Effect of crude oil extracts from trout offal as a replacement for fish oil in the diets of the Australian native fish Murray cod Maccullochella peelii peelii

The efficacy of trout oil (TO), extracted from trout offal from the aquaculture industry, was evaluated in juvenile Murray cod Maccullochella peelii peelii (25.4±0.81 g) diets in an experiment conducted over 60 days at 23.7±0.8 °C. Five isonitrogenous (48% protein), isolipidic (16%) and isoenergetic (21.8 kJ g^?1) diets, in which the fish oil fraction was replaced in increments of 25% (0–100%), were used. The best growth and feed efficiency was observed in fish fed diets containing 50–75% TO. The relationship of specific growth rate (SGR), food conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) to the amount of TO in the diets was described in each case by second‐order polynomial equations (P<0.05), which were: SGR=–0.44TO²+0.52TO+1.23 (r²=0.90, P<0.05); FCR=0.53TO²–0.64TO+1.21 (r²=0.95, P<0.05); and PER=–0.73TO²+0.90TO+1.54 (r²=0.90, P<0.05). Significant differences in carcass and muscle proximate compositions were noted among the different dietary treatments. Less lipid was found in muscle than in carcass. The fatty acids found in highest amounts in Murray cod, irrespective of the dietary treatment, were palmitic acid (16:0), oleic acid (18:1n‐9), linoleic acid (18:2n‐6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n‐3). The fatty acid composition of the muscle reflected that of the diets. Both the n‐6 fatty acid content and the n‐3 to n‐6 ratio were significantly (P<0.05) related to growth parameters, the relationships being as follows. Percentage of n‐6 in diet (X) to SGR and FCR: SGR=–0.12X²+3.96X–32.51 (r²=0.96) and FCR=0.13X²–4.47X+39.39 (r²=0.98); and n‐3:n‐6 ratio (Z) to SGR, FCR, PER: SGR=–2.02Z²+5.01Z–1.74 (r²=0.88), FCR=2.31Z²–5.70Z+4.54 (r²=0.93) and PER=–3.12Z²–7.56Z+2.80 (r²=0.88) respectively. It is evident from this study that TO could be used effectively in Murray cod diets, and that an n‐3:n‐6 ratio of 1.2 results in the best growth performance in Murray cod.     

Conjunctival fungal flora in healthy donkeys

OBJECTIVE: To identify and quantify ocular fungi from healthy donkeys living in the center of Italy. ANIMALS STUDIED: One hundred and two Amiata donkeys were examined. PROCEDURES: Conjunctival swabs from both eyes were seeded onto Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) and malt extract agar (MEA), and incubated at 25 degrees C over a 10-day period. Filamentous fungi identification was achieved to the genus level; yeast colonies were identified for macro-micromorphologic and physiological characteristics. RESULTS: Eighty-one donkeys out of 102 (79.4%) were positive for fungi; 47/102 (46.1%) had positive cultures from both eyes. Most frequently recovered fungal genera were Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp., Acremonium spp. Different fungal genera and/or species were recovered from the same donkey in 43 cases (42.1%). Yeasts were isolated from five subjects; the yeasts were never associated with molds. The number of colony forming units (CFU) ranged from 1 to 100. CONCLUSIONS: Aspergillus was the most commonly isolated fungal genus (33%). This result agrees with the findings of similar surveys carried out in horses. There was a remarkable presence of fungi and perfect forms. These observations may be explained by the optimal conditions for presence and development of fungi in the conjunctival fornix microenvironment in Amiata donkeys.     

Mutational analysis of the tyrosine phosphatome in colorectal cancers

Tyrosine phosphorylation, regulated by protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) and kinases (PTKs), is important in signaling pathways underlying tumorigenesis. A mutational analysis of the tyrosine phosphatase gene superfamily in human cancers identified 83 somatic mutations in six PTPs (PTPRF, PTPRG, PTPRT, PTPN3, PTPN13, PTPN14), affecting 26% of colorectal cancers and a smaller fraction of lung, breast, and gastric cancers. Fifteen mutations were nonsense, frameshift, or splice-site alterations predicted to result in truncated proteins lacking phosphatase activity. Five missense mutations in the most commonly altered PTP (PTPRT) were biochemically examined and found to reduce phosphatase activity. Expression of wild-type but not a mutant PTPRT in human cancer cells inhibited cell growth. These observations suggest that the mutated tyrosine phosphatases are tumor suppressor genes, regulating cellular pathways that may be amenable to therapeutic intervention.     

Oral administration of tepoxalin in the horse: a PK/PD study

Tepoxalin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties and has been recently introduced into veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profile of tepoxalin to assess whether it would be suitable for clinical use in horses. Six female fasting/fed horses were given 10mg/kg tepoxalin orally in a cross-over study. After administration, tepoxalin underwent rapid and extensive hydrolytic conversion to its carboxylic acid metabolite RWJ-20142. In animals that had been fed, the plasma concentrations of tepoxalin were undetectable, whereas in fasting animals they were close to the limit of quantification of the method. No differences between the fasting/fed groups in RWJ-20142 plasma concentrations were shown. Tepoxalin showed a strong and long-lasting ex vivo inhibitory activity against cyclooxygenase (COX)-1, mainly due to its main metabolite RWJ-20142. Tepoxalin and RWJ-20142 do not seem to possess either COX-2 or 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity in the horse. These features suggest that the drug is a selective COX-1 inhibitor in horses, with no significant anti-inflammatory activity. Thus, its long term use in equine practice could be of concern.     

Long-term evaluation of yield components of young olive trees during the onset of fruit production under different irrigation regimes

A four-year study was conducted on young Olea europaea L. trees to investigate the effect of deficit irrigation starting from the onset of fruit production. Subsurface drip irrigation was used to supply 100% (FI), 46–52% (DI), or 2–6% (SI) of tree water needs. Tree growth was reduced by deficit irrigation, whereas, return bloom was not. Per tree fruit yield of DI trees was 68% that of FI, but fruit yield efficiency based on tree size was similar between treatments. Fruit set and the number of fruits of FI trees were similar to those of DI trees and significantly higher than in SI trees. No significant differences in fruit fresh weight were found between FI and DI. The oil yield and oil yield efficiency of the DI treatment were 82 and 110% that of FI trees, respectively. A level of about 50% deficit proved sustainable to irrigate trees for oil production.     

Does full protection count for the maintenance of β‐diversity patterns in marine communities? Evidence from Mediterranean fish assemblages

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