Canine parvovirus 2c infection in central Portugal

Canine parvovirus (CPV) has been evolving, generating new genetic and antigenic variants throughout the world. This study was conducted to determine the types of CPV circulating in dogs in Figueira da Foz, Portugal. Thirty fecal samples, collected between 2006 and 2007 from dogs with clinical signs of CPV infection, were tested for CPV by a rapid, in-clinic, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)/immunomigration test, by conventional real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and by minor-groove binding TaqMan PCR. Of the 29 PCR-positive samples, 15 were identified as CPV-2b and 14 as CPV-2c. No CPV-2a was detected. The sensitivity of the ELISA test was 82.76% compared with the PCR assays. No significant associations were found between CPV type, clinical outcome, breed, vaccination status, or age.     

Comparison of casein haplotypes between two geographically distant European dairy goat breeds.

The aim of this paper was to characterize the diversity among haplotypes based on 22 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and one deletion within four casein genes in two geographically distant goat populations, the Sicilian Girgentana breed and the Norwegian goat breed. Forty Girgentana goats were genotyped for the aforementioned polymorphisms and the resulting data set was compared with 436 goats from the Norwegian population previously genotyped for these markers. Several casein gene polymorphisms were not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium either in Girgentana, or in the Norwegian breed. The SNP haplotype frequencies for the four casein genes were calculated and despite the large geographical distance and phenotypic divergence between these breeds, a proportion of casein loci haplotypes were found to be identical between both Norwegian and Girgentana goats. However, for the CSN2 gene there were no common haplotypes between the two populations. The level of linkage disequilibrium between the casein genes was less in the Girgentana population than in the Norwegian population.     

Cryptosporidium parvum Caused a Large Outbreak Linked to Frisée Salad in Finland, 2012

Over 250 individuals fell ill in five outbreaks caused by Cryptosporidium parvum in Finland, October–November 2012. The cases were connected by lunch meals at restaurants in four different cities. In two outbreaks, the same C. parvumIIdA17G1 subtype was found in patients’ stool samples which supports a single source of infection. Frisée salad was the only common food item served at the restaurants, and consumption of lunch salad containing the frisée salad was associated with the illness. Lunch customers who responded that they had eaten lunch salad were three times more likely to have become ill than those who had not answered whether they had eaten the salad or not (RR 2.66; 95% Cl 1.02–6.9, P‐value <0.01). Cryptosporidiosis should be considered as a causal agent in long‐lasting watery diarrhoea combined with abdominal cramps, and clinical samples should be tested for Cryptosporidium at the same time bacteria and viruses are tested. Measures to prevent contamination of ‘ready‐to‐eat vegetables’ with Cryptosporidium oocysts and methods to test frozen food samples should be developed.     

Site‐related set‐back by weeds on the establishment of 12 biomass willow clones

Ten commercial clones of willow and two breeding clones were studied for their ability to compete with weeds during the establishment year at three different sites in southern Sweden. Cuttings were planted according to commercial practice in April, and the two treatments, ‘Weeded’ and ‘Unweeded’, were laid out in a strip‐plot design. Weeds in the ‘Weeded’ treatment were removed mechanically and by hand hoeing. Willow plant shoot weight and plant mortality were measured after the first growing season to evaluate the initial effect of weeds. In addition, weed flora, weed aboveground biomass, soil properties, shoot damage and soil moisture were assessed during the growing season. Plant mortality was <1% in the ‘Weeded’ treatment at the three study sites, while in ‘Unweeded’ it was significantly higher, 2.7%, 24.6% and 37.4%. Weeds reduced willow plant shoot weight by 93.4%, 94.0% and 96.1% at the three sites. Only one site showed clonal differences in shoot growth reduction, as well as in plant mortality. These results show the importance of weed control in willow plantations, as growth of all clones tested were dramatically hampered by weeds during the first growing season, regardless of trial site conditions. Moreover, conditions at certain sites, such as soil properties in combination with weed cover, may cause high plant mortality during the establishment year in this perennial biomass crop.     

The Role of Spongia sp. in the Discovery of Marine Lead Compounds

A comprehensive review on the chemistry of Spongia sp. is here presented, together with the biological activity of the isolated compounds. The compounds are grouped in sesquiterpene quinones, diterpenes, C21 and other linear furanoterpenes, sesterterpenes, sterols (including secosterols), macrolides and miscellaneous compounds. Among other reports we include studies on the intraspecific diversity of a Mediterranean species, compounds isolated from associated sponge and nudibranch and compounds isolated from S. zimocca and the red seaweed Laurentia microcladia. Under biological activity a table of the reported biological activities of the various compounds and the biological screening of extracts are described. The present review covers the literature from 1971 to 2015.     

Effects of dietary moisture content of extruded diets on physical feed quality and nutritional response in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Feeds in modern aquaculture must be of high physical quality to withstand mechanical impacts. However, physical quality of feed has been shown to affect nutritional responses. In this study, different physical feed qualities were created using different drying time. Effects on physical feed quality, feed intake, nutrient digestibility and growth in Atlantic salmon were investigated. Different drying times of four commercial‐like diets resulted in dry matter contents of 95.9%, 94.1%, 92.3% and 90.8%. A fifth diet containing 70% dry matter was made by soaking pellets. Triplicate groups of Atlantic salmon (961 ± 12.1 g ind^?1, mean ± SEM) were first fed ad libitum and thereafter a restricted ration. The diets differed significantly in bulk density, DORIS durability, hardness, water stability after 60 and 120 min, but not in water stability after 240 min. Feed intake and growth were not affected by physical quality of the dry diets, whereas soaking had a positive effect on feed intake. Restricted compared with ad libitum feeding increased nutrient digestibility, but digestibility was not affected by varying drying time among diets. However, soaking resulted in slightly reduced digestibility of starch. Most methods used to analyse physical quality did not correlate with feed intake and growth; only long‐term water stability affected feed intake.     

Seagrass debris as potential food source to enhance Holothuria arguinensis' growth in aquaculture

Holothuria arguinensis aquaculture started to be developed in 2014, being the first sea cucumber species from Europe. However, some aspects of its aquaculture biotechnology, such diets, need to be assessed. This work aimed to evaluate seagrass debris of Zostera noltii and Cymodocea nodosa as food source for broodstock maintenance in tanks, during breeding periods. The given feed rations per tank were calculated as the 30% of the total sea cucumber biomass in each tank and reviewed each week. Then, feed rations of seagrass and sediment were calculated from this value, according to the following percentages: 40% sediment, 15% Z. noltii, 40% Z. noltii, 15% C. nodosa and 40% C. nodosa. H. arguinensis growth, feeding rate and nutritional value were assessed under these diets. H. arguinensis fed with 40% of Z. noltii showed the highest growth (specific growth rate = 0.09 ± 0.06%/day, absolute growth rate = 0.11 ± 0.07 g/day) increasing their final weight in 5.86 ± 3.57% in 57 days. However, the individuals fed with C. nodosa showed a negative growth. H. arguinensis showed a reduction in its feeding rate as the organic matter content in the diets increased. H. arguinensis did not show any important change on proximate composition, protein, lipid, mineral contents and fatty acids profile among the feeding groups, or in comparison with the individuals collected from wild habitat. Therefore, H. arguinensis could be fed with Z. noltii debris during tanks maintenance along breeding period, ensuring its growth and maintaining its nutritional profile.     

Effects of hyperoxia on behavioural and physiological variables in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) parr

A controlled experiment mimicking Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) pre-smolt farming conditions showed that fish exposed to 150 and 175% super oxygenated water produced higher levels of carbon dioxide with the subsequent decrease in water pH compared to control fish exposed to 100% O₂. At the 7th day of exposure the hyperoxic fish showed larger individual variation in swimming activity compared to the controls. The individual variance in activity, tail beat frequency and scattering in the tanks among super oxygenated fish decreased from the 7th to the 21st day of exposure. The behavioural effects of hyperoxia were seen in relation to altered feed consumption halfway through the experiment, lower body weight, and altered haematological variables at day 21 of exposure. Plasma chloride was reduced in the exposed fish and haemoglobin decreased with increasing oxygen saturations. Plasma cortisol was elevated only in the 150% oxygenated group at day 21, while no effect on osmolality was recorded. The alterations in physiology and behaviour from day 7 to day 21 may be explained in terms of acclimation to increased oxygen saturations. This study shows that behaviour may be used as an indication of impaired water quality that may influence animal welfare negatively and eventually prevent an efficient production.     

Feed intake and growth performance of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis Kaup, 1858) fed diets with partial replacement of fish meal with plant proteins

To be able to study nutrient requirement and utilization in any species, a diet supporting normal feed intake and growth equally well as a traditional fish meal‐based diet is needed. Additionally the formulation of the diet should allow low levels of the nutrient under study. When studying the amino acid metabolism and requirements, one cannot rely on the fish meal‐based diets as fish meal are nicely balanced according to requirements. Therefore the current study aimed to develop a plant protein‐based diet (with low fish meal inclusion) to be used in the nutritional studies of Senegalese sole juveniles supporting feed intake and growth close to that obtained in a fish meal‐based control feed. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate whether Senegalese sole juveniles would accept and utilize diets containing high plant protein inclusion. For testing the acceptance of high plant protein inclusion, two diets were formulated: a reference diet that contained fish meal as the main protein source (450 g kg^?1 dry matter) whereas in the test diet, fish meal was substituted by a mixture of plant ingredients (soybean meal, corn and wheat gluten) with l ‐lysine supplementation. In order to improve the palatability, 50 g kg^?1 squid meal was added to both diets. The indispensable amino acids (IAA) profile of the test diet was made similar to the control diet by adding crystalline amino acids. Further, automatic feeders were used to improve the feed intake. Fish (24 g initial body weight) were fed the diets for a period of 4 weeks. As fish accepted both diets equally well, a second study was undertaken to test the growth performance. Fish (6 g initial BW) were fed the diets for a period of 12 weeks. The use of automatic feeders to deliver the feed and the addition of both squid and balancing the indispensable amino acids resulted in growth performance and accretion not differing from the fish meal fed control. It can be concluded that juvenile Senegalese sole are able to grow and utilize high plant‐protein diets when both diet composition and feeding regime are adequate for this species.