Effect of hypo- and hyper-saline conditions on osmolarity and fatty acid composition of juvenile shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) fed low- and high-HUFA diets

Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) grown in ponds are exposed to salinities of less than 5 g L^?1 during inland shrimp culture or to more than 40 g L^?1 from evaporation and reduced water exchange in dry, hot climates. However, dietary requirements for shrimp grown in low or high salinities are not well defined, particularly for fatty acids. Feeding shrimp postlarvae with highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) enhances tolerance to acute exposure to low salinity, as a result of better nutritional status, or/and specific effects of HUFA on membrane function and osmoregulation mechanisms. This study analysed the effect of HUFA supplementation (3% vs. 34%) on L. vannamei juveniles reared for 21 days at low (5 g L^?1), medium (30 g L^?1) and high salinities (50 g L^?1). Juveniles grown at 5 g L^?1 had lower survival compared with controls (30 g L^?1) or shrimp grown at 50 g L^?1, but no significant effect on survival was observed as a result of HUFA enrichment. In contrast, growth was significantly lower for shrimp grown at 50 g L^?1, but this effect was compensated by the HUFA‐enriched diet. Osmotic pressure in haemolymph was affected by salinity, but not by HUFA enrichment. Shrimp fed HUFA‐enriched diets had significantly higher levels of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in hepatopancreas and gills. These results demonstrate that growth at high salinities is enhanced with diets containing high HUFA levels, but that HUFA‐enriched diets have no effect on shrimp reared at low salinities.     

Accuracy of pairwise methods in the reconstruction of family relationships, using molecular information from turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)

Many estimators and algorithms have been developed to infer the genealogical relationships from molecular marker data when there is no pedigree information. Most pairwise methods provide estimates in a continuous range that needs to be converted into genealogical relationships (namely full-sibs, half-sibs and unrelated) if there is a previous knowledge of the population structure. Transformations are usually based on arbitrary thresholds, but the possibility of correcting the coancestry estimates via explicit pedigree reconstruction methods has been suggested. Using molecular data for ten highly polymorphic microsatellite loci on a population of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) with a known genealogy, the behaviour of four pairwise marker-based coancestry estimators and the molecular coancestry has been evaluated. The population consisted on 138 families with 4 full-sib individuals each and one family with 8 full-sib individuals (up to 15 half-sib families were also present due to the sharing of parents between some of the full-sibs families). Our results suggested that transforming the pairwise estimators and the molecular coancestry to family relationships through the establishment of thresholds performs slightly better than the explicit pedigree reconstruction method, when accuracy is measured in a pairwise basis. However, if joint relationships between more than two individuals were tested at a time, the threshold methods led to a high percentage of incongruous triads of full-sib individuals, with Mendelian incompatibilities appearing in congruous full-sib families (more than 70% and 60% in our study, respectively). The explicit pedigree reconstruction approach, due to its nature, is free from such problems. Therefore, the pedigree reconstruction approach seems to be a valuable tool to provide a congruent and compatible pedigree when the pairwise marker-based coancestry matrices or the molecular coancestry need to be transformed.     

Effects of live prey availability on growth and survival in the early stages of cuttlefish Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) life cycle

This investigation examined the effects of live prey availability on growth and survival of Sepia officinalis. Two independent experiments, comprising two feed rations each, were performed, using adequate prey size. In the first experiment, cuttlefish hatchlings were fed live mysids, Paramysis nouvelli [(feed ratio I (fr I)], at 15% body weight per day (bw day^?1) (fr I₁₅) and 30% bw day^?1 (fr I₃₀). In the second experiment, juvenile cuttlefish were fed live Atlantic ditch shrimp, Paleomonetes varians (fr II), under the same experimental design. In both experiments, the final mean weight, feeding rate and instantaneous growth rate were higher when animals were fed feed ratio fr II₁₅ and fr II₃₀ (30% bw day^?1). The results indicate that prey availability influenced weight gain, irrespective of the prey used, during the first 2 months of cuttlefish life cycle. This effect seems to be more noticeable when a certain limit of prey is achieved. For cuttlefish fed fr II, the optimal prey density is thought to be under 2.5 g prey L^?1 (i.e. 14 shrimp L^?1). Results indicate that cuttlefish can withstand prey densities up to 120 mysids L^?1 for cuttlefish up to 3 weeks old and 19 shrimps L^?1 for cuttlefish up to 6 weeks old.     

Effect of aflatoxin B1 on resistance induced by Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccine in rabbits

The effects of aflatoxin B1 on the development of the immune response to oil-adjuvanted Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccine and on acquired resistance to bacterial challenge were studied in rabbits. The doses of aflatoxin used were insufficient to produce clinical intoxication. Rabbits were randomly assigned to three groups, each having six animals: control (T), vaccinated (V), and vaccinated plus aflatoxin (VA) at 0.05 mg/kg daily per os. Groups V and VA were vaccinated twice, and the three groups were subsequently challenged with virulent B. bronchiseptica. The average weight gain at weekly intervals was significantly reduced in group VA, and no statistically significant differences were found in the titers of agglutinating antibodies between groups V and VA. There were significant differences between groups V and VA in the extent and severity of the pneumonic process, group VA being most affected. Results indicated that agglutinating antibody titers were not related to the level of protection in the latter group. Other mechanisms, such as alveolar macrophage activity and cell-mediated immunity, were implicated in the impairment of the acquired resistance in rabbits subclinically intoxicated with aflatoxin.     

Heterologous strain immunity in bovine babesiosis using a culture-derived soluble Babesia bovis immunogen

The cross-protective capacity of culture-derived soluble immunogens against heterologous Babesia bovis strains from different geographical locations of Latin America was examined. Susceptible yearling cattle were either immunized with immunogens derived from Venezuelan or Mexican strains, or were administered a multi-component immunogen containing antigens of the Australian, Mexican and Venezuelan strains. Cattle were challenged with virulent B. bovis organisms of the Argentinian, Colombian, Ecuadorean, Mexican and Venezuelan strains. The major parameters used to evaluate cross-protection were the following: presence, level and duration of parasitemia; maximal PCV reduction; level and duration of fever; determination of fibrinogen and cryofibrinogen; homologous and heterologous antibody levels; and net gains in body weight. Results showed good protection with a Venezuelan B. bovis immunogen after homologous and heterologous challenge exposures. A low degree of cross-immunity was observed when cattle vaccinated with the Mexican immunogen were challenged with each of the heterologous strains.     

The Effect of Chromosome 1B/1R Translocation on the Yield Potential of Certain Spring Wheats (Triticum aestivum L.)

Nearly 50 percent of the 1988 advanced breeding lines of the CIMMYT bread wheat breeding program possess the 1B/1R homozygous translocation. Hence, a trial was conducted to estimate the effect of 1B/1R chromosome translocation on the yield potential of some of our high-yielding spring wheats, where non-limiting levels of fertility, moisture, preventive pest and disease programs were used. In conclusing the 1B/1R lines seemed to have increased their above-ground biomass yield, number of spikes per meter², 1000-grain weight and test weight. They also exhibited a slight advantage over the 1B homozygous lines on grain yield. The observed difference, however, was non-significant, as was the plant height difference observed among the two groups. Varietal comparisons indicated that the 1B/1R group headed later than the 1B group.     

Sequential stopping rules for species accumulation

Identifying and counting the total number of biological species observed to date, and plotting versusa measure of the effort used to record them, gives rise to a species accumulation curve. Interest typically is concerned with estimating the total number of species in the area of study, having observed only the accumulation curve, having no information on species frequencies. This article considers the problem of optimally stopping the sampling process. We use a sequential procedure with a fixed maximum horizon for accumulation. A utility function based on the number of new species to be observed and the effort saved from the maximum horizon is adopted, and a workable algorithm based on backward induction is obtained. An example in accumulation of bat species is also presented.     

Off-vine grape drying effect on volatile compounds and aromatic series in must from Pedro Ximénez grape variety

Changes in 36 volatile compounds of must from ripe grapes dried by direct exposure to sun and must from ripe grapes were studied. Compounds not dependent on sampling site in both musts were selected, and their concentration/Brix degree ratio values, were subjected to variance analysis. Only butan-1-ol and isoamyl alcohols showed no differences, while (E)-hex-3-en-1-ol, (Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol, (E)-hex-2-en-1-ol, (E)-hex-2-enal, hexanoic acid, isobutanol, benzyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol, gamma-butyrolactone, gamma-hexalactone, and 5-methylfurfural, showed significant differences between the two must types, which may be ascribed to the drying process. An approach to describe must odor has been carried out by grouping volatile compounds in aromatic series, increasing their values in the fruity, solvent, sweet, and roasted series and diminishing the herbaceous as a consequence of the drying process.     

Molecular Characterization of the USDA White Clover (Trifolium repens L.) Core Collection by RAPD Markers

White clover is one of the most important forage legume species worldwide, playing an important role in Southern Brazil temperate cultivated pastures. This work was aimed to characterize the genetic variability of the USDA white clover core collection formed by 78 accessions representing 50 countries, together with two very well known cultivars (Huia and Ladino Regal), using RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) markers to produce genetic fingerprints. There were used DNA bulks formed by the extraction and mixture of 20 random individuals from each accession. Twenty four primers were used, which revealed from 3 to 29 bands, forming a total of 371 polymorphic bans and only one monomorphic, ranging from 50 to 3098 bp. The results showed a genetic similarity among the accessions, ranging from 0.18 to 0.58 (Jaccard’s index), with an average of 0.24, allowing the identification of each individual accession using just three primers. The results also showed a large genetic variability within the white clover core collection, probably due to its reproduction mode and ploidy level, which could be used in plant breeding program.