Processing and Characterisation of Hybrid Aramid Fabrics Reinforced with Cross-linked Electrospun PVB Composite Nanofibres

The aim of this study was to fabricate a new kind of hybrid fabric composites with the cross-linked electrospun poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) composite nanofibres. The experiments were performed with the 10 wt.% PVB/ethanol solution for electrospinning where the modified silica nanoparticles (mSiO₂), the oxidised single-walled carbon nanotubes (o-SWCNT) and the o-SWCNT/mSiO₂ hybrid nanoparticles were added to the solution. The electrospun fibres were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA) afterwards in order to reinforce the composite structure by bonding to the p-aramid fabrics. The chemical and thermo-mechanical properties of the hybrid fabric composites were evaluated. The greatest improvement in thermo-mechanical properties was achieved by the sample which contained the cross-linked PVB fibres with the o-SWCNT/mSiO₂ hybrid nanoparticles.     

Host Switch of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lamellodiscus elegans</Emphasis> (Monogenea: Monopisthocotylea) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sparicotyle chrysophrii</Emphasis> (Monogenea: Polyopisthocotylea) between Cage-reared Sparids

Sharpsnout bream (Diplodus puntazzo) has been used in Adriatic aquaculture for less than a decade, but the decreasing trend of rearing this species will probably result in its complete substitution by more exploited sea bream (Sparus aurata). Only two facilities still rear both fish species in neighbouring cages in monoculture. A switch of parasites was observed between sparids during monitoring of the gill monogeneans of farmed fish. In wild fish of the Adriatic Sea, Lamellodiscus elegans (Monogenea: Monopisthocotylea) has previously been reported in annular (Diplodus annularis), and two-banded sea bream (D. vulgaris) and sharpsnout bream (D. puntazzo), and the present study confirmed its presence also in sea bream, in low prevalence and abundance. The exclusively sea bream monogenean Sparicotyle chrysophrii (Monogenea: Polyopisthocotylea) was also isolated from sharpsnout bream, showing prevalence and abundance values even higher than in its resident host. In the occurrence of L. elegans in sea bream, the opportunistic switch resulted in lower abundance and prevalence than in the original host, while in the second case of switching the monogenean S. chrysophrii showed better reproductive capacity on a new host (sharpsnout bream). Both cases point to the possible enlargement of parasite host range.     

Risk assessment of parasitic/symbiotic organisms of the commercially important mytilid Modiolus barbatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

A parasitological survey of the edible and commercially valuable mytilid horse‐bearded mussel (Modiolus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758) was carried out in the Mali Ston Bay, Adriatic Sea, in 2004 and 2005 to assess the potential effects of parasites/symbionts on this bivalve population. Data sets of abundance and prevalence were used to evaluate the structure and dynamics of infracommunities and component parasitic/symbiotic communities, along with evaluated histopathological changes, to assess the overall risk that these organisms pose to the mytilid. Based on moderate diversity indices and expected seasonal oscillation between the values of prevalence/abundance, parasitic/symbiotic fauna of M. barbatus was shown to be relatively stable, although moderately impoverished assemblages, dominated by two species, turbellarian Paravortex cardii and gregarine Nematopsis sp. Histopathological changes indicated only three species as pathogenic –Gymnophallus sp. sporocysts, Nematopsis sp. and a haplosporidian, although their pathological risk was assessed to be very low or low. From the epizootiological point of view, parasites are not a limiting factor for the successful introduction and farming of the M. barbatus.     

Effect of RNF4-SacII gene polymorphism on reproductive traits of Landrace × Large White crossbred sows

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether and to what extent the RNF4-SacII gene polymorphism influences reproduction performances in hyperprolific sow lines. The study involved 101 Landrace x Large White crossbred sows, with 461 records collected on the following reproductive traits: Total Number of piglets Born per litter (TNB), Number of piglets Born Alive per litter (NBA), Number of StillBorn piglets per litter (NSB), piglet Pre-Weaning Mortality (PWM) and Number of piglets at Weaning per litter (NW). The least square method with the GLM procedure in SAS with eight effects was used to pursue the data analysis. Study results revealed that TT homozygotes and TC heterozygotes had a significantly higher (p < .05) NW than CC homozygotes for the life-span performance in all parities and first parity analysed. In the fourth parity analysed, TNB and NBA in TC genotype were significantly higher (p < .05) as compared with TT genotype. Based on the life-span performance, significant effect (p < .05) was recorded for order of parity on TNB, NBA and NW, for farrowing season on TNB and NSB, and for lactation length on PWM. In the second parity, significant effect (p < .05) was recorded for sire of boar on NSB and for gestation length on TNB. Only in the fourth parity, significant effect (p < .05) of RNF4 gene was observed on NBA. There was significant additive effect (p < .05) of the RNF4 gene polymorphism identified on NW in all parities analysed, and significant additive and dominance effects (p < .05) on NSB in the third parity analysed. In conclusion, additional research on related production pig genotypes is necessary to elucidate the effect of RNF4 gene mutation on reproductive traits.     

Solid fraction of separated digestate as soil improver: implications for soil fertility and carbon sequestration

Journal of Soils and Sediments - This study investigated the C and N mineralisation potential of solid fractions (SFs) from co-digestated pig manure after P-stripping (P-POOR SF) in comparison with...     

Effects of cage fish farming on phytoplankton community structure,biomass and primary production in an aquaculture area in the middle Adriatic Sea

In this study, we investigated the physical, chemical and biological parameters of the water column at two stations under different trophic conditions during a 1‐year period (from September 2005 to September 2006) in an aquaculture area. The investigation was performed monthly at a station inside the fish farm in Maslinova Bay (middle Adriatic Sea, Croatia) and at a control station located in the Hvar Channel in the vicinity of the farm. The results showed that the concentrations of dissolved nutrients were slightly enhanced at the farm station in comparison with the control station, although those differences were not statistically significant, nor were the differences in oxygen saturation recorded during the investigation period. As opposed to the chemical parameters, considerably higher deviations were recorded for biological parameters as demonstrated by a significant increase in phytoplankton biomass and primary production (measured in situ) at the farm station, particularly during the summer season. Phytoplankton community structure analysis showed that the phytoplankton composition at the farm was mostly determined by seasonal changes rather than by the influence of fish farming. In Maslinova Bay, no causal links were identified between increased biomass and the appearance of toxic species.     

Comparative effectiveness of 2-phenoxyethanol and Propiscin as anesthetics for juvenile sea bass <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dicentrarchus labrax</Emphasis> L.

The comparative effectiveness of 2-phenoxyethanol and Propiscin as anesthetics were studied on juvenile sea bass. Both anesthetics showed low toxicity and good hypnotic characteristics, however median survival times at the same concentration of both anesthetics differed. Propiscin showed much lower LT₅₀ than 2-phenoxyethanol, pointing towards its elevated toxicity in juvenile sea bass, even the same concentrations of Propiscin induced slower anesthesia than 2-phenoxyethanol. The most suitable Propiscin concentration for anesthesia was 0.56 ml/l, while the most suitable concentration of 2-phenoxyethanol was 0.32 ml/l for juvenile sea bass. Mortalities after 96 h were induced with Propiscin at lower concentrations then of 2-phenoxyethanol, resulting in the conclusion that the 2-phenoxyethanol is a safer anesthetic for use with juvenile sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.).