Feeding tactics and body condition of two introduced populations of pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus: taking advantages of human disturbances?

Abstract –  Feeding tactics, body condition and size structure of two populations of pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus from Cabañeros National Park (Guadiana River basin, central Spain) were compared to provide insight into the ecological requirements favouring levels of success/failure in relation to human intervention. Habitat, benthic macroinvertebrates and pumpkinseed were quantified in Bullaque (regulated flow, affected by agricultural activities) and Estena (natural conditions) rivers, from May to September of 2005 and 2006. Significant differences were found in the limnological characteristics between the two rivers. Spatial and temporal variations in diet composition were likely related to opportunistic feeding and high foraging plasticity. Diet diversity was higher in Bullaque River. Electivity of benthic prey showed variation between sized individuals and populations. The body condition of pumpkinseed was better in Bullaque River. Current results show that this invasive species is favoured by human intervention in Bullaque River.     

Histochemical study of the intestinal absorption,liver and lens effect with zinc‐supplemented diets for gilthead seabream

To describe the effect and the distribution of zinc in different tissues of a representative marine fish species, gilthead seabreams (Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758) were fed different diets containing zinc in different sources (organic, inorganic, encapsulated, blood‐rich diet or fishmeal). The effect was monitored by histology in the lens, liver and intestine. In addition, the anterior and posterior intestine was studied by means of autometallography, a histochemical silver‐based staining method to determine the zinc flow and distribution. The histology of lens did not improve by dietary zinc as there was no occurrence of cataracts. In the liver, the experimental diets were correlated with different changes in the tissue architecture. In the intestine, no histological changes were found using haematoxylin and eosin stain. However, with the use of autometallography stain, it was possible to visualize and describe the route that zinc follows through the enterocytes and the lamina propria. Organic and inorganic zinc diet produced the richest silver deposition in the anterior intestine.     

Catalytic inhibition of human DNA topoisomerase II by interactions of grape cell culture polyphenols

Previously, we isolated mixed polyphenolic fractions on a toyopearl matrix (TP-2 to TP-6) from grape cell cultures that were highly potent catalytic inhibitors in a human DNA topoisomerase II assay for cancer chemoprevention. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the potency of, and potential interactions between, individual fractions and some of the purified bioactive polyphenols that comprise these fractions on human DNA topoisomerase II catalytic activity. Treatments that combined anthocyanin-rich fractions (TP-2; 0.5 or 2.0 microg of dried material/mL), fractions containing catechins, procyanidin dimers, and flavanones (TP-4; 0.25 microg of dried material/mL), and/or fractions enriched with procyanidin oligomers and polymers (TP-6; 0.15 or 0.5 microg of dried material/mL) showed additive effects toward catalytic inhibition of the enzyme. Epicatechin gallate (IC50 = 0.029 microM), myricetin (0.39 microM), procyanidin B2 (PB2, 4.5 microM), and resveratrol (65.7 microM), constituents of the most bioactive mixed fraction from grape cell culture (TP-4), each individually provided potent catalytic inhibition of topoisomerase II. In addition, potentiating interactions between the PB2 and the other polyphenolic constituents mentioned above and between myricetin and resveratrol were clearly demonstrated. A synergistic interaction between myricetin and resveratrol was also confirmed with isobolographic analysis at a molar ratio of 1:70.     

Differential reaction of sweet pepper to infection with the crinivirus tomato chlorosis virus probably depends on the viral variant

The tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV), transmitted by whitefly species of the genera Bemisia and Trialeurodes in a semipersistent manner, causes significant losses in solanaceous crops including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum). Worldwide reports of natural and experimental infection of sweet pepper plants with ToCV are contradictory, raising the question of whether the critical factor determining infection is related to the susceptibility of sweet pepper cultivars or the genetics of virus isolates. In this work, ToCV isolates obtained from different hosts and geographical origins were biologically and molecularly analysed, transmitted by B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED, and the reaction of different sweet pepper cultivars was evaluated under different environmental conditions. Brazilian ToCV isolates from tomato, potato (S. tuberosum), S. americanum, and Physalis angulata did not infect plants of five sweet pepper cultivars when transmitted by B. tabaci MEAM1. Temperatures did not affect the sweet pepper susceptibility to tomato-ToCV isolates from São Paulo, Brazil, and Florida, USA. However, sweet pepper-ToCV isolates from Spain and São Paulo, Brazil, were transmitted efficiently to sweet pepper plants by B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED. Although the results indicated that ToCV isolates from naturally infected sweet pepper plants seem to be better adapted to plants of C. annuum, phylogenetic analyses based on the complete nucleotide sequences of RNA1 and RNA2 as well as the p22 gene did not reveal significant nucleotide differences among them. Additional studies are needed to identify intrinsic characteristics of ToCV isolates that favour infection of sweet pepper plants.     

Rauheitsmessungen an Lebensmittelflächen—Erprobung einer methode an kartoffelgewebe

Zusammenfassung Die K?rnigkeit einer Lebensmitteloberfl?che wird am Beispiel der Kartoffel untersucht. Da eine Gewebeoberfl?che geprüft werden soll, muss das Prüfgut zun?chst geteilt werden. Als Teilverfahren erweist sich das Schneiden in einer fixierten Vorrichtung mit einem gespannten Stahldraht bzw. bei hoher Gewebefestigkeit mit einem Messer als am besten geeignet. Optimiert wurden dabei Schneidwinkel, Schneidgeschwindigkeit und Schneidbewegung. Nach dem Trocknen der Oberfl?che mit Warmluft wird ein m?glichst formtreuer Abguss der Gewebeoberfl?che erstellt. Zur Bestimmung der Rauheit wird ein Einkufentastsystem (Perthometer S 5 P) eingesetzt. Die vorgestellte Methode kann als begleitende Untersuchung zur Charakterisierung der K?rnigkeit von Kartoffeln dienen. Grundlage: M. Ringenberg, 1985: Rauheitsmessungen an Kartoffelgewebe. Erprobung einer Methode zur Charakterisierung von Kartoffeln. Freising, Technische Universit?t München-Weihenstephan, Fachgebiet Haushalttechnik, Diplomarbeit.     

Use of Pigmented Maize in Both Conventional Dry‐Grind and Modified Processes Using Granular Starch Hydrolyzing Enzyme

In the dry‐grind ethanol process, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is the main coproduct, which is primarily used as an ingredient in ruminant animal diets. Increasing the value of DDGS will improve the profitability of the dry‐grind ethanol process. One way to increase DDGS value is to use pigmented maize as the feedstock for ethanol production. Pigmented maize is rich in anthocyanin content, and the anthocyanin imparts red, blue, and purple color to the grain. It is reported that anthocyanin would be absorbed by yeast cell walls during the fermentation process. The effects of anthocyanin on fermentation characteristics in the dry‐grind process are not known. In this study, the effects of anthocyanin in conventional (conventional starch hydrolyzing enzymes) and modified (granular starch hydrolyzing enzymes [GSHE]) dry‐grind processes were evaluated. The modified process using GSHE replaced high‐temperature liquefaction. The ethanol conversion efficiencies of pigmented maize were comparable to that of yellow dent corn in both conventional (78.4 ± 0.5% for blue maize, 74.3 ± 0.4% for red maize, 81.2 ± 1.0% for purple maize, and 75.1 ± 0.2% for yellow dent corn) and modified dry‐grind processes using GSHE (83.8 ± 0.8% for blue maize, 81.1 ± 0.3% for red maize, 93.5 ± 0.8% for purple maize, and 85.6 ± 0.1% for yellow dent corn). Total anthocyanin content in DDGS from the modified process was 1.4, 1.9, and 2.4 times of that from the conventional process for purple, red, and blue maize samples, respectively. These results indicated that pigmented maize rich in anthocyanin did not negatively affect the fermentation characteristics of the dry‐grind process and that there was a potential to use pigmented maize in the dry‐grind process, especially when using GSHE.     

Survivorship and tube growth of reef‐building Serpula vermicularis (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) in two Scottish sea lochs

• 1. In the UK, reef formation by the tubicolous polychaete Serpula vermicularis L. has been recorded in only two sea lochs in Argyll, west Scotland. Serpula vermicularis aggregations are now confined to Loch Creran, those in Loch Sween having died out for unknown reasons.
• 2. Survivorship and tube extension rates were measured in situ in order to compare habitat quality of the two sea lochs and to determine the feasibility of artificial restoration of Loch Sween reefs using stock translocated from Loch Creran. After labelling and measurement, clusters of inhabited tubes collected from Loch Creran were re‐planted at two sites in Loch Sween and two in Loch Creran in July 2004, and monitored at intervals before recovery and remeasurement in July 2005.
• 3. In Loch Sween the tube clusters gradually disappeared over the monitoring period. Only remnants were left by May 2005 and no growth data were obtained. In Loch Creran 76% of the labelled tubes were relocated. Confirmed mortality over the year was 5.3% and mean tube extension rate was 33 mmy^?1.
• 4. There was no significant difference in tube growth between the two Loch Creran sites and inter‐individual differences accounted for most of the variability in the data. Individual tube extension declined significantly with worm body mass but mean extension showed no relationship to total worm biomass in each cluster. Annual tube extension rate in Loch Creran was low in comparison with literature data from other serpulids, suggesting that tube growth is strongly seasonal.
• 5. The 10‐month persistence of some living worms in Loch Sween suggests that there is no physiological barrier to survival of stock translocated from Loch Creran but in situ video monitoring would be necessary to determine the cause of tube disappearance.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ontogenetic and spatial variations in brown trout habitat selection

Ayllón D, Almodóvar A, Nicola GG, Elvira B. Ontogenetic and spatial variations in brown trout habitat selection.
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 420–432. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – Habitat quality and quantity determine many biological processes and traits that directly affect the population dynamics of stream fishes. Understanding how habitat selection is adjusted to different ecological conditions is essential to improve predictive modelling of population dynamics. We describe brown trout Salmo trutta summer habitat selection patterns through univariate and multivariate habitat selection functions across defined river reach typologies. We sampled 44 sites and performed a principal component analysis that defined eight reach types differing in both local site and catchment‐scale physical features. We observed ontogenetic changes in habitat selection, as trout preferred deeper and slower flowing water as they increased in size. Likewise, selectivity for different types of structural habitat elements changed through ontogeny. Both patterns were consistent across reach types. Moreover, we detected spatial variations in habitat selection patterns within age‐classes among different reach types. Our results indicate that brown trout is a habitat generalist and suggest that spatial variations in habitat selection patterns are driven by physical and environmental factors operating at multiple spatial scales.     

Zur Wirkung von Follikelflüssigkeit auf die Befruchtung in vitro gereifter Oozyten des Rindes

Inhalt Follikelflüssigkeit aus Follikeln des Rindes am Tag des Östrus gewonnen, wurde als Serumanalogon zum Kultivierungsmedium TCM 199 zugesetzt. Die Supplementierung des TCM mit 20%östrischer Follikelflüssigkeit (ÖFF) in der Reifungsphase und während der Zygotenkultivierung erbrachte 6–7 Tage post inseminationem einen Anteil an Morulae und Blastozysten von 41,7% (30,8–47,8%). Eine Reduzierung des Anteils ÖFF auf 10% zog einen Abfall transfertauglicher Rinderembryonen auf 9,2% (2,6–16,9%) nach sich. In einer Kurzzeitkultivierung von bis zu 90 h post inseminationem wurden außerdem verschiedene Serumanaloga, im Anteil von 10%, wie fetales Kälberserum (FKS), ÖFF und Follikelflüssigkeit (NÖFF) aus nicht östrischen Follikeln (≥ 10mm Durchmesser) auf ihre Wirksamkeit während verschiedener In-vitro-Phasen verglichen. Von den drei getesteten Seren erwies sich die ÖFF als der wirksamste Zusatz mit 19,9% morphologisch intakten 8- bis 16-Zeller. Das Ergebnis scheint unabhängig davon, ob die Applikation kontinuierlich während aller In-vitro-Phasen oder nur in der Reifungsphase erfolgte. Eine Schlüsselposition der Oozy tenreifung für die In-vitro-Fertilisation wird besonders deutlich. Contents: Influence of follicular fluid on fertilization of in vitro matured bovine oocytes Follicular fluid obtained from bovine follicles on the day of estrus was added to TCM 199 culture medium as a serum analogue. TCM supplementation with 20% estric follicular fluid (EFF) during maturation and zygote cultivation produced a morulae and blastozyst yield of 41,7% (30,8–47,8%) 6–7 days after insemination. Reduction of the EFF fraction to 10% reduced the yield of transferable bovine embryos to 9,2% (2,6–16,9%). In a short term cultivation experiment lasting up to 90 h after insemination, the effects of 10% supplementation with different serum analogues fetal calf serum (FCS), EFF and follicular fluid (NEFF) fiom non-estric follicles (≥10mm diameter) during various in vitro phases were compared. EFF with a yield of 19,9% morphologically intact 8 to 16 cell stages proved to be the most effective of the three sera. This yield is not apparently affected by whether the serum is applied continuously during all phases of in vitro development or only during the maturation phase. The oocyte maturation phase is obviously the key phase for successful in vitro fertilization.