Mycobacteriosis caused by Mycobacterium marinum in reared mullets: first evidence from Sardinia (Italy)

Mycobacterium marinum is a slow‐growing non‐tuberculous mycobacterium, and it is considered the most common aetiologic agent of mycobacteriosis in wild and cultured fish. The diagnosis is principally made by histology when positive Ziehl–Neelsen stain granulomas are detected. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of mycobacteriosis in extensively cultured Mugilidae of two lagoons (Cabras and San Teodoro) from Sardinia by the use of histology, microbiology, PCR and DNA sequencing. Nine of 106 mullets examined were affected by mycobacteriosis, and the spleen was the most affected organ. The histology detected higher rate (100%) of infection in spleen than the culture and PCR (75% and 62.5%, respectively). The sequencing of hsp65 gene identified M. marinum as the primary cause of mycobacteriosis in the mullets examined. Mullets affected by mycobacteriosis were mainly fished in the San Teodoro lagoon characterized by critical environmental conditions. Histology remains the most common method in detecting fish affected by mycobacteriosis, and PCR‐based methods are essential for species identification. Our finding are worthy of attention because mycobacteriosis caused by M. marinum in reared mullets was evidenced for the first time in Sardinia, suggesting that this disease may be underestimated also in other cultured fish species.     

Aphanomyces astaci presence in Japan: a threat to the endemic and endangered crayfish species Cambaroides japonicus?

1. Spread of the crayfish plague pathogen, Aphanomyces astaci, by North American crayfish species is considered one of the main reasons for substantial declines and local extinctions of native European crayfish populations. Owing to human introductions, several American crayfish species have become established throughout the world, and thus pose a potential threat to indigenous crayfish populations susceptible to crayfish plague.
2. In Japan, two such widespread alien species, Procambarus clarkii and Pacifastacus leniusculus, were introduced for aquaculture purposes in the late 1920s and since then successfully expanded their ranges.
3. Aggressive interactions with alien crayfish along with habitat modifications have been considered primarily responsible for drastic declines in populations of the Japanese endemic crayfish, Cambaroides japonicus, observed in the last few decades. However, the presence of the crayfish plague pathogen, to which Japanese crayfish are susceptible, may be expected, and could contribute to these declines.
4. Only recently, A. astaci has been reported from Taiwan, and to our knowledge no study focusing on its presence outside of the Western Palearctic has been conducted.
5. To fill this gap, 54 P. clarkii and 47 P. leniusculus individuals from five different Japanese locations were screened using molecular methods recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health. Aphanomyces astaci DNA was detected in all studied populations, altogether in 61% and 21% of examined individuals of P. clarkii and P. leniusculus, respectively.
6. The results provide the first evidence of A. astaci presence in Japan and highlight the threat of pathogen transmission to C. japonicus populations.

Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Establishing an eyeball-weight relationship for Litopenaeus vannamei using machine vision technology

This study aimed to establish a shrimp eyeball-weight relationship model for Litopenaeus vannamei using machine vision technology. A total of 295 shrimp were sampled from a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). The long-axis length (d), body length (L), and body weight (W) of each individual was measured. The long axis length of the shrimp eyeball was identified and measured using machine vision technology. Continuous fitting and piecewise fitting models were used to construct the eyeball-weight relationship model for L. vannamei. The continuous fitting relationship model was described as: W = 38.865d^2.7914, while the piecewise model was described as: d < 2 mm, W = 0.0326d^3.7363, R² = 0.9288; 2 mm ≤ d < 3.9 mm, W = 0.0401d^3.104, R² = 0.9629; 3.9 mm ≤ d < 5.8 mm, W = 0.0421d^3.0311, R² = 0.9216; 5.8 mm < d, W = 0.103d^2.6226, R² = 0.9457. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the piecewise fitting model (0.0244, 0.1575, 0.5034, 0.7072) was smaller than the continuous fitting model (0.8229). The correlation coefficient (R²) of the piecewise model (0.9288, 0.9629, 0.9216, and 0.9457) was similar to that of the continuous fitting model (R² = 0.9621). The results indicated that the piecewise fitting model is suitable for calculating the biomass of L. vannamei in RAS and provides a novel way of estimating the biomass of L. vannamei cultured in RAS. The piecewise fitting model can also provide the foundation of evaluating the production of shrimp using underwater image recognition in intelligent aquaculture systems.     

The future of genetic engineering to provide essential dietary nutrients and improve growth performance in aquaculture: Advantages and challenges

Advancements in gene technology in recent years have been driving the aquaculture industry forward. Improvements in growth performance, feed efficiency, and omega‐3 content are goals of the industry that could capitalize on applications of genetic engineering. One of the major challenges in the industry is to reduce the use of fish meal and oil, to improve the environmental and economic sustainability of aquaculture. The recent development of genetically engineered feed ingredients is one potential solution to the looming problem of fish meal and oil dependency. Furthermore, the development of transgenic fish has potential to improve production efficiency and other future desirable characteristics that relate to feed utilization and product quality. New gene technologies are beginning to revolutionize how we produce our food, and in aquaculture, will ultimately reduce pressure on wild fish stocks, help to preserve natural aquatic ecosystems, and improve nutritional profiles of farmed fish for human consumption. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the current applications of genetic engineering technology to improve aquaculture through nutrition, including the development and use of transgenic feed ingredients, transgenic fish, and ultimately their impacts on nutrition, product quality, and consumers.     

间歇式双循环工厂化养殖系统构建及其养殖效果

为改善工厂化循环水养殖系统水质净化效果,提高养殖密度和成活率,构建了间歇式双循环工厂化养殖系统。通过间歇运行生物膜反应器增加水力停留时间,充分降解含氮污染物;连续运行弧形筛及时去除固体颗粒物。考察了该系统的启动过程及石斑鱼高密度养殖效果。启动初期,将硝化型生物絮团与海绵填料混合培养,生物膜22 d即可挂膜成功。以30.03 kg/m~3为初始养殖密度开展石斑鱼养殖试验,经66 d养殖,石斑鱼平均质量从(273.00±12.22)增至(552.52±107.04) g,最终养殖密度达到60.78 kg/m~3,成活率为100%。养殖过程中,生物膜逐渐适应养殖环境,氨氮、亚硝酸盐氮去除率从13.33%、14.84%增至93.73%、93.50%。此外,在弧形筛进水槽增加曝气形成曝气式弧形筛,可进一步除去细小颗粒物,有效控制养殖水体浊度。     

食用菌出口产品专业术语翻译特点及策略

在分析食用菌产品专业术语翻译现状的基础上,详细讨论了翻译的准确性、国际贸易的语场和文化差异。提出尊重当地文化传统和语言习惯、遵守国际贸易中的"专业术语",注重翻译准确性和专业性的翻译策略,消除食用菌产品出口贸易中的语言障碍,更好地服务于食用菌产业的发展。     

The value of sea urchin,Lytechinus variegatus,egesta consumed by shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei

Sea urchins produce high‐energy, membrane‐bound fecal pellets that contain residual nutrients and large quantities of microbiota. These egesta are readily consumed by the shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Egesta of the sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus, were evaluated as a feed supplement or total replacement for a commercial shrimp diet. Shrimp were stocked at 0.49 g ± 0.06 g initial body weight and housed individually in 2.8‐L tanks in a commercial recirculating zebrafish system. Shrimp were assigned to one of six diets: commercial shrimp feed, reference sea urchin feed, collected dried sea urchin egesta, collected wet sea urchin egesta, half ration of shrimp feed and half collected wet sea urchin egesta, and egesta naturally produced by two sea urchins in polyculture. Equivalent dry matter amounts of each diet were proffered to shrimp in each treatment twice daily, except for those that had complete access to natural egesta excreted by sea urchins in polyculture. Sea urchins were proffered a reference sea urchin feed at 2% body weight daily. After 27 days, shrimp proffered collected dried or wet egesta did not differ significantly in percent weight gain and showed the lowest weight gain. The percent weight gain of shrimp fed the commercial shrimp diet did not differ significantly from that of the shrimp fed half commercial shrimp diet and half egesta. The highest weight gain was recorded for those shrimp that consumed the untouched egesta produced by sea urchins in polyculture. These data suggest that consumed egesta have noteworthy nutritional value and therefore would be beneficial to the culture of extractive species in an integrated multitrophic aquaculture system.     

日本环境保全型耕地农业系统对中国耕地保护的启示

为解决中国农业长期粗放经营问题,研究中国耕地与生态文明协同保护体系,采用文献研究法和归纳演绎法,分析东亚地区代表国家环境保全型农业下的耕地农业协同体系。研究表明,日本的耕地农业环境保护支付制度、生态补偿市场认证体系、耕地农业法律制度保障,是建立在生态补偿原则上,经过实践检验行之有效的,能够提升市场参与度及农民自主性投入的耕地生态协同保护措施。中国在推广耕地合理利用实践方面做出了不懈努力,但是在建立耕地生态协同保护的休耕制度、因地制宜建立生态补偿体系、加快推进耕地生态协同保护专项基金的设立等方面还需进一步坚持和完善。     

基于改进极限学习机的水体溶解氧预测方法

为了有效地指导水产养殖生产，提高溶解氧浓度预测的精度，提出了基于因子筛选和改进极限学习机（Extreme Learning Machine，ELM）的水产养殖溶解氧预测模型。首先，利用皮尔森相关系数法计算各影响因子与溶解氧浓度间的相关系数，提取强关联因子，降低预测模型的输入量维度；采用偏最小二乘算法（Partial Least Square, PLS）优化传统ELM神经网络，避免网络中隐含层共线性问题，保障输出权值的稳定性；然后，结合新型激活函数，构建水体溶解氧浓度预测模型。最后，将SPLS-ELM（Selection Based Partial Least Square Optimized Extreme Learning Machine）预测模型应用到江苏省无锡市南泉基地某试验池塘的水体溶解氧预测中。试验结果表明：该模型的预测均方根误差为0.3232，与最小二乘支持向量机（Least Square Support Vector Machine，LSSVM）、BP神经网络、粒子群（Particle Swarm Optimization，PSO）优化LSSVM和遗传算法（Genetic Algorithm, GA）优化BP神经网络相比分别降低40.98%、44.48%、34.73%和44.18%。且该模型的运行时间仅0.6231s，预测精度和运行效率明显优于其他模型。该模型的溶解氧预测曲线接近真实溶解氧变化曲线，能够满足水产养殖实际生产对水体溶解氧预测的要求。