Soft Tissue Weight Research Articles

Risk assessments of microplastic exposure in bivalves living in the coral reefs of Vietnam

This study aimed to assess the presence of microplastics in bottom sediment and bivalve species, including Pinna bicolor, Atrina vexillum, Saccostrea sp., and Pinctada margaritifera, living in coral reefs on Vietnam's Southern coastal. The average microplastic abundance were 0.45 ± 0.13 items/g of wet soft tissue weight or 5.60 ± 1.49 items/individual in bivalve samples and 294 ± 43 items/kg dry weight of sediment samples. The fragment shape, size smaller than 100 μm, and polyethylene, polyamide, cellophane and polyethylene terephthalate were identified as the predominant constituents of the microplastics. The pollution load and potential ecological risk index of microplastics were at a minor level, whereas the polymer hazard index was at a high level. Overall, this study provides a basis for assessing the risks posed by microplastics in the marine ecosystems of Vietnam.

Biometric Characteristic Study of Green Lipped Mussel, Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758) From Malad Creek, Mumbai, India

Biometric Studies are essential to understand the growth rate of the species which helps understand the growth patterns, reproduction rate and population distribution of the species. Growth patterns of molluscs help in evaluating their production potential and energy flows through populations and their distribution. Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758) commonly known as the green-lipped mussel or the Asian green mussel belongs to the family Mytilidae. It is distributed along the Indo-Pacific region. They are attached to the rocky substratum along the coast, in the intertidal region. The Biometric Analysis and Length-Weight Relationship study was carried out on Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758) to understand their growth rate and population distribution through the Coast of Mumbai. A total of 100 samples were used in this study. The correlation between the Total Weight of the Shell with the organism (WSO) to the Shell Length (SL), Shell Width (SW) and Shell Height (SH) and the correlation between the Soft Tissue Weight of the Organism (WO) to the Shell Length (SL), Shell Width (SW) and Shell Height (SH) gave an idea about the growth factors. The Relative Condition Factor was determined by equation W = aLb. The b values of each correlation showed negative allometric growth with p value to be p<.001 with same significance in Pearson Correlation test. The Relative Condition Factor of WSO-SW and WSO-SL was observed to be above 1 indicating good growth conditions. Thus, biometric studies are a useful tool in study of Perna viridis (Linnaeus 1758) biology, physiology, ecology, growth potential, stock assessment, genetics and breeding of Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758).

Genomic prediction of growth traits in autotetraploid Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) using whole-genome resequencing

Autotetraploid Crassostrea gigas plays an important role in C. gigas artificial breeding because of their ability to stably produce triploid C. gigas with a fast growth rate, delicious meat, and abundant nutrients. There is an urgent need for autotetraploid C. gigas germplasm preservation and genetic improvement methods to ensure the sustainable development of the autotetraploid population. Recently, genomic selection (GS) has been widely applied in autotetraploid plants, significantly shortening the breeding cycle and promoting genetic improvement, but it has not been applied to autotetraploid C. gigas. This study is the first to apply GS methods for genomic prediction of five growth traits (e.g., shell length, shell height, shell width, total weight, and soft tissue weight) in autotetraploid C. gigas real dataset using whole-genome resequencing. Compared to diploid C. gigas, the optimal genotyping of whole-genome resequencing and the SNP encoding model of autotetraploid C. gigas are more complex. Thus, we investigated the SNP calling abilities of two alignment methods (e.g., BWA and Bowtie 2) and two genotyping methods (e.g., GATK and Freebayes) for whole-genome resequencing. Then, we also evaluated the ability of four potential SNP encoding models (e.g., additive, diploidized additive, simplex dominant, and duplex dominant) to estimate the heritability and genomic prediction accuracy of the growth traits in autotetraploid C. gigas, finding that the additive model was the most reliable SNP encoding model. Lastly, four linear models (e.g., Bayes A, Bayes B, Bayes C, and GBLUP), as well as one nonlinear model (e.g., RKHS), were tested to estimate the accuracy of breeding values of growth traits in autotetraploid C. gigas. Overall, GBLUP outperformed all the other four methods on C. gigas growth traits. The impact of varied SNP densities on genomic prediction accuracy was investigated as well. Our results will provide evidence that supports germplasm protection and molecular breeding in autotetraploid C. gigas.

Somatostatin Receptor Gene Functions in Growth Regulation in Bivalve Scallop and Clam.

Bivalves hold an important role in marine aquaculture and the identification of growth-related genes in bivalves could contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism governing their growth, which may benefit high-yielding bivalve breeding. Somatostatin receptor (SSTR) is a conserved negative regulator of growth in vertebrates. Although SSTR genes have been identified in invertebrates, their involvement in growth regulation remains unclear. Here, we identified seven SSTRs (PySSTRs) in the Yesso scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis, which is an economically important bivalve cultured in East Asia. Among the three PySSTRs (PySSTR-1, -2, and -3) expressed in adult tissues, PySSTR-1 showed significantly lower expression in fast-growing scallops than in slow-growing scallops. Then, the function of this gene in growth regulation was evaluated in dwarf surf clams (Mulinia lateralis), a potential model bivalve cultured in the lab, via RNA interference (RNAi) through feeding the clams Escherichia coli containing plasmids expressing double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) targeting MlSSTR-1. Suppressing the expression of MlSSTR-1, the homolog of PySSTR-1 in M. lateralis, resulted in a significant increase in shell length, shell width, shell height, soft tissue weight, and muscle weight by 20%, 22%, 20%, 79%, and 92%, respectively. A transcriptome analysis indicated that the up-regulated genes after MlSSTR-1 expression inhibition were significantly enriched in the fat digestion and absorption pathway and the insulin pathway. In summary, we systemically identified the SSTR genes in P. yessoensis and revealed the growth-inhibitory role of SSTR-1 in bivalves. This study indicates the conserved function of somatostatin signaling in growth regulation, and ingesting dsRNA-expressing bacteria is a useful way to verify gene function in bivalves. SSTR-1 is a candidate target for gene editing in bivalves to promote growth and could be used in the breeding of fast-growing bivalves.

Short communication: The boring sponge (Pione vastifica, Hancock, 1849) induces oxidative stress in the Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas, Thunberg, 1793)

Boring sponge infection affects growth, development and reduces the soft tissue weight of oysters. In this study, we investigated the effects of boring sponge on the activity of three antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GP)) in the mantle, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and potential genotoxicity in hemocytes of the Pacific oyster Magallana gigas. Our results showed a significant increase in ROS production and DNA damage in hemocytes. Notably, the activity of SOD, CAT, and GP in the mantle was not significantly affected by boring sponge infection. Collectively, these results suggest that sponge invasion may cause oxidative stress in Pacific oyster hemocytes through ROS overproduction.

Biochemical composition of the Atlantic pearl oyster Pinctada imbricata (Bivalvia: Pteriidae) in suspended culture: Influence of environmental factors

Atlantic pearl oyster Pinctada imbricata is a bivalve with high potential for cultivation in tropical and subtropical environments. In this study, P. imbricata energetic metabolism was analyzed throughout a culture cycle at Gulf of Cariaco, Venezuela. Juvenile individuals (shell length 27.40 ± 2.70 mm) were cultured in a long line at 3 m depth between May-2012 and January-2013. Monthly data of biometric measurements, Fulton index (K) and protein, carbohydrate, and lipid content of the adductor muscle, digestive gland, and mantle were estimated, and were related with environmental variables: temperature, chlorophyll a (Ch a), total particulate matter (TPM), particulate inorganic matter (PIM), particulate organic matter (POM) and upwelling index (UI). Shell length increased steadily reaching 46.23 ± 3.79 mm on the 8th month of culture, while average soft tissue weight increased associated to food availability. Biometric data and biochemical substrates from the muscle, digestive gland and mantle presented significant differences among months. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed positive relationships between carbohydrate content with temperature; mantle and digestive gland protein content with TPM, PIM, POM, UI; lipid and protein in muscle with K. Energy allocation was associated with environmental factors, mainly through high food availability given the seasonal upwelling pulses in the area.

Conversion factors for dry weight for the lion paw scallop (Nodipected subnodosus Sowerby, 1835)

The biomass of marine species must typically be expressed in terms of dry weight. Direct measurement, however, can be problematic under some operating situations. When fine-grained comparisons between individuals are not required, one solution that is widely utilized is the use of conversion factors, but these must be specific and generated using the best information available. Based on morphometric measurements of five independent groups of organisms with varying sizes and origins, this study suggests weight conversion factors for the lion paw scallop (Nodipecten subnodosus). In all cases, the measurements and sample processing techniques were the same. As predictors of dry weight, conversion factors based on the wet weight of soft tissue, the fresh weight of animals (including the shell), and the shell width are proposed. In all situations, the correlation coefficients for the models tested are significant. Given the short sample size, especially for the larger animals, it is suggested that the factors be re estimated in the future using a larger number of cases in the future.
 

Prediction of carcass tissues composition using the neck and shoulder traits in hair lambs with multiresponse multivariate adaptive regression splines

The present study aimed to predict the carcass tissue composition of hair sheep lambs using a multiresponse multivariate adaptive regression splines algorithm. The left half of sixty-six hair lambs were divided into five commercial cuts (neck, shoulder, rib, loin, and leg), each cut was weighed and dissected in total soft tissue (fat and muscle, TSTW) and bone (BOW). The independent variables included variables obtained from neck and shoulder dissection: weights of the neck (NWE) and shoulder (SWE), neck soft STW (NSTW), neck BW (NBOW), shoulder STW (SSTW), and shoulder BW (SBOW). The prediction of hot carcass weight (HCW), cold carcass weight (CCW), carcass soft tissue weight (CSTW), and carcass bone weight (CBWE) had an R2 that ranged from 0.90 to 0.96. It is concluded that some neck traits and all shoulder traits could be used to predict the carcass tissue weights of hair-suckling lambs correctly.

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.

Shell Dimension-Weight Relationship and Condition Index of the Invasive Mussel Mytella strigata in Sasmuan, Pampanga, Philippines

A total of 300 Mytella strigata were collected at three sampling points in the mussel coastal demonstration farm in Sasmuan, Pampanga, and subjected to morphometric and gravimetric measurements for the evaluation of its growth pattern and condition index. Designated sampling sites were based on the distances to the river mouth (200 m, 400 m, and 600 m) with varying water quality parameters (temperature, salinity, pH, water velocity, and chlorophyll-a). Mussels in Site 2 had significantly larger shell dimensions (SL = 2.862 cm, SW = 1.458 cm, SH = 0.926 cm), shell weight (0.640 g), and total live weight (1.150 g). Significantly higher (p < 0.05) soft-tissue dry weight (0.083 g), however, was obtained in Site 3, while comparable (p >0.05) soft tissue weight was observed in Site 2 (0.364 g) and Site 3 (0.413 g). Nevertheless, mussels in all sites demonstrated negative allometric growth (b < 3). The length-weight relationship revealed a weak to moderate, positive correlation. A significantly higher (p < 0.05) condition index was obtained in Site 3, which could have been influenced by higher chlorophyll-a and substantially lower water velocity. As such, this signifies its potential to have a well-established population in this spatial distance (600 m) from the river mouth. Hence, regular harvest and product development is recommended as strategic options to control its proliferation.

The influence of upwelling on key bivalves from the Humboldt and Iberian current systems

Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS) deliver cold, nutrient-rich waters, influencing coastal biota from the molecular to the ecosystem level. Although local upwelling (U) and downwelling (DU) conditions are often known, their influence on body attributes of relevant species has not been systematically compared within and between EBUS (i.e., below and above regional scales). Hence, we compared the physical-chemical characteristics of U and DU sites in the Humboldt Current system (Chile) and the Iberian Current system (Portugal). We then assessed the influence of U and DU upon eight body attributes in purple mussels (Perumytilus purpuratus) and Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis), from the Humboldt and Iberian systems, respectively. We hypothesized that bivalves from U sites display better fitness, as measured by body attributes, regardless of their origin (EBUS). As expected, waters from U sites in both systems showed lower temperatures and pH, and higher nitrite concentrations. We also found that mussels from U sites showed better fitness than those in DU sites in 12 out of 16 direct U vs DU comparisons. Shell length, shell volume, organic content of soft-tissues, and mechanical properties of the shell averaged consistently higher in mussels from U sites in both Current systems. In addition, total weight, soft-tissue weight, shell weight and shell thickness were all higher in the U site at the Humboldt system but had less consistent differences at the Iberian system. Altogether, most results supported our working hypothesis and indicate that U conditions support better fitted mussels. The few attributes that did not exhibit the expected U vs DU differences in the Iberian system suggest that local and species-specific differences also play a role on the attributes of these species. These results may also serve as a reference point for further studies addressing the influence of upwelling in these productive, critically important systems.

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< 0.05). Moreover, it was negatively correlated with sediment particulate size and HCl-NO3 content in sediment (p< 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.

Pollution concerns in mariculture water and cultured economical bivalves: Occurrence of microplastics under different aquaculture modes

Microplastics (MPs) are prevalent in aquatic environments worldwide, but the occurrence of MPs in different mariculture modes has not been clarified. Four extensively cultured bivalves and ambient surface water were collected to study the MPs pollution characteristics of different mariculture modes. The results indicated that MPs abundance in the inland mode water was 2.5 times higher than that in the marine mode water. The MPs hazard index was evaluated as 655, 390, and 23 in the surface water of the inland, coastal, and marine aquaculture modes, respectively. The MPs abundance in the bivalves in the inland mode was significantly higher than that in the other two modes. There was a positive relationship between the MPs characteristics in the mariculture water and in the cultured bivalves. The abundance of MPs in the four bivalves (calculated items/g) was negatively correlated with soft tissue weight. This study further improves the understanding of MPs pollution characteristics in different aquaculture modes and further highlights the general transmission risk of MPs in various aquaculture systems.

Estimation of genetic parameters for growth relevant traits in adult Pacific abalone ( Haliotis discus hannai )

Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) is one of the most valuable aquaculture species in China. However, the rapid development of the aquaculture industry has caused problem of germplasm degeneration. It is important to carry out genetic improvement of economic traits for H. discus hannai. This study was conducted to estimate genetic parameters of growth traits in Pacific abalone to provide a database for selective breeding programs. Data of 10 growth-related traits—shell length (SL), shell width (SW), shell height (SH), shell weight (SWT), wet weight (WW), foot muscle weight (MW), soft tissue weight (STW), visceral mass weight (VW), foot muscle weight/wet weight ratio (MWR) and soft tissue weight/wet weight ratio (SWR)—were collected from 1059 adults sampled from 115 families. Significant growth differences existed between abalone under different culture modes. Abalone with red shell colour presented poorer growth performance than the normal shell colour group, and their hybrids displayed mid-parent heterosis. The heritability values of SL, SW, SH, SWT, WW, MW and STW were 0.65 ± 0.06, 0.63 ± 0.06, 0.51 ± 0.08, 0.59 ± 0.09, 0.54 ± 0.05, 0.43 ± 0.08 and 0.43 ± 0.08, respectively, indicating high heritability. The heritabilities of VW and MWR were moderate, with estimates of 0.36 ± 0.07 and 0.21 ± 0.06, respectively, and SWR had low heritability with value of 0.17 ± 0.06. Genetic and phenotypic correlations among the growth traits were positive, in the ranges 0.24–0.99 and 0.12–0.99 respectively. Genetic correlation coefficients among most of the growth traits were close to or higher than 0.9. The results of this study demonstrate the genetic improvement potential of Pacific abalone in selective breeding. Traits such as SL, SW, SH and WW could be selected and improved simultaneously.

Comparative profiling and exposure assessment of microplastics in differently sized Manila clams from South Korea by μFTIR and Nile Red staining

The accumulation of microplastics in marine organisms is an emerging concern. Due to trophic transfer, the safety of seafood is under investigation in view of the potential negative effects of microplastics on human health. In this study, market samples of Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) from South Korea were segregated into two groups of considerably different size (p < 0.05), namely small clams with shell length of 40.69 ± 3.97 mm, and large clams of shell length 51.19 ± 2.86 mm. Comparative profiling of the number, size, shape, and polymer type of microplastics were performed using μFTIR imaging and Nile red staining. Overall, μFTIR detected only 1559 microplastics while 1996 microplastics were counted based on staining from 61 Manila clams (30 small and 31 large), leading to an overestimation of 18 to 75 %. Comparable microplastics concentration, based on μFTIR, were observed at 2.70 ± 1.66 MP/g or 15.64 ± 9.25 MP/individual for the small samples, and 3.65 ± 1.59 MP/g or 41.63 ± 16.90 MP/individual for the large ones (p > 0.05). Particle diameters of 20–100 μm was the most dominant, accounting for 44.6 % and 46.5 % of all microplastics from the small and large groups, respectively. Particles, with a circularity (resemblance to a circle) value between 0.6 and 1.0, were the most prevalent, followed by fragments and fibers. At least 50 % of microplastics from the small and large samples were polystyrene, making it the most abundant polymer type. Despite the substantial difference in the size of the animals, only a weak to moderate correlation was observed between microplastics content and the physical attributes of the clams such as shell length and weight, (soft) tissue weight, and total weight (Spearman's coefficient < 0.5). The estimated intake of microplastics by the Korean population was 1232 MP/person/year via small clams, 1663 MP/person/year via large clams, and 1489 MP/person/year via clams independent of size.

Effect of low pH on growth and shell mechanical properties of the Peruvian scallop Argopecten purpuratus (Lamarck, 1819)

Dissolution of anthropogenic CO2 modifies seawater pH, leading to ocean acidification, which might affect calcifying organisms such as bivalve mollusks. Along the Peruvian coast, however, natural conditions of low pH (7.6–8.0) are encountered in the habitat of the Peruvian scallop (Argopecten purpuratus), as a consequence of the nearby coastal upwelling influence. To understand the effects of low pH in a species adapted to these environmental conditions, an experiment was performed to test its consequences on growth, calcification, dissolution, and shell mechanical properties in juvenile Peruvian scallops. During 28 days, scallops (initial mean height = 14 mm) were exposed to two contrasted pH conditions: a control with unmanipulated seawater presenting pH conditions similar to those found in situ (pHT = 7.8) and a treatment, in which CO2 was injected to reduce pH to 7.4. At the end of the experiment, shell height and weight, and growth and calcification rates were reduced about 6%, 20%, 9%, and 10% respectively in the low pH treatment. Mechanical properties, such as microhardness were positively affected in the low pH condition and crushing force did not show differences between pH treatments. Final soft tissue weights were not significantly affected by low pH. This study provides evidence of low pH change shell properties increasing the shell microhardness in Peruvian scallops, which implies protective functions. However, the mechanisms behind this response need to be studied in a global change context.

Evaluation of robustly optimised intensity modulated proton therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Background and purposeTo evaluate the dosimetric changes occurring over the treatment course for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated with robustly optimised intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT). Materials and methods25 NPC patients were treated to two dose levels (CTV1: 70 Gy, CTV2: 54.25 Gy) with robustly optimised IMPT plans. Robustness evaluation was performed over 28 error scenarios using voxel-wise minimum distributions to assess target coverage and voxel-wise maximum distributions to assess possible hotspots and critical organ doses. Daily CBCT was used for positioning and weekly repeat CTs (rCT) were taken, on which the plan dose was recalculated and robustly evaluated. Deformable image registration was used to warp and accumulate the nominal, voxel-wise minimum and maximum rCT dose distributions. Changes to target coverage, critical organ and normal tissue dose between the accumulated and planned doses were investigated. Results2 patients required a plan adaptation due to reduced target coverage. The D98% in the accumulated voxel-wise minimum distribution was higher than planned for CTV1 in 24/25 patients and for CTV2 in 20/25 patients. Maximum doses to the critical organs remained acceptable in all patients. Other normal tissue doses showed some variation as a result of soft tissue deformations and weight change. Normal tissue complication probabilities for grade ≥ 2 dysphagia and grade ≥ 2 xerostomia remained similar to planned values. ConclusionRobustly optimised IMPT plans, in combination with volumetric verification imaging and adaptive planning, provided robust target coverage and acceptable OAR dose variation in our NPC cohort when accumulated over longitudinal data.

Accuracy of a Novel Transcutaneous PCO2 and PO2 Sensor with Optical PO2 Measurement in Neonatal Intensive Care: A Single-Centre Prospective Clinical Trial

Background and Objectives: Transcutaneous PCO2 and PO2 measurement systems offer non-invasive blood gas trend monitoring. The aim of this prospective study was to assess bias and precision of a transcutaneous PCO2 and PO2 measurement system incorporating a novel pO2 sensor (Sentec OxiVenT™) in neonates ≥34 weeks of gestational age (GA) admitted to intensive care. Methods: Transcutaneous PCO2 and PO2 were compared to arterial and capillary blood gas measurements. Bias and precision were calculated by fitting linear mixed models to account for repeated measurements, and influence of clinical covariates on bias and precision was assessed. Results: We obtained 611 paired transcutaneous and blood gas measurements in 110 patients (median GA 38.3 [interquartile range 36.1–39.7] weeks; age 9 [4–15] days; weight 3,000 [2,500–3,500] g). Transcutaneous PCO2 showed significant bias to arterial PCO2 (+0.61; 95% confidence interval 0.46, 0.76 kPa), but not to capillary PCO2 (−0.23; −0.46, 0.002 kPa). Bias of transcutaneous PO2 was significant to arterial PO2 (−2.50; −2.94, −2.06 kPa), while no significant bias compared to capillary PO2 was observed (+0.17; −0.30, 0.64 kPa). Precision intervals were ±1.8/2.0 kPa for arterial versus capillary PCO2 and ±4.9/3.3 kPa for arterial versus capillary PO2 comparisons, respectively. Further, sensor operating temperature (43°C vs. 42°C), soft tissue oedema, vasoactive drugs, weight, and GA significantly altered bias (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The tested transcutaneous blood gas measurement system showed no significant bias compared to capillary PCO2 and PO2, acceptable bias to arterial PCO2, and limited agreement with arterial PO2. Precision intervals were wide for all comparisons.

Genomic Prediction for Whole Weight, Body Shape, Meat Yield, and Color Traits in the Portuguese Oyster Crassostrea angulata.

Genetic improvement for quality traits, especially color and meat yield, has been limited in aquaculture because the assessment of these traits requires that the animals be slaughtered first. Genotyping technologies do, however, provide an opportunity to improve the selection efficiency for these traits. The main purpose of this study is to assess the potential for using genomic information to improve meat yield (soft tissue weight and condition index), body shape (cup and fan ratios), color (shell and mantle), and whole weight traits at harvest in the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulata. The study consisted of 647 oysters: 188 oysters from 57 full-sib families from the first generation and 459 oysters from 33 full-sib families from the second generation. The number per family ranged from two to eight oysters for the first and 12–15 oysters for the second generation. After quality control, a set of 13,048 markers were analyzed to estimate the genetic parameters (heritability and genetic correlation) and predictive accuracy of the genomic selection for these traits. The multi-locus mixed model analysis indicated high estimates of heritability for meat yield traits: 0.43 for soft tissue weight and 0.77 for condition index. The estimated genomic heritabilities were 0.45 for whole weight, 0.24 for cup ratio, and 0.33 for fan ratio and ranged from 0.14 to 0.54 for color traits. The genetic correlations among whole weight, meat yield, and body shape traits were favorably positive, suggesting that the selection for whole weight would have beneficial effects on meat yield and body shape traits. Of paramount importance is the fact that the genomic prediction showed moderate to high accuracy for the traits studied (0.38–0.92). Therefore, there are good prospects to improve whole weight, meat yield, body shape, and color traits using genomic information. A multi-trait selection program using the genomic information can boost the genetic gain and minimize inbreeding in the long-term for this population.

The abundance and characteristics of microplastics in commonly consumed shellfish in the Jiangsu coastal region of China.

Microplastic pollution is ubiquitous in the marine environment and the consumption of shellfish containing microplastics may pose a risk to human health. This study investigated the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in three commonly consumed shellfish in the coastal region of Jiangsu Province, China. The average abundance of microplastics in shellfish varied from 0.33 to 9.33 items/individual (0.06-0.92 items/g, wet weight of soft tissue). Microplastic abundance in Jiangsu was relatively low compared to studies from other regions of China and worldwide. Synthetic fibers (66.20%) were predominant and included rayon (34.84%) and polyester (23.23%), indicating that the majority of particles originated from the discharge of clothing fibers in domestic sewage. Transparent (66.20 %) particles were the most common, particle size was generally less than 500 μm (62.30%), and abundance decreased as the particle size increased. The average annual intake of microplastics by Jiangsu coastal residents via the consumption of common bivalves was estimated to be 1088.64 items/person/year. This study provides data to support ecological and health risk assessments for microplastics in the Jiangsu coastal region.