Integrated production of fish (pacu <Emphasis Type="Italic">Piaractus mesopotamicus</Emphasis> and red tilapia <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oreochromis</Emphasis> sp.) with two varieties of garnish (scallion and parsley) in aquaponics system

Aquaponics is emerging as an alternative for high-health food production. Being able to identify the technical viability of non-conventional plants and fish species would help to increase the interest and possibilities in aquaponic systems. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the aquaponics production of two garnish species: scallion (S) and parsley (P), using effluents of pacu and red tilapia culture. Two aquaponics devices were used, differing according to the fish species, generating two different effluents. Thus, for plant performance, four treatments were evaluated in a factorial design (plant species and fish effluent as main factors), as followed: Pacu-S, Tilapia-S, Pacu-P, and Tilapia-P, with three replicates each, for 35 days. Fish performance was evaluated using Student’s t test. Each experimental device included a fish tank, filters, and six experimental units for the plants (floating rafts). Results indicated that feed conversion ratio (FCR) was higher in tilapia as compared to pacu (p < 0.05); however, fish productivity and survival were similar between species. Plant performance parameters were similar with no significant differences regardless of the fish effluent (p > 0.05), except for higher number of leaves per plant in scallion cultured using pacu effluent. Plant performance comparing both plant species indicated that scallion performed better as compared to parsley in all parameters. In addition, scallion also performed better related to the plant quality index. The results indicate that pacu presented a viable alternative for the aquaponics production, and regarding to the garnish, scallion performed better results as compared to parsley.     

Caprine toxoplasmosis in Southern Brazil: a comparative seroepidemiological study between the indirect immunofluorescence assay,the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and the modified agglutination test

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study investigated the prevalence of caprine toxoplasmosis in goat herds from Southern Brazil by the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and...     

Genetic association between different criteria to define sexual precocious heifers with growth,carcass, reproductive and feed efficiency indicator traits in Nellore cattle using genomic information

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for different precocious calving criteria and their relationship with reproductive, growth, carcass and feed efficiency in Nellore cattle using the single‐step genomic BLUP. The reproductive traits used were probability of precocious calving (PPC) at 24 (PPC24), 26 (PPC26), 28 (PPC28) and 30 (PPC30) months of age, stayability (STAY) and scrotal circumference at 455 days of age (SC455). Growth traits such as weights at 240 (W240) and 455 (W455) days of age and adult weight (AW) were used. Rib eye area (REA), subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), rump fat thickness (RFT) and residual feed intake (RFI) were included in the analyses. The estimation of genetic parameters was performed using a bi‐trait threshold model including genomic information in a single‐step approach. Heritability for PPC traits was moderate to high (0.29–0.56) with highest estimates for PPC24 (0.56) and PPC26 (0.50). Genetic correlation estimates between PPC and STAY weakened as a function of calving age. Correlation with SC455, growth and carcass traits were low (0.25–0.31; ?0.22 to 0.04; ?0.09 to 0.18, respectively), the same occurs with RFI (?0.09 to 0.08), this suggests independence between female sexual precocity and feed efficiency traits. The results of this study encourage the use of PPC traits in Nellore cattle because the selection for such trait would not have a negative impact on reproductive, growth, carcass and feed efficiency indicator traits. Stayability for sexual precocious heifers (PPC24 and PPC26) must be redefined to avoid incorrectly phenotype assignment.     

Disseminated pythiosis in three horses

Three cases of equine subcutaneous pythiosis with dissemination to the internal organs were investigated. The subcutaneous lesions were observed on the mammary gland, nostrils and limbs of the infected horses. Histopathological analysis of the infected tissues revealed a strong eosinophilic reaction, with macrophages, mast cells and giant cells. Sparsely septated hyphal filaments of 4-6 microm diameter were identified in the center of the eosinophilic areas. Specific fluorescent antibody against Pythium insidiosum confirmed the hyphae in the infected tissues in three examined horses. In one of the three cases, the DNA sequences amplified from the infected subcutaneous tissues and internal organs, revealed that P. insidiosum's 18S SSU rDNA amplicons shared 100% identity with those sequences deposit in GenBank. This is the first report confirming by immunochemical and genetic techniques that P. insidiosum can disseminated from superficial to deep structures.     

Fish functional diversity responses following flood pulses in the upper Paraná River floodplain

Flood pulses are the main force driving the dynamics of aquatic communities in floodplains. The responses of communities to environmental changes following flood pulses usually demand a time lag to appear and reach the climax. We assembled a data set of 16 years of fish samplings to assess the relationship between water level and four functional diversity measures, in the upper Paraná River floodplain. Specifically, we approached four aspects of each relationship between water level and functional diversity: nature (positive or negative), sensitivity (response intensity), responsiveness (response delay) and extent (response duration). The nature of the relationship between water level and functional diversity was positive in all cases. Functional richness (FRic) responded right after flood pulses, although with shorter extent. Abundance‐dependent functional measures (evenness—FEve; divergence—FDiv; and Rao's quadratic entropy—Rao's Q) presented delayed responses, reaching peaks more than 1.5 years after flood pulses. Significant effects of floods on fish functional diversity were observed for more than 3 years, although the highest functional diversity was observed with 1.8 years, on average. More importantly, flood pulses had no longer significant effects on functional diversity after 4 years. Regarding conservation strategies in regulated systems, flood events should occur every 2 or 3 years, with adequate timing (October‐November), intensity (up to 450 cm) and duration (at least 50 uninterrupted days). Intervals longer than 3 years or inadequate timing, intensity and duration could dramatically decrease functional diversity and compromise ecosystem services.     

Symbiotic Associations in Ascidians: Relevance for Functional Innovation and Bioactive Potential

Associations between different organisms have been extensively described in terrestrial and marine environments. These associations are involved in roles as diverse as nutrient exchanges, shelter or adaptation to adverse conditions. Ascidians are widely dispersed marine invertebrates associated to invasive behaviours. Studying their microbiomes has interested the scientific community, mainly due to its potential for bioactive compounds production—e.g., ET-73 (trabectedin, Yondelis), an anticancer drug. However, these symbiotic interactions embrace several environmental and biological functions with high ecological relevance, inspiring diverse biotechnological applications. We thoroughly reviewed microbiome studies (microscopic to metagenomic approaches) of around 171 hosts, worldwide dispersed, occurring at different domains of life (Archaea, Bacteria, Eukarya), to illuminate the functions and bioactive potential of associated organisms in ascidians. Associations with Bacteria are the most prevalent, namely with Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Planctomycetes phyla. The microbiomes of ascidians belonging to Aplousobranchia order have been the most studied. The integration of worldwide studies characterizing ascidians’ microbiome composition revealed several functions including UV protection, bioaccumulation of heavy metals and defense against fouling or predators through production of natural products, chemical signals or competition. The critical assessment and characterization of these communities is extremely valuable to comprehend their biological/ecological role and biotechnological potential.     

Microsatellite variability in natural populations of the blackspot seabream Pagellus bogaraveo (Brünnick, 1768): a database to access parentage assignment in aquaculture

Eight microsatellite loci previously reported were assessed for their utility in parentage assignment in 96 individuals belonging to natural populations of the blackspot seabream Pagellus bogaraveo (Brünnick, 1768) from the Mediterranean and Northeast Atlantic regions. At the mtDNA level, no differentiation was found between these two regions but based on microsatellite data an overall discrete genetic differentiation is perceivable between the two regions separated by the Strait of Gibraltar. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 8 to 30. A database constructed with allele frequency data from six populations was used in a simulation parentage assignment test using the software cervus . The test showed that the number of markers used is enough to perform parentage assignments with real data. The polymorphic information content for each locus was very high (mean value of 0.849), with a total exclusionary power of 0.9995. In summary, seven of the eight microsatellites analysed proved to be sufficient and powerful tools for parentage assignment in hatcheries and the allele frequency data given here can be used to perform pedigree analysis against which real data may be tested.     

Feeding ecology of fishes associated with Egeria spp. patches in a tropical reservoir, Brazil

Abstract –  This research characterised feeding ecology of fishes associated with patches of Egeria najas and Egeria densa , two submerged macrophytes, in Rosana Reservoir, Upper Paraná River basin, Brazil. Fishes were sampled using a 1 m² throw trap in patches of different macrophyte biomass and in three diel periods during a wet season. Fish diet (10 species) was primarily composed of autochthonous items (zooplankton, algae and aquatic insect larvae). Almost all intra-specific diet patterns had moderate to low levels of diet similarity, indicating a high variability in diet. Some species showed no diel patterns in feeding activity, whereas others were primarily diurnal or nocturnal. No differences in feeding activity were observed among habitats of medium and high macrophyte biomasses, and species tended to feed on the same items among these habitats. The most abundant fish species demonstrated low inter-specific diet overlap and appear not to compete for food resources. We suggest that Egeria patches are feeding grounds and shelter for small-sized fish species.     

Protective activity against oocyst shedding in cats vaccinated with crude rhoptry proteins of the Toxoplasma gondii by the intranasal route

This study evaluated a vaccine made from crude rhoptry proteins of Toxoplasma gondii with Quil-A, which was administered to cats by the intranasal route. Eleven short-hair domestic cats were divided into four groups: G1 (n=3) received three doses (200 microg/dose) of the rhoptry vaccine with Quil-A (20 microg); G2 (n=3) received PBS with Quil-A (20 microg); G3 (n=3) and G4 (n=2) received only PBS. Treatments were administered at days 0, 21, and 42 by the intranasal route. Challenge was done to G1, G2, and G3 animals with 600 cysts of the VEG strain on day 51 (challenge day); G4 animals were unchallenged. The anti-T. gondii IgG and IgA antibody levels from sera were measured by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). At challenge, two animals from G1 revealed antibody levels for both IgG and IgA; oocysts were not detected in feces of these two cats. There were no differences in hematological values between groups throughout the experiment (p>0.10). Preventable fractions were 67% in G1 and 0% in G2 and G3. Comparatively, G1 animals shed 89.3% and 90.8% less oocysts than G3 and G4, respectively. Two out of three cats were protected against T. gondii oocyst shedding when the rhoptry vaccine was administered by the intranasal route. This is the first study using crude rhoptry proteins as vaccine by the intranasal route in cats to evaluate protection against oocysts shedding.