Effects of an Enterococcus faecium‐based probiotic on growth performance and health of Pirarucu,Arapaima gigas

Intensive fish farming has resulted in an increased concern for disease outbreaks. Probiotic use is one of the strategies being developed to improve fish health and productivity. Measures of probiotic colonization, growth performance, haematological characteristics and parasite load were used to evaluate the effect of diets supplemented with Enterococcus faecium on growth and health of Arapaima gigas juveniles. A completely randomized design with four treatments (diet with E. faecium at 1 × 10⁶ CFU/g and 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g, control diet and diet with the culture medium MRS) and three replicates was used. Ninety‐six Arapaima juveniles were distributed in 12 cages fed with the specified diet for 68 days. Colonization of the intestinal tract by lactic acid bacteria reduced the total number of heterotrophic bacteria in fish fed with probiotics compared to controls. Fish fed a supplemented diet containing 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g presented higher values of weight gain, survival and fish growth uniformity, and lower values of feed conversion ratio. The prevalence of Trichodina sp. could have affected the survival of fish in the control group. Reduction in parasite load and an increase in haematocrit, the number of erythrocytes, thrombocytes, neutrophils and monocytes were also observed in fish fed the diet containing 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g. Enterococcus faecium presented a probiotic effect in A. gigas juveniles and can be recommended for use at a concentration of 1 × 10⁸ CFU/g to modify the gut microbiota, improve growth performance and haematology and reduce parasitic load.     

Cloning,characterization, and molecular expression of gonadotropin receptors in European hake (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Merluccius merluccius</Emphasis>), a multiple-spawning species

Teleosts have many spawning strategies and the hormonal control of gametogenesis is not well defined among the species or even, between sexes. To increase the knowledge of gonadotropin hormones, we studied the trend by gene expression of gonadotropin receptors in the follicles and testis at different maturity stages in the European hake (Merluccius merluccius), a multiple-spawning species. With this aim, fshr and lhr were sequenced, characterized, and their gene expression was quantified in oocytes and in testes at different maturity stages. The deduced amino acid sequences were used to phylogenetic studies and evidenced that both receptors are phylogenetically closed to other gadoid species. The gene expression of both receptors was poorly expressed in primary follicles, increased in vitellogenic follicles and to later decrease in hydrated oocytes. In testis, highest levels of lhr were detected during spermiation, while levels of fshr were constant. For the first time, a histological analysis was performed in European hake testes showing an unrestricted lobular testis. To better elucidate the mechanisms involved in the oogenesis of the European hake, the expression of estrogen receptor and cyp19a was also investigated displaying high levels in all classes of follicles. All these data allow to increase the knowledge on reproductive physiology of an important socioeconomical species and it seeks to shed more light on the role of the receptors here studied during gametogenesis of multiple-spawning fish.     

On the deep origin of the depressed rings on pearl surface illustrated from Polynesian Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus 1758)

Among the various defects that contribute to depreciate the commercial value of pearls, the occurrence of depressed rings is the most spectacular. Through a series of structural, physical and chemical characterizations of the pearl layer, this paper reveals that the origin and initial stages of these essentially superficial defects are to be found in the earliest stages of pearl formation. The disturbance in growth of the nacreous envelopes is the physical cause of the occurrence of these depressed areas. Attention is also drawn on the unexpected relationship between these large morphological alterations of the pearl surfaces and more punctual defects primarily well visible in the strongly coloured Polynesian pearls. An understanding of the actual origin of these very negative patterns opens the way to reduce their statistical occurrence by paying attention to the grafting practice.     

Effect of the Cooking Process on the Gelling Properties of Whole and Minced Jumbo Lump of Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus)

Commercially, crab meat is obtained by hand-picking after a cooking process, followed by pasteurizing or canning. Jumbo lump is one of the pieces of meat obtained from the blue crab. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the commercial cooking process (boiling and steaming) on the mechanical and functional properties of whole jumbo lump and the gels obtained from cooked and minced jumbo lump from blue crab (Callinectes sapidus). The gels were prepared combining the washing process and microbial transglutaminase. The boiling and steaming processes showed a different effect on the textural and color properties. Whole jumbo lump pieces cooked by immersion in boiling water showed a higher hardness value as compared to steamed jumbo lump pieces, suggesting a different internal structural. The cooking processes used in this study did not modify the water holding capacity, gelling capability, or color of the minced jumbo lump. The addition of microbial transglutaminase to washed minced jumbo lump improved the hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness of gels elaborated with boiled or steamed jumbo lump, which allowed the textural properties similar to those of the whole jumbo lump.     

Devices to detect red palm weevil infestation on palm species

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and other palm species have recently been threatened by the red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier, which is very difficult to be detected at early stage. This research tested non invasive approaches to detecting RPW including: a TreeRadarUnit? (TRU); a densitometer, a penetrometer used for evaluation of the standing trees stability; a thermal camera and a digital camera. The technologies were applied in Italy on 715 palms (173 P. dactylifera, 453 Phoenix canariensis Chabaud and 311 of other palm species), and on 86 adult date palms in Saudi Arabia. In Italy, the thermal camera showed a high accuracy (96.29%) compared to close visual observation over the following nine months. The digital camera did almost as well (92.57%). Tree Radar Unit and densitometer also showed good accuracy (83.33 and 88.89% respectively). In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the thermal camera showed a good accuracy (77.73%) when compared to invasive diagnosis (i.e. cutting down and opening up palm trunks). The digital camera showed a lower accuracy of 66.67% due to the fact that the red weevil mainly attacks the base of the stem and therefore there are no visible symptoms on the crown shape that would be picked up in image analysis. TRU gave good results (74.73% compared to invasive diagnosis), with the best accuracy at ground level (80.65%). The densitometer results were similar to the TRU case, with higher accuracy (82.26% compared to invasive diagnosis) and the highest at ground level (87.10%).