Tissue Dry Weight Research Articles

Biological responses of an elite centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.] cultivar (Ganbei) to carbon ion beam irradiation.

Carbon ion beam irradiation (CIBI) is a highly efficient mutagenesis for generating mutations that can be used to expand germplasm resources and create superior new germplasm. The study investigated the effects of different doses of CIBI (50 Gy, 100 Gy, 150 Gy, 200 Gy and 300 Gy) on seed germination and seedling survival, seedling morphological and physiological traits of an elite centipedegrass cultivar Ganbei. The results showed that irradiation greater than 50 Gy cause inhibition of seed germination, and the semi-lethal dose (LD50) is around 90 Gy for CIBI treated seeds of Ganbei. A carbon ion beam-mutagenized centipedegrass population was generated from Ganbei, with irradiation dosages from 50 Gy to 200 Gy. More than ten types of phenotypic variations and novel mutants with heritable tendencies mainly including putative mutants of stolon number, length and diameter, of internode length, of leaf length and width, of leaf chlorophyll content, of stolon growth rate, of aboveground tissue dry weight, of sward height were identified. While the total sugar content of the plants from irradiated seeds showed no obvious change in all treatments as compared to the control, the crude protein content displayed significant reduction at a high-dose treatment of 200 Gy. Genetic polymorphism was detected in mutagenized centipedegrass population using SSR-PCR analysis, suggesting that CIBI caused alteration of larger fragments of the DNA sequence. As a result, a preliminary batch of mutants was screened in this study. In summary, carbon ion beam mutagenesis is an effective way for developing centipedegrass germplasm with wider variation, and treating seeds with CIBI at a dosage of ~100 Gy could be effective in centipedegrass mutation breeding.

Oil uptake via marine snow: Effects on blue mussels (Mytilus sp.)

Accidental oil spills into the ocean can lead to downward transport and settling of oil onto the seafloor as part of marine snow, as seen during the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico. The arctic and subarctic regions may favor conditions leading to this benthic oil deposition, prompting questions about the potential impacts on benthic communities. This study investigated the effects of oil-contaminated marine snow uptake on the blue mussel (Mytilus sp.). We exposed mussels for four days to 1) oil-contaminated marine snow (MOS treatment), or to 2) chemically-enhanced water-accommodated fraction (CEWAF) of oil plus unaggregated food particles (CEWAF treatment). Both oil treatments received the same nominal concentration of oil and food. Two controls were included: 1) Clean seawater plus unaggregated food (agg-free control) and 2) clean seawater plus marine snow (marine snow control). After the exposure, mussels were allowed to recover for ten days under clean, running seawater. Samples were taken right before and after the exposure period, and after the recovery phase for the following endpoints: distribution (partitioning) of oil compounds between seawater and MOS, and between seawater and mussel tissue; DNA damage (assessed via the comet assay); clearance rate; and condition index [tissue dry weight (g) divided by shell length (mm)]. Some discernable patterns were found in the partitioning of oil compounds between seawater and MOS. However, these patterns did not translate to any significant differences in the partitioning of oil compounds into mussel tissue between the two oil treatments. DNA damage did not exceed background levels (10% tail DNA or less; to be expected in healthy, viable cells) at any sampling time point, but significantly higher DNA damage was observed in CEWAF-T compared to MOS-T mussels after the recovery phase. After the exposure, a significant difference emerged in the clearance rate between the CEWAF treatment and the agg-free control, but not between the MOS treatment and the marine snow control. All mussels except those from the CEWAF treatment exhibited an increased condition index after the exposure time. Together, these results suggest that aggregates could moderate the effects of oil exposure on blue mussels, possibly by providing better, more concentrated nutrition than unaggregated food particles.

Detection of 10 commonly used pharmaceuticals in reef-building stony corals from shallow (5–12 m) and deep (30–40 m) sites in the Red Sea

Although pharmaceutically-active compounds (PhACs) are increasingly being found to be present in marine environments, their presence in coral reefs, already under threat from various stressors, has remains unexplored. This study focused on PhAC presence in two stony-coral genera, collected from different depths and sites in the Red Sea. The findings reveal the presence of ten different PhACs, with elevated concentrations detected in corals from shallow sites and in areas with heavy human activity. Notably, all samples contained at least one PhAC, with the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole being the most prevalent compound, detected in 93% of the samples, at concentrations ranging from 1.5 to 2080 ng/g dry weight (dw) tissue, with an average concentration of 106 ng/g dw. These findings underscore the urgent need for conservation initiatives aimed at protecting coral-reef ecosystems from the escalating threat of anthropogenic contamination, including such potential risks as the development of antibiotic resistance in marine organisms and the disruption of critical spawning synchrony among coral populations.

FOOD AVAILABILITY ON INFLUENCE MUSSEL Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819) ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL STATUS

Phytoplankton, as the primary food source for suspension-feeding bivalves, can significantly impact the growth and survival of bivalves. To investigate the influence of food availability on the condition index and biochemical composition of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis from the Romanian Black Sea coast, phytoplankton and mussels samples were collected from four sites between November 2017 and November 2018. The phytoplankton quality and quantity varied across locations and seasons. The ports had the highest diversity and abundance of phytoplankton, while the area with low trophic conditions had the lowest. The most dominant phytoplankton groups observed were diatoms and dinoflagellates. The condition index values were higher in sites with greater food availability, reaching the peak in spring. The lipid and carbohydrate content peaked in spring when the food availability was high. The protein content was higher in winter and autumn. Condition index was positively correlated with phytoplankton abundance and biomass (p 0.05). Several significant correlations were found between the biological parameters of mussels, such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, tissue dry weight, moisture, ash free dry weight, and ash. In conclusion, the results indicated that higher food availability and increasing seawater temperatures led to greater condition index and reserve accumulation, primarily in the form of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, providing mussels with enough energy to withstand stressful conditions.

Preclinical Evaluation of a Homeo Formulation ‘Force Drop’ for its androgenic activity

In this study we have evaluated the preclinical observation of the Force Drop on the mature male albino rats. The Force Drop is the product of N. P. Dutt and Son, Kolkata, in this product have many herbal plants with their androgenic activity. Mainly we have compared this product with the activity of testosterone. We have used testosterone in this study as a standard drug or chemical. In this study we have grouped the all animals in 4 and each group has 6 animals, there are one untreated, treated with testosterone or standard group, another two groups are low dosed Force Drop treated group and last one is higher dosed Force Drop treated group. The study has shown that the animals of standard group increased the dry weight of androgen sensitivity tissues and overall body weight and the animals of treated groups or Force Drop Ptreated groups increased the dry weight of sensitivity tissues and overall body weight but lesser the testosterone treated group and more than untreated group. But the lower dosed Force Drop Ptreated group increased weight of androgen sensitivity tissues and body weight which are less than higher dosed Force Drop treated animal group and more than untreated group. And the higher dosed Force Drop treated animals group increased weight much more than the untreated group of animals and lower than standard group or testosterone treated group.

Lung-specific interleukin 6 mediated transglutaminase 2 activation and cardiopulmonary fibrogenesis.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) pathogenesis is driven by inflammatory and metabolic derangements as well as glycolytic reprogramming. Induction of both interleukin 6 (IL6) and transglutaminase 2 (TG2) expression participates in human and experimental cardiovascular diseases. However, little is known about the role of TG2 in these pathologic processes. The current study aimed to investigate the molecular interactions between TG2 and IL6 in mediation of tissue remodeling in PH. A lung-specific IL6 over-expressing transgenic mouse strain showed elevated right ventricular (RV) systolic pressure as well as increased wet and dry tissue weights and tissue fibrosis in both lungs and RVs compared to age-matched wild-type littermates. In addition, IL6 over-expression induced the glycolytic and fibrogenic markers, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), and TG2. Consistent with these findings, IL6 induced the expression of both glycolytic and pro-fibrogenic markers in cultured lung fibroblasts. IL6 also induced TG2 activation and the accumulation of TG2 in the extracellular matrix. Pharmacologic inhibition of the glycolytic enzyme, PKM2 significantly attenuated IL6-induced TG2 activity and fibrogenesis. Thus, we conclude that IL6-induced TG2 activity and cardiopulmonary remodeling associated with tissue fibrosis are under regulatory control of the glycolytic enzyme, PKM2.

Bioremediation potential of the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria as an intensive shrimp aquaculture pond polyculture condidate

Polyculture practices are important for achieving sustainable aquaculture development. Recently, hard clams polyculture in intensive shrimp ponds has been encouraged because bivalves can consume excess nutrients in aquaculture systems and sequester carbon. To evaluate the bioremediation potential of hard clams polyculture in intensive shrimp ponds, this study built an assessment model based on individual growth models and estimated the potential for nitrogen and phosphorus removal as well as CO2 fixation by hard clams. Firstly, key parameters required for model construction were obtained through field surveys and physiological experiments. Subsequently, an individual growth model for the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria was developed based on the Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory. Fitting of the growth data indicated that the model accurately replicated the growth patterns of hard clams, with relative root mean square errors of 9.87 % for shell length and 5.02 % for dry tissue weight. Finally, the assessment model for the bioremediation potential of hard clams demonstrated that, over 110 days in the intensive shrimp mariculture pond, the net removal of nitrogen and phosphorus by hard clams were 3.68 kg ha−1 and 0.81 kg ha−1, respectively, and CO2 fixation was 507.00 kg ha−1. These findings suggested that the DEB model is an effective tool for evaluating bivalve ecological remediation potential and can aid in selecting species for sustainable polyculture.

Nutrient reduction by eastern oysters exhibits low variability associated with reproduction, ploidy, and farm location

Enhancement of shellfish populations has long been discussed as a potential nutrient reduction tool, and eastern oyster aquaculture was recently approved as a nutrient reduction best management practice (BMP) in Chesapeake Bay, USA. This study addressed BMP-identified data gaps involving variation in nutrient concentration related to ploidy, effects of reproductive development, and a paucity of phosphorus concentration data. Diploid and triploid oysters were collected from farms in Maryland and Virginia across the typical local reproductive cycle. The nutrient concentration of tissue and shell was consistent with the currently implemented BMP. Minor variation observed in nitrogen and phosphorus concentration was within the previously reported range, for farm location, ploidy, and reproductive cycle timing. Ploidy-based differences in tissue dry weight were not observed at either farm, which contrasts with current nutrient reduction estimates. These results suggest separate crediting values for diploids and triploids may need further investigation and potential re-evaluation.

Gamma-Irradiated Honey: Its Medicinal Efficacy and Biological Activities for Burned Skin in a Rat Model

Honey, with its diverse chemical, physical, and antibacterial properties, exhibits significant variability depending on the floral origin of the nectar source. Likewise, its therapeutic potential in the context of healing cutaneous burn injuries shows remarkable variation. In this comprehensive two-week study, four distinct honey varieties (Nigella Sativa Honey - NSH, Moringa Honey - MOH, Sidr Honey - SIH, and Pumpkin Honey - PUH), along with Vaseline, were administered as therapeutic interventions in a rat model. The study covered a range of parameters, including wound contraction, neovascularization rates, malondialdehyde (MDA) content determined via colorimetry, and assessments of breaking strength and dry tissue weight. Agar diffusion tests were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of treatments against Streptococcus pyogenes and Klebsiella pneumonia strains. On the 15th day, the MOH-treated group exhibited the most rapid wound contraction at 84.58%, while the Vaseline-treated group showed the slowest at 68.40%. Notably, neovascularization was most pronounced in MOH-treated animals (45.01%), followed by SIH (42.73%), PUH (36.15%), and NSH (31.17%). In contrast, the Vaseline group had the lowest rate at 15.53%. Histological examinations revealed that animals treated with Vaseline had fewer oval-shaped cells compared to honey-treated counterparts. The highest weight loss occurred in the Vaseline group at 42.25% on the 15th day. MDA content was highest in SIH-treated animals (29.18 nmol/mg), followed by MOH (24.01 nmol/mg), PUH (22.88 nmol/mg), and NSH (22.51 nmol/mg), with the Vaseline-treated group having the lowest level at 7.37 nmol/mg. Furthermore, breaking strength was highest in rats treated with NSH ointment (755.29 g), followed by PUH (739.55 g), SIH (613.11 g), and MOH (600.32 g), while the Vaseline group had the lowest strength at 359.3 g. Similarly, the greatest dry tissue weight was observed in rats treated with PUH ointment (188.79 mg), followed by NSH (182.34 mg), SIH (179.15 mg), MOH (176.15 mg), while the Vaseline group had the lowest dry tissue weight at 101.17 mg. Notably, NSH-treated animals exhibited a reduction in Streptococcus pyogenes growth (5.76 mm) compared to the Vaseline group (19.68 mm), while MOH-treated animals displayed decreased Klebsiellapneumoniae growth (5.33 mm) compared to the Vaseline group (17.42 mm). These results collectively emphasize the comparable efficacy of honey in facilitating burn wound healing.

Total synthesis and structural modification of the dibenzylbutane lignan LCA as a potent anti-inflammatory agent against LPS-induced acute lung injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a serious public health problem associated with high morbidity and mortality. However, few efficacious drugs are clinically available. Inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines is considered to be a promising method for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Herein, the total synthesis of a dibenzylbutane lignan, 9′-O-di-(E)-feruloyl-meso-5,5′-dimethoxysecoisolariciresinol (LCA), was completed. A series of LCA derivatives were designed and synthesized, and their anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated. Derivative 14r significantly inhibited LPS-induced expression of NO and the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in RAW 264.7 cells and inhibited activation of the NF-κB pathway. Compound 14r reduced LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation and ALI in mice. It showed significant protective effects against LPS-induced ALI in mice and significantly reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The ratio of wet weight to dry weight of lung tissue was normalized by compound 14r, which was consistent with suppression of neutrophil infiltration and production of proinflammatory cytokines. Compound 14r reduced the mRNA expression of some proinflammatory cytokines, improved histopathologic changes, and reduced macrophage infiltration in lung tissues. Collectively, these results suggest a new series of LCA derivatives that could be promising anti-inflammatory agents for ALI treatment.

Relative importance of phenotypic plasticity and carryover effects in response to small salinity shifts during oyster aquaculture production

Variability of water conditions in coastal environments could affect oyster aquaculture production through three main environmental-tolerance mechanisms: phenotypic plasticity, within-generation carryover effects, and selective mortality. Aquaculture production of eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, larvae occurs on weekly timescales in Virginia, with variations in salinity experienced by subsequent larval cohorts. The present study examined the relative importance of within-generation carryover effects – phenotypic changes during a previous life stage that impact a later stage – and phenotypic plasticity in shaping the performance of juvenile oysters after an experience of small differences in salinity (< 2 salinity units) during the larval stage. Genetic diversity was also assessed to rule out large shifts in allele frequencies, or loss of diversity, that would suggest observed effects were the result of selective mortality rather than carryover effects or phenotypic plasticity. Larval oysters were reared through settlement and metamorphosis under two salinities (thirteen and fifteen) that represent small differences between consecutive spawns in a hatchery. Juveniles were then raised in situ in two Virginia tributaries of the lower Chesapeake Bay, the York and Rappahannock rivers. Oyster production occurs within these two tributaries under distinct salinity conditions, with the Rappahannock tending to be of lower salinity. Metrics of survival, growth, oxidative stress, and condition index were compared to assess phenotypic plasticity and within-generation carryover effects. Juvenile oyster survival and physiology correlated with in situ environmental conditions rather than previous larval salinity experience. Specifically, juvenile oysters raised in the Rappahannock River had greater survival (13%), shell length (14%), condition index (38%), and dry tissue weight (78%) than those raised in the York River, regardless of larval salinity. Rappahannock River oysters also had 20% lower total antioxidant capacity than York River oysters. Genetic diversity remained high with no large shifts in allelic frequencies that would suggest non-random loss of alleles attributable to selection. Our results suggest that small salinity differences experienced in shellfish hatcheries 48 h after fertilization likely do not impact juvenile oyster performance during grow-out; rather, phenotypic plasticity likely underpins juvenile oyster performance during the transition from hatchery to farms. The importance of phenotypic plasticity presents another reason why farm site selection is critical to the performance and success of aquaculture product. Future studies are needed to further identify whether larval responses to salinity conditions are dependent on additional environmentally relevant conditions like temperature or the timing of exposure post-fertilization to better understand the relative importance of phenotypic plasticity, within-generation carryover effects, and selective mortality within oyster aquaculture.

Endophytic Fungus Talaromyces sp. MR1 Promotes the Growth and Cadmium Uptake of Arabidopsis thaliana L. Under Cadmium Stress.

Endophytes play essential roles in plant growth under metal(loid)s stress. An endophytic fungus strain MR1 was isolated from the roots of Miscanthus floridulus collected from a lead-zinc mining area (Huayuan, China), which could produce indole-3-acetic acid and have Cadmium (Cd) tolerance. Further 18S rRNA sequencing analysis showed that it was highly similar (99.83%) to Talaromyces pinophilus. In pot experiments, we explored the effects of strain MR1 on the growth and Cd uptake of a wide-type Arabidopsis thaliana under low (LC) and high (HC) Cd concentrations. The results showed that MR1 effectively increased the dry weight of aboveground and underground tissues by 25.95-107.21% in both LC and HC groups. Due to MR1 inoculation, the Cd content in the underground tissues was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased by 39.28% under low Cd concentration, while it was significantly (p < 0.05) increased by 28.28% under high Cd concentration. Besides, MR1 inoculations significantly (p < 0.05) increased the total content of removed Cd (17.080μg) and BCF (0.064) by 129.77% and 153.95% under high Cd concentration. Therefore, we speculated that MR1 might be selected as the effective microbial agent to increase crop yield and control Cd content in the crop in light Cd-contaminated soil. Besides, MR1 could potentially enhance the phytoremediation efficiency of extremely Cd-contaminated soil.

SIZE AND WEIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BIVALVE MOLLUSC ANADARA KAGOSHIMENSIS (TOKUNAGA, 1906) - THE ALIEN SPECIES IN THE SEA OF AZOV

For the first time the research focuses on studying the size and weight characteristics of the alien species in the Sea of Azov - bivalve mollusc Anadara kagoshimensis (Tokunaga, 1906). The relationship between allometric parameters of the mollusc (size and weight) were approximated by the power function. The maximal coefficient of determination is found for the power dependence of the total weight of the anadara on the width of the shell, with minimum coefficient of determination depending on the height of the shell. The maximum coefficient of determination is obtained for the power dependence of the raw weight of soft tissues of anadara on the length of its shell, with the minimum coefficient of determination depending on the width of the shell. The ratio of dry and raw weight of soft tissues is 0.16. Under comparison of the different environmental areas of anadara in the Black, Aenean seas and the Sea of Azov, the hatchery housing of mollusks in waters with moderate salinity is found to be the most favorable condition for their maximal growth.

Effect of stress hormones on the metabolome of a suspension culture of the aromatic medicinal plant Cymbopogon schoenanthus subsp. proximus

The current study aimed to evaluate and compare the effect of different concentrations (0.0–200.0 µM) of jasmonic acid (JA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and salicylic acid (SA) on suspension culture mass production and untargeted metabolic profiling of the medicinal plant Cymbopogon schoenanthus subsp. proximus. The addition of 50 µM MeJA improved the fresh weight of embryogenic tissue significantly. MeJA and SA did not affect tissue dry weight, whereas JA significantly decreased it. Based on 1H and 1H–13C NMR data and NMR databases, 50 compounds were identified. The addition of stress hormones resulted in the biosynthesis of novel metabolites like theophylline and syringate that were absent in control samples. In addition, significant variations in the concentrations of numerous compounds, including sugars, amino acids, organic acids, phenols, and alkaloids, were observed. The upregulation of trigonelline concentration was observed upon the addition of a higher concentration of MeJA (200 µM), whereas all tested concentrations of SA resulted in its upregulation. Addition of JA and SA causes significant changes in aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis pathway and amino acid metabolism pathways, such as alanine-aspartate and glutamate metabolism and arginine and proline metabolism. MeJA had significant impacts on glycolysis and starch-glucose metabolism pathways in addition to amino acids metabolism pathways. The present findings were successful in demonstrating a correlation and distinction between the effects of JA, MeJA, and SA, on the metabolome of Cymbopogon schoenanthus, a valuable medicinal plant. The identified metabolites and their associated pathways would be valuable in future biotechnology applications of the genus Cymbopogon.

Microplastics (≤ 10 μm) bioaccumulation in marine sponges along the Moroccan Mediterranean coast: Insights into species-specific distribution and potential bioindication

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive in marine environments and widely recognized as emerging environmental pollutants due to the multifaceted risks they exert on living organisms and ecosystems. Sponges (Phylum Porifera) are essential suspension-feeding organisms that may be highly susceptible to MPs uptake due to their global distribution, unique feeding behavior, and sedentary lifestyle. However, the role of sponges in MP research remains largely underexplored. In the present study, we investigate the presence and abundance of MPs (≤10 μm size) in four sponge species, namely Chondrosia reniformis, Ircinia variabilis, Petrosia ficiformis, and Sarcotragus spinosulus collected from four sites along the Mediterranean coast of Morocco, as well as their spatial distribution. MPs analysis was conducted using an innovative Italian patented extraction methodology coupled with SEM-EDX detection. Our findings reveal the presence of MPs in all collected sponge specimens, indicating a pollution rate of 100%. The abundance of MPs in the four sponge species ranged from 3.95×105 to 1.05×106 particles per gram dry weight of sponge tissue, with significant differences observed among sampling sites but no species-specific differences. These results imply that the uptake of MPs by sponges is likely influenced by aquatic environmental pollution rather than the sponge species themselves. The smallest and largest MPs were identified in C. reniformis and P. ficiformis, with median diameters of 1.84 μm and 2.57 μm, respectively. Overall, this study provides the first evidence and an important baseline for the ingestion of small MP particles in Mediterranean sponges, introducing the hypothesis that they may serve as valuable bioindicators of MP pollution in the near future.

Testing the suitability of portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) analysis of dried herbarium specimens to detect Ni hyperaccumulators in South Africa

Metal hyperaccumulators accumulate particular metals or metalloids in their leaves to concentrations hundreds or thousands of times greater than is normal for most plants. Globally, Ni is the most often hyperaccumulated metal, with 532 hyperaccumulator species documented to date. Hyperaccumulators have attracted much attention as potential candidates for green technologies, including phytoremediation and agromining. In South Africa, six serpentinite-associated plants in the genera Berkheya and Senecio hyperaccumulate Ni (to > 0.1% of leaf tissue dry weight). It is surprising that only six of about 70 Berkheya and 290 Senecio species native to South Africa hyperaccumulate Ni, given about ∼10–20% of taxa from each genus occur on serpentinite. While it is costly and time consuming to field collect and chemically analyze leaves of all species in these genera, a novel method (portable X-Ray Fluorescence or pXRF analysis of herbarium specimens) allows for rapid (100 s of specimens/day) and non-destructive measurement of Ni in dry herbarium specimens. We tested the accuracy of this approach on known Ni hyperaccumulators vouchered at two South African herbaria (C.E. Moss Herbarium (J) of the University of the Witwatersrand and A.P. Goossens Herbarium (PUC) from North-West University). While the absolute concentrations of Ni determined by ICP-MS and pXRF were not always directly in agreement, we had 100% success in confirming those that were known to hyperaccumulate Ni with those that did not. We propose pXRF as a cheap, effective, and efficient approach to rapidly screen herbarium specimens across South Africa to discover additional metal hyperaccumulators for much-needed remediation purposes.

Elements in Soft Tissues of the Young Mediterranean Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam. 1819 Collected in Sevastopol Bay (Crimea, Black Sea): Effects of Age, Sex, Location, and Principal Morphometric Parameters.

Although the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis has been known for decades as an excellent bioindicator of trace element pollution in the marine environment, there is still no information on the effects of a suite of its principal morphometric parameters and age on trace element levels in soft tissues. In this work, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, we studied the contents of 72 elements in soft tissues of M. galloprovincialis aged 0.5-4, which were sampled at three stations within a relatively small water body, Sevastopol Bay. Significant effects of age and sampling location on the element contents and soft tissue dry-to-wet weight ratio were discovered. The effects of sex were not significant. It was presumed for the first time that the decrease in element content in the soft tissues of young mussels can be associated with the decrease in physiological needs for elevated contents of essential elements and intracellular water with age. Combinations of six principal morphometric parameters showed that a function of as few as three parameters (soft tissue dry weight, whole mollusk weight, and shell height, with by far the greatest contribution of the dry-to-total weight ratio) formed significant correlations with the contents of the largest possible number of elements (69-88% of the total number). For the first time, it was shown that linear discriminant analysis and canonical analysis of principal coordinates can be successfully used for tracing the exact origin of mussel samples within such a small water area. Canonical analysis of principal coordinates proved superior in the correct classification of the samples.

Colostrum insulin supplementation to neonatal Holstein bulls affects small intestinal histomorphology, mRNA expression, and enzymatic activity with minor influences on peripheral metabolism

The objectives of this study were to evaluate how varying colostral insulin concentrations influenced small intestinal development and peripheral metabolism in neonatal Holstein bulls. Insulin was supplemented to approximately 5× (70.0 μg/L; n = 16) or 10× (149.7 μg/L; n = 16) the basal colostrum insulin (12.9 μg/L; BI, n = 16) concentration to maintain equivalent macronutrient intake (crude fat: 4.1 ± 0.06%; crude protein: 11.7 ± 0.05%; and lactose: 1.9 ± 0.01%) among treatments. Colostrum was fed at 2, 14, and 26 h postnatal and blood metabolites and insulin concentration were measured at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 360, 480, and 600 min postprandial respective to the first and second colostrum meal. At 30 h postnatal, a subset of calves (n = 8/treatment) were killed to excise the gastrointestinal and visceral tissues. Gastrointestinal and visceral gross morphology and dry matter and small intestinal histomorphology, gene expression, and carbohydrase activity were assessed. Insulin supplementation tended to linearly reduce the glucose clearance rate following the first meal, whereas after the second meal, supplementation linearly increased the rate of glucose absorption and nonesterified fatty acid clearance rate, decreased the time to maximum glucose concentrations, and decreased the time to reach minimum nonesterified fatty acid concentrations. Additionally, insulin clearance rate was linearly increased by insulin supplementation following the second colostrum feeding. However, there were no overall differences between treatments in the concentrations of glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, or insulin in plasma or serum. With respect to macroscopic intestinal development, dry rumen tissue mass linearly decreased when insulin was supplemented in colostrum, and supplementation linearly increased duodenal dry tissue density (g dry matter/cm) while tending to increase duodenal dry tissue weight. Increasing the colostrum insulin concentration improved small intestinal histomorphological development in the distal small intestine, as ileal villi height and mucosal-serosal surface area index were increased by supplementing insulin. Lactase enzymatic activity linearly increased in the proximal jejunum while ileal isomaltase activity linearly decreased with insulin supplementation. These data indicate that changes in colostrum insulin concentrations rapidly affect gastrointestinal growth prioritization and carbohydrase activity. The changes in gastrointestinal ontology result in minor changes in postprandial metabolite availability and clearance.

Effects of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum culture on the macrobenthic community

Macrobenthic bioturbation affects the environment, and variances in habitat, such as decreased dissolved oxygen concentration and increased ammonia concentration, affects the macrobenthic community. The relationship between macrobenthos and habitat factors may be a mutually causal relationship. The bottom-sowing culture for Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum in many coastal countries plays an important role in coastal fisheries, and the relationship between Manila clam and other macrobenthos affects the ecological stability of the bottom-sowing culture zone. It is necessary to explore the relationship between them to manage the waters used for the bottom-sowing culture for Manila clam. In this study , from June to October 2021, the field investigation on macrobenthos including Manila clam and their habitat factors, such as particle size, nutrient content, redox potential, and organic matter content, in 21 experimental communities enclosed by bolting-silk net in Shuangdao Bay, Weihai, Shandong, China was conducted, during which macrobenthos functional groups were determined by feed sources and motor behavior. The results showed that Manila clam biomass was 7.215±0.984 g/m2 (calculated by dry soft tissue weight), and it was positively correlated with the biomass of macrobebthos functional groups B1, G1 and P1; water content in sediment; sulfide content in interstitial water; the Shanon-Wiener diversity index; Pielou’s evenness index and the W statistic of the ABC (Abundance-Biomass Comparison) curve (p&amp;lt; 0.05). Moreover, it was negatively correlated with sediment particulate size and HCl-NO3 content in sediment (p&amp;lt; 0.05). The action of Manila clam to habitats was the dominant role of the interaction between clam and habitat. Thus, the bottom-sowing culture for Manila clam does not decrease the macrobenthic community stability, and the invasion of other macrobenthos into the bottom-sowing culture zones for Manila clam may be accidental or inevitable. The results of our study suggest that the management of the bottom-sowing culture for Manila clam should be conducted from ecosystem level; i.e., fishing and aquaculture in the same waters are regarded as two components of an ecosystem; manage them together, rather than treat them separately.

Some aspects of physiological studies of two reef building corals in the red sea

Some aspects of the physiology of the corals Seriatopora hystrix and Lobophyllia corymbosa described in this paper. At the study site, the lowest mean of seawater temperature is 27.42 °C and 27.17 °C at 5m and 10m depths respectively during winter, while the maximum mean of seawater temperature was 32.67 °C and 31.17 °C in 5 m and 10 m depths respectively during summer. L. corymbosa, had a lower number of zooxanthellae 0.05×105 , 0.43×105 , 0.06×105 and 0.46×105 mg-1 dry tissue weight than S. hystrix 0.19 ×105 , 5.1 ×105 , 0.27×105 and 9.59×105 mg-1 dry tissue weight in two season and two depths respectively. The mean respiration rate of whole colonies of S. hystrix was higher than that of L. corymbosa at the same depths both in summer and winter. The mean dark respiration rate decreases with increasing depths. The mean photosynthesis vs irradiance curves of S. hystrix and L. corymbosa were plotted to the hyperbolic tangent function (Chalker,1981) for summer and winter season. The growth rate was linear during each period of measurement during summer, the highest mean daily skeletal growth rate of S. hystrix was 2.3 ± 1.3 (20) mg.skel.d-1 in 10m depth and it was 1.6 ± 0.5 (21) mg .skel.d-1 at 5m depth. Whilst during winter, the lowest was 1.9 ± 0.96 (20) mg .skel. d-1 at 10m and also lowest (1.5 ± 0.7 (20) mg .skel. d-1) at 5m depth. The growth rate of the two species was lower in the winter than in summer.