1,720,982 research outputs found
Effect of dietary fish oil supplements on levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, trans acids and conjugated linoleic acid in ewe milk.
No full textThree groups of ten lactating Sardinian ewes were used between 3rd and 6th month of lactation to determine the effects of supplementing diets with n-3 fatty acids on milk production and milk fat composition. The control group (A) was fed on a mixture of Gramineae hay with a pelleted alfalfa and concentrate; the other groups (B and C) were given the control ration supplemented with graded levels of fish oil. Milk content of nutritionally important fatty acids (n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFA; trans acids and conjugated linoleic acid, CLA) was determined by gas chromatography. Unlike cow milk, milk of normally fed ewes contained detectable quantities of n-3 PUFA and higher amounts of CLA. The supplementation with fish oil resulted in an increased milk fat levels of n-3 PUFA, CLA and trans isomers. There was a positive correlation (R2 = 0.964) between the trans and n-3 fatty acid content in ewe milk, and a close positive correlation (R2 = 0.996) between CLA and trans monoenoic fatty acid contents. PUFA supplementation resulted in a slightly, but not statistically significative, decrease of milk fat percentage. On the contrary, dietary fish oil markedly affected milk production: ewes fed on the n-3 supplemented diet produced more milk than the ewes fed with the control die
Quantification and characterization of the environmental impact of sea bream and sea bass production in Italy
Full text linkWhile the production of fish from aquaculture has grown steadily over the years worldwide, some environmental
concerns have emerged. In this study, the environmental impacts and main hotspots of a typical Italian sea bass
and sea bream offshore farm were analysed. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology was applied with a
“cradle to farm gate” perspective and 1 ton of fish at harvest size as the functional unit. The results confirm that
feed is the main hotspot and contributes across impact categories always at least 60%, with the exception of
marine eutrophication driven instead by nutrient emissions. In some impact categories, infrastructure and farm
operations also have a relevant impact (about 30%). The impacts of this case study are slightly lower than those
found in the literature, and this is mainly due to prior attention of the company to feed formulation. An alternative
scenario was also explored, by reducing the amount of uningested feed, showing a reduction in the Global
Warming Potential by 6% and in marine eutrophication by up to 10%. The application and evaluation of new
technologies (e.g., automated feed dispenser, use of alternative cage materials) could be explored in future
research
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Nutraceutical screening in a zebrafish model of muscular dystrophy: Gingerol as a possible food aid
Full text linkDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene, is an inherited neuromuscular disorder that causes loss of muscle mass and motor skills. In the era of genomic medicine, there is still no known cure for DMD. In clinical practice, there is a growing awareness of the possible importance of nutrition in neuromuscular diseases. This is mostly the result of patients’ or caregivers’ empirical reports of how active substances derived from food have led to improved muscle strength and, thus, better quality of life. In this report, we investigate several nutraceutical principles in the sapje strain of zebrafish, a validated model of DMD, in order to identify possible natural products that, if supplemented in the diet, might improve the quality of life of DMD patients. Gingerol, a constituent of fresh ginger, statistically increased the locomotion of mutant larvae and upregulated the expression of heme oxygenase 1, a target gene for therapy aimed at improving dystrophic symptoms. Although three other compounds showed a partial positive effect on locomotor and muscle structure phenotypes, our nutraceutical screening study lent preliminary support to the efficacy and safety only of gingerol. Gingerol could easily be proposed as a dietary supplement in DMD
β-Glucans as Dietary Supplement to Improve Locomotion and Mitochondrial Respiration in a Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Full text linkDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe X-linked neuromuscular childhood disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness and degeneration. A lack of dystrophin in DMD leads to inflammatory response, autophagic dysregulation, and oxidative stress in skeletal muscle fibers that play a key role in the progression of the pathology. β-glucans can modulate immune function by modifying the phagocytic activity of immunocompetent cells, notably macrophages. Mitochondrial function is also involved in an important mechanism of the innate and adaptive immune responses, owing to high need for energy of immune cells. In the present study, the effects of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans on five-day-old non-dystrophic and dystrophic (sapje) zebrafish larvae were investigated. The effects of the sonication of β-glucans and the dechorionation of embryos were also evaluated. The results showed that the incidence of dystrophic phenotypes was reduced when dystrophic embryos were exposed to 2 and 4 mg L−1 of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans. Moreover, when the dystrophic larvae underwent 8 mg L−1 treatment, an improvement of the locomotor performances and mitochondrial respiration were observed. In conclusion, the observed results demonstrated that 1,3-1,6 β-glucans improve locomotor performances and mitochondrial function in dystrophic zebrafish. Therefore, for ameliorating their life quality, 1,3-1,6 β-glucans look like a promising diet supplement for DMD patients, even though further investigations are required
Effect of oral administration of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans in DWV naturally infected newly emerged bees (apis mellifera L.)
Full text linkHoneybee pathogens have an important role in honeybee colony mortality and colony losses; most of them are widely spread and necessitate worldwide solutions to contrast honeybee's decline. Possible accepted solutions to cope with the spread of honeybee's pathogens are focused on the study of experimental protocols to enhance the insect's immune defenses. Honeybee's artificial diet capable to stimulate the immune system is a promising field of investigation as ascertained by the introduction of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans as a dietary supplement. In this work, by collecting faecal samples of honeybees exposed to different dietary conditions of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans (0.5% and 2% w/w), it has been possible to investigate the Deformed wing virus (DWV) viral load kinetic without harming the insects. Virological data obtained by a one-step TaqMan RT-PCR highlighted the ability of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans to reduce the viral load at the 24th day of rearing. The results indicated that the diet supplemented with 1,3-1,6 β-glucans was associated with a dose-dependent activation of phenoloxidase. The control group showed a higher survival rate than the experimental groups. This research confirmed 1,3-1,6 β-glucans as molecules able to modulate honeybees' defense pathways, and this is the first report in which the kinetic of DWV infection in honeybee faeces has been monitored by a RT-qPCR
In vivo evaluation of cannabis sativa full extract on zebrafish larvae development, locomotion behavior and gene expression
Full text linkHistorically, humans have been using Cannabis sativa for both recreational and medical purposes. Nowadays, cannabis-based products have gained scientific interest due to their beneficial effects on several syndromes and illnesses. The biological activity of cannabinoids is essentially due to the interaction with the endocannabinoid system, and zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a very well-known and powerful in vivo model for studying such specific interactions. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different doses of a Cannabis sativa whole extract [dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)] on zebrafish eggs’ hatchability, embryo post-hatching survival, larvae locomotion behavior and mRNA gene expression. The results showed the absence of toxicity, and no significant differences were observed between treatments for both embryo hatching and survival rate. In addition, larvae exposed to the cannabis extract at the highest dose [containing 1.73 nM and 22.3 nM of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), respectively] showed an increased locomotion compared to the control and DMSO treated groups. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis showed that the highest dosage of cannabis induced an over-expression of cnr1 and cnr2 cannabinoid receptors. In conclusion, the exposition of zebrafish larvae to the whole extract of Cannabis sativa showed no negative effects on embryo development and survival and enhanced the larvae’s locomotor performances. These findings may open up possible Cannabis sativa applications in human pharmacology as well as in other animal sectors
1,3-1-6 ß-glucans enhance tissue regeneration in zebrafish (Danio rerio): Potential advantages for aquaculture applications
Full text linkHigh aquacultural rearing density and handling of fish may frequently result in skin or gills wounds, thereby facilitating the onset of secondary infections. The capacity of the zebrafish to regenerate tissues, as well as fins and other organs, makes it an ideal animal model for studying the mechanisms of tissue regeneration. Since macrophages are involved in tissue regeneration, a diet including ß-glucans might positively affect the process through activation of macrophages and other immune pathways. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the oral administration of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans on the regeneration process of the caudal fin after its amputation in zebrafish.
One hundred twenty zebrafish were randomly distributed into 4 groups with 3 replicates each: an untreated non-amputated group (CNA) and an untreated amputated group (CA) fed a control diet; two treated and amputated groups (MI and MII) fed for 14 days the same diet with the addition of two differently extracted 1,3-1,6 ß-glucans (MacroGard® and Experimental MacroGard®, Biorigin©, Sao Paulo, Brazil). ß-glucans were added to allowed the administration of 12.5 mg kg-1 of fish body weight (0.35 g kg-1 of feed).
Results showed that 1,3-1,6 ß-glucans decreased fish mortality rate and enhanced both daily and cumulative regenerated fin area, independent of the specific ß-glucan extraction method used. Based on the mechanisms similarities of the innate immune system and tissue regeneration among different teleost species, these results may likely be extended to species of interest for the aquaculture sector
Validation campaign of a smart dynamic scale for measuring live-fish biomass in aquaculture
No full textAquaculture is one of the most important food production sector in the world. Feed represents a relevant cost in fish farming activity, as well as a considerable source of environmental pollution. The need of precisely estimate the fish biomass and stocking density is crucial to avoid overfeeding, thus pollution and economic loss. Recently a cheap dynamic scale (by MEGA Materials srl) has been developed, based on a board of the Arduino family, suitable to measure live-fish weights. Bluetooth transmitter and a specific app allowed the communication to smartphones and laptops. In this validation campaign a comparison of static Lab scale vs. four different acquisition patterns of the dynamic scale is presented, consisting in repeated series of measurement. The aim is to measure the weight of seabream juveniles/adult reared in both off-shore and in-land facilities, saving time and keeping high precision. The comparison of measurement within static Lab scale and dynamic scale shows significant differences (P<0.0001), highlighting that the dynamic scale achieved steady weight measurement after few reps. The most performing measurement setting of dynamic scale was proven to be 8*10, having eight repeated measures each as average out of ten readings in 1 second time-lap
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