Nitrate removal efficiency and bacterial community of polycaprolactone-packed bioreactors treating water from a recirculating aquaculture system

A denitrification reactor packed with polycaprolactone (PCL) as a carbon source and biofilm carrier was developed to remove nitrate nitrogen (\( {\mathrm{NO}}_3^{-}-\mathrm{N} \)) from the water of a recirculating aquaculture system for 115 days. The hydraulic retention time was set to 6 h, and the water flow rate was 0.95 L h^?1. The removal rates of \( {\mathrm{NO}}_3^{-}-\mathrm{N} \) ranged from 34.67 to 155.7 g \( {\mathrm{NO}}_3^{-}-\mathrm{N} \) m^?3 day^?1 when the effluent \( {\mathrm{NO}}_3^{-}-\mathrm{N} \) concentrations ranged between 1.62 and 72.25 mg L^?1. No obvious changes in the Fourier transform infrared spectra of the PCL before and after use were observed. Bacterial community structure in the biofilm of the PCL granules was analyzed using Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were predominant in the biofilm, with relative abundances of 63.9 and 27.4%, respectively. Three genera, Acidovorax, Azospira, and Diaphorobacter, were capable of both denitrification and PCL degradation. This study indicates that PCL-packed reactors may be used and optimized for removing nitrate from aquaculture effluents.     

黄河鲤嗜水气单胞菌的分离、毒力及用药分析

自发病黄河鲤4种组织中分离致病菌,结合形态学和16SrDNA序列分析,发现分离到的细菌属气单胞菌属。回归感染试验发现,患病鱼体出现鳃盖等多处组织出血且伴随肠炎等症状,表明引起黄河鲤发病的致病菌为嗜水气单胞菌,命名为HNAh01。半致死密度测定发现,嗜水气单胞菌HNAh01的半致死密度为1.38×10~7 cfu/mL。药敏结果表明,该致病性嗜水气单胞菌是典型的多重耐药嗜水气单胞菌,但对恩诺沙星极为敏感。因此,选择恩诺沙星对分离菌株进行体外药效学和用药分析试验。药效学试验表明,恩诺沙星对嗜水气单胞菌HNAh01的最小抑菌质量浓度为1.56ng/mL,最小杀菌质量浓度为3.12ng/mL,防耐药突变质量浓度为12.5ng/mL,耐药选择窗的范围为1.56~12.5ng/mL。用药分析结果显示,黄河鲤口服剂量为10mg/kg时对嗜水气单胞菌HNAh01的相对保护率达83%。本文研究为嗜水气单胞菌的防治提供了理论基础与实践依据。     

Plasma levels of immune factors and sex steroids in the male seahorse <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hippocampus erectus</Emphasis> during a breeding cycle

To better understand the endocrine- and immune-response pattern during reproduction in a fish species having parental care behaviors and also to accumulate the endocrine- and immune-related data for future explanations of the low reproductive efficiency in seahorse species, the variations of immune factors and sex steroids in the plasma of the male lined seahorse Hippocampus erectus at different breeding stages, i.e., pre-pregnancy, pregnancy (early, middle, and late periods), and post-pregnancy, were investigated in the present study. The immune factors included monocytes/leucocytes (M/L), leucocyte phagocytic rate (LPR), immunoglobulin M (Ig M), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-α (IFN-α), and lysozyme (LZM). The sex steroids included testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), 11β-hydroxytestosterone (11β-OHT), 17α-methyltestosterone (17α-MT), 17β-estradiol (E2), and 17α-hydroxy-20β-dihydroprogesterone (17α-20β-P). Moreover, the immune metabolic activity of epithelium cells in the brood pouch at different breeding stages was also analyzed through ultrastructural observations of the abundance of cytoplasmic granules, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, and exocytosis. The results show that a higher immune level was observed during pregnancy, particularly in the early and middle periods, and a lower immune level was noted during pre-pregnancy. Correspondingly, the epithelium cells in the brood pouch also showed a stronger immune metabolic activity during pregnancy and weaker activity during pre-pregnancy. Four sex steroids of T, 11β-OHT, 17α-MT, and E2 were higher during pre-pregnancy and lower during post-pregnancy, whereas 11-KT and 17α-20β-P, which were positively correlated with part immune factors, were higher during pregnancy. No negative correlations between sex steroids and immune factors were observed. In conclusion, the higher immune competence during pregnancy may indicate that parental care could improve immunity, which may be the major factor for no immunosuppressive effect of sex steroids during reproduction in the seahorse H. erectus, unlike noncaregiving fishes in which inhibitions of sex steroids on immunity are frequently observed. Moreover, higher 11-KT and 17α-20β-P during pregnancy than during pre-pregnancy and post-pregnancy may suggest that these two steroids are also involved in parental care regulation.     

Comparative analysis of using cereal grains and compound feed in semi-intensive common carp pond production

The semi-intensive system of carp farming is dominant in inland aquaculture. Although it appears to be simple, this system has a whole range of options, from those based on traditional rearing methods with use of plants from the region where the fish are reared to production based on the use of high-quality concentrated feeds. In this paper, we conduct a comparative analysis of the effect of using cereal grains as opposed to compound feed (pelleted and extruded) on the quantity of fish produced, flesh quality, histological changes in the digestive tract, water quality, and structure of the biocoenosis in the pond ecosystem. When the fish are fed cereal grains, production ranges from 500 to 1500 kg/ha, while using compound feed gives production that is twice as great. The proportions of protein and water are higher and that of lipids lower in flesh of common carp reared on compound feed in relation to fish fed cereal grains. Use of extruded feed gives better content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and a better n-3/n-6 ratio than when pelleted feed and cereal grains are used. Comparison of water quality in carp ponds under conditions of using various types of feed indicates that there are no significant differences. Although it was expected that feed with a higher percentage of proteins would cause disturbances in the aquatic ecosystem, their continual incorporation into the cycling of matter in the water contributes to maintenance of ecological equilibrium and even indirectly promotes growth of the common carp.     

副溶血弧菌的外膜蛋白及其抗原性研究↑（*）

本文对１３株不同来源的副溶血弧菌的外膜蛋白及其抗原性进行了比较研究。１３株副溶血弧菌的外膜蛋白有相似的ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ图谱。大多数菌株有五条主要的蛋白质，其大致分子量分别为：ａ、６９ｋＤａ；ｂ、６３ｋＤａ；ｃ、４０ｋＤａ；ｄ、３０ｋＤａ；ｅ、２８ｋＤａ。其中蛋白质ｂ是所有菌株共有的。与吸附后的兔抗副溶血弧菌血清Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ印迹法结果显示抗血清与多数副溶血弧菌菌株的外膜蛋白有一条共同的免疫反应带，其大致分子量为４４ｋＤａ。     

Post-molt processes of cuticle formation and calcification in the Japanese mitten crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eriocheir japonicus</Emphasis>

This study examines the following in the Japanese mitten crab: (1) the structure of the exoskeleton with special reference to its calcification; (2) the progression of post-molt cuticle formation and calcification. In the crab, the structure and calcification state of the exoskeleton at the molt and during the inter-molt stage were similar to those of other crustaceans. During the inter-molt, the exoskeleton consisted of four cuticle layers; the outermost epicuticle, the exocuticle, the endocuticle and the innermost membrane layer. Intense calcification was observed in the exo- and endocuticle. At the molt, the synthesis of the epi- and exocuticle was already complete, and the addition of the endocuticle began after the molt. Calcification of the exocuticle initiated soon after the molt, but there was a delay between endocuticle matrix synthesis and calcification. Histology showed that the process of calcification was similar to that in other crustaceans. However, calcium concentrations within the exoskeleton continued to increase and never reached the levels of the inter-molt stage at the end of the experiment. This suggests that the Japanese mitten crab is relatively slow to calcify compared to other crustaceans.     

天津重点水域底栖生物调查分析

于2018年9月,对天津大港,宝坻,华苑等地区的12个站点的大型底栖生物的群落结构及生物多样性进行了调查分析。结果表明,调查区共鉴定出大型底栖生物3门10种,其中软体动物4种,环节动物4种,水生昆虫2种,各站位丰度波动范围为20～840 ind/m^2,平均为205.33 ind/m^2,生物量范围为0.012～308.63 g/m^2,平均为59.69 g/m^2;囊螺为该地区绝对优势种。丰富度指数Margalefs.index在1.48～3.334之间波动, Goodnight修正指数在0.523～1之间波动。     

Relative potencies of natural estrogens on vitellogenin and choriogenin levels in the Indian freshwater spotted snakehead, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Channa punctata</Emphasis>: in vivo and in vitro studies

The relative efficacies of three natural estrogens viz., estrone (E₁), estradiol-17β (E₂) and estriol (E₃) to induce synthesis of vitellogenin (Vg) and choriogenin (Chg) were assessed in primary hepatocyte cultures of the Indian freshwater spotted snakehead, Channa punctata. Hepatocytes were isolated from the spotted snakehead liver by a non-enzymatic protocol. Optimum culture conditions were standardized for ensuring their viability and functioning. Isolated hepatocytes were cultured for 48 h for monolayer formation and then exposed to various concentrations (0.001–10 μM) of the three estrogens. Competitive homologous ELISAs, developed and validated for spotted snakehead Vg and Chg were employed to determine the amounts of these two proteins secreted into the culture medium after 48 h of incubation. The results reveal that although all the three estrogens were effective in inducing the production of Vg and Chg in a dose-dependent manner, there were differences in their relative potencies. Of three estrogens, E₁ was the least potent and could induce synthesis of Vg and Chg only at a minimum concentration of 0.5 μM; whereas significant levels of both the proteins were quantified in culture medium by exposing the hepatocytes to E₂ or E₃ even at a concentration of 0.001 μM. All three estrogens were effective in inducing synthesis of Vg and Chg in vivo also. These results suggest the possibility of employing the above in vitro experimental design to monitor the presence of estrogens/estrogen-like chemicals in natural waters, which could interfere with the estrogen receptor system of fish. This study further points to the possibility of using Chg, in addition to Vg, as a parameter for screening various chemicals for their estrogenic activity.     

The development of the Norwegian wrasse fishery and the use of wrasses as cleaner fish in the salmon aquaculture industry

Norway leads the world aquaculture production of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and farmed Norwegian Atlantic salmon is currently consumed around the globe. However, sea lice infestation is a major problem faced by the salmon aquaculture industry in Norway and elsewhere. The use of wild-caught cleaner fish, mainly wrasses, has been recommended over the other available methods as the most economical and environmentally friendly option to control sea lice infestation in salmon farming. Here, we review the development of the Norwegian wrasse fishery and the use of wrasses as cleaner fish. In this document, we address the sea lice problem and introduce the main wrasse species employed as cleaner fish, document the cleaning behaviour of wrasses, present the development of a new wrasse fishery associated with the salmon aquaculture industry, and finally, we identify the main challenges associated with the intensive use of wild-caught cleaner wrasses and provide some insight for future directions of the wrasse fishery and further development of aquaculture techniques to supply salmon facilities with domesticated cleaner fish.