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Shi-An Liao,1 Jian Guan,2 Hao Mo,2 Ju-Liang He,2 Xin-Li Zhan1 1Department of Spine and Osteopathy Ward, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Bone and Soft Tissue Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xin-Li ZhanDepartment of Spine and Osteopathy Ward, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-13907864389Email zhan3cstar@163.comBackground: More and more evidence has shown that non-coding RNA (ncRNA), including long ncRNA (lncRNA) and micro RNA (miRNA), plays a crucial regulatory role in osteosarcoma (OS). Previously, we revealed a Rho-related coiled coil incorporating protein kinase 1(XIAP). A transfer-related gene is negatively regulated by microRNA-20a-5p (miR-20a-5p) and plays the role of oncogene in OS. It is not clear if any lncRNA is involved in the axial upstream of miR-20a-5p/XIAP.Methods: Expression of LSINCT5 and miR-20a-5p/XIAP in OS tissues was determined through qRT-PCR (qP). The proliferation and migration/invasion activity of OS cells were tested through CCK-8/and transwell assay, respectively. The changes on expression of XIAP were examined through qRT-PCR and Western blot (WB). Targeted binding between LSINCT5, miR-20a-5p, and XIAP has been verified using dual luciferase reporter gene analysis, RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pull-down experiments. The effect of LSINCT5 on tumor growth was determined by tumor allograft test.Results: In this study, elevated LSINCT5 was found in OS tissue samples and OS cell strains, and the increased LSINCT5 was strongly related to the adverse prognosis of clinical patients. Functional assays showed that inhibition of LSINCT5 could up-regulate miR-20a-5p-mediated OS cells proliferation and metastasis. WB analysis and qP analysis showed that LSINCT5 regulated XIAP by mediating miR-20a-5p. Further cell behavior experiments showed that LSINCT5 acted as a miR-20a-5p sponge to inhibit proliferation and metastasis caused by XIAP. Finally, the results of animal models in vivo showed that LSINCT5 could regulate the tumor growth of OS.Conclusion: LncRNA LSINCT5 acts as an oncogene and promotes XIAP mediated growth and metastasis as competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in OS.Keywords: lncRNA, LSINCT5, miR-20a-5p, osteosarcoma, growth, invasion

In order to investigate the simultaneous exposure to hypoxia and ammonia-N on oxidative stress, immune response, and apoptosis of the hybrid grouper, 120 healthy groupers were selected for hypoxia and/or ammonia-N exposure experiment. The fish were divided into four experimental groups: hypoxia and ammonia-N group, hypoxia group, ammonia-N group, and control group. The results demonstrated that ammonia-N and hypoxia exposures induced the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities increased first and then decreased, and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulated. Additionally, antioxidant genes (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, HSP70, and HSP90), apoptosis genes (p53, bax, caspase 3, caspase 8, and caspase 9), and inflammatory genes (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) were upregulated by hypoxia and ammonia-N exposure. Severe inflammatory features were noticed in fish under hypoxia and ammonia-N co-exposure and speculating that the p53-bax pathway may induce apoptosis in hybrid groupers. Furthermore, hybrid grouper exposed to hypoxia or ammonia-N revealed some abnormalities in liver histology, with combined exposure resulting in the most severe liver tissue lesions. In summary, the hypoxia and ammonia-N co-exposure induced oxidative stress, accelerating the cell damage and activated inflammation and apoptosis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Water temperature is an important environmental factor in aquaculture farming that affects the survival and growth of organisms. The change in culture water temperature may not only modify various chemical and biological processes but also affect the status of fish populations. In previous studies, high temperature induced apoptosis and oxidative stress. However, the precise mechanism and the pathways that are activated in fish are still unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effects of high temperature (34°C) on the induction of apoptosis and oxidative stress in pufferfish (Takifugu obscurus) blood cells. The data showed that high temperature exposure increased oxygen species (ROS), cytoplasmic free-Ca(2+) concentration and cell apoptosis. To test the apoptotic pathway, the expression pattern of some key apoptotic related genes including P53, Bax, caspase 9 and caspase 3 were examined. The results showed that acute high temperature stress induced up-regulation of these genes, suggesting that the p53-Bax pathway and the caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway could be involved in apoptosis induced by high temperature stress. Furthermore, the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes (Cu/Zn-SOD, Mn-SOD, CAT, GPx, and GR) and heat shock proteins (HSP90 and HSP70) in the blood cells were induced by high temperature stress. Taken together, our results showed that high temperature-induced oxidative stress may cause pufferfish blood cells apoptosis, and cooperatively activated p53-Bax and caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Apoptosis plays a crucial role in many biological processes, including development, cellular homeostasis and immune responses. The BCL-2 family is a key regulator of the mitochondrial response to apoptotic signals in the intrinsic pathway. In this study, we identified and characterized the cDNA and expression pattern of pufferfish BCL-2 (PfBCL-2). The full-length cDNA of PfBCL-2 was 1412 bp with an open reading frame of 657 bp encoding a putative protein of 219 amino acids (Accession no: KP898414). The calculated molecular mass of the PfBCL-2 was 24.2 kDa with a predicted isoelectric point of 5.27. The deduced PfBCL-2 protein exhibited four highly conserved BCL-2 homology domains, suggesting that PfBCL-2 may play a similar role in the apoptotic-signaling pathway as in other species. Real-time PCR results showed that PfBCL-2 transcript was expressed in a wide range of tissues but exhibited the greatest level of expression in blood. Transcriptional responses of PfBCL-2 exhibited different spatial and temporal expression profiles in liver and blood after bacterial infection. PfBcl-2 transcript was significantly up-regulated in liver at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h (with maximum induction at 48 h) and was up-regulated in blood at 3, 6, 12 and 24 h (with maximum induction at 12 h). Meanwhile, recombinant PfBCL-2 fused with His6 tag was efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and purified using Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid resin. Western blot analysis indicated that its protein level appeared to be elevated during the initial bacterial infection. These results suggest that PfBCL-2 plays important roles in immune responses against bacteria challenge.

Ammonia is one of major environmental pollutants in the freshwater aquatic system that affects the survival and growth of organisms. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ammonia exposure on apoptosis, oxidative stress and immune response in pufferfish (Takifugu obscurus). Fish were exposed to various concentrations of ammonia (0, 1.43, 3.57, 7.14mM) for 72h. The date showed that ammonia exposure could induce intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), interrupt intracellular Ca(2+) (cf-Ca(2+)) homeostasis, and subsequently lead to DNA damage and cell apoptosis. To test the apoptotic pathway, the expression patterns of some key apoptotic related genes including P53, Bax Bcl2, Caspase 9, Caspase 8 and Caspase 3 in the liver were examined. The results showed that ammonia stress could change these genes transcription, associated with increasing of cell apoptosis, suggesting that the P53-Bax-Bcl2 pathway and caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway could be involved in cell apoptosis induced by ammonia stress. In addition, ammonia stress could induced up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines (BAFF, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-12) transcription, indicating that innate immune system play important roles in ammonia-induced toxicity in fish. Furthermore, the gene expressions of antioxidant enzymes (Mn-SOD, CAT, GPx, and GR) and heat shock proteins (HSP90 and HSP70) in the liver were induced by ammonia stress, suggesting that antioxidant system and heat shock proteins tried to protect cells from oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by ammonia stress. Our results will be helpful to understand the mechanism of aquatic toxicology induced by ammonia in fish., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Phytases hydrolyze phytate to release inorganic phosphate, which decreases the requirement for phosphorus in fertilizers for crops and thus reduces environmental pollutants. This study analyzed microbial communities in rhizosphere sediment, collected in September 2012 from Shenzhen Bay, Guangdong, China, using high-throughput pyrosequencing; the results showed that the dominant taxonomic phyla were Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria, and the proportion of the beneficial bacteria, Bacillus, was 4.95 %. Twenty-nine culturable, phytase-producing bacteria were isolated, their phosphorus solubilization capacity was analyzed, and they were taxonomically characterized. Their phylogenetic placement was determined using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequence analysis. The result shows that most of the isolates are members of the order Bacillales, although seven strains of Enterobacteriales, two strains of Pseudomonadales, and one strain of Oceanospirillales were also identified. The phytase gene was cloned from SPC09, Bacillus cereus, which showed the highest phosphorus solubilizing ability among the isolated strains. The gene encoded a primary translation product of 335 amino acids. A construct including the 1005-nt ORF fragment, Bc-phy, was transformed into Escherichia coli. The recombinant phytase was produced and purified, which revealed the temperature optima at 60 °C and pH optima at 6.5. The assessment by quantitative PCR (qPCR) showed an abundance of bacteria containing the Bc-phy gene; the level was generally higher in the mangrove forest than in the tidal flats and in surface soil compared to bottom soil, and the highest value was obtained in June. Herein, we report on the cloning, characterization, and activity of a novel phytase isolated from a mangrove system.

Waterborne ammonia has become a persistent pollutant of aquatic habitats. The exposure to ammonia stress can reduce growth in a wide range of aquatic organisms. To assess the effect of ammonia exposure on the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factors (GH/IGF) axis, we identified and characterized GHR1, GHR2 and IGF-1 from pufferfish. Comparative analysis showed that these genes shared high identity and similarity with corresponding genes in other fish species. The transcripts of these genes were widely expressed in all tested tissues. The highest level of GHR1 mRNA was found in the brain, whereas GHR2 and IGF-1 mRNA levels were the highest in the liver. Following acute ammonia exposure (100 mg/L total ammonia-nitrogen), GHR2 expression in the liver did not change at 6 h and then significantly decreased at 12, 24 and 48 h, whereas GHR1 and IGF-1 expressions were significantly down-regulated at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h, respectively. These results indicated that ammonia stress decreased the expression of GH/IGF axis genes, which might have negative effect on the growth and development of pufferfish.

Salinity and temperature significantly affect the growth and production of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. This research investigated the effect of these two vital parameters on behaviour, survival, haemocyte-based cellular immunity, and proximate composition of M. rosenbergii. Adolescent prawns were exposed at five different salinities (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 ppt) and temperatures (22, 26, 30, 34, 38 °C) at a stocking of 6-ind/25-L glass tank with three replication and nursed up to 168 h. Prawn showed normal behaviour and movement up to salinity of 10 ppt, while rising salinity to 20 ppt associated with abnormal behaviour caused 50% mortality within 72 h and showed complete mortality after 96 h. Prawns exposed at 22–30 °C exhibited normal behaviours, while uplifting temperature to 34 °C showed unusual behaviour and mortality. Further increase of temperature to 38 °C, survival rapidly decreased to 33.33% after 24 h, and complete mortality happened within 72 h. Total haemocyte count and differential haemocyte count did not exhibit significant variation at salinity ≤ 10 ppt and temperature ≤ 30 °C, while there was a significant declination at higher salinities (≥ 15 ppt) and temperatures (≥ 34 °C). Interestingly, after a significant fall in protein content at 30 °C, it started to increase at higher temperatures. Meanwhile, a significant decrease in lipid content was recorded at salinity ≥ 15 ppt. Water quality measurements were within acceptable norms for prawn aquaculture throughout the experiment. According to this study, prawns' growth, behaviour, and immune system were mostly unaffected by saline levels up to 10 ppt and temperatures below 30 °C; thus, ranges could be adopted for climatically altered coastal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 35-day study investigated the impact of carbon sources and carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios on the microbial community of biofloc. For this purpose, we utilized a combination of phospho-lipid fatty acids (PLFAs) profiles and DNA-based sequencing methods to investigate changes in the microbial community composition and structure. The experiment involved three carbon sources including Dextrin (DEX), corn starch (CS) and wheat bran (WB) at two C/N ratios (19 and 30). The results indicated that WB and CS were found to decrease nitrogen metabolite concentration while increasing total suspended solids and bacterial density compared to DEX. The treatments exhibited variations in microbial communities and the use of polymerase chain reaction/ denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis revealed distinct dominant bacterial species linked to carbon sources and C/N ratios. Furthermore, the highest levels of bacteria and protozoa PLFAs biomarkers were observed in the C/N30 ratio and WB treatment while the ratio for poly-β-hydroxybutyrate/PLFAs and fungi biomarkers displayed a decrease. Also, by incorporating the results of PLFAs profile and conducting a principal component analysis, the treatments were categorized into distinct groups based on both the carbon source and C/N ratios. Overall, both methods yield consistent results. PLFAs offered additional insights into the microbial composition beyond bacterial structure while DNA-based analysis provided finer taxonomic resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, transcriptome of nitrite-exposed Litopenaeus vannamei was performed using a newly developed high-throughput sequencing technology (Illumina RNA-seq). As many as 42,336 unigenes were generated with 561 bp of average length and 736 bp of unigene N50 after filtering and assembly. These unigenes from the de novo assembly were further annotated using BLAST and BLAST2GO softwares. A total of 23,532 unigenes were unambiguous alignments to the reference when BLAST against non-redundant protein sequence (Nr), non-redundant nucleotide (Nt), Swiss-Prot, Gene Ontology database (GO), Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases available at NCBI. Numerous candidate genes associated with immune response, detoxification, apoptosis pathway were identified. Ten candidate genes related to immune responses and apoptosis were selected for validating the results of assembly and annotation by real-time quantitative PCR. Results revealed that the expressions of all these ten genes were up-regulated after nitrite exposure. Combining to our previous study, we speculate that all these selected genes may be involved in the response to nitrite stress. The study shows a systematic overview of the transcriptome analysis in L. vannamei, and provides valuable gene information for studying molecular mechanisms under nitrite exposure., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Five feeding trials based on the isonitrogenous and isoenergetic experimental diets containing 34% protein, 6%, 8%, 10%, 12% or 14% lipid respectively in the circulating water culture system for both 30 and 60 days were conducted to investigate the effect of the dietary lipid level on the growth and immunity in white shirmp, Litopenaeus vannamei adults. The body weight and specific growth rate of white shrimp in different treatments indicated that shrimps fed the diet of 12% lipid level for 30d and 10% lipid level for 60d had the best developmental status. The ability of respiratory burst in hemocytes was improved as the increase of dietary lipid level. The transcripts of LGBP and pPO were sensitive to the dietary lipid in hemocyte and hepatopancreas respectively. The activities of CAT, GPx and AKP were increased to a certain extend according to dietary lipid level. Qualification of MDA showed the lowest level in the sample subjected to 12% lipid level diet, indicating an optimal utilization of the dietary lipid and an efficient clearance of MDA in vivo. These results suggested that dietary lipid level of 10-12% significantly tunes the growth and enhance the immune abilities mainly via ROS pathway of L. vannamei., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Apoptotic cell ratio and mRNA expression of caspase-3, cathepsin B (CTSB), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and thioredoxin (TRx) in hemocytes of white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei exposed to nitrite-N (20 mg/L) was investigated at different stress time (0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h). The apoptotic cell ratio and mRNA expression level of CTSB were significantly increased in shrimp exposed to nitrite-N for 48 and 72 h. Caspase-3 mRNA expression level significantly increased by 766.50% and 1811.16% for 24 and 48 h exposure, respectively. HSP70 expression level significantly increased at 8 and 72 h exposure. MnSOD mRNA expression in hemocytes up-regulated at 8 and 48 h, while CAT mRNA expression level increased at 24 and 48 h. GPx expression showed a trend that increased first and then decreased. Significant increases of GPx expression were observed at 8 and 12 h exposure. Expression level of TRx reached its highest level after 48 h exposure. These results suggest that nitrite exposure induces expression of apoptosis-related genes in hemocytes, and subsequently caused hemocyte apoptosis. Meanwhile, expression levels of HSP70 and antioxidant enzymes up-regulated to protect the hemocyte against nitrite stress., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

During embryonic development, vitamins are involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis, while cathepsins and antioxidant defense play key roles in yolk degradation and protecting fish embryos from oxidative damage. This study aimed to investigate the consumption of vitamins (A, B1, B2, C, D, and E), ontogenesis of cathepsins, and antioxidant capacity in developing embryos of turbot. In this study, embryos were collected over time from 2.3 to 102.5 h (i.e., hatching) after fertilization for vitamins, cathepsins, and antioxidant capacity analyses. Results showed that the embryonic growth rate in the cleavage stage (CS) was faster than in other stages, while that in the segmentation stage (SS) was lower than in other stages. Embryos displayed higher demands on VA during blastula stage (BS), gastrula stage (GS), the early SS, and hatching day (HD), VB1 at CS; VB2 at BS, GS, SS, and HD; VD at CS and SS; VE at CS, BS, and the late SS; and Vc during entire periods. Cathepsins A (CA) showed a high level at early SS, suggesting its involvement in yolk degradation. Cathepsins B (CB) and cathepsins D (CD) were highly active at GS, suggesting an active apoptosis process. CA, CB, CD, and cathepsins L (CL) all kept low levels in CS, revealing low protein demand during the cleavage process. On the whole, the predominant antioxidant enzymes were superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) from CS to SS; SOD, MDA, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) during SS; and GSH-Px and CAT during HD. In conclusion, the fastest growth rate and the slowest growth rate of embryos occurred in CS and SS, respectively, being consistent with energy allocation. Vitamin consumption and cathepsin ontogenesis were stage-specific. Oxidative damage on embryos was relatively less at CS, but larger at SS and HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the differential gene expression in the muscle of Litopenaeus vannamei with different growth rates caused by dietary fish (FO) or canola oil (CO) in feed to expand the knowledge of how a low n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) diet affects growth performance. As expected, after a 28-day feeding trial, juvenile L. vannamei fed FO showed significantly higher final weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate than those fed CO. Furthermore, the muscle tissue in FO shrimp showed higher levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) compared to CO shrimp. Transcriptional sequencing analysis on the tail muscle identified 98 genes expressed differentially between both treatments, mainly expression on myosin and actin isoforms related to growth rates. Moreover, shrimp fed with FO presented upregulated genes related to higher metabolic activity associated with enhanced growth rate. Shrimp fed CO had downregulation of genes associated with energy metabolism, potentially related to lower energy demand for growth. These findings enhance the comprehension of the relationship among diet composition, gene expression, and shrimp growth under culture conditions. Furthermore, the determination of selected gene expression like those found in the present study could be a potential tool to identify a cause of low shrimp growth in farms caused by a deficient HUFA diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 8-week study evaluated the effect of dietary protein reduction on growth performance and water quality of blue streak hap (Labidochromis caeruleus) using biofloc technology (BFT). Fish averaging 0.67 ± 0.13 g in weight were distributed into 15 polyester tanks, each with a water volume of 60 L within 100 L tanks, accommodating 15 fish per tank. Four isolipidic and isoenergetic diets were formulated with gradually decreasing protein levels (40%, 35%, 30%, and 25%). Four biofloc groups (40P + BF, 35P + BF, 30P + BF, and 25P + BF) and control (C) (40P + without BF) were fed twice daily (09:00 and 17:00) at a rate of 5% of their body weight. Molasses was added to the experimental tanks on a daily basis as an organic carbon source. This ensured that the biofloc tanks had a balanced carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio and facilitated control of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite-nitrogen (NO2-N), and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) levels. The nutritional composition of the bioflocs obtained from the experimental groups revealed that the crude protein and crude lipid contents were 37.00–38.14% and 1.45–1.52%, respectively (P > 0.05). The best specific growth rate (SGR) (1.68%) and feed conversation ratio (FCR) (2.21) were determined in the 35P group. Based on the overall evaluation of the study's data, it can be concluded that the dietary protein for the blue streak hap (L. caeruleus) can be reduced from 40 to 35% in a biofloc system without any negative effects on health. Improving water quality and providing additional food to fish through zero water exchange and organic carbon addition (BFT) can be considered a sustainable aquaculture technique that can be used in ornamental fish farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment aimed to examine the potential of distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) meal as a substitute for soybean meal (SBM) in the Pacific shrimp diet. The study aimed to investigate how DDGS affected disease resistance, antioxidation, and gut microbiota. Eight hundred forty shrimp were given varied diets with varying concentrations of DDGS. D1 (0%), D2 (2%), D3 (4%), D4 (6%), D5 (8%), D6 (10%), and D7 (12%) were the DDGS levels. Each group had three replicates of the 56-day experiment. Initially, the weight was 0.19 ± 0.00 g. The survival rate was consistently 100% for shrimp-fed DDGS, except for group 7 (12%) and the control group, where shrimp mortality was observed. The total protein (TP) content was improved as the inclusion level of DDGS increased. The glucose (GLU) exhibited a downward trend with higher DDGS inclusion. Similarly, the TG and CHO levels in the serum decreased as the DDGS levels increased. The activities of ALT (alanine transaminase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase) decreased as the dietary DDGS increased, with the control group showing significantly higher ALT and AST activities than those fed DDGS diets (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity significantly increased with higher DDGS levels, while the MDA (malondialdehyde) activity showed the opposite trend. Notably, the control exhibited the highest MDA activity value. The most prevalent phyla found in the gut microbiota were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Upon completion of a 7-day bacteria challenge, it was observed that shrimp fed with the control diet had the highest mortality rate compared to those fed with the DDGS diet. Based on the parameters measured in this study, it was determined that replacing 10% of SBM with DDGS in the feed of Pacific shrimp is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the in vitro effects of nitrite on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, NO production, esterase activity and cell apoptosis of Penaeus monodon haemocytes. Haemocytes were in vitro exposed to different dose of nitrite (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 μM). Cellular responses of nitrite-treated haemocytes were determined by flow cytometry. The results revealed that haemocytes treated by nitrite in vitro showed conspicuous time- and dose-dependent decreases in ROS and NO production as well as esterase activity. Additionally, 0.1 and 0.5 μM nitrite did not affect the apoptotic cell ratio during the 3h experimental time, while significant increases in apoptotic cells were observed after haemocyte exposure to nitrite at 1 μM for 3h, and at 5 or 10 μM for 1h. These results indicated that nitrite suppresses cellular functions, including production of ROS and NO, and activity of esterase. Cell apoptosis of haemocytes would be induced by extracellular nitrite as doses exceed 1 μM., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The use of probiotics in shrimp farms has expanded as an alternative to antibiotics, improving shrimp health, growth, disease control and water quality. However, the efficacy of probiotics in intensive systems using biofloc remains uncertain. This study investigated bioremediation and biocontrol of commercial probiotics using biofloc, analysing water quality and bacterial groups influencing shrimp performance. Thirteen microbial colonies were observed in the biofloc samples, and their evolutionary history was inferred using the neighbour-joining method. Analysis using MEGA6 software revealed 99.6% similarity between colony 1P1 and Virgibacillus sp. and 99.8% similarity between colony 2P2 and Bacillus kochii. The study analysed the biochemical and amino acid content of shrimp cultured using biofloc technology for 85 days. The study found that biofloc-cultured L. Vannamei flesh had higher levels of moisture (31%), ash (15.2%), protein (34%) and lipid (12.6%). No seasonal variations were observed between biofloc samples in winter and summer seasons. Protein levels were found to be appropriate for shrimp growth in both ex situ and in situ biofloc systems. The average growth rate (kg/m2) of biofloc-cultured shrimp was significantly greater than in normal pond shrimp in both samples. The feed conversion ratio in the biofloc tank was lower than in the usual pond-cultured shrimp, possibly due to lower growth rate, lower feeding frequency (2 times per day) and higher density. The growth of L. vannamei shrimp is influenced by stocking density, with higher stocking density affecting the average weight. The study also examined the growth biochemical and amino acid content of shrimp cultured using biofloc technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen (H2) has been regarded as a promising alternative to fossil‐fuel energy. Green H2 produced via water electrolysis (WE) powered by renewable energy could achieve a zero‐carbon footprint. Considerable attention has been focused on developing highly active catalysts to facilitate the reaction kinetics and improve the energy efficiency of WE. However, the stability of the electrocatalysts hampers the commercial viability of WE. Few studies have elucidated the origin of catalyst degradation. In this review, we first discuss the WE mechanism, including anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Then, we provide strategies used to enhance the stability of electrocatalysts. After that, the deactivation mechanisms of the typical commercialized HER and OER catalysts, including Pt, Ni, RuO2, and IrO2, are summarized. Finally, the influence of fluctuating energy on catalyst degradation is highlighted and in situ characterization methodologies for understanding the dynamic deactivation processes are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The persistent challenges posed by pollution and climate change are significant factors disrupting ecosystems, particularly aquatic environments. Numerous contaminants found in aquatic systems, such as ammonia and metal toxicity, play a crucial role in adversely affecting aquaculture production. Against this backdrop, fish feed was developed using quinoa husk (the byproduct of quinoa) as a substitute for fish meal. Six isonitrogenous diets (30%) and isocaloric diets were formulated by replacing fish meal with quinoa husk at varying percentages: 0% quinoa (control), 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35%. An experiment was conducted to explore the potential of quinoa husk in replacing fish meal and assess its ability to mitigate ammonia and arsenic toxicity as well as high-temperature stress in Pangasianodon hypophthalmus. The formulated feed was also examined for gene regulation related to antioxidative status, immunity, stress proteins, growth regulation, and stress markers. The gene regulation of sod, cat, and gpx in the liver was notably upregulated under concurrent exposure to ammonia, arsenic, and high-temperature (NH3 + As + T) stress. However, quinoa husk at 25% downregulated sod, cat, and gpx expression compared to the control group. Furthermore, genes associated with stress proteins HSP70 and DNA damage-inducible protein (DDIP) were significantly upregulated in response to stressors (NH3 + As + T), but quinoa husk at 25% considerably downregulated HSP70 and DDIP to mitigate the impact of stressors. Growth-responsive genes such as myostatin (MYST) and somatostatin (SMT) were remarkably downregulated, whereas growth hormone receptor (GHR1 and GHRβ), insulin-like growth factors (IGF1X, IGF2X), and growth hormone gene were significantly upregulated with quinoa husk at 25%. The gene expression of apoptosis (Caspase 3a and Caspase 3b) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were also noticeably downregulated with quinoa husk (25%) reared under stressful conditions. Immune-related gene expression, including immunoglobulin (Ig), toll-like receptor (TLR), tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), and interleukin (IL), strengthened fish immunity with quinoa husk feed. The results revealed that replacing 25% of fish meal with quinoa husk could improve the gene regulation of P. hypophthalmus involved in mitigating ammonia, arsenic, and high-temperature stress in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon sources are considered as critical input for the health and immunity of aquatic animals. The present study investigated the impact of different carbon sources on water quality parameters, carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio and microbial community in sediments, and health responses of marron (Cherax cainii) under laboratory conditions. Following one week of acclimation, 120 marron were randomly assigned to 12 experimental tanks. There were four treatments including one untreated control and three groups with carbon addition to maintain a C/N ratio of 12 maintained in culture water. Carbon supplementation groups included corn flour (CBC12), molasses (MBC12) and wheat flour (WBC12). At the end of the 60-day trial, MBC12 resulted in the highest sediment C/N ratio, followed by CBC12. Weight gain and specific growth rate were higher in MBC12, compared to control. The protease activity in marron hepatopancreas, total haemocyte count and lysozyme activity in haemolymph were highest in MBC12. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequence data of tank sediments revealed increased bacterial alpha diversity in MBC12 and WBC12. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in MBC12 (88.6%), followed by control (82.4%) and CBC12 (72.8%). Sphingobium and Novosphingobium were the most abundant genera in control and MBC12 groups, respectively. Higher Aeromonas abundance in CBC12 and Flavobacterium in WBC12 were observed. Overall results indicated that MBC12 led to improved water quality, retaining high C/N ratio and enriched the bacterial populations in sediments resulting in improved growth and immune performance of marron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Thermal variations due to global climate change are expected to modify the distributions of marine ectotherms, with potential pathogen translocations. This is of particular concern at high latitudes where cold-adapted stenothermal fish such as the Notothenioids occur. However, little is known about the combined effects of thermal fluctuations and immune challenges on the balance between cell damage and repair processes in these fish. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of thermal variation on specific genes involved in the ubiquitination and apoptosis pathways in two congeneric Notothenioid species, subjected to simulated bacterial and viral infections. Adult fish of Harpagifer bispinis and Harpagifer antarcticus were collected from Punta Arenas (Chile) and King George Island (Antarctica), respectively, and distributed as follows: injected with PBS (control), LPS (2.5 mg/kg) or Poly I:C (2 mg/kg) and then submitted to 2, 5 and 8 °C. After 1 week, samples of gills, liver and spleen were taken to evaluate the expression by real-time PCR of specific genes involved in ubiquitination (E3-ligase enzyme) and apoptosis (BAX and SMAC/DIABLO). Gene expression was tissue-dependent and increased with increasing temperature in the gills and liver while showing an opposite pattern in the spleen. Studying a pair of sister species that occur across the Antarctic Polar Front can help us understand the particular pressures of intertidal lifestyles and the effect of temperature in combination with biological stressors on cell damage and repair capacity in a changing environment., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The nitrogen removal performance and mechanisms of Bacillus subtilis H1 isolated from a mariculture environment were investigated. Strain H1 efficiently removed NH4+-N, NO2−-N, and NO3−-N in simulated wastewater with removal efficiencies of 85.61%, 90.58%, and 57.82%, respectively. Strain H1 also efficiently degraded mixed nitrogen (NH4+-N mixed with NO2−-N and/or NO3−-N) and had removal efficiencies ranging from 82.39 to 89.54%. Nitrogen balance analysis revealed that inorganic nitrogen was degraded by heterotrophic nitrification–aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) and assimilation. 15N isotope tracing indicated that N2O was the product of the HN-AD process, while N2 as the final product was only detected during the reduction of 15NO2−-N. The nitrogen assimilation and dissimilation pathways by strain H1 were further clarified using complete genome sequencing, nitrification inhibitor addition, and enzymatic activity measurement, and the ammonium oxidation process was speculated as NH4+ → NH2OH → NO → N2O. These results showed the application prospect of B. subtilis H1 in treating mariculture wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To maintain the health of aquaculture fish, it is critical to understand the composition of microorganisms in aquaculture water and sediment and the factors affecting them. This study examined the water and sediment microbiota compositions of four different types of ponds in South China that were used to culture grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) of different sizes through high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and analyzed their correlations with environmental factors. The results showed that ponds with cultured grass carp of different sizes exhibited significant differences in terms of water physicochemical properties and composition of water and sediment microbiota. Furthermore, the exchange of microorganisms between water and sediment microbiota was lowest in ponds with the smallest grass carp and highest in ponds with the largest grass carp. All detected environmental factors except water temperature were significantly correlated with the water microbiota, and all detected environmental factors in the sediment were correlated with sediment microbiota. Moreover, Aeromonas hydrophila and Vibrio were significantly increased in the water microbiota, especially in ponds with small juvenile grass carp, implying an increased risk of A. hydrophila and Vibrio infections in these environments. Our results provide useful information for the management of grass carp aquaculture ponds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this study, we aimed to predict the seasonal variation in the prevalence of hyperemesis gravidarum (HEG). Methods: This study was based on the electronic records of 187 pregnant women diagnosed with HEG according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria between January 2014 and December 2022. The criteria used for the diagnosis of HEG were as follows; symptoms onset in early pregnancy, severe nausea and/or vomiting, decrease in eating and drinking, and limitation in daily activities. Demographic characteristics of the patients, laboratory results, type of follow-up, number of days of hospitalization for hospitalized patients, and year and season characteristics were recorded and compared according to the seasons. Results: The minimum age of the patients was 18, and the maximum was 42 years. In the comparison of the seasonal distribution of HEG, autumn was significantly different from the other groups (p=0.046). The percentage of HEG did not change significantly according to the seasons (p=0.392). Hospitalization rates in the winter season were statistically significantly lower. We found that the duration of hospitalization was less in winter (p=0.14). Conclusion: In our study, we determined that the seasons may affect the distribution of HEG and the rates and duration of hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia is a common phenomenon in aquaculture. With the dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.75 ± 0.25 mg O2 /L for hypoxia group and 7.25 ± 0.25 mg O2 /L for control group for 30, 60, and 90 days, long-term hypoxia stress was used to investigate the oxidative stress, apoptosis, and immunity in the intestine of Pelteobagrus vachelli. According to the results of measurement of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and catalase (CAT) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, the oxidative stress ability of the intestine was activated at 30 days and impaired at 60 and 90 days. The upregulation of Bcl-2-associated x (Bax); downregulation of B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2); increased activities of caspase-3, caspase-9, and Na+-K+-ATPase; decreased activities of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH); and the release of cytochrome c (Cyt-c) in mitochondria revealed that hypoxia induced the apoptosis. Moreover, heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70), heat shock protein 90 (HSP 90), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and C-lysozyme (C-LZM) were activated to inhibit apoptosis, but the immunoregulatory function might be damaged at 60 and 90 days. This study provides a theoretical foundation for understanding the mechanisms of hypoxia stress and aquaculture management of P. vachelli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the influence of hypoxia and ammonia-N co-exposure on oxygen consumption, glucose metabolism and amino acid metabolism in hybrid grouper. The results showed that elevated expression of GLUT1, MCT1, PFK, HK and LDH were induced by co-exposure to hypoxia and ammonia. In addition, co-exposure to hypoxia and ammonia reduced the tolerance of hybrid grouper to ammonia-N. Furthermore, ammonia-N exposure caused an increase in oxygen consumption in hybrid grouper. After ammonia-N exposure for 96 h, 10 amino acids contents and activities of AST and ALT elevated in hybrid grouper muscle. The study revealed that combined exposure to hypoxia and ammonia-N significantly increased glucose metabolism, oxygen consumption and amino acid metabolism in hybrid grouper, and presented significant synergistic effects., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Copyright of Orinoquia is the property of Universidad de los Llanos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Medicinal plants are powerful antioxidants which can improve well-being and suppress oxidative stress caused by environmental toxins in aquatic animals. In this regard, the present research was designed to show the potential effects of psyllium (Plantago ovata) seed extract (PSE) on the growth, and immune responses of common carp Cyprinus carpio exposed to acute ammonia toxicity. To perform the study, fish were fed with diets containing 0 (T0), 0.25 (T1), 0.5 (T2), and 1% (T3) PSE for 60 days, and then exposed to ammonia (0.5 mg L−1) for 3 h. The findings showed that fish given the T1 diet outperformed the T3 and control groups in terms of ultimate weight, weight increase, and food conversion ratio. Additionally, the T1 group showed a significantly higher level of total protein and serum lysozyme activity than the other treatment groups. Moreover, the highest serum total immunoglobulin values were recorded in T1 and T2 groups. The results showed that PSE, especially at moderate levels, could successfully upregulate the transcription of immune-related genes (IFN-γ, Hsp70, TNF-ɑ, IL-1ß, IL-10, and IgE) compared to the control group after exposure to ammonia. Furthermore, improving ammonia-induced down regulations of antioxidant-related gene expressions (CYP1A, SOD, and GPX) was observed in fish fed with PSE-included diets compared to the control one. However, PSE-supplemented diets did not affect the mRNA expression level of CAT. Regarding tight junction-associated genes, the higher mRNA expression level of occludin was observed in the T1 group, whereas the downregulation of CLD3 gene occurred in all experimental groups. Conversely, significant upregulation of osmoregulation-associated gene (NKA) was recorded in all experimental groups compared to the control one. Therefore, the administration of PSE (0.25% of the diet) for 60 days is recommended to increase growth performance, improve health, and increase the resistance of common carp to oxidative stress caused by ammonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continued monitoring of a family for new malignant tumors has revealed diverse immunological and neoplastic disorders during a 15-year period. In 1966, the proband developed lymphoma. In 1975, his antibody titers to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) became elevated, and again, he developed a malignant lymphoma. He also had borderline hypo-immunoglobulin A, died of glioblastoma multiforme in 1977, and at autopsy, had adenomatous colonic polyps. His eldest brother has normal immunoglobulin levels, but developed immune thrombocytopenia in 1973 and had elevated EBV antibody titers in 1980. Another brother had hypo-immunoglobulin A, thymoma in 1965, and adenomas and adenocarcinoma of the colon. Two other brothers succumbed to glioblastoma in 1968 and 1969. The father of the proband had bronchiectasis in 1952, hypo-immunoglobulin M documented in 1972, and elevated EBV antibody titers 5 years preceding development of a malignant lymphoma. The latter contained 10 EBV genome equivalents/cell by EBV viral DNA/DNA reassociation kinetics analysis. The proband's grandmother had died of an immunoglobulin G-secreting myeloma in 1977, and his grandfather had borderline low immunoglobulin M, elevated EBV antibody titers, and hypopharyngeal carcinoma in 1980. Predisposition to oncogenesis in this family was probably inherited.

Background: Mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) are recommended as aquaculture additives owing to their excellent antioxidant properties. In the present study, we examined the effects of dietary MOS on the head kidney and spleen of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) with Aeromonas hydrophila infection. Methods: A total of 540 grass carp were used for the study. They were administered six gradient dosages of the MOS diet (0, 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 mg/kg) for 60 d. Subsequently, we performed a 14-day Aeromonas hydrophila challenge experiment. The antioxidant capacity of the head kidney and spleen were examined using spectrophotometry, DNA fragmentation, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting. Results: After infection with Aeromonas hydrophila, 400–600 mg/kg MOS supplementation decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species, protein carbonyl, and malonaldehyde and increased the levels of anti-superoxide anion, anti-hydroxyl radical, and glutathione in the head kidney and spleen of grass carp. The activities of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, manganese superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase were also enhanced by supplementation with 400–600 mg/kg MOS. Furthermore, the expression of most antioxidant enzymes and their corresponding genes increased significantly with supplementation of 200–800 mg/kg MOS. mRNA and protein levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 also increased following supplementation with 400–600 mg/kg MOS. In addition, supplementation with 400–600 mg/kg MOS reduced excessive apoptosis by inhibiting the death receptor pathway and mitochondrial pathway processes. Conclusions: Based on the quadratic regression analysis of the above biomarkers (reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and protein carbonyl) of oxidative damage in the head kidney and spleen of on-growing grass carp, the recommended MOS supplementation is 575.21, 557.58, 531.86, 597.35, 570.16, and 553.80 mg/kg, respectively. Collectively, MOS supplementation could alleviate oxidative injury in the head kidney and spleen of grass carp infected with Aeromonas hydrophila. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd), a non-biodegradable contaminant in freshwater ecosystems, can pose a serious threat to aquatic animals at high levels. In this study, the Cd toxicokinetics and the immune and antioxidant defense were explored in Procambarus clarkii exposed to different levels of Cd (0, 0.1, 1.0 mg Cd/L) or treated with 1.0 mg Cd/L and dietary Bacillus subtilis supplementation (1 × 107 cfu/g). Results from the 21-day uptake and depuration experiment revealed that Cd exposure elicited a dose- and time-dependent uptake in all crayfish tissues, and the rank order of Cd concentration was gill > hepatopancreas > exoskeleton > muscle. The one-compartment model demonstrated that gills had the highest uptake rate (ku) value after Cd aqueous exposure and the ku and elimination rate (kd) values in gill, hepatopancreas, and exoskeleton of the group with 1.0 mg Cd/L were higher than those of the group at alow Cd concentration (0.1 mg Cd/L). However, B. subtilis could decrease Cd ku and increase Cd kd in hepatopancreas, resulting in the reduction of bioconcentration factors (BCF), steady-state concentrations (Css), and biological half-life (Tb1/2). A positive correlation was found between aqueous Cd concentration and the severity of hepatopancreas histopathological injury, while B. subtilis could ameliorate the pathological damage in the high Cd group. Similarly, aqueous exposure to Cd elevated malonaldehyde (MDA) content and suppressed the activities of lysozyme (LZM), acid phosphatase (ACP) in hepatopancreas and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) in hemolymph. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in hepatopancreas were also inhibited. Nevertheless, they were all recovered with the dietary addition of B. subtilis. In conclusion, our results indicated that exposure to Cd significantly increased Cd accumulation and toxic damages in crayfish hepatopancreas, while dietary administration of B. subtilis to crayfish significantly decreased Cd accumulation and improved the immune and antioxidant defense, leading to the prevention in toxic effects of Cd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensification of aquaculture practices resulted in increased ammonia production in the culture systems. Lack of proper management of the culture system will result in elevated ammonia, which adversely affects the culture species. Moreover, with the ongoing global warming, fish metabolism and ammonia excretion are expected to increase. This, coupled with the hypoxic condition, exacerbates the severity of ammonia toxicity. Ammonia toxicity can alter the growth and the biochemical, physiological and immunological responses of fish. Several factors such as pH, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, species and life stages of fish, physical activity, feeding and stress influence the toxicity of ammonia in fish. A proper understanding of these factors is a prerequisite for successful aquaculture. The physiological changes caused by the elevated ammonia hinder homeostasis that eventually increases their susceptibility to diseases. This review discusses ammonia toxicity in fish, factors affecting the toxicity and various physiological, haematological, histological and immunological responses induced by the elevated ammonia. Furthermore, the review summarizes various management and dietary interventions to mitigate ammonia and ammonia induced stress in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) is a marine fish with high financial value; however, the frequent occurrence of bacterial diseases has caused a production decline and economic losses. This study found that hyperemia, hemorrhage, and ascites were common in S. schlegelii during the V. parahaemolyticus infection. Inflammation, degeneration, and necrosis in the liver could be observed. The epithelial mucosal integrity, the intestine epidermis thickness, the villus heights, and the number of mucous cells in the intestine were decreased after infection. Apparent differences in most of the hematological parameters between the two groups were observed, such as the corpuscular volume (CV) and NaCl concentrations of the beginning hemolysis were decreased remarkably (P < 0.01) after infecting with V. parahaemolyticus. However, the white blood cell count (WBC), lysozyme (LZM), malondialdehyde (MDA), K+, Cl−, and Ca2+ were increased significantly (P < 0.01) after infection. In addition, the mRNA expressions in four tissues (gills, liver, blood, spleen) of eleven immune-related genes were investigated. The results showed that C1r, C1s, and C1inh expression varied considerably among tissues. Caspase 10 expression was reduced in four tissues after infection, but MyD88, TNF receptor, TNF-α, BAFF, IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-10 showed increased expression profiles within 24 h after infection. In particular, IL-1β expression in the liver and spleen increased 123.67 and 104.94-fold at 6 hpi, respectively. Therefore, in addition to pathology, the hematological detection and gene expression profiles could be used in the evaluation of healthy status in fish, and this study provided a preliminary basis for the diagnosis of S. schlegelii infecting with V. parahaemolyticus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofloc is a new emergence technology in aquaculture industry that relies on the carbon and nitrogen ratio to remove the toxic nitrogenous waste from aquaculture water. This technology requires start-up period to achieve well-functioning system in maintaining the good water quality for sustainable aquaculture system. During this stage, ammonia fluctuation typically occurs due to bacteria development. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios, carbon sources, and aeration flow rates on the ammonia fluctuations during start-up period of biofloc formation using bioflocculant-producing bacteria, Bacillus infantis as inoculum. This experimental study was conducted in 25 L synthetic aquaculture water that initially contained ± 5 mg/L to study the ammonia trends in varied C/N ratio (5, 10, 15, 20), carbon sources (molasses, rice bran, glucose, and sucrose), and flow rates (< 2.5, 2.5–5.0, 5.0–7.5 L/min). The dynamic changes of ammonia and other water quality parameters were observed at every 2-h interval, up to 10 h during the experimental period. In various carbon source experiment, sucrose's ammonia level showed significant changes and was reduced to 4.47 mg/L during the early stages. However, in different C/N ratios and flow rates experiment, the ammonia shows fluctuated result and gives insignificant changes to ammonia reading. Both experiments recorded the best ammonia trend at C/N 20 and flow rates of 5.0–7.5 L/min. Generally, within the first 10 h of the investigation, the fluctuated ammonia trend was caused by the lag phase of heterotrophic microorganisms in the BFT system. Thus, the alternative to overcome this issue is needed to rapidly reduce the effect of start-up stages and remove ammonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to high temperatures induces changes in fish respiration, resulting in an increased production of reactive oxygen species. This, in turn, affects the enzymatic and non-enzymatic components of antioxidant defenses, which are essential for mitigating cellular stress. Rhamdia voulezi, an economically important fish species endemic to Brazil's Iguaçu River, served as the subject of our study. Our goal was to assess enzymatic antioxidant biomarkers (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase), non-protein thiol levels (reduced glutathione), and markers of oxidative damage (lipoperoxidation and carbonylation) in the liver, gills, and kidneys of R. voulezi after acute exposure to high temperatures (31°C) for 2, 6, 12, 24, and 96 h. Control groups were maintained at 21°C. Our findings revealed that the liver exhibited increased superoxide dismutase levels up to 12 h and elevated glutathione S-transferase levels at 12 and 96 h at 31°C. In the gills, superoxide dismutase levels increased up to 24 h, along with increased lipoperoxidation at 2, 6, 12, and 96 h of exposure to high temperatures. The kidneys responded to heat stress at 12 h, with an increase in superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, and lipid peroxidation was observed at 2 and 6 h at 31°C. The three tissues evaluated responded differently to heat stress, with the liver demonstrating greater physiological adjustment to high temperatures. The intricate interplay of various antioxidant defense biomarkers and oxidative damage suggests the presence of oxidative stress in R. voulezi when exposed to high temperatures., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Aquaculture has intensified tremendously with the increasing demand for protein sources as the global population grows. However, this industry is plagued with major challenges such as poor growth performance, the lack of a proper environment, and immune system impairment, thus creating stress for the aquaculture species and risking disease outbreaks. Currently, prophylactics such as antibiotics, vaccines, prebiotics, probiotics, and phytobiotics are utilized to minimize the negative impacts of high-density farming. One of the promising prophylactic agents incorporated in fish feed is resveratrol, a commercial phytophenol derived via the methanol extraction method. Recent studies have revealed many beneficial effects of resveratrol in aquatic animals. Therefore, this review discusses and summarizes the roles of resveratrol in improving growth performance, flesh quality, immune system, antioxidant capacity, disease resistance, stress mitigation, and potential combination with other prophylactic agents for aquatic animals., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The current investigation explores the mechanisms of ammonia and arsenic toxicity, along with high-temperature stress, which other researchers rarely addressed. Pangasianodon hypophthalmus was exposed to low doses of ammonia and arsenic (1/10th of LC 50 , 2.0 and 2.68 mg L -1 , respectively) and high temperature (34 °C) for 105 days. The following treatments were applied: control (unexposed), arsenic (As), ammonia (NH 3 ), ammonia + arsenic (NH 3  + As), ammonia + temperature (NH 3  + T), and NH 3  + As + T. Cortisol levels significantly increased with exposure to ammonia (NH 3 ), arsenic (As), and high temperature (34 °C) compared to the unexposed group. Heat shock protein (HSP 70), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and metallothionein (MT) gene expressions were notably upregulated by 122-210%, 98-122%, and 64-238%, respectively, compared to the control. Neurotransmitter enzymes (acetylcholine esterase, AChE) were significantly inhibited by NH 3  + As + T, followed by other stressor groups. The apoptotic (caspase, Cas 3a and 3b) and detoxifying (cytochrome P450, CYP P450) pathways were substantially affected by the NH 3  + As + T group. Immune (total immunoglobulin, Ig; tumor necrosis factor TNFα; and interleukin IL) and growth-related genes (growth hormone, GH; growth hormone regulator, GHR1 and GHRβ; myostatin, MYST and somatostatin, SMT) were noticeably upregulated by NH 3  + As + T, followed by other stress groups, compared to the control group. Weight gain %, protein efficiency ratio, feed efficiency ratio, specific growth rate, and other growth attributes were significantly affected by low doses of ammonia, arsenic, and high-temperature stress. Albumin, total protein, globulin, A:G ratio, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were highly affected by the As + NH 3  + T group. Blood profiling, including red blood cells (RBC), white blood count (WBC), and hemoglobin (Hb), were also impacted by stressor groups compared to the control group. Genotoxicity, as DNA damage, was significantly higher in groups exposed to NH 3  + As + T (89%), NH 3  + T (78%), NH 3 (73), NH 3  + As (71), and As (68%). The bioaccumulation of arsenic was substantially higher in liver and kidney tissues. The present study contributes to understanding the toxicity mechanisms of ammonia and arsenic, as well as high-temperature stress, through different gene expressions, biochemical attributes, genotoxicity, immunological status, and growth performance of P. hypophthalmus., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Copyright of Jurnal Akuakultur Indonesia is the property of IPB University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aims to explore the effects of dietary selenium on hepatic mitochondrial quality and energy supply of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) fed with high-fat diet (HFD) after heat stress (HS). Grass carp were fed with HFD, and HFD contained 0.3 mg/kg nano-selenium for 10 weeks, thereafter exposed to HS from 26 to 34 °C, and named the HFD + HS (control) group and the HFD + Se + HS group, respectively. The results show that selenium significantly prompted the growth, increased glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, but reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the liver and the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the serum of grass carp fed with HFD after HS. Further, selenium alleviated mitochondrial damage and increased the number of mitochondrial DNA copies in the liver of the grass carp fed with HFD after HS. And selenium also maintained mitochondrial homeostasis by upregulating the expression of mitochondrial quality control-related genes (pgc-1α, nrf1/2, tfam, opa1, mfn1/2, and drp1), mitophagy-related genes (beclin1, atg5, atg12, pink1, and parkin), and the protein expression of parkin and LC3-II/I in the liver of grass carp. Finally, selenium reduced the triglyceride (TG) level and increased the free fatty acid (FFA) level and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in the liver of grass carp fed with HFD after HS. In conclusion, dietary selenium alleviated liver damage and improved liver mitochondrial quality and ATP production by increasing liver antioxidant capacity and promoting liver mitochondrial quality in grass carp fed with HFD after HS, which help grass carp to resist these two stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original objective was to explore the potential benefiting effects of three prebiotics in hybrid grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus♂ × Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀). Therefore, three experimental diets (basal diet + 1% fructooligosaccharide, Diet F; basal diet + 1% inulin, Diet I; basal diet + 0.3% mannan-oligosaccharide, Diet M) and one basal diet (Diet C) were prepared and a feeding trial was conducted. However, at the end of the fourth week into the feeding experiment, a water-leaking accident occurred and fishes of all groups went through an unexpected air exposure event. Surprisingly, different prebiotic-supplemented groups showed significantly different air exposure tolerance: the mortality of M group was significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) than all the other groups. Examination of antioxidant, non-specific immunity, and stress parameters revealed that comparing to control group, M group showed significantly increased catalase (CAT), acid phosphatase (ACP), and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activities, decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and similar cortisol level (P ≤ 0.05). Real-time PCR experiment revealed that M group significantly increased the expression of CAT, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) genes in head kidney (P ≤ 0.05). Overall, M exhibited the best anti-air exposure/antioxidative stress effects among the three prebiotics and could be considered a promising feed additive to relieve air exposure/oxidative stress in hybrid grouper culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas sp. Y-5, a strain with simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) capacity, was isolated from the Wuhan Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant. This strain could rapidly remove high concentrations of inorganic nitrogen. Specifically, Pseudomonas sp. Y-5 removed 103 mg/L of NH4+-N in 24 h without nitrate or nitrite accumulation when NH4+-N was its sole nitrogen source. The NH4+-N removal efficiency (RE) was 97.26%, and the average removal rate (RR) was 4.30 mg/L/h. Strain Y-5 also removed NO3−-N and NO2−-N even in aerobic conditions, with average RRs of 4.39 and 4.23 mg/L/h, respectively, and REs of up to 99.34% and 95.81% within 24 h. When cultured in SND medium (SNDM-1), strain Y-5 achieved an NH4+-N RE of up to 97.80% and a total nitrogen (TN) RE of 93.01%, whereas NO3−-N was fully depleted in 48 h. Interestingly, high nitrite concentrations did not inhibit the nitrification capacity of Y-5 when grown in SNDM-2, the RE of NH4+-N and TN reached 96.29% and 94.26%, respectively, and nitrite was consumed completely. Strain Y-5 also adapted well to high concentrations of ammonia (~401.68 mg NH4+-N/L) or organic nitrogen (~315.12 mg TN/L). Our results suggested that Pseudomonas sp. Y-5 achieved efficient simultaneous nitrification and denitrification, thus demonstrating its potential applicability in the treatment of nitrogen-polluted wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Triterpene acid is one of the typical active constituents of Eucalyptus bark, which is the main by‐product of the Eucalyptus wood industry. Our studies have demonstrated that triterpene acid stress could inhibit climbing and increase mortality in Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck). However, limited attention has been paid to the proteomic responses of this snail under triterpene acid stress. Result: Using iTRAQ‐based quantitative proteomics, we elucidated the regulatory mechanism in the livers of P. canaliculata held in chlorine‐free water and exposed to 100 mg L−1 oleanolic acid (OA) for 24 h. A total of 4308 proteins were identified, of which 274 were differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) including 168 (61.31%) differentially upregulated proteins and 106 (38.69%) differentially downregulated proteins. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that P. canaliculata responses to OA stress are mainly involved in glucose metabolism, energy synthesis, immune response, stress response, protein synthesis, and apoptosis. According to KEGG analysis, the 274 DEPs were mapped to 168 KEGG pathways and 10 KEGG pathways were significantly enriched (P < 0.05). Furthermore, qRT‐PCR was performed for histone H4, catalase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, ferritin, lipase, and tropomyosin to validate the iTRAQ results. Conclusion: Proteomic analysis suggested that OA stress led to the disruption of glucose metabolism, energy synthesis, and protein synthesis, and triggered a series of molecular pathways containing many key proteins involved in the immune process, thereby helping P. canaliculata resist OA stress. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrite, as a part of nitrogen cycle, is one of the most common toxic compounds in aquatic ecosystems. Since skeletal development is an essential process during amphibian metamorphosis, exposure of larval amphibians to nitrite might disrupt skeletal development. To evaluate whether nitrite affects skeletal development of amphibian larvae, Bufo gargarizans larvae at Gs26 were exposed to 10, 100, 500 and 1000 μg/L nitrite–nitrogen (NO2-N) in the present study. The metamorphosis rate, body weight, body length, forelimb length and hindlimb length of B. gargarizans exposed to NO2-N were decreased. The microscopic structures of thyroid gland were altered under NO2-N exposure at Gs42. The skeletal lengths of the humerus, femur and fibulare of tadpole at Gs42 were significantly reduced under 100, 500 and 1000 μg/L NO2-N treatment groups, and the lengths of humerus, tibia-fibula and tibiale of tadpole at Gs46 were significantly reduced under 1000 μg/L NO2-N treatment groups. In addition, the expression levels of thyroid hormone (TH) and endochondral ossification-related genes of tadpoles at Gs42 and Gs46 were tested by qRT-PCR. Overall, NO2-N exposure could affect the expressions of these genes and then may influence the activity and function of thyroid gland, further disturbing the amphibian metamorphosis and skeletal development of amphibian larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Ultra-wideband bio-radar (UWB) is a new non-contact technology that can be used to screen for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, little information is available regarding its reliability. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of UWB and to determine if UWB could provide a novel and reliable method for the primary screening of sleep-related breathing disorders. Method: Subjects with suspected OSA from the sleep center of the First Hospital of the China Medical University were assessed over the period of September 2018 to April 2019 for enrollment in the study. Three detection methods were simultaneously used, including the STOP-Bang questionnaire (SBQ), UWB, and standard polysomnography (PSG). The data were analyzed using a fourfold table, receiver operating characteristic curves, Spearman rank correlation coefficients, Bland–Altman plots, and epoch-by-epoch analysis. Result: Of 67 patients, 56 were men, mean age was 43 ± 11 years, mean body mass index was 27.8 ± 4.8 kg/m2, and mean SBQ score was 4.8 ± 1.6. The apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) (r = 0.82, p < 0.01) and minimum arterial oxygen saturation (r = 0.80, p < 0.01) of the UWB were positively correlated with those obtained from the PSG. UWB performed better than SBQ, as indicated by the larger area under the curve (0.85 vs. 0.632). The sensitivity and specificity of the UWB-AHI were good (100%, 70%, respectively). Conclusions: UWB performs well in the screening of OSA and can provide reliable outcomes for the screening of OSA at the primary level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endometriosis (EM) is a gynecological disease that poses severe health risks to women, although its pathogenesis has yet to be fully elucidated. It has been shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely associated with EM initiation and have a role in the development of this disease. Previous studies exploring the expression of the lncRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) have shown that this lncRNA functions as a tumor promoter in endometrial cancer. However, its exact mechanism of action in EM remains unclear. Objective: This report was designed to illustrate the potential molecular mechanisms of lncRNA NEAT1 on EM. Methods: Endometrial tissues were extracted from EM model rats and patients with EM. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was applied to detect the morphological changes that occurred in rats after construction of the model. Endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) were extracted from either ectopic endometrium (EC) or eutopic endometrium (EU) tissues from patients with EM. LncRNA NEAT1 and miR-124-3p expression in EM tissues and cells were subsequently evaluated by reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q)PCR analysis. MTT assay, flow cytometric analysis, western blot assay and Transwell assay were then employed to examine the effect of NEAT1 and miR-124-3p on EC-ESC proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, respectively. The targeted relationship between lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-124-3p was subsequently confirmed by dual-luciferase and co-transfection assays. Results: MiR-124-3p was identified as a target of NEAT1, and could be negatively regulated by NEAT1 in EC-ESCs. The expression level of NEAT1 was evidently increased, whereas that of miR-124-3p was decreased, in the EM in vivo model, EM tissues and EC-ESCs from patients with EM. The loss-of-function assays further established that silencing of NEAT1 could inhibit EC-ESC proliferation, migration, and invasion, but it led to the promotion of apoptosis via targeting miR-124-3p. Conclusions: NEAT1 is significantly upregulated in EM, promoting malignant behavior in EM through targeting miR-124-3p expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graph Graph Graph Graph B CONCLUSION: b Signal cross-correlation between cerebral blood flow and scalp blood flow using DCS could provide a novel noninvasive methodology for assessing cerebral autoregulation in ELGA infants and pressure passivity demonstrated using this methodology is associated with higher grade IVH. Relationship between cerebral blood flow and oxygen metabolism with neurological status at te... B I Cote Corriveau G i b SP a sp , Beaulieu O SP a sp , Gagnon M SP a sp , Gagnon M SP a sp , Chowdhury R SP a sp , Simard M SP a sp , Dehaes Ma, Luu T SP a sp I SP a sp Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, 250 Saint-joseph East Apt 205 Montreal, Canada i B BACKGROUND: b Infants born at 29-36 weeks' gestational age (GA) are at risk of neurodevelopmental problems. A retrospective cohort study in neonates with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy undergoing the... Carkeek K SP b sp , Naulaers G SP a sp , Hermans T SP c sp , Dereymaeker A SP a sp , Cilio M SP b sp I SP a sp KU Leuven/UZ Leuven Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium i I SP b sp UCL/Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Brussels, Belgium i I SP c sp Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), STADIUS, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium i Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE), an important complication of perinatal asphyxia, remains a major health burden. Future work will test this technology in extremely low gestational age infants (<29 wk GA) and will investigate the correlation between CBF fluctuations and incidence and severity of IVH. [Extracted from the article]