Utilization of carotenoids from various sources by rainbow trout: muscle colour,carotenoid digestibility and retention

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with a mean (sd) weight of 120 (2) g were fed diets supplemented with astaxanthin extracted from the yeast Phaffia rhodozyma (OY1 = 50 mg carotenoids kg^–1 feed, OY2 = 100 mg carotenoids kg^–1 feed), astaxanthin (AX = 100 mg astaxanthin kg^–1 feed) and canthaxanthin (CX = 100 mg canthaxanthin kg^–1 feed) for 4 weeks. Muscle analyses at the end of the experiment indicated a significantly higher carotenoid concentration in the AX group, while CX and OY1 groups were similar in spite of the differences in dietary concentration. The measure of total muscle colour difference (E^* _ab) between initial samples and 4 week ones was higher for the AX fish group but showed no significant difference between OY1, OY2, and CX. The hue and the reflectance ratio (R₆₅₀:R₅₁₀) of fish muscle increased in proportion to carotenoid intake. Digestibility (ADC) of yeast astaxanthin in OY1 and OY2 groups was significantly higher than that in the AX group. Canthaxanthin ADC was about one sixth of that of astaxanthin (AX group). Carotenoid retention in the muscle, expressed as a percentage of carotenoid intake, was higher for the AX group than that recorded for OY1 and OY2. According to ADC, carotenoid retention showed a marked lower value for the CX group. Muscle retentions were similar for astaxanthins from both sources.     

Ecosystem effects of invertebrate fisheries

Since the 1950s, invertebrate fisheries catches have rapidly expanded globally to more than 10 million tonnes annually, with twice as many target species, and are now significant contributors to global seafood provision, export, trade and local livelihoods. Invertebrates play important and diverse functional roles in marine ecosystems, yet the ecosystem effects of their exploitation are poorly understood. Using 12 ecosystem models distributed worldwide, we analysed the trade‐offs of various invertebrate fisheries and their ecosystem effects as well as ecological indicators. Although less recognized for their contributions to marine food webs, our results show that the magnitude of trophic impacts of invertebrates on other species of commercial and conservation interest is comparable with those of forage fish. Generally, cephalopods showed the strongest ecosystem effects and were characterized by a strong top‐down predatory role. Lobster, and to a lesser extent, crabs, shrimp and prawns, also showed strong ecosystem effects, but at lower trophic levels. Benthic invertebrates, including epifauna and infauna, also showed considerable ecosystem effects, but with strong bottom‐up characteristics. In contrast, urchins, bivalves, and gastropods showed generally lower ecosystem effects in our simulations. Invertebrates also strongly contributed to benthic–pelagic coupling, with exploitation of benthic invertebrates impacting pelagic fishes and vice versa. Finally, on average, invertebrates produced maximum sustainable yield at lower levels of depletion (~45%) than forage fish (~65%), highlighting the need for management targets that avoid negative consequences for target species and marine ecosystems as a whole.     

Bovine plasma protein as an alternative protein source in extruded aquafeeds for Piaractus mesopotamicus (pacú) at two fattening stages

An 84‐day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the addition of bovine plasma protein concentrate (BPP) as a full replacement of fish meal (FM) in extruded aquafeeds for the fish Piaractus mesopotamicus at two fattening stages. Fish with an initial body weight of 105.55 ± 13.48 g (1st fattening stage) and 564.50 ± 88.02 g (2nd fattening stage) received two iso‐nitrogenous and isocaloric diets with 130 g/kg of FM (FM diet—FMD) or with 130 g/kg of BPP (BPP diet—BPPD). No significant difference in growth performance was detected between dietary treatments. Fish from the 2nd fattening stage showed decreased intestinal pH and increased haemoglobin content. At the 1st fattening stage, fish fed with BPPD presented higher levels of plasma triglycerides and cholesterol, and hepatic and whole‐body lipid content, while plasma glucose and muscular glycogen were lower at the 2nd fattening stage compared with FMD‐fed fish. Fish fed with FMD showed an increase in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in liver at the 1st fattening stage and intestine at the 2nd one, accompanied by higher levels of hepatic catalase at the 1st fattening stage. Results suggest BPP could completely replace FM in diets for P. mesopotamicus without affecting growth performance, when FM represents 13% of the diet.     

Heritabilities and genetic correlation of shell thickness and shell length growth in a mussel,Mytilus chilensis (Bivalvia:Mytilidae)

Shell thickness in mollusks is generally considered adaptive because of their effects on fitness. However, little is known about the genetic basis of shell thickness. This is important, because the response to selection and the subsequent adaptive microevolution of a trait, such as thickness is only possible when that trait exhibits additive genetic variation. Here, we estimated the narrow‐sense heritability (h²: ratio between additive genetic variance and phenotypic variance) for the traits ‘shell thickness’ and ‘shell length growth’ in a 34‐month‐old cohort of the mussel Mytilus chilensis obtained by using a half‐full sib design and grown in the field. Also, phenotypic and genetic correlations were estimated between both traits. We found that h² showed significant values for shell thickness (0.294 ± 0.194) and length (0.731 ± 0.379). The phenotypic correlation between both traits was positive and significant; however, the genetic correlation between these traits was not. These results suggest both traits can evolve adaptively by selection, but because these traits did not show genetic correlation, it is possible that selection pressure affecting one trait may not affect the other.     

The effect of feeding on the secretion of pepsin,trypsin and chymotrypsin in the Atlantic salmon,Salmo salar L

Pepsin stored in the stomach mucosa of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) increases within two days of the onset of starvation. Trypsin and chymotrypsin in the pyloric caeca/pancreas behave similarly, indicating that when no food is present in the gut, digestive enzymes accumulate in the secretory tissues. As a corollary, trypsin and chymotrypsin activities in the gut contents fell during starvation, indicating that secretion is greatly reduced when food is not present. At the onset of feeding, pepsin is rapidly synthesised in the mucosal tissues and then secreted. Twenty four hours after feeding, the pepsin levels of the mucosa are still low, suggesting that synthesis may be a rapid response to the presence of food in the stomach. Secretion of trypsin and chymotrypsin appears to take place as soon as digesta enters the intestine, between 4 and 14h after feeding, and resynthesis of enzyme precursors appears to be complete again within a further 11h. It is suggested that both synthesis and release may be under the control of cholecystokinin.     

Comparison of terrestrial laser scanning and X-ray scanning in measuring Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) branch structure

While X-ray scanning is increasingly used to measure the interior quality of logs, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) could be used to collect information on external tree characteristics. As branches are one key indicator of wood quality, we compared TLS and X-ray scanning data in deriving whorl locations and each whorl’s maximum branch and knot diameters for 162 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) log sections. The mean number of identified whorls per tree was 37.25 and 22.93 using X-ray and TLS data, respectively. The lowest TLS-derived whorl in each sample tree was an average 5.56?m higher than that of the X-ray data. Whorl-to-whorl mean distances and the means of the maximum branch and knot diameters in a whorl measured for each sample tree using TLS and X-ray data had mean differences of ?0.12?m and ?6.5?mm, respectively. One of the most utilized wood quality indicators, tree-specific maximum knot diameter measured by X-ray, had no statistically significant difference to the tree-specific maximum branch diameter measured from the TLS point cloud. It appears challenging to directly derive comparative branch structure information using TLS and X-ray. However, some features that are extractable from TLS point clouds are potential wood quality indicators.     

Investigations of La Rioja terroir for wine production using 1H NMR metabolomics

In this study, La Rioja wine terroir was investigated by the use of (1)H NMR metabolomics on must and wine samples. Rioja is a small wine region in central northern Spain which can geographically be divided into three subareas (Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja, and Rioja Alavesa). The winemaking process from must, through alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, was followed by NMR metabolomics and chemometrics of nine wineries in the Rioja subareas (terroirs). Application of interval extended canonical variate analysis (iECVA) showed discriminative power between wineries which are geographically very close. Isopentanol and isobutanol compounds were found to be key biomarkers for this differentiation.     

Influence of control parameters in VOCs evolution during MSW trimming residues composting

The influence of control parameters (aeration, moisture, and C/N ratio) during composting of a municipal solid waste (MSW)-legume-trimming residue (LTR) mixture was studied at a pilot plant scale. Factors measured included the composition of the main volatile organic carbons (VOCs) emitted including limonene, β-pinene, 2-butanone, undecane, phenol, toluene, and dimethyl disulfide. Polynomial models were found to reproduce the experimental results with errors at less than 10%. The relative influence of the independent variables on temperature and selected VOCs followed the order: aeration > moisture > C/N. A high aeration rate results in higher (strong negative effect) values on selected VOCs emissions (41-71% on emitted VOCs variation). Moisture had a positive and negative effect depending on the selected VOCs. A high C/N ratio caused lower production of VOCs except for undecane and 2-butanone. Providing an aerobic environment (0.05 Lair kg(-1) min(-1)), high C/N ratios (>50), and medium moisture (55%) minimize emitted VOCs during MSW composting, ultimately resulting in less odors in the surrounding environment.     

Phytoextraction of Lead from Soil from a Battery Recycling Site: The Use of Citric Acid and NTA

Phytoextraction is a soil remediation technique involving plants that concentrate heavy metals in their shoots, which may be removed from the area by harvest. The application of synthetic chelants to soil increases metal solubility, and therefore enhances phytoextraction. However, synthetic chelants degrade poorly in soil, and metal leaching poses a threat to human and animal health. The aim of this study is to assess the use of two biodegradable chelants (citric acid and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)) for Pb phytoextraction by maize from a soil contaminated by battery-casing disposal. In order to assess the behavior of a non-degradable chelant, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was also included in the experiment. The chelants NTA and EDTA were applied to soil pots at rates of 0, 3, 5, 7, and 10 mmol kg^?1 of soil. The rates used to citric acid were 0, 5, 10, 15, and 30 mmol kg^?1. Maize plants were grown for 72 days and chelants were applied 9 days before harvest. Soil samples were extracted with CaCl₂ to assess the Pb solubility after chelants application. The results showed that NTA was more efficient than citric acid to solubilize Pb from soil; however, citric acid promoted higher net removal of Pb (120 mg pot^?1) than NTA (57 mg pot^?1). Thus, the use of citric acid, a biodegradable organic acid, could be feasible for enhancing the phytoextraction of Pb from the site studied with no environmental constraints.