Determination of feeding strategies in aquaculture farms using a multiple-criteria approach and genetic algorithms

Since the 1990s, fishing production has stagnated and aquaculture has experienced an exponential growth thanks to the production on an industrial scale. One of the major challenges facing aquaculture companies is the management of breeding activity affected by biological, technical, environmental and economic factors. In recent years, decision-making has also become increasingly complex due to the need for managers to consider aspects other than economic ones, such as product quality or environmental sustainability. In this context, there is an increasing need for expert systems applied to decision-making processes that maximize the economic efficiency of the operational process. One of the production planning decisions more affected by these changes is the feeding strategy. The selection of the feed determines the growth of the fish, but also generates the greatest impact of the activity on the environment and determines the quality of the product. In addition, feed is the main production cost in finfish aquaculture. In order to address all these problems, the present work integrates a multiple-criteria methodology with a genetic algorithm that allows determining the best sequence of feeds to be used throughout the fattening period, depending on multiple optimization objectives. Results show its utility to generate and evaluate different alternatives and fulfill the initial hypothesis, demonstrating that the combination of several feeds at precise times may improve the results obtained by one-feed strategies.

     

A novel method for the determination of total 1,3-octanediols in apple juice via 1,3-dioxanes by solid-phase microextraction and high-speed gas chromatography

In this work, a novel, simple and fast method based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) followed by high-speed gas chromatography (HSGC) was developed for the analysis of total 1,3-octanediols in apple juices by means of derivatization reaction to volatile 1,3-dioxanes. The derivatization reaction, SPME conditions, glycosidically bound fraction and 1,3-nonanediol as a surrogate standard were studied. The formation of 1,3-dioxanes from 1,3-diols was confirmed by GC–MS. The method was validated obtaining a regression coefficient (r²) of 0.9996, precisions between 0.3 and 9.8%, extraction recoveries in the range 94.7–112.2% and LOD of 2.9 μg l⁻¹. Experimental design has been employed in the optimization of extraction factors and robustness assessment. The method was applied to the analysis of 21 Asturian apple varieties finding a double reciprocal relationship between the concentrations of saturated and unsaturated 1,3-octanediol.     

Un modelo predictivo de la evolución en costas rocosas

The recession of coastal cliffs is a widespread phenomenon on the rocky shores that are exposed to the combined incidence of marine and meteorological processes that occur in the shoreline. This phenomenon is revealed violently and occasionally as gravitational movements of the ground and can cause material or human losses. Their prediction is difficult; however it is basic for the proper coastal management and the clear understanding of erosion risks. There are several models of the coastal cliff recession processes. From the stochastic type models based on historical erosion events, to the theoretical models as described by Eikonal or Boussinesq equations. In this work an intermediate solution is adopted (process-response model), such as models based on simplified balance of forces as trigger mechanisms involved in the erosion of the rocks. This model fits the marine dynamics: sea level changes, tidal range and wave transformation; along with the evolution of the land: the slope of the surf zone, erosion and rock falls. So far these models have been limited to small slope cliffs, since its numerical stability and the propagation of errors are unknowns. For these reasons, the development of a generic model that reproduces the spatial and temporal evolution of a cliff-2D profile (platform, beach and slope) consisting on semi-consolidated heterogeneous materials, is presented. In addition, the computational implementation, the study of different numerical resolution techniques and the produced errors, are also exposed and analysed.     

Experimental design applied to the analysis of volatile compounds in apple juice by headspace solid-phase microextraction

A simple and fast method based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) followed by fast gas chromatography (Fast GC) has been developed for the analysis of volatile compounds in Asturian apple juices employed in the cider production. Three different fiber coatings have been checked (PDMS, PDMS-DVB and CAR-PDMS) and PDMS-DVB has been presented to be the most suitable one. Experimental design has been employed in the optimization of extraction factors and robustness assessment. The use of Fast GC allowed the separation of 14 compounds (esters, aldehydes and alcohols) in approximately 4 min, clearly reducing the analysis time when compared to conventional GC. Good linearity, recoveries and repeatability of the solid-phase microextraction were obtained with r(2) values, recoveries and relative standard deviations ranging from 0.9822 to 0.9998, 83.2 to 109.8% and 0.5 to 11.7%, respectively, using standard solution.     

Characterization of hexacationic imidazolium ionic liquids as effective and highly stable gas chromatography stationary phases

Polycationic ionic liquids (ILs) are an attractive class of ILs with great potential applicability as gas chromatography stationary phases. A family of hexacationic imidazolium ILs derived from the cycloalkanol family was chemically first prepared in a straightforward manner and then applied for analytical separation purposes. Four tuneable engineering vectors, namely cation ring size structure, anion nature, spatial disposition of cycloalkanol substituents and O‐substitution, were considered as experimental parameters for the design of the desired ionic liquids. A total number of five new phases based on a common benzene core respectively exhibited column efficiencies around to 2500 plates/m, broad operating temperature ranges and also, even more importantly, good thermal stabilities (bleeding temperature between 260 and 365°C), finding variations in the selectivity and analytes elution orders depending on the IL structures. Their solvation characteristics were evaluated using the Abraham solvation parameter model, establishing clear correlations between their cation structure and retention capability with respect to certain analytes. The study of relationships between the ILs structure and solvation parameters gives us an idea of the IL stationary phase to be used for specific separations.     

Cobalt carbonyl-mediated carbocyclizations of enynes: generation of bicyclooctanones or monocyclic alkenes

Depending on the thermolytic conditions, dicobalthexacarbonyl-complexed enynes underwent cyclizations to provide different carbocyclic frameworks. Bicyclopentanones were formed from enyne-Co2(CO)6 complexes, or from enynes that were treated with Co2(CO)8, or more effectively, with Co4(CO)12 in an alcoholic solvent under a H2 or N2 atmosphere. This transformation proceeded via a sequential cyclocarbonylation and 1,4-reduction and is the first account using the cobalt carbonyl cluster. Under these conditions a cobalt hydride was presumably generated, which mediated reduction of the enone to the saturated ketone. In contrast, thermolysis of dicobalthexacarbonyl-complexed enynes under a hydrogen atmosphere in toluene resulted in their reductive cyclization to form monocyclic alkenes in moderate yields, in addition to the bicyclopentenone product. In some cases, addition of a hydrosilane to the reaction induced a complete suppression of the bicyclopentenone formation. While the former results demonstrate a reaction that occurs after the cycloaddition, the latter depicts another example of an interruption of the normal route in the Pauson-Khand reaction pathway.     

A sterically-encumbered,C2-symmetric chiral acetal for enhanced asymmetric induction in the Pauson-Khand reaction

High levels of diastereoselection were achieved in the PKR of 1,6- and 1,7-cyclopropylidenynes bearing a bulky propargylic C(2)-symmetric acetal.     

Sur la Densité de Certains Ensembles de Nombres Premiers

Sans résumé     

Separation of major RNA-derived nucleotides by reversed-phase liquid chromatography

The effects of pH, ionic strength and amount of methanol in the eluent on the retention of 5'-, 3'- and 2'-ribonucleoside monophosphates on a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic system are described. The data were used to develop suitable separation protocols for synthetic nucleotide mixtures and applied to the separation of RNA nucleotides derived by alkaline hydrolysis.