Metabolism of fatty acids in fish. II. Biosynthesis of fatty acids in relation to diet in the carp, Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus 1758

Carp, weighing 15–25 g, were maintained in the laboratory on a control diet, or on diets prepared from wheat or corn, and the incorporation of sodium (1?¹⁴C)-acetate into their liver total fatty acids as well as into liver triglycerides and phospholipids was followed. The control diet was characterized by a high concentration of total lipids and linolenic acid, and the other two feeds by a low concentration of total lipids including linolenic acid and high concentration of carbohydrates. The highest rate of fatty acid biosynthesis was observed in fish given the corn diet, and the lowest rate was found in the carp on the control diet. Levels of radioactivity became very high in triglycerides of corn-fed fish. The major products of fatty acid biosynthesis were palmitic and oleic acids, in the corn-fed fish, while in the control fish almost 50% of the total radioactivity was in the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. The degree of labeling of oleic and palmitic acids appeared to depend on the level of linolenic acid in the diet. The results suggest that about 1% of linolenic acid in the diet is required to keep lipogenesis at a low level as well as to prevent hyperproduction of oleic acid. Linoleic acid seems to play a subordinate role in regulating lipogenesis in carp liver.     

Hardwiring the brain: endocannabinoids shape neuronal connectivity

The roles of endocannabinoid signaling during central nervous system development are unknown. We report that CB(1) cannabinoid receptors (CB(1)Rs) are enriched in the axonal growth cones of gamma-aminobutyric acid-containing (GABAergic) interneurons in the rodent cortex during late gestation. Endocannabinoids trigger CB(1)R internalization and elimination from filopodia and induce chemorepulsion and collapse of axonal growth cones of these GABAergic interneurons by activating RhoA. Similarly, endocannabinoids diminish the galvanotropism of Xenopus laevis spinal neurons. These findings, together with the impaired target selection of cortical GABAergic interneurons lacking CB(1)Rs, identify endocannabinoids as axon guidance cues and demonstrate that endocannabinoid signaling regulates synaptogenesis and target selection in vivo.     

Direct and indirect effects of resource quality on food web structure

The diversity and complexity of food webs (the networks of feeding relationships within an ecological community) are considered to be important factors determining ecosystem function and stability. However, the biological processes driving these factors are poorly understood. Resource quality affects species interactions by limiting energy transfer to consumers and their predators, affecting life history and morphological traits. We show that differences in plant traits affect the structure of an entire food web through a series of direct and indirect effects. Three trophic levels of consumers were influenced by plant quality, as shown by quantitative herbivore-parasitoid-secondary parasitoid food webs. We conclude, on the basis of our data, that changes in the food web are dependent on both trait- and density-mediated interactions among species.     

SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND THE AGRONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF DIPTERA DAMAGE TO GRASSES

Shoot-fly larvae cause considerable damage to cultivated grasses; it is greatest when overwintering tillers are lost, resulting in delayed emergence, decreased number of flowering heads and reduced yield of dry matter.
An increase in the number of tillers, which often follows the damage, cannot counter-balance the losses because the new tillers are smaller.
Different varieties within species, and different genotypes within varieties, show varying degrees of susceptibility to damage, and of capacity to recover from it. Favourable growing conditions promote recovery and reduce losses.
Non-cultivated grasses and unploughed leys are sources of infection, not only to cereals but also to cultivated grasses, and it is advisable not to put single plants or seed areas adjacent to old swards. The glasshouse is a special source of infection as it provides conditions favourable for the flies to produce extra generations at unusual times.
The importance of further investigations and the development of more economical protective techniques is stressed.     

Cryopreservation of Sperm of Farmed European Eel Anguilla anguilla

Sexual maturation and sperm release were induced in farmed European eels Anguilla anguilla kept exclusively in fresh water by using two dosages of human chorion gonadotropin (100 International Unit (IU)-Group one and 250 IU/individual per week-Group two). Sperm release took over 13 wk in both groups. The quality of sperm was investigated on the eighth, ninth, and tenth wk. The average cell densities were 0.94 ± 0.4 × 1010 (Group one) and 0.93 to. ± 0.6 × 10¹⁰ (Group two) spermatozoa/mL. The estimated motility of eel sperm was 33, 55, and 49% on the eighth, ninth, and tenth wk of treatment, respectively. The estimated average motility of samples selected for cryopreservation was 73 ± 10%, while the post-thaw motility of cryopreserved samples was 36 ± 11%. The extender originally developed for common carp sperm crypreservation together with methanol as cryoprotectant was found suitable for the cryopreservation of European eel sperm.     

Experimental results and clinical impact of using autologous rectus fascia sheath for vascular replacement

Vascular complications are major causes of graft failure in liver transplantation. The use of different vascular grafts is common but the results are controversial. The aim of this study was to create an 'ideal' arterial interponate for vascular replacements in the clinical field. An autologous, tubular graft prepared from the posterior rectus fascia sheath was used for iliac artery replacement in dogs for 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Forty-one grafts were implanted and immunosuppression was used in separate groups. The patency rate was followed by Doppler ultrasound. Thirty-seven grafts remained patent, 2 cases with thrombosis and 2 cases with stenosis occurred. There was no evidence of necrosis or aneurysmatic formation. The histological analysis included conventional light microscopic and immunohistochemical examinations for CD34 and factor VIII. The explanted grafts showed signs of arterialisation, appearance of elastin fibres, and smooth muscle cells after 6 months. Electron microscopy showed intact mitochondrial structures without signs of hypoxia. In conclusion, the autologous graft presents acceptable long-term patency rate. It is easy to handle and the concept of beneficial presence of the anti-clot mesothelium until endothelialisation seems to work. The first clinical use was already reported by our group with more than 2 years survival.     

Temporal dynamics of freshwater fish assemblages,their background and methods of quantifications—A synthesis

The temporal dynamics of biotic communities have been widely examined by ecologists. However, systematic reviews on how habitat features, sampling and data evaluation influence temporal patterns are rather sporadic. Here, we reviewed 307 peer-reviewed scientific articles to characterize the methods and the approaches, as well as to identify the knowledge gaps in the assessment of the temporal dynamics of freshwater fish assemblages with special regard to their stability patterns. The number of publications increased exponentially over decades. We revealed a highly uneven distribution of the studies among continents and ecosystems with a dominant number of papers derived from North America and Europe, and from lotic systems, especially. We also found large variability among studies even within similar habitat types in the examined spatial and temporal scales, sampling methods used, examined assemblage attributes, potential stressors and data analyses. Several knowledge gaps, such as the limited number of large-scale studies, the insufficient knowledge on the long-term dynamics of early life history stages and on trait-based assemblage organization, were highlighted. For enabling meaningful comparisons of fish assemblage dynamics in space and time, further developments in standardization procedures are needed across sampling and data evaluation possibilities. Publicly accessible long-term data sets with more details on sampling and environmental parameters would also be critically important to determine the effect of a variety of factors on the stability vs. variability of fish assemblages.