Current status and prospects of farming the giant river prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man) in Bangladesh

Giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) farming plays an important role in the economy of Bangladesh. Presently, it is cultured in around 50 000 ha area with total annual production of 23 240 t. Traditional extensive prawn farming has been expanding over the last three decades through the introduction and adoption of improved culture systems, such as culture of prawn‐carps, prawn‐shrimp‐fish and prawn‐fish‐rice as concurrent and rotational systems. Efforts for the development of improved techniques on broodstock management, seed production and rearing and grow‐out of prawn have been made over the last decade. The outcomes are low‐cost feed for broodstock, production of post‐larvae in net cages (hapa), all‐male prawn culture, periphyton based prawn‐tilapia culture, C/N based prawn culture, organic prawn farming, prawn‐mola culture and prawn‐carp‐mola polyculture. Despite the development of culture technologies, a number of challenges for sustainable development of prawn farming need to be overcome to realize the potentials of this promising sector. Good aquaculture practises at all levels and application of measures for quality control and food safety would ensure sustainable development of prawn farming in Bangladesh.     

Influence of dietary blends of menhaden oil and canola oil on growth, muscle lipid composition, and thyroidal status of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in sea water

The effects of various dietary blends of menhaden oil (MO) with canola oil (CO) on the growth performance, whole body proximate composition, flesh quality (muscle proximate and lipid composition) and thyroidal status of immature Atlantic salmon in sea water were studied.Atlantic salmon (initial weight, 145.2–181.3 g), held on a natural photoperiod and in 1100 L fibreglass tanks that were supplied with running, aerated (D.O., 9–10.5 p.p.m.), ambient temperature (8–10.5 °C) sea water (salinity, 28–30), were fed twice daily to satiation one of four isonitrogenous (36% digestible protein) and isoenergetic (18.8 MJ of digestible energy kg^-1) extruded high-energy diets for 112 days. All diets contained omega –3 (n-3) fatty acids in excess of requirements and differed only with respect to the source of the supplemental lipid which was either, 25% MO; 20.75% MO and 4.25% CO; 16.5% MO and 8.5% CO; or 12.25% MO and 12.75% CO. Thus, CO comprised, respectively, 0, 15.5, 31.2, or 47.0% of the total dietary lipid content (28% on an air-dry basis).Dissimilar percentages of saturated fatty acids in the dietary lipids were not found to be consistently related to the apparent gross energy digestibility coefficients of the diets. Atlantic salmon growth, dry feed intake, feed and protein utilization, percent survival, thyroidal status, and whole body and muscle proximate compositions were generally not influenced by the different sources of supplemental lipid. Therefore, our results suggest that canola oil may comprise as much as 47% of the lipid in high-energy grower diets for Atlantic salmon without compromising performance.The muscle lipid compositions generally mirrored those of the dietary lipids which, in turn, were influenced strongly by the concentrations and compositions of the CO and MO in the diet. Hence, as the dietary CO level was increased there were attendant increases in percentages of oleic acid (18:1(n-9)), linoleic acid (18:2(n-6)), total omega-6 (n-6) fatty acid content, and ratios of (n-6) to (n-3) and decreases of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5(n-3)), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6(n-3)) and n-3 HUFAs (EPA & DHA) in the flesh lipids. The ranges for percentages of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in the flesh lipids were, however, much less than those noted respectively in the dietary lipids probably because of selective metabolism of many of the former acids and some of the 18 carbon unsaturates for energy purposes.     

Efficacy of an equal blend of canola oil and poultry fat as an alternate dietary lipid source for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in seawater. II: effects on haematology and immunocompetence

This research examined the haematological and immunological responses of quadruplicate groups of juvenile (～400 g initial weight) Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) that had each been fed daily to satiation for 12 weeks one of three high‐energy extruded diets of identical composition except for the supplemental dietary lipid (234.7 g kg^?1) source. The three experimental diets varied in the composition of supplement lipid; diet 1 contained 100% anchovy oil (AO), while diets 2 and 3 replaced 29.8% and 59.7% of the AO (respectively) with a 1:1 blend of canola oil (CO) and poultry fat (PF). Immediately following the feeding trial, a random sample of fish from each diet was sampled for determination of baseline levels of various haematological and immunological parameters. Thereafter, duplicate diet groups were vaccinated (against Listonella anguillarum) and reared on their respective experimental diets for an additional 4 weeks. At that time, the remaining fish were sampled similarly, and the different parameters were measured again. Comparisons between the different diet treatment groups were made before and after vaccination. There were no significant diet treatment effects at either sample time, for haematocrit, differential leucocyte counts, erythrocyte counts, serum hemolytic activity or head kidney leucocyte respiratory burst activity. The fish fed diet 1 however, did show significantly higher post‐vaccination levels of peripheral blood leucocyte respiratory burst activity and higher serum antibody titres against L. anguillarum. The results suggest that the relatively low n‐6/n‐3 fatty acid ratios in the muscle and presumably other tissues of fish fed diet 1, may have resulted in a reduced production of immunocompromising eicosanoids than were produced in fish ingesting the other two diets that were based in part on the different amounts of the CO and PF blend. Long‐term studies are required to confirm this possibility.     

Nutritive value of partially dehulled and extruded sunflower meal for post-smolt Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in sea water

This study determined the digestibility of protein in partially dehulled sunflower meal (SFM) and then, as the main goal, the nutritive value of high‐temperature extruded (≤149°C) partially dehulled SFM (SFM_EX) for post‐smolt Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in sea water. The digestibility study was conducted using the settling column approach (‘Guelph system’) for faeces collection as described by Hajen, Higgs, Beames and Dosanjh. In the nutritive value study, triplicate groups of 50 salmon (mean weight ～116 g) in 4000‐L outdoor fibreglass tanks supplied with 25–40 L min^?1, filtered, oxygenated (dissolved oxygen, 7.0–8.5 mg L^?1), 11–12°C sea water (salinity, 29–31 g L^?1), were fed twice daily to satiation one of five steam‐pelleted dry diets that contained 422 g of digestible protein (DP) kg^?1 and ～16.4 MJ of digestible energy (DE) kg^?1 on a dry weight basis for 84 days. Low‐temperature‐dried anchovy meal (LT‐AM) comprised 68.2% of the basal diet protein whereas in four test diets, SFM_EX progressively replaced up to 33.0% of the DP provided by LT‐AM in the basal diet (SFM_EX≤271 g kg^?1 of dry matter). Sunflower meal had 87.9% DP. Diet treatment did not significantly affect specific growth rate (1.39–1.45% day^?1), feed efficiency (1.19–1.26), percentage of dietary protein retained (45.8–47.5), gross energy utilization (46.5–49.4%), per cent survival (96.0–99.3) or terminal whole body and muscle proximate compositions. We conclude that SFM_EX can comprise ≥271 g kg^?1 of the dry diet or ≥22.7% of the digestible dietary protein of post‐smolt Atlantic salmon in seawater without any adverse effects on their performance.     

Monitoring of the fermentation media of citric acid by the trimethylsilyl derivatives of the organic acids formed

In this approach, a derivatization method is described for monitoring of organic acids in fermentation media without any separation step. The aqueous phase of fermentation media was evaporated and heated in a silylation reagent to form trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives. The silylated compounds are analyzed by 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance (29Si NMR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). 29Si NMR can qualitatively monitor the components produced in the Krebs cycle. Quantification of these compounds is investigated by using selected ion monitoring mode of mass spectrometry. In this mode, mass to charge (m/z) values of their [M - 15]+ ions, which are 465, 275, 247, 221, 335, 251, and 313 of TMS derivatives of citric, alpha-ketoglutaric, succinic, fumaric, l-malic, oxaloacetic, and palmitic (as an internal standard), acids, respectively, are used. The limit of detection and the linear working range for derivatized citric acid were found to be 0.1 mg L(-1) and 10-3 x 10(4) mg L(-1). The relative standard deviation of the method for five replicates was 2.1%. The average recovery efficiency for citric acid added to culture media was approximately 97.2%. Quantitative results of GC-MS are compared with those obtained by an ultraviolet-visible method.     

The toxicity of Cassia senna to Nubian goats

Ten Nubian goats were given oral doses of the fresh fruits and leaves of Cassia senna at 1, 5, and 10 g / kg /day. Eight goats died within 30 days and two others were slaughtered in a moribund condition on days 18 and 29. The clinical signs of diarrhoea, inappetence, loss of condition, and dyspnoea were well correlated with the pathological findings. There was an increase in G.O.T., ammonia, urea, and total cholesterol and a decrease in total protein in the serum of Cassia‐poisoned goats. Blood sugar level was reduced and the increase in the values of Hb, PCV, and RBC was due to haemoconcentration.     

Evaluation of limb autotomy as a promising strategy to improve production performances of mud crab (Scylla olivacea) in the soft‐shell farming system

Soft‐shell crab, a newly moulted crab having non‐calcified and hydrated soft exoskeleton, farming has been increasing tremendously in recent years throughout the world due to its high market price and consumer preferences. However, high aggressiveness and cannibalistic behaviour of mud crab limit its culture to an individual chamber system which ultimately makes the soft‐shell mud crab farming space and labour‐intensive. Therefore, the aim of this study was to improve the efficiency of soft‐shell crab production by autotomy of the claw and/or walking legs to reduce the moulting duration and intensify the culture system through double stocking in the existing individual chamber culture system. To achieve our objectives, a series of experiment were conducted at both indoor and on‐farm levels by removing the claw and/or walking legs of Scylla olivacea for two consecutive moulting cycles. Results showed that both claw ablation significantly (p < .01) shortened the moulting duration and increased the carapace width, weight gain, specific growth rate, feeding efficiency and yield parameter compared to the non‐ablated crabs more prominently at 1st moulting than the 2nd moulting in both indoor and on‐farm trials. Ablation of all walking legs while keeping the claw intact did not significantly influence (p > .05) the moulting duration and carapace width, but significantly (p < .01) improved the specific growth rate, weight gain, feeding efficiency and yield parameters at 1st moulting compared to the non‐ablation and unilateral three walking leg ablation groups. However, ablation of all appendages (both claw and walking legs) showed significant (p < .01) improvements of carapace width, weight gain, specific growth rate, feeding efficiency and yield parameters, and shortened the moulting duration up to 23 days from 34 days during 1st moulting and up to 27 days from 40 days at 2nd moulting. The survivals of different autotomized mud crabs were statistically non‐significant (p > .05) to the non‐autotomized crabs in various indoor and on‐farm trials. Besides improving the production performances, ablation of bilateral claw and all appendages allowed to double the stocking density in the existing individual chamber‐based soft‐shell crab farming that enhanced the production about threefold higher than the existing individual chamber‐based culture system. Finally, our results suggest that autotomy could be a promising technology for the commercial farming of soft‐shell mud crab in near future.     

Improvement of Tissue Survival of Skin Flaps by 5α-Reductase Inhibitors: Possible Involvement of Nitric Oxide and Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase

Background:

Skin flap grafting is a popular approach for reconstruction of critical skin and underlying soft tissue injuries. In a previous study, we demonstrated the beneficial effects of two 5α-reductase inhibitors, azelaic acid and finasteride, on tissue survival in a rat model of skin flap grafting. In the current study, we investigated the involvement of nitric oxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in graft survival mediated by these agents.

Methods:

A number of 42 male rats were randomly allocated into six groups: 1, normal saline topical application; 2, azelaic acid (100 mg/flap); 3, finasteride (1 mg/flap); 4, injection of L-N^G-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (i.p., 20 mg/kg); 5, L-NAME (20 mg/kg, i.p.) + azelaic acid (100 mg/flap, topical); 6, L-NAME (20 mg/kg, i.p.) + finasteride (1 mg/flap, topical). Tissue survival, level of nitric oxide, and iNOS expression in groups were measured.

Results:

Our data revealed that azelaic acid and finasteride significantly increased the expression of iNOS protein and nitric oxide (NO) levels in graft tissue (P < 0.05). These increases in iNOS expression and NO level were associated with higher survival of the graft tissue.

Conclusion:

It appears that alterations of the NO metabolism are implicated in the azelaic acid- and finasteride-mediated survival of the skin flaps.Key Words: Finasteride, Azelaic acid, Surgical flaps, Nitric oxide, Nitric oxide synthase Type II