Growth and feed efficiency of Octopus vulgaris fed on dry pelleted

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of two dry extruded diets on growth and nutritional composition of digestive gland (DG) and muscle of Octopus vulgaris. Both artificial diets (FMK and 3FMK) were composed of gelatin, maltodextrin, yolk, fish and krill meal. The 3FMK diet contained more fishmeal (3×) than the FMK diet. These diets were compared with a control frozen diet consisting of golden grey mullet (Liza aurata) and crab (Liocarcinus depurator). The 3FMK diet promoted higher intakes and feed efficiency than FMK diet, resulting in larger growths (296 respect to 158 g in 42 days; 0.81% vs. 0.78% body weight/day). There was significantly lower moisture, protein and ash content in digestive glands of animals fed pellets (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed on nutritional composition of muscle among the three groups. Even though the results were still below those of the control group (increase of 1258 g), the good performance in terms of acceptance and growth showed that this extruded diet can be the starting point to develop a commercial feed for this species.     

Effect of two extruded diets with different fish and squid meal ratio on growth,digestibility and body composition of Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797)

The present work studies the growth and body composition of 18 Octopus vulgaris (6 per treatment) fed two extruded diets, namely FMS and 3FMS, based on different fish and squid meal ratios (1:1, and 3:1 respectively). The diets are compared with a control diet based on crab (Carcinus mediterraneus) and bogue (Boops boops). The growing tests were conducted on animals placed in individual 300 L rectangular fibreglass tanks in an open seawater system, containing PVC tubes as shelters, resulting in 100% survival rate. The control group exhibited the highest specific growth rates (SGR = 2.14%BW day^?1), while values of around 0.69%BW day^?1 were achieved by octopuses fed the extruded diets. Even though the three groups of animals showed similar digestive gland indexes, the two extruded diets promoted significant differences in the muscle composition and fatness of the digestive gland. Digestibility of dry matter was not affected by the type of extruded diet, obtaining ADC values of around 88%. The results suggest that squid and fish meal can be both used in dry pelleted extruded diets, with moderate acceptance by the octopus, even though the formulation must be optimized with the aim of improving acceptability and achieve growths in the range of natural diets.     

Effects of cellulase and xylanase enzymes mixed with increasing doses of Salix babylonica extract on in vitro rumen gas production kinetics of a mixture of corn silage with concentrate

An in vitro gas production(GP) technique was used to investigate the effects of combining different doses of Salix babylonica extract(SB) with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes(EZ) based on xylanase(X) and cellulase(C), or their mixture(XC; 1:1 v/v) on in vitro fermentation characteristics of a total mixed ration of corn silage and concentrate mixture(50:50, w/w) as substrate. Four levels of SB(0, 0.6, 1.2 and 1.8 m L g–1 dry matter(DM)) and four supplemental styles of EZ(1 μL g–1 DM; control(no enzymes), X, C and XC(1:1, v/v) were used in a 4×4 factorial arrangement. In vitro GP(m L g–1 DM) were recorded at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 h of incubation. After 72 h, the incubation process was stopped and supernatant p H was determined, and then filtered to determine dry matter degradability(DMD). Fermentation parameters, such as the 24 h gas yield(GY24), in vitro organic matter digestibility(OMD), metabolizable energy(ME), short chain fatty acid concentrations(SCFA), and microbial crude protein production(MCP) were also estimated. Results indicated that there was a SB?EZ interaction(P0.0001) for the asymptotic gas production(b), the rate of gas production(c), GP from 6 to 72 h, GP2(P=0.0095), and GP4(P=0.02). The SB and different combination of enzymes supplementation influenced(P0.001) in vitro GP parameters after 12 h of incubation; the highest doses of SB(i.e., 1.8 m L g–1 DM), in the absence of any EZ, quadratically increased(P0.05) the initial delay before GP begins(L) and GP at different incubation times, with lowering b(quadratic effect, P0.0001) and c(quadratic effect, P0.0001; linear effect, P=0.0018). The GP was the lowest(P0.05) when the highest SB level was combined with cellulose. There were SB?EZ interactions(P0.001) for OMD, ME, the partitioning factor at 72 h of incubation(PF72), GY24, SCFA, MCP(P=0.0143), and p H(P=0.0008). The OMD, ME, GY24 and SCFA with supp lementation of SB extract at 1.8 m L g–1 DM were higher(P0.001) than the other treatments, however,PF72 was lower(quadratic effect, P=0.0194) than the other levels. Both C and X had no effect(P0.05) on OMD, p H, ME, GY24, SCFA and MP. The combination of SB with EZ increased(P0.001) OMD, ME, SCFA, PF72 and GP24, whereas there was no impact on p H. It could be concluded that addition of SB extract, C, and X effectively improved the in vitro rumen fermentation, and the combination of enzyme with SB extract at the level of 1.2 m L g–1 was more effective than the other treatments.     

Alternative control of Chalara paradoxa,causal agent of black rot of pineapple by plant extract of Mormodica charantia

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Black rot of pineapple caused by the fungus Chalara paradoxa is considered an aggressive and difficult disease to control. The use of natural products has been...     

Comparison of Methods for Rapid Analysis of Quercetin

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Quercetin is a polyphenol of growing interest that is present in many foods. In this study, we compared two methods for its determination in samples of drinks made...     

Regular Consumption of an Antioxidant-rich Juice Improves Oxidative Status and Causes Metabolome Changes in Healthy Adults

An improvement in oxidative status is associated with a reduction in the incidence of several chronic diseases. However, daily intake of antioxidants in Western diets is decreasing. This study evaluates the effect of daily consumption of an antioxidant-rich juice (ARJ) on oxidative status, cardiovascular disease risk parameters, and untargeted plasma and urine metabolomes. Twenty-eight healthy young adults participated in an 8-week clinical trial by drinking 200 mL of ARJ (pomegranate and grape) daily. At the end of the study, the subjects showed a significant decrease (?29 %) in plasma lipid oxidation (malondialdehyde concentration), and a significant increase (+115 %) in plasma antioxidant capacity. Plasma and urine metabolomes were also significantly modified and some ions modified in urine were identified, including metabolites of polyphenols, ascorbic acid and biliary acids. No significant changes were observed in lipid profile, inflammation, blood pressure or glycaemia. These results show that incorporating antioxidant-rich beverages into common diets may improve oxidative status in healthy subjects.

     

Landscape risk factors for attacks of vampire bats on cattle in Sao Paulo,Brazil

Vampire-bat (Desmodus rotundus) attacks on cattle are a major concern for cattle-raising area. Blood loss and paralytic rabies due to bat bites can impose severe losses on the livestock. We took four municipalities inside the Sao Joao da Boa Vista veterinary district (Sao Paulo, Brazil) as a study area and tested a set of landscape features for spatial correlation with distance to areas in which vampire-bat attacks on cattle were documented. Bat- and cattle-related data from the Sao Paulo State Rabies Control Program were used. Landscape data (first-order rivers and their tributaries, main roads, railways and urban areas) were obtained from official cartographic agencies; forest, sugarcane and pasture data were acquired from remote-sensing mappings. The study area was taken as a grid split into 178 cells. Each 4 km × 4 km cell was filled with bat, cattle and landscape data. Our analysis detected that grid cells that were closer to areas of bat attacks on cattle had higher cattle density and a greater percentage of the land committed to sugarcane cropping, and were close to forest fragments. These results shed light on the need for rethink the Rabies Control Program strategies for defining the surveillance of vampire-bat populations and rabies control in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil.     

Scenarios for global biodiversity in the 21st century

Quantitative scenarios are coming of age as a tool for evaluating the impact of future socioeconomic development pathways on biodiversity and ecosystem services. We analyze global terrestrial, freshwater, and marine biodiversity scenarios using a range of measures including extinctions, changes in species abundance, habitat loss, and distribution shifts, as well as comparing model projections to observations. Scenarios consistently indicate that biodiversity will continue to decline over the 21st century. However, the range of projected changes is much broader than most studies suggest, partly because there are major opportunities to intervene through better policies, but also because of large uncertainties in projections.     

Topochemical investigation into the delignification of Eucalyptus globulus chips during semi-chemical sulfite pulping

The course of delignification of Eucalyptus globulus fibers during neutral semi-chemical sulfite pulping (NSSC) was studied by universal microspectrophotometry (UMSP 80, ZEISS). UV-investigation into a cellular level enables the topochemical analyses of delignification within individual cell wall layers during cooking. Cooks were carried out in a laboratory seven liter digester with liquor circulation and electrical heating device. Chip samples were taken throughout the cooking for chemical and UV microscopic analyses. UV microscopy analysis revealed for Eucalyptus globulus chips a preferred lignin removal during NSSC cooking in cell corner and compound middle lamella regions.     

Gene flow between cultivated sunflower and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus petiolaris</Emphasis> (Asteraceae)

Helianthus petiolaris (Asteraceae) native to North America has naturalized in Argentina. The extensive overlapping with sunflower crop regions, the coincidence of life cycles and the common pollinators facilitate interspecific crosses with sunflower, H. annuus var. macrocarpus. To estimate the occurrence of crop-to-wild and wild-to-crop gene flow, off-type plants in progenies of pure stands of both species flowering in coincidence and the presence of crop alleles in H. petiolaris populations were investigated in 26 wild populations and nine crop fields. Morphological traits and RAPD markers were used to attempt hybrid characterization. Off-type individuals were found in frequencies of 0.5 and 0.3% among crop progenies and wild populations, respectively. Off-type plants showed intermediate values for metric morphological traits and low fertility traits. Some off-type plants proved to carry crop alleles based on molecular analysis. The average frequency of cultivar-marker introgression across the wild populations was very low (0.02). Although observed hybridization rates seem to be low, the extension of crop-wild overlapping in Argentina make hybrid formation a noticeable process. Therefore, the new sunflower varieties and eventually GM varieties would transfer their traits through pollen flow and they would persist in H. petiolaris populations.