fact can be explained taking into account that the extended form on this polymer molecule favours the interaction with the protein, which is highly dependent of the polymer total concentration. Polyethyleneglycol of average molecular mass 8000 showed a cooperative interaction between the polymer and protein molecules which was independent of the PEG concentration.

Reference values and improvement of aerodynamic drag in professional cyclists.

The aims of this study were to measure the aerodynamic drag in professional cyclists, to obtain aerodynamic drag reference values in static and effort positions, to improve the cyclists' aerodynamic drag by modifying their position and cycle equipment, and to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of these modifications. The study was performed in a wind tunnel with five professional cyclists. Four positions were assessed with a time-trial bike and one position with a standard racing bike. In all positions, aerodynamic drag and kinematic variables were recorded. The drag area for the time-trial bike was 31% higher in the effort than static position, and lower than for the standard racing bike. Changes in the cyclists' position decreased the aerodynamic drag by 14%. The aero-helmet was not favourable for all cyclists. The reliability of aerodynamic drag measures in the wind tunnel was high (r > 0.96, coefficient of variation < 2%). In conclusion, we measured and improved the aerodynamic drag in professional cyclists. Our results were better than those of other researchers who did not assess aerodynamic drag during effort at race pace and who employed different wheels. The efficiency of the aero-helmet, and the validity, reliability, and sensitivity of the wind tunnel and aerodynamic field testing were addressed.