Silver catfish Rhamdia quelen immersion anaesthesia with essential oil of Aloysia triphylla (L'Hérit) Britton or tricaine methanesulfonate: effect on stress response and antioxidant status

Responses to anaesthesia with essential oil (EO) of Aloysia triphylla (135 and 180 mg L^?1) and tricaine methanesulfonate (MS222) (150 and 300 mg L^?1) were assessed in silver catfish. Exposure to the anaesthetics elicited a stress response in the species. In the case of MS222, it was displayed as a release of cortisol into bloodstream, elevation in hematocrit and plasma ion loss. The EO presented cortisol‐blocking properties, but increased haematocrit and disturbances of hydromineral balance were observed. Liver antioxidant/oxidant status of EO and MS222‐anaesthetized silver catfish was also estimated. The synthetic anaesthetic induced lipoperoxidation, notwithstanding increased catalase contents, whereas the naturally occurring product was capable of preventing the formation of lipid peroxides, possibly due to combined actions of catalase and glutathione‐S‐transferase. Anaesthetic efficacy was also tested via induction and recovery times. Overall, the promising results obtained for the physiological parameters of the EO‐treated fish counterbalanced the slight prolonged induction time observed for 180 mg L^?1. As for 135 mg L^?1, both induction and recovery times were lengthy; despite that, the EO was able to promote oxidative protection and mitigate stress. None of the MS222 concentrations prompted such responses concomitantly.     

Molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium isolates from pet reptiles

In this study, we investigated the presence of Cryptosporidium in 171 faecal samples from reptiles commonly used as pet animals. These include lizards belonging to the genera Eublepharis, Pogona, Chlamydosaurus, Hemiteconyx, Teratoscincus, Tiliqua, Iguana, and Chamaeleo, snakes of the genera Lampropeltis, Elaphe, Python, Boa and Corallus, and tortoises belonging to the genera Testudo and Kinixys. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected by immunofluorescence using a commercially available kit and cryptosporidial DNA by amplification of a polymorphic fragment of the 18S rDNA and the HSP70 locus.Cryptosporidium was detected in 38.6% and 25.1% of the samples analysed by immunofluorescence and PCR, respectively. Molecular characterisation of the isolates confirmed that C. serpentis and C. varanii (syn. C. saurophilum) are the main species involved in infection in pet reptiles but also showed the presence of C. parvum and C. muris, as well as other species or genotypes of this parasite including the Cryptosporidium mouse genotype and Cryptosporidium tortoise genotype previously described in reptiles. In addition, a Cryptosporidium sp. was isolated from a chameleon and a python.     

Effects of roasting on hazelnut lipids

The effect of roasting on some nutritional characteristics of hazelnut lipidic fraction was investigated. Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana L.) were submitted to several different thermal treatments, comprising different temperatures (125-200 degrees C) and times of exposure (5, 15, and 30 min) and analyzed for their moisture and crude fat. Raw and roasted hazelnuts were also analyzed for their compositions in phytosterols and fatty acids (including trans isomers) by GC-FID, triacylglycerols by HPLC-ELSD, and tocopherols and tocotrienols by HPLC-DAD/fluorescence spectroscopy. Minor changes occurred in the fatty acid and triacylglycerol compositions. As temperatures and roasting periods increased, generally, a modest increase of oleic and saturated fatty acids and a decrease of linoleic acid, expressed as relative percentages, occurred. Similarly, an increase of triacylglycerols containing oleic acid moieties and a decrease of those containing linoleic acid moieties were found in the roasted samples. Roasting caused a modest decrease of the beneficial phytosterols (maximum 14.4%) and vitamin E homologues (maximum 10.0%) and a negligible increase of the trans fatty acids.     

Effects of single and mixed-diatom diets on growth,condition, and survival of larvae of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816)

Aquaculture International - The development of rearing protocols promoting the larval development, pre and post-metamorphosis are key for echinoculture. Mixed diets combining diatom with other...     

Feasibility of near infrared spectroscopy for analyzing corn kernel damage and viability of soybean and corn kernels

The current US corn grading system accounts for the portion of damaged kernels, measured by time-consuming and inaccurate visual inspection. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), a non-destructive and fast analytical method, was tested as a tool for discriminating corn kernels with heat and frost damage. Four classification algorithms were utilized: Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA), k-nearest neighbors (K-NN), and least-squares support vector machines (LS-SVM). The feasibility of NIRS for discriminating normal or viable-germinating corn kernels and soybean seeds from abnormal or dead seeds was also tested. This application could be highly valuable for seed breeders and germplasm-preservation managers because current viability tests are based on a destructive method where the seed is germinated. Heat-damaged corn kernels were best discriminated by PLS-DA, with 99% accuracy. The discrimination of frost-damaged corn kernels was not possible. Discrimination of non-viable seeds from viable also was not possible. Since previous results in the literature contradict the current damage-discrimination results, the threshold of seed damage necessary for NIRS detection should be analyzed in the future. NIRS may accurately classify seeds based on changes due to damage, without any correlation with germination.     

Medium Light and Medium Roast Paper-Filtered Coffee Increased Antioxidant Capacity in Healthy Volunteers: Results of a Randomized Trial

We compared the effects of medium light roast (MLR) and medium roast (MR) paper-filtered coffee on antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation in healthy volunteers. In a randomized crossover study, 20 volunteers consumed 482?±?61?ml/day of MLR or MR for four weeks. Plasma total antioxidant status (TAS), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), oxidized LDL and 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) activity were measured at baseline and after the interventions. MLR had higher chlorogenic acids-(CGA; 334?mg/150?mL) and less caffeine (231?mg/150?ml) than MR had (210 and 244?mg/150?ml, respectively). MLR also had fewer Maillard reaction products (MRP) than MR had. Compared with baseline, subjects had an increase of 21 and 26?% in TAS, 13 and 13?% in CAT, 52 and 75?% in SOD, and 62 and 49?% in GPx after MLR and MR consumption (P?相似文献   

Biochemical and fatty acid dynamics during larval development in the razor clam Ensis arcuatus (Bivalvia: Pharidae)

This article reports on the changes in gross biochemical and fatty acid composition of the razor clam Ensis arcuatus larvae throughout development. Protein was the largest component of dried larval tissues. The energy required for embryogenesis in E. arcuatus oocytes was obtained from stored proteins and carbohydrates, while total lipids increased significantly. Lipids and carbohydrates have an important role as energy contributors from day 1 to day 8. During larval development the strategy was to indistinctly store energy reserves (protein, lipid and carbohydrate) to surpass metamorphosis. During embryonic development there was a gain in fatty acids of neutral and polar lipids. A depletion of fatty acids in neutral lipids was observed from day 1 to day 8 in E. arcuatus larvae, mainly due to the decrease in 16:0 and EPA. NMID fatty acids were present in amounts similar to those of some PUFAs in polar lipids, especially 22:2NMID.     

Hydrogen peroxide,iodine solution and methylene solution highly enhance the hatching rate of freshwater ornamental fish species

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydrogen peroxide, iodine solution (PVP) and methylene blue on eggs disinfection of three ornamental fish species, Danio rerio, Pterophyllum scalare and Gymnocorymbus ternetzi. The main idea was to create conditions to enhance the hatching rates. Eggs of each species were exposed to different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (5, 10, 15 and 25 mg/L), PVP (0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 mg/L) and methylene blue (0.5 1, 2 and 3 mg/L). The optimal doses ranged between species and chemicals: for G. ternetzi, the concentrations that high enhanced the hatching rate were 1 mg/L for the PVP treatment, 25 mg/L for the hydrogen peroxide treatment and 3 mg/L for methylene blue treatment; for P. scalare, the best results were achieved with 25 mg/L for hydrogen peroxide treatment and 3 mg/L for methylene blue treatment. By contrast, for all the different chemical did not increased the D. rerio hatching rate. Results showed that hydrogen peroxide and methylene blue are the most versatile, effective and safe to use in these species. On the other hand, PVP can be used but with many precautions due to very low safety margin. Results clearly show that the optimal concentration of chemicals for eggs disinfection is fish species dependent and it is completely wrong to extrapolate concentrations between different chemicals and fish species. Our study suggests that P. scalare can be used as a model in study of effectiveness of new chemicals with potential to disinfect water and increase hatching rates.     

Biodegradability of Disinfectants in Surface Waters from Buenos Aires: Isolation of an Indigenous Strain Able to Degrade and Detoxify Benzalkonium Chloride

Biodegradability of chlorhexidine (CH), triclosan (TC), and benzalkonium chloride (CBA) has been tested in 18 surface water sampling points in the urban area of Buenos Aires. Sampling points were located in both the Reconquista and the Matanza-Riachuelo basins as well as in the La Plata River. High tolerance to the three disinfectants was found and indigenous strains capable of degrading CBA and TC were isolated. Neither tolerance nor biodegradation were correlated with sewage pollution. A strain that degrades CBA was identified as belonging to the genus Pseudomonas using the API20NE system and 16SRNA sequencing. In batch assays, the strain was capable of degrading 100, 200, and up to 500 mg L^?1 of CBA in 10, 25, and 46 h respectively with specific growth rates (μ) of 0.56, 0.30, and 0.14 h^?1. The efficiency of the process was between 99.5–98.0% in terms of compound removal and between 93.8–89.1% in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD). The detoxification of the compound as a result of the biodegradation was assessed using Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Vibrio fischeri, and Lactuca sativa as test organisms.     

Protein requirements of collared peccary (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pecari tajacu</Emphasis>)

A nitrogen (N) balance digestion trial was conducted to determine the protein requirement of collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu). In a 4 × 4 Latin square design, four captive adult male peccaries were fed four isoenergy diets containing four different levels of N (11.7, 16.3, 22.8, and 26.7 g N/kg of dry matter—DM). After 15 days of adaptation, a total collection of feces and urine was carried out for five consecutive days. Regression analyses between N intake and N in feces and urine allowed to calculate the metabolic fecal nitrogen (MFN = 2.3 g N/kg of dry matter intake—DMI) and daily endogenous urinary N (EUN = 185 mg N/kg^0.75). Likewise, by regression analyses between consumption of nitrogen and the nitrogen balance (NB = N ingested ? N excreted, mg N/kg^0.75), a daily requirement of 514 mg N/kg^0.75 was calculated. Therefore, if food intake is unrestricted, collared peccaries require a minimum in their diet of about 5.4% crude protein on DM basis. These values are almost as low as those found for browsing and frugivorous wild ruminants, which reinforce the proposition that peccaries’ digestive physiology is nearer to that of domestic and wild ruminants than domestic pigs. This relatively low protein requirement of collared peccary and its great ability to digest protein reveal the relevance of the forestomach for the species on nitrogen/protein metabolism and allow the use of diets with lower crude protein levels than the commercial ones used for the domestic pig, which reduces feed costs.