Immune Status and Hepatic Antioxidant Capacity of Gilthead Seabream Sparus aurata Juveniles Fed Yeast and Microalga Derived β-glucans

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with β-glucans extracted from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and microalga (Phaeodactylum tricornutum) on gene expression, oxidative stress biomarkers and plasma immune parameters in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) juveniles. A practical commercial diet was used as the control (CTRL), and three others based on CTRL were further supplemented with different β-glucan extracts. One was derived from S. cerevisiae (diet MG) and two different extracts of 21% and 37% P. tricornutum-derived β-glucans (defined as Phaeo21 and Phaeo37), to give a final 0.06% β-glucan dietary concentration. Quadruplicate groups of 95 gilthead seabream (initial body weight: 4.1 ± 0.1 g) were fed to satiation three times a day for 8 weeks in a pulse-feeding regimen, with experimental diets intercalated with the CTRL dietary treatment every 2 weeks. After 8 weeks of feeding, all groups showed equal growth performance and no changes were found in plasma innate immune status. Nonetheless, fish groups fed β-glucans supplemented diets showed an improved anti-oxidant status compared to those fed CTRL at both sampling points (i.e., 2 and 8 weeks). The intestinal gene expression analysis highlighted the immunomodulatory role of Phaeo37 diet after 8 weeks, inducing an immune tolerance effect in gilthead seabream intestine, and a general down-regulation of immune-related gene expression. In conclusion, the results suggest that the dietary pulse administration of a P. tricornutum 37% enriched-β-glucans extract might be used as a counter-measure in a context of gut inflammation, due to its immune-tolerant and anti-oxidative effects.     

Effects of processing on physical characteristics of diets with distinct levels of carbohydrates and lipids: the outcomes on the growth of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus)

The use efficiency and feed conversion of extruded and pelletized diets were compared. Eight isoproteic diets (220 g kg⁻¹ digestible protein) were assayed for 90 days in a 2 × 2 × 2 multifactorial design with two carbohydrate levels (400 and 500 g kg⁻¹), two lipids levels (40 and 80 g kg⁻¹) and two diet processing (pelletization and extrusion) with three repetitions. The growth of Piaractus mesopotamicus fed with these diets and the quality control indices of diets were gauged. The density of extruded diets was lower as carbohydrate level was 400 g kg⁻¹ and lipid 40 g kg⁻¹. The interaction carbohydrate and diet processing presented higher leaching value for low carbohydrate level in extruded diet. Fish fed with extruded diets presented the best feed conversion and protein efficiency ratio. When high levels of carbohydrate and lipid are combined, the weight gain is impaired. The interaction between diet processing diet and lipid levels resulted in the best fish performance when pelletized diets with 40 g kg⁻¹ lipid or extruded diets with 80 g kg⁻¹ lipid were considered. The protein efficiency ratio increased with the increment of carbohydrates in the pelletized diets. The fish show low tolerance to lipids and a preference for carbohydrate when the lipid productive values are taken into account.     

Haematologic and immunologic parameters of bullfrogs,Lithobates catesbeianus,fed probiotics

The effects of two probiotics (P₁–Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Enterococcus faecium and P₂–Bacillus subtilis) supplemented to commercial feed (40% crude protein) on the haematological and immunological parameters of the bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus were studied. Two doses of each probiotic (5 and 10 g kg^?1 of food) were added to the diets and fed to frogs, totalling five treatments over 112 days. Haematological analyses consisted of total and differential leucocyte counts, erythrocyte and thrombocyte counts, haematocrit, haemoglobin levels and RBC indices (mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin – and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration) and the immunological parameters included phagocytic capacity and phagocytic index of peritoneal phagocytes. The results showed that the probiotics did not significantly influence any of the haematological parameters measured. However, immunological assays showed that the probiotics had an immunostimulating effect. The greatest effects were seen with probiotic P₁ fed at a dose of 10 g kg^?1 of diet and probiotic P₂ fed at 5 g kg^?1 of diet.     

Impact of aquaculture on mangrove areas in the northern Pernambuco Coast (Brazil) using remote sensing and geographic information system

The conversion of mangrove areas into shrimp farming ponds has been indicated as the main activity responsible for the reduction in the area of this ecosystem along the northeastern coast of Brazil. The present study was conducted using remote sensing methods and a geographical information system with the aim of quantifying the participation of this activity in the reduction of the mangrove areas along the northern coast of the State of Pernambuco (northeast, Brazil), where shrimp farming has been implanted in last recent years. From 1973 to 2005, there was reduction of about 2.052 ha of mangrove, 197 ha of which were converted into shrimp ponds. Thus, the real contribution of shrimp farming to this reduction was just 9.6% of the total area. Other anthropogenic activities, such as agriculture, urban expansion and tourism, contributed greatly to the reduction in the mangrove areas along the northern coast of the State of Pernambuco.     

Assessment of induction and recovery times of anaesthesia in Astyanax bimaculatus using 2‐phenoxyethanol and the essential oils of Melaleuca alternifolia and Ocimum gratissimum

This study aimed to determine the lowest effective concentration (LEC) of 2‐phenoxyethanol (2‐Phe) and essential oils (EOs) of Melaleuca alternifolia and Ocimum gratissimum able to induce anaesthesia in Astyanax bimaculatus. LEC was assumed to be the required concentration to carry out anaesthesia in less than 3 min with recovery in <5 min and sufficient to carry out routine aquaculture procedures. The following concentrations were tested: 2‐Phe (100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 µl/L); M. alternifolia (200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 µl/L); and O. gratissimum (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 100, 150, 250 and 300 µl/L). Results show that all three agents evaluated have effective anaesthetic properties for use in Astyanax bimaculatus with LEC for 2‐Phe, M. alternifolia and O. gratissimum of 200, 300 and 60 µl/L respectively.     

Anabolism,catabolism and proteomic analysis in the slow‐twitch muscle of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) submitted to prolonged fasting followed by refeeding

Here, we aimed to study the slow muscle of the fish Piaractus mesopotamicus submitted to 30 days of fasting (D30) followed by 1 day (D31) or 30 days of refeeding (D60). Histological analysis of fibre diameter was performed in D30 and D60. The gene expression of parvalbumin (pvalb), atrogenes (murf1a, murf1b, mafbx) and anabolic genes (igf‐1, mtor) was analysed using RT‐qPCR in D30, D31 and D60. The proteome was obtained by shotgun proteomics at D30 and D60, and the set of differentially expressed proteins was analysed by bioinformatics. In all experiments, the control was regularly fed fish. The histological analysis showed no changes in muscle fibre diameter. The expression of catabolic and anabolic genes was not changed, except for the downregulation of igf‐1 in D30 and of mafbx in D31. The expression of pvalb was not changed in D30 and D60 but was decreased in D31. The proteomic analysis identified 169 proteins in D30 (24 upregulated and 18 downregulated) and 170 proteins in D60 (17 upregulated and 21 downregulated); many of them were related to energetic metabolism and intracellular Ca²⁺ homoeostasis. Overall, our results indicate that the slow‐twitch muscle presented few changes upon prolonged fasting and refeeding condition.     

The importance of environment and life stage on interpretation of silky shark relative abundance indices for the equatorial Pacific Ocean

Recent large fluctuations in an index of relative abundance for the silky shark in the eastern Pacific Ocean have called into question its reliability as a population indicator for management. To investigate whether these fluctuations were driven by environmental forcing rather than true changes in abundance, a Pacific‐wide approach was taken. Data collected by observers aboard purse‐seine vessels fishing in the equatorial Pacific were used to compute standardized trends in relative abundance by region, and where possible, by shark size category as a proxy for life stage. These indices were compared to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), an index of Pacific Ocean climate variability. Correlation between silky indices and the PDO was found to differ by region and size category. The highest correlations by shark size category were for small (<90 cm total length [TL]) and medium (90–150 cm TL) sharks from the western region of the equatorial eastern Pacific (EP) and from the equatorial western Pacific. This correlation disappeared in the inshore EP. Throughout, correlations with the PDO were generally lower for large silky sharks (>150 cm TL). These results are suggestive of changes in the small and medium silky indices being driven by movement of juvenile silky sharks across the Pacific as the eastern edge of the Indo‐Pacific Warm Pool shifts location with ENSO events. Lower correlation of the PDO with large shark indices may indicate that those indices were less influenced by environmental forcing and therefore potentially less biased with respect to monitoring population trends.     

Pectic hydrolysates in the diet of silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen): Growth performance,blood and liver biochemistry,histological parameters and intestinal contents

The aim of this study was to investigate the prebiotic potential of pectin hydrolysates that were extracted from agroindustrial waste (apple pomace—AP and passion fruit peel—PFP) and were added to the diet of silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen). A 49‐day biological assay was conducted, and five test diets were evaluated: one diet was a control diet and the other four diets included pectin hydrolysates (2.5 and 5 g/kg). At 49 experimental days, biometric data and biological material were collected to determine the performance, plasma and liver and histological parameters and to evaluate the intestinal contents. The results were analysed by the normality test, which was followed by an analysis of the variance; the treatment means were compared by an orthogonal contrast analysis at a 5% level of significance. The inclusion of 2.5 g/kg apple pomace hydrolysates resulted in a greater production of butyric acid, increased thickness of the muscular layer and higher goblet cell count in the intestine. The inclusion of 5 g/kg apple pomace hydrolysates led to a greater concentration of liver protein. Further studies are needed to increase the knowledge about the use of these additives in the diet of silver catfish and to establish levels that allow greater gains for the species.