The nature and consequences of co-infections in tilapia: A review

Co-infections commonly arise when two or multiple different pathogens infect the same host, either as simultaneous or as secondary concurrent infection. This potentiates their pathogenic effects and leads to serious negative consequences on the exposed host. Numerous studies on the occurrence of the bacterial, parasitic, fungal and viral co-infections were conducted in various tilapia species. Co-infections have been associated with serious negative impacts on susceptible fish because they increase the fish susceptibility to diseases and the likelihood of outbreaks in the affected fish. Co-infections can alter the disease course and increase the severity of disease through synergistic and, more rarely, antagonistic interactions. In this review, reports on the synergistic co-infections and their impacts on the affected tilapia species are highlighted. Additionally, their pathogenic mechanisms are briefly discussed. Tilapia producers should be aware of the possible occurrence of co-infections and their effects on the affected tilapia species and in particular of the clinical signs and course of the disease. To date, there is still limited information regarding the pathogenicity mechanisms and pathogen interactions during these co-infections. This is generally due to low awareness regarding co-infections, and in many cases, a dominant pathogen is perceived to be of vital importance and hence becomes the target of treatment while the treatment of the co-infectious agents is neglected. This review article aimed at raising awareness regarding co-infections and helping researchers and fish health specialists pay greater attention to these natural cases, leading to increased research and more consistent diagnosis of co-infectious outbreaks in order to improve control strategies to protect tilapia when infected with multiple pathogens.     

Two-year surveillance of tilapia lake virus (TiLV) reveals its wide circulation in tilapia farms and hatcheries from multiple districts of Bangladesh

Tilapia lake virus (TiLV) is an emerging pathogen in aquaculture, reportedly affecting farmed tilapia in 16 countries across multiple continents. Following an early warning in 2017 that TiLV might be widespread, we executed a surveillance programme on tilapia grow-out farms and hatcheries from 10 districts of Bangladesh in 2017 and 2019. Among farms experiencing unusual mortality, eight out of 11 farms tested positive for TiLV in 2017, and two out of seven tested positive in 2019. Investigation of asymptomatic broodstock collected from 16 tilapia hatcheries revealed that six hatcheries tested positive for TiLV. Representative samples subjected to histopathology confirmed pathognomonic lesions of syncytial hepatitis. We recovered three complete genomes of TiLV from infected fish, one from 2017 and two from 2019. Phylogenetic analyses based on both the concatenated coding sequences of 10 segments and only segment 1 consistently revealed that Bangladeshi TiLV isolates formed a unique cluster within Thai clade, suggesting a close genetic relation. In summary, this study revealed the circulation of TiLV in 10 farms and six hatcheries located in eight districts of Bangladesh. We recommend continuing TiLV-targeted surveillance efforts to identify contaminated sources to minimize the countrywide spread and severity of TiLV infection.     

Supplemental blue and red light promote lycopene synthesis in tomato fruits

Lycopene, one of the strongest natural antioxidants known and the main carotene in ripe tomato, is very important for human health. Light is well known to be one of the most important environmental stimuli influencing lycopene biosynthesis; specifically, red light induces higher lycopene content in tomato. However, whether blue light promotes lycopene synthesis remains elusive and exactly how light stimulation promotes lycopene synthesis remains unclear. We applied supplemental blue and red lighting on tomato plants at anthesis to monitor the effect of supplemental blue and red lighting on lycopene synthesis. Our results showed that supplemental blue/red lighting induced higher lycopene content in tomato fruits; furthermore, we found that the expression of key genes in the lycopene synthesis pathway was induced by supplemented blue/red light. The expression of light signaling components, such as red-light receptor phytochromes (PHYs), blue-light receptor cryptochromes (CRYs) and light interaction factors, phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) and ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) were up- or down-regulated by blue/red lighting. Thus, blue and red light increased lycopene content in tomatoes by inducing light receptors that modulate HY5 and PIFs activation to mediate phytoene synthase 1 (PSY1) gene expression. These results provide a sound theoretical basis for further elucidation of the light regulating mechanism of lycopene synthesis in tomatoes, and for instituting a new generation of technological innovations for the enhancement of lycopene accumulation in crop production.     

红树莓果酒的酿造工艺研究

中国盛产小浆果,但小浆果不容易保存且季节性强,因此附加值较低,为了提高小浆果的产品附加值,本试验研究了小浆果酒的发酵工艺,并探讨了解决出汁率低,果酒单宁含量过少所导致的货架期短、挥发酸高、不易澄清等问题。试验以小浆果红树莓为原料,经破碎、酶解、澄清、发酵、过滤等工艺,制得了发酵型红树莓果酒,经过单因素和正交试验优化发酵工艺,确定最佳的酿造工艺条件。结果表明,酶解过程采用25 g/kL EMACLAR果胶酶和25 g/kL EVZYM果胶酶低温酶解14 h,与传统方式对比,出汁率提高了10%;发酵过程,红树莓果汁初始糖度19%,利用VP5为酿酒酵母,接种量为10%,发酵温度22℃;发酵结束后使用树脂降酸,澄清过程使用30 g/100 L硅藻土、15 g/100 L明胶复合澄清的方式。在此工艺条件下得到的红树莓果酒酸度爽口,色泽清亮、均匀,有明显的树莓香气和纯正的发酵型香气。     

Impact of weather variables and season on sporulation of Phytophthora pluvialis and Phytophthora kernoviae

Phytophthora pluvialis and Phytophthora kernoviae are the causal agents of important needle diseases on Pinus radiata in New Zealand. Little is known about the epidemiology of the diseases, making the development of control strategies challenging. To investigate the seasonality and climatic drivers of sporulation, inoculum traps, consisting of pine fascicles floating on water in plastic containers, were exchanged fortnightly at five sites in P. radiata plantations between February 2012 and December 2014. Sections of needle baits were plated onto selective media and growth of Phytophthora pluvialis and P. kernoviae recorded. To explore the generalizability of these data, they were compared to detection data for both pathogens from the New Zealand Forest Health Database (NZFHDB). Further, equivalent analyses on infection of Rhododendron ponticum by P. kernoviae in Cornwall, UK allowed the comparison of the epidemiology of P. kernoviae across different host systems and environments. In New Zealand, inoculum of P. pluvialis and P. kernoviae was detected between January–December and March–November, respectively. Inoculum of both species peaked in abundance in late winter. The probability of detecting P. pluvialis and P. kernoviae was greater at lower temperatures, while the probability of detecting P. pluvialis also increased during periods of wet weather. Similar patterns were observed in NZFHDB data. However, the seasonal pattern of infection by P. kernoviae in the UK was the opposite of that seen for sporulation in New Zealand. Phytophthora kernoviae was likely limited by warmer and drier summers in New Zealand, but by colder winter weather in the UK. These results emphasize the importance of considering both environmental drivers and thresholds in improving our understanding of pathogen epidemiology.     

小球藻红枣乳酸发酵饮料的研制

以小球藻、红枣为原料,利用乳酸菌发酵,制作具有海藻特殊芳香及兼具红枣营养价值的小球藻红枣乳酸发酵饮料。结果表明,球藻液与红枣液最佳配比为3∶7(V/V),小球藻红枣发酵液最佳发酵条件为:小球藻红枣原液添加量30%,脱脂乳70%,发酵时间9 h,发酵温度42℃,接种量0.10%;最佳调配配方为:小球藻红枣发酵液50 m L,水50 mL,白砂糖5 g,柠檬酸0.2%,稳定剂(CMC)0.2%。研制出的饮料为均匀的淡乳黄色,清新的红枣味和发酵乳香味,无藻腥味,具有独特的口感。     

冠心病血瘀证与血液检验相关指标分析

目的 探讨冠心病血瘀证与血液相关检验指标的关系。方法 选择175例冠心病患者，其中血瘀证组112例，非血瘀证组63例。研究对象均在住院次日清晨平躺测量血压，空腹状态下抽取静脉血液留置标本，检测血常规和血脂、血糖、肾功能等生化指标，记录患者吸烟史。比较两组患者指标的差异性。结果 血瘀证组患者的血常规中红细胞分布宽度-CV值（Rdw-cv）、红细胞分布宽度-SD值（Rdw-sd）、血小板分布宽度（Pdw）、血小板平均体积（Mpv）、血小板比积（Pct）、大型血小板比率（P-lct）均明显高于非血瘀证组（P<0.01，P<0.05）；血瘀证组患者载脂蛋白B（ApoB）、血脂总胆固醇（TC）均明显高于非血瘀证组（P<0.01，P<0.05）；血瘀证组中患者吸烟率明显高于非血瘀证组（P<0.05）。结论 冠心病血瘀证组患者Rdw-cv、Rdw-sd、Pdw、Mpv、Pct、P-lct、TC、ApoB及烟率均明显高于非血瘀证组，差异具有统计学意义，故以上指标可以作为冠心病血瘀证中医辨证分型的客观临床指标。     

Comparison of effects of dietary‐specific fatty acids on growth and lipid metabolism in Nile tilapia

The dominant fatty acids (FAs) in oils are often used to explain different nutritional effects of dietary oils in fish. However, the amounts of dominant FAs among oils are different, and the nutritional roles of these important FAs in fish have not been precisely compared at similar levels in feeding trials. In the present study, different amounts of palmitic acid were added to safflower oil (SO), olive oil (OO) and fish oil (FO) to obtain comparable amounts (about 550 g/kg of total FAs) of 18:2n‐6, 18:1n‐9 and 20:5n‐3 + 22:6n‐3 and subsequently fed to Nile tilapia (11.1 ± 0.01 g) for 8 weeks. The results showed similar growth among groups but FO group obtained lower fat deposition, serum ALT and AST activities, compared to OO. Lipogenesis‐related gene expressions were higher in OO group than FO group in liver, muscle and adipose tissue, but there were only few differences in these genes between SO and FO groups. Lipid catabolism genes in FO group were higher than OO and SO groups in adipose tissue, but not in muscle, and the significantly higher expressions of CPT1b and PPARα were only observed in liver. Overall, dietary 18:2n‐6, 20:5n‐3 and 22:6n‐3 were beneficial to normal growth and lipid metabolism, whereas high amount of 18:1n‐9 induced lipid deposition and liver damage in Nile tilapia.     

红壤旱地一株自生固氮菌的筛选鉴定及其固氮能力评估

为了鉴定从红壤中分离得到的一株自生固氮菌,并探讨其固氮能力。采用形态观察、生理生化测定和16S rDNA基因序列分析的方法研究了菌株的分类地位,采用乙炔还原法测定其固氮酶活性,并在室内培养条件下,通过花生、玉米的幼苗盆栽试验研究菌株对土壤MBN、矿化氮和植株氮素积累量的影响。结果表明：从种植于红壤的玉米根际,筛选出15株自生固氮菌,以菌株CM12固氮能力最强,初步鉴定CM12为伯霍尔德杆菌属(Burkholderia sp.),固氮酶活性达C₂H₄ 39.1 nmol/(h·mL)。室内培养试验结果表明,接种CM12菌株的处理,花生和玉米土壤MBN含量较CK处理分别提高了2.38和2.37倍,其中种植花生体系中,接菌处理与施用化学氮肥处理土壤MBN含量无显著差异。接种固氮菌影响了旱地红壤NO₃^--N和NH₄⁺-N比例,降低了土壤中NO₃^--N含量,且种植玉米体系中土壤NO₃^--N含量降低较明显。固氮菌短期接种增加了花生根系和玉米地上植株的氮素积累量。研究结果为该菌株在红壤旱地实际生产中的应用提供了理论基础。     

5味中药醇提物对尼罗罗非鱼白细胞免疫活性的作用

将超微五倍子、白头翁、地榆、柯子、虎杖粉碎后过160目筛,按照料液比1∶10将药粉与60%的乙醇水溶液混合,再用超声波粉碎机超声1 h,用滤纸过滤收集滤液,置于多样品平行蒸发仪中浓缩后制得中药提取物。用吸取0.2 mL抗凝剂的无菌注射器自尼罗罗非鱼尾静脉采血0.5 mL,与L-15细胞培养基按体积比1∶9的比例混合成血浆,与中草药提取液单用、联用共孵育,利用氮蓝四唑还原法和流式细胞仪技术分别测定中草药提取液对尼罗罗非鱼外周血白细胞呼吸爆发活性和白细胞吞噬活性的影响。试验结果显示,五倍子、白头翁、地榆、柯子、虎杖单用均能显著提高白细胞氧呼吸爆发活性,呼吸爆发增加率分别为128.68%、123.96%、28.37%、44.44%和78.93%;试验组白细胞吞噬率分别较对照组增加44.04%、44.66%、95.00%、10.35%和64.93%。在两味中药双联用试验中,对白细胞氧呼吸爆发活性呈协同作用的组合为白头翁+地榆,呼吸爆发联用指数为1.28;对白细胞吞噬活性呈协同作用的组合为白头翁+虎杖、柯子+虎杖、五倍子+虎杖和白头翁+柯子,吞噬联用指数分别为11.45、6.20、3.03和1.06。