Fatty acid composition of New Zealand green-lipped mussels, Perna canaliculus: Implications for harvesting for n-3 extracts

Marine bivalves offer a potentially important source of long-chained polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) for human health supplements. Lipid extracts from individual New Zealand green-lipped mussels (NZGLM) were analyzed as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) by gas chromatography to assess geographical and seasonal differences between large (86 ± 1 mm) male and female and small (44 ± 1 mm) mussels. PUFAs dominated in spring and summer, comprising ∼ 50% of total fatty acids. Moreover, the commercially important n-3 fatty acids, 20:5n-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA) and 22:6n-3 (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA) together accounted for 70-79% of total PUFAs in spring and summer. During winter there was a marked decrease in condition and total n-3 PUFAs and a concomitant increase in saturated fatty acids in mussels, suggesting they had already spawned, had increased metabolic demands and limited PUFA-rich phytoplankton as food. While total n-3 content was not significantly different, there were geographical differences in individual n-3 fatty acids. Mussels collected from the cooler waters of Stewart Island had greater levels of 20:5n-3 (EPA), while those collected in Marlborough had greater concentrations of 22:6n-3 (DHA), which was attributed mainly to differences in phytoplankton composition. Total n-3 content and the condition index varied seasonally with greater concentrations of n-3 PUFAs, especially EPA, recorded in large mussels in spring, coincident with spring diatom blooms. Total PUFA levels and condition indices remained high in summer. There was no significant difference in condition indices, total n-3 content, DHA or EPA levels between large male and female mussels. Conversely, large mussels had significantly greater amounts of n-3 PUFAs than small mussels at Marlborough Sounds, while small mussels had marginally greater total n-3 concentrations than large mussels at Stewart Island. Taken together, these results suggest that the NZGLM offers a potentially important source of n-3 PUFAs for human health supplements. Our findings suggest that optimal harvesting conditions occur in spring when mussel condition and n-3 content peak for large mussels. Although DHA and EPA levels varied geographically, total n-3 content was not significantly different between sites, which implies that harvesting mussels for n-3 extracts would be driven more by logistical considerations.     

Prespawn mortality in adult spring Chinook salmon outplanted above barrier dams

Keefer ML, Taylor GA, Garletts DF, Gauthier GA, Pierce TM, Caudill CC. Prespawn mortality in adult spring Chinook salmon outplanted above barrier dams.
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 361–372. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – Dams without fish passage facilities block access to much of the historic spawning habitat of spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Oregon’s Willamette River basin. Adult salmon are routinely outplanted above the dams to supplement natural production, but many die before spawning despite extensive suitable habitat. In 2004–2007, we examined prespawn mortality patterns using live detection and carcass recovery data for 242 radio‐tagged outplants. Total prespawn mortality was 48%, but variability was high, ranging from 0% to 93% for individual release groups. Prespawn mortality was strongly condition dependent, consistently higher for females than males and higher for early release groups. Across years, warm water temperature in the migration corridor and at the collection site was associated with sharply higher mortality. Results highlight a need for better evaluations of the effects of adult mortality on population reintroduction and recovery and relationships among prespawn mortality, dam‐related temperature change and salmon life history and behaviour.     

Modelling the effects of bioturbation on the re-distribution of 137Cs in an undisturbed grassland soil

Under favourable conditions, soil ingestion by earthworm populations can be equivalent to approximately 5–10% of the topsoil mass per year. This suggests that for contaminants that are strongly bound to soil, earthworm ‘bioturbation’ may be a more important transport mechanism than water‐borne advection dispersion. It is therefore quite surprising that few modelling studies to date have explicitly considered the effects of biological processes on contaminant transport in soil. In this study, we present a general model that incorporates the effects of both ‘local’ and ‘non‐local’ biological mixing into the framework of the standard physical (advective‐dispersive) transport model. The model is tested against measurements of the redistribution of caesium‐137 (¹³⁷Cs) derived from the Chernobyl accident, in a grassland soil during 21 years after fallout. Three model parameters related to biological transport were calibrated within ranges defined by measured data and literature information on earthworm biomasses and feeding rates. Other parameters such as decay half‐life and sorption constant were set to known or measured values. A physical advective‐dispersive transport model based on measured sorption strongly underestimated the downward displacement of ¹³⁷Cs. A dye‐tracing experiment suggested the occurrence of physical non‐equilibrium transport in soil macropores, but this was inadequate to explain the extent of the deep penetration of ¹³⁷Cs observed at the site. A simple bio‐diffusion model representing ‘local’ mixing worked reasonably well, but failed to reproduce the deep penetration of Cs as well as a dilution observed close to the soil surface. A comprehensive model including physical advective‐dispersive transport, and both ‘local’ and ‘non‐local’ mixing caused by the activities of both endogeic and anecic earthworms, gave an excellent match to the measured depth profiles of ¹³⁷Cs, with predictions mostly lying within confidence intervals for the means of measured data and model efficiencies exceeding 0.9 on all sampling occasions but the first.     

Microneutralisation systems for use with different strains of peste des petits ruminants virus and rinderpest virus

Summary Comparative studies were made to determine the most suitable microtitration system for assaying strains of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) and rinderpest virus (RV). Infectivity titres did not differ significantly when assayed in either calf kidney, sheep kidney or Vero cells. However, cytopathic effects were much easier to detect in the latter making them the cell of choice. Addition of small amounts of virus to preformed cell monolayers in microplates with the subsequent addition of maintenance medium give higher infectivity titres than when cell suspension was added to virus, although the latter is more convenient for routine use. The titres of PPRV and neutralising antibodies assayed in tubes and microplates were not significantly different. Simultaneous screening of sera at a 1 in 20 dilution against both PPRV and RV gave a higher incidence of positives against homologous as opposed to heterologous virus.

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Resumen Se hicieron estudios comparativos para determinar el mejor sistema de microtitulación para detectar cepas del virus de la peste de peque?os rumiantes (VPPR) y virus de rinderpest (VR). Los títulos infectivos, no difirieron significativamente cuando los ensayos se efectuaron en cultivos celulares de ri?ón de ternero, de oveja y células Vero. Sin embargo, los efectos citopáticos se detectaron más facilmente en este último, haciendo de este cultivo celular el preferencial para pruebas de microtitulación. La adición, de peque?as poblaciones virables a monocultivos celulares preformados en microplacas, conjuntamente con medio de mantenimiento, dió títulos infectivos más altos, que cuando la suspensión de células se a?adió al virus, aunque este último método es más conveniente para trabajos de rutina. Los títulos del VPPR, y los anticuerpos neutralizantes, pruebas determinadas en tubo y microplacas, no difirieron significativamente. El análisis simultáneo de suero en diluciones 1 en 20 contra los virus de Pest de Peque?os Rumiantes y Rinderpest, dió una incidencia más alta de positivos contra el suero homólogo, que contra el heterólogo.

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Résumé Des études comparatives ont été effectuées pour déterminer la microméthode la mieux adaptée au titrage des souches des virus de la peste des petits ruminants (VPPR) et de la peste bovine (VPB) Les titres d'infectivité n'étaient pas significantivement différents qu'ils soient dosés sur cellules de rein de veau, de rein de mouton ou sur cellules Vero. Cependant, les effects cytopathogènes étaient plus facile à déceler dans les cellules Vero, ce qui en fait les cellules de choix. L'addition de petites quantités de virus aux tapis cellulaires complets en microplaques puis adjonction ultérieure de milieu d'entretien s'est traduit par des titres d'infectivité plus élevés que lorsque le virus était inoculé aux cellules en suspension, bien que cette dernière méthode soit plus commode pour l'utilisation de routine. Les titres du virus de la PPR et des anticorps neutralisants ne se sont pas révélés significativement différents en tubes ou en microplaques. Les examens simultanés de sérums au 1/20 contre à la fois le virus de la PPR et de la PB se tradusient par une fréquence plus élevée de réactions positives aux virus homologues qu'aux virus hétérologues.

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Research project R3792.     

Failure to establish congenital bluetongue virus infection by infecting cows in early pregnancy.

Two groups of 10 pregnant cows were inoculated with bluetongue virus type 11 at either 40 or 60 days of gestation. All the cows became infected as judged by the detection of viraemia and seroconversion but they showed no clinical signs. Seventeen of the cows produced live calves none of which showed any evidence of prenatal infection. After challenge with the same virus all the calves became viraemic and seroconverted. The response to challenge of the two groups did not differ from that of a control group challenged at the same time. It was concluded that the infection of pregnant cows in early gestation with this virus did not result in the transplacental infection of the fetuses and did not produce immunotolerant, latently infected calves.     

A larval development test for the detection of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes of sheep

First stage larvae of a number of species of parasitic nematodes of sheep have been shown to develop to third stage larvae in the presence of a defined medium consisting of Earle's balanced salt solution and yeast extract. A larval development test, based on this culture technique, was used as a screen for detecting the presence of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes of sheep. It was found to be sensitive and simple to use and also appeared capable of detecting resistance to any of the main anthelmintic groups. Available anthelmintic sensitive and resistant strains of Haemonchus contortus and Ostertagia circumcincta showed differences in development when incubated in the presence of either thiabendazole, levamisole and ivermectin. These differences were expressed as the minimum inhibitory concentration required to prevent larval development over the incubation period.     

Doxapram infusion during halothane anaesthesia in ponies

Doxapram, 0.05 mg/kg bodyweight/min, was infused during the second hour of 2 h halothane anaesthesia in six ponies. Two of the ponies were anaesthetised on a second occasion as controls and given 5 per cent dextrose in place of the doxapram. Respiratory depression typical of halothane anaesthesia in ponies developed in the first hour of anaesthesia and continued during the second hour in the control animals. During doxapram infusion arterial carbon dioxide tension decreased and pH increased. Arterial blood pressure increased but there was no change in pulse rate, the electrocardiogram or arterial oxygen tension. Anaesthesia lightened during doxapram infusion necessitating an increase in the vapouriser setting in order to prevent arousal. Recovery from anaesthesia appeared unaffected by the doxapram infusion.