Ecosystem structure and functioning of Lake Taihu (China) and the impacts of fishing

Lake Taihu is the third largest freshwater lake in China and has provided local communities with valuable fisheries for centuries. However, we have only a limited knowledge of its ecosystem. In this study, a trophic model was constructed for the Lake Taihu ecosystem. This model was used to evaluate and analyze the food web structure and other properties of this ecosystem using data covering the period from 1991 to 1995. Using the model, we evaluated the impacts on local fisheries of various management scenarios comprising two basic management regimes: (1) setting fishing mortality for the top predator (large culters, Erythroculter mongolicus and Erythroculter ilishaeformis) to 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2, and (2) adjusting overall fishing effort to 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.25 times the current level. For both scenarios, fishery profit and cost were evaluated to provide an understanding of how components of the ecosystem interact. We identified possible causes of fishery overexploitation in the lake ecosystem and described the necessity of developing ecosystem-based management. The results showed that Lake Taihu had six theoretical trophic levels (TLs), with the trophic flows primarily occurring through the first five TLs. System properties such as transfer efficiency, Finn's index, Finn's mean length, connectance index, system omnivory index, primary production/respiration ratio, and net primary production all indicated that Lake Taihu was an immature, fairly simple ecosystem in which a relatively low fraction of total primary production was utilized. At the same time, the ecosystem was also experiencing high fishing pressure. Yet despite this, the low ascendency index (25.9%) and high system overhead ratio (74.1%) indicated that the system was highly developed and relatively stable, a condition that might result from the high degree of recycling in the system. Among the harvesting strategies considered, a strategy of either decreasing the fishing mortality of the top predator (large culters) to 0.3 or, alternatively, reducing the overall effort on the system by a factor of 0.75 appeared to be most effective at increasing the efficiency of the fisheries.     

Comparative pathogenicity of Vibrio spp., Photobacterium damselae ssp. damselae and five isolates of Aeromonas salmonicida ssp. achromogenes in juvenile Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus)

Juvenile Atlantic halibut (~100 mg, Hippoglossus hippoglossus) were exposed to Vibrio proteolyticus, a Vibrio spp. isolate, Photobacterium damselae ssp. damselae and five different isolates of Aeromonas salmonicida ssp. achromogenes via an hour‐long bath immersion to ascertain their variation in pathogenicity to this fish species. Results were analysed using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Analysis of the data from challenges using A. salmonicida ssp. achromogenes revealed three survival values of zero and a spread of values from 0 to 28.43. Challenges using a Vibrio spp isolate, V. proteolyticus and P. damselae resulted in Kaplan–Meier survival estimates of 31.21, 50.41 and 57.21, respectively. As all bacterial species tested could induce juvenile halibut mortalities, they must all be considered as potential pathogens. However, the degree of pathogenicity of A. salmonicida is isolate dependent.     

Yellow- and brown-seeded canola (Brassica napus), camelina (Camelina sativa) and Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata) in practical diets for rainbow trout fingerlings

Rainbow trout (initial body weight 2.5 ± 0.3 g; 30 fish/tank; 4 tanks/treatment) were offered either the control diet or one of four test diets. The test diets contained brown seed coat canola (BSC; Brassica napus), yellow seed coat canola (YSC; Brassica rapa), Brassica carinata (Ethiopian mustard; EM), or Camelina sativa (CAM), which were added to their respective diets at a 15% dietary inclusion level. Final weight of fish fed the control (101.0 g) was higher than that of fish fed BSC (80.7 g) and CAM (85.3 g) (P < 0.05). Fish fed the control also gained more weight (98.4g) than fish fed BSC (78.2 g) and CAM (83.0 g) (P < 0.05). Fish fed YSC and EM at a 15% dietary inclusion level had a final body weight and gain that was more similar to the control than fish fed BSC and CAM. Considering the fact that there was no significant difference among treatments for SGR and FCR for the entirety of the trial, all four oilseeds have potential for use in rainbow trout feeds.     

Does agricultural use of azole fungicides contribute to resistance in the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus?

Azole resistance in human fungal pathogens has increased over the past twenty years, especially in immunocompromised patients. Similarities between medical and agricultural azoles, and extensive azole (14α‐demethylase inhibitor, DMI) use in crop protection, prompted speculation that resistance in patients with aspergillosis originated in the environment. Aspergillus species, and especially Aspergillus fumigatus, are the largest cause of patient deaths from fungi. Azole levels in soils following crop spraying, and differences in sensitivity between medical and agricultural azoles (DMIs), indicate weaker selection in cropping systems than in patients receiving azole therapy. Most fungi have just one CYP51 paralogue (isozyme CYP51B), but in Aspergillus sp. mutations conferring azole resistance are largely confined to a second paralogue, CYP51A. Binding within the active centre is similar for medical and agricultural azoles but differences elsewhere between the two paralogues may ensure selection depends on the DMI used on crops. Two imidazoles, imazalil and prochloraz, have been widely used since the early 1970s, yet unlike triazoles they have not been linked to resistance in patients. Evidence that DMIs are the origin, or increase the frequency, of azole resistance in human fungal pathogens is lacking. Limiting DMI use would have serious impacts on disease control in many crops, and remove key tools in anti‐resistance strategies. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of growth factors on equine synovial fibroblasts seeded on synthetic scaffolds for avascular meniscal tissue engineering

Across species, the avascular portion of the knee meniscus cannot heal spontaneously if severely injured. The most common treatment is meniscectomy which results in osteoarthritis. The objective of this study was to assess the fibrochondrogenic potential of equine fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) seeded on scaffolds under the influence of growth factors in vitro to determine the potential of developing a novel cell-based repair strategy. Cultured FLS were seeded onto synthetic scaffolds in a rotating bioreactor under the influence of three growth factor regimens: none, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) alone, and bFGF plus transforming growth factor (TGF-β₁) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). Constructs were analyzed for mRNA expression and production of fibrochondroid extracellular matrix constituents. Type II collagen and aggrecan mRNA were significantly higher in growth factor-treated groups (p < 0.05). Despite sub-optimal extracellular matrix production, FLS can exhibit fibrochondral characteristics and may have potential for cell-based tissue engineering for avascular meniscal regeneration.     

Repeat tuberculin skin testing leads to desensitisation in naturally infected tuberculous cattle which is associated with elevated interleukin-10 and decreased interleukin-1 beta responses

The principal surveillance tool used to control bovine tuberculosis in cattle is the removal of animals that provide a positive response to the tuberculin skin-test. In this study we performed a longitudinal investigation of the immunological and diagnostic consequences of repeated short-interval skin-tests in cattle naturally infected with Mycobacterium bovis. Tuberculin skin-test positive cattle were subjected to up to four further intradermal comparative cervical skin-tests at approximately 60-day intervals. A significant progressive reduction in the strength of the skin-test was observed after successive tests. In contrast, the magnitude of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) responses was not influenced by repeat skin-testing either transiently around the time of each skin-test or longitudinally following repeated tests. A significant boost in blood interleukin-10 (IL-10) production was observed within 3 days following each skin-test although the magnitude of this boosted response returned to lower levels by day 10 post-test. The application of a novel multiplex assay to simultaneously measure seven cytokines and chemokines also identified that skin-testing resulted in a significant and progressive reduction in antigen specific interleukin-1β (IL-1β) whilst confirming stable IFN-γ and elevated IL-10 responses in the blood. Therefore, we have demonstrated that in cattle naturally infected with M. bovis, repeat short-interval skin-testing can lead to a progressive reduction in skin-test responsiveness which has potential negative consequences for the detection of infected animals with marginal or inconclusive skin-test responses. The desensitising effect is associated with decreased IL-1β and elevated IL-10 responses, but importantly, does not influence antigen specific IFN-γ responses.     

Effect of Previous Experience on Grazing Patterns and Diet Selection of Brangus Cows in the Chihuahuan Desert

The ability to adapt to different environments is critical when livestock are moved because of drought or other management considerations. The impact of previous experience on grazing patterns and diet selection of Brangus cows in desert conditions was evaluated. Cows originating from a humid-subtropical environment (Leona, Texas) were brought to the Chihuahuan Desert (naïve) and evaluated against cows that spent their life in the Chihuahuan Desert (native) and cows that were born and raised in the Chihuahuan Desert but were moved to Leona, Texas during the preceding 3 yr (tourist). In addition, native cows with recent experience in desert conditions were compared with naïve cows and tourist cows that had not been in the Chihuahuan Desert for at least 3 yr. All cows were mature and had similar pedigrees (n = 21). Cows from the three groups were tracked in three extensive pastures (> 1 000 ha) for three 8–10-d periods during winter, early summer, and later summer. Cows never grazed in the experimental pastures before the study, but native and tourist cows had grazed adjacent pastures. Fecal near-infrared spectroscopy was used to estimate diet quality. Naïve cows used 335 ha ± 83 standard error (SE) less area (P = 0.06) and were 479 m ± 105 SE closer to water (P = 0.03) than cows born and raised in the Chihuahuan Desert (native and tourist cows pooled) when first evaluated in winter. After pooling all data, native cows were farther (P = 0.06) from water (730 m ± 283 SE) and spent less time at water (10.53% ± 3.93 SE) than cows that did not spend their entire life in the desert (naïve and tourist pooled). During winter and early summer (drought conditions), naïve cows selected diets with lower (P < 0.05) crude protein (CP) than cows born in the desert, but during late summer after abundant precipitation naïve cows selected a diet with higher (P = 0.07) CP. Although Brangus cows are highly adaptable, animals raised in nearby pastures appear to have advantages over naïve animals when grazing Chihuahuan Desert rangeland.     

Inclusion of camelina meal as a protein source in diets for farmed Atlantic cod Gadus morhua

Camelina meal Camelina sativa (CM) is a potential protein source in aquaculture feeds, because of its crude protein level (39%) and essential amino acids. Two feeding experiments were conducted with Atlantic cod Gadus morhua. Cod in Experiment I (19.4 g fish^?1) were fed diets with 0%, 12% or 24% CM for 9.5 weeks at 10°C; and cod in Experiment II (14.4 g fish^?1) were fed diets with 0%, 15%, 30% or 40% CM for 13 weeks at 10°C. Growth, lipid and amino acid tissue composition were compared amongst cod fed varying levels of CM. In Experiment I, cod could tolerate the highest level of CM inclusion (24%) without affecting growth compared to cod fed the control diet. In Experiment II, growth performance was significantly affected at 30% CM inclusion compared to the control treatment, and cod fed 15% CM displayed some signs of depressed growth (reduced feed intake and weight gain). Both treatment and duration were interacting factors (P = 0.015) that determined growth performance when comparing both experiments. Muscle tissue composition was relatively unaltered with less than 30% CM inclusion; however, multivariate statistics revealed significant differences in muscle tissue fatty acid composition between cod fed 40% CM and the control diet. The tissue amino acid profile was generally unaltered because the dietary amino acid profile was consistent after CM inclusion. A few antinutritive compounds in CM may have affected palatability in diets with greater than 30% CM inclusion, which may have resulted in reduced growth performance.