FISH

Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) was diagnosed in rainbow trout in the UK in May 2006. VHS virus (VHSV) was isolated from fingerlings showing typical histopathological lesions at a single rainbow trout farm site experiencing high mortality. The virus was confirmed as VHSV by serological and molecular biological tests. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete glycoprotein gene sequence revealed that the isolate was closely related (99% nucleotide identity) to several Danish isolates from 1991 to 2000 and was assigned to VHSV genogroup Ia. The pathogenicity of the isolate was determined in infection experiments using rainbow trout fry. Following waterborne challenge, cumulative mortalities reached 96.67-100% by 12 days post-infection. This represents the first isolation of a pathogenic freshwater VHSV in the UK.

To enable a relevant interpretation of otolith strontium : calcium (Sr/Ca) variations in terms of habitat shifts of eels, the Sr/Ca-salinity relationship in eel otoliths was validated. Downstream and upstream migrations of young eels were reproduced in the laboratory by transferring groups of fish every 2 months between aquaria filled with water coming from the Dordogne river (salinity = 0), the upper Gironde estuary (salinity = 5), the lower Gironde estuary (salinity = 25) and the coast (salinity = 30), which represented the salinity gradient observed in the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne watershed. Ontogenetic changes in otolith Sr/Ca were assessed in two groups of control fish that were kept in one of either two constant salinities (fresh water or seawater). X-ray electron microprobe (wavelength dispersive spectrometry, WDS) analyses of Sr/Ca ratios in the otoliths showed that the change of aquarium was recorded as a Sr/Ca increase (downstream migration) or a Sr/Ca decrease (upstream migration). No ontogenetic effect was detected in otoliths of control fish outside glass eel marks in either group of fish. The electron microprobe (WDS) analysis of the Sr/Ca life (transected in several otoliths of eels caught in the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne watershed) showed that some of them were migrant eels that had experienced one major habitat shift during their continental life.

The Norwegian party notes that the level of the cod quota is alarmingly high in consideration of available stock assessments and the recommendations from ICES. Taking into account the difficult conditions of the population of Northwestern Russia […], Norway has nevertheless found it possible to enter into this agreement. Protocol from the 28th session of the Joint Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission Norway does everything it can to destroy the Russian fishing industry. And that's good. That's how it should be. Inhabitant of Murmansk C an discourse analysis help explain why decision makers suddenly stopped listening to scientific advice and set quota levels that seriously threatened the viability of an up-to-then successfully managed fish stock? Discourse analysis has a particular focus on language and seeks to trace patterns of how a given object of study is talked and written Fish Discourse: Russia, Norway, and the Northeast Arctic Cod Geir Hønneland The article argues that discourse analysis can help explain why Russian and Norwegian fishery authorities set quotas for the Northeast Arctic cod far above scientific recommendations in 1999-2001. While the "sustainability discourse" dominated on the Norwegian side-framing discussions in terms of whether quotas were "sustainable" or not-the Russian discourse centered around the battle between the two nations involved. According to the "cold peace discourse," Norway wants to reduce the quota to ensure competitive prices for cod on the world market or, alternatively, simply to "ruin Russia." The "seafaring community discourse" feeds on distrust on both sides of the border of scientific prognoses and serves to weaken the arguments of the "sustainability discourse" and strengthen the conclusions of the "cold peace discourse." The "pity-the-Russians discourse" offers a way out of the deadlock: feeding on the Western perception of Russians as "poor," the Norwegians are ready to set scientific recommendations aside on humanitarian grounds. Overarching discourses in society provided "windows of opportunity" for the given outcomes. Notably, the "cold peace discourse" made it possible for Russian ship owners to argue against a quota reduction, and the "pity-the-Russians discourse" made it acceptable for the Norwegians to agree to Russian claims.

Mechanisms of the amazing ability of salmon to migrate a long distance from open water to natal streams for spawning are still unknown. Lacustrine sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in Lake Toya offers an excellent model system for studying the orientation mechanism in open water, because mature fish return to the natal area with a high degree of accuracy. First we examined the percentage of fish returning to the natal area after they were released 7 km south of the natal area. Forty percent of control male mature fish and 25% of the fish blinded by injection of a mixture of carbon toner and corn oil into the eyeball were captured in the natal area within 5 days. Forty-four percent of fish with brass rings (control) and 31% of fish with NdFe magnetic rings which interfere with the magnetic cue were captured in the natal area within 3 days. These experiments suggested that, although the number of blinded fish captured in the natal area was less than that of the controls, the difference was not statistically significant. In the fish captured in the natal area within 3 or 5 days, fish which found the natal area using their olfactory cue after random swimming for a long time and returned to that area may be included. Hence we tracked fish telemetrically using an ultrasonic tracking system, and found that mature males released at a long distance (3.6 or 6.8 km) from the natal area swam straight to the vicinity of the natal area. Interference of the magnetic cue by the attachment of a magnetic ring did not affect their direct return. Blockage of the visual cue caused them to move randomly. These data suggest that lacustrine sockeye salmon return straight to the vicinity of the natal area using their visual cue and finally reach the exact homing point using their olfactory cue.

The trypsin-inhibitory activity of the serum of five cultured fish species, halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.), turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.), arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus L.), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum) and brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) was investigated. Individual fish were bled and the serum trypsin-inhibitory activity analysed using an arginine-aniline dye ester as colorimetric substrate. Results for the five species indicate that levels of 2-macroglobulin-like activity decrease significantly (P<0•05) from halibut through turbot, brown trout, char and finally rainbow trout with the lowest levels. Analysis of the total trypsin binding capacity indicates a ranking with decreasing concentration of char, turbot, halibut, brown trout and rainbow trout. Significant di#erences occurred only in certain cases, brown and rainbow trout were significantly (P<0•05) lower than char, and rainbow trout was significantly (P<0•05) lower than turbot. The results indicate that halibut and turbot possess a higher level of 2-macroglobulin-like activity than the other species in the study, whereas char had the highest total trypsin-inhibitory level.

Learning is ubiquitous in the animal kingdom but has been studied extensively in only a handful of species. Moreover, learning studied under laboratory conditions is typically unrelated to the animal's natural environment or life history. Here, we designed a task relevant to the natural behavior of male African cichlid fish (Astatotilapia burtoni), to determine if they could be trained on a spatial task to gain access to females and shelter. We measured both how successfully animals completed this task over time and whether and how immediate early gene and hormone expression profiles were related to success. While training fish in a maze, we measured time to task completion, circulating levels of three key hormones (cortisol, 11-ketotestosterone, and testosterone) and mRNA abundance of seven target genes including three immediate early genes (that served proxies for brain activity) in nine brain regions. Data from our subjects fell naturally into three phenotypes: fish that could be trained (learners), fish that could not be trained (non-learners) and fish that never attempted the task (non-attempters). Learners and nonlearners had lower levels of circulating cortisol compared to fish that never attempted the task. Learners had the highest immediate early gene mRNA levels in the homologue of the hippocampus (dorsolateral telencephalon; Dl), lower cortisol (stress) levels and were more motivated to accomplish the task as measured by behavioral observations. Fish that never attempted the task showed the lowest activity within the Dl, high stress levels and little to no apparent motivation. Data from non-learners fell between these two extremes in behavior, stress, and motivation.

ObjectiveDespite widespread concern over exploitation of the European Union&#39;s fish stocks, dietary guidelines in the UK continue to recommend two portions of fish per week. The present study sought to investigate whether health and/or sustainability are motivating factors when purchasing and consuming fish and whether there are sociodemographic trends.DesignA structured, self-completion postal questionnaire exploring consumers’ attitudes towards purchasing fish, their dietary intake, stated purchasing behaviour and sociodemographic information.SettingNottinghamshire, UK.SubjectsAdults from 842 households randomly selected from the electoral register.ResultsOver half of the participants (57·0 %) were aware of the health benefits of fish consumption and reported health as a primary motivator for purchasing fish; however, only 26·8 % actively sought to purchase fish from a sustainable source (e.g. Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish). Only 30·6 % of participants met cur...

Atlantic salmon fry (0+) sampled from the River Alta exhibited only minor differences in stomach content weights and feeding rates throughout diel periods, but feeding rates were generally lowest at night. In contrast, salmon parr (1+ to 3+) had large diel fluctuations in stomach content weight, with the largest weights usually being recorded during the night and early morning. Accordingly, their feeding rates were highest at night. This nocturnal feeding pattern was consistent throughout all sampling occasions, and appeared to reflect a persistent feeding periodicity in the salmon parr. The daily food consumption rates of both fry and parr were highest during midsummer and decreased towards autumn. 1999 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

The present conservation status of the endemic fleshwater fish of Spain is reviewed and compared with a former list made in 1986. Ten taxa (species and subspecies) are exclusively endemic to Spanish waters, 13 are lberian endemics (Spain and Portugal), while three other species are also found in neighbouring European (France and Italy) or African (Algeria) countries. Endemic species belong to the families Clupeidae (33% of the native taxa), Cyprinidae (87%), Cobitidae (100%) and Cyprinodontidae (100%). A greater part of the endemic fish fauna is threatened, since three taxa are endangered, five vulnerable, seven rare and two insufficiently known.

The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional value of adult commercial cuttlefish, to develop a Quality Index Method (QIM) scheme, and to evaluate the application of some biochemical methods commonly used for freshness assessment of fish under ice storage. Additionally, shelf-life was to be determined based on both QIM and suitable biochemical methods. The nutritional value of the cuttlefish mantle in the first 24 h and after 13 days was determined. Captured cuttlefish was composed (g/100 g) by 16.60 AE 0.10 g protein, 0.09 AE 0.01 g fat, 79.55 AE 0.14 g moisture and 1.39 AE 0.03 g of ash. After 13 days of ice storage, cuttlefish was composed (g/100 g) of 11.90 AE 0.28 g protein, 0.17 AE 0.09 g fat, 87.04 AE 0.13 g moisture and 0.52 AE 0.01 g of ash. Differences (p < 0.001) were found in protein, ash and moisture but not in fat (p > 0.05). These results seem to indicate that there is impregnation of the iced water into the mantle tissue promoting protein leaching with the melting ice. TVB-N and TMA-N displayed a similar increasing tendency, peaking beyond EEC regulations proposed maximum between the 9th and 10th days. The developed QIM scheme for cuttlefish was composed of 29 demerit points, divided into 4 attributes and 13 parameters. The calculated quality index (QI) evolved linearly with storage time in ice (QI ¼ 2.68 Â days in ice À 0.61, R 2 ¼ 0.9866). Storage time could be estimated with an accuracy of AE 1 day, if five cuttlefish from each sample were included in the QIM assessment. The shelf-life was determined as 8 AE 1 days by both type of methods (QIM and biochemical). However, the suitability of some biochemical methods to assess freshness need to be more thoroughly researched.

Les fouilles archeologiques menees en Norvege arctique au cours des quarante dernieres annees ont fourni une excellente base a la comprehension de l&#39;interaction des hommes avec l&#39; environnement pendant plusieurs milliers d&#39;annees, ainsi qu&#39;un apercu important des relations inter-culturelles complexes entre les populations norvegiennes et Sami. Les recherches dirigees par le Pr. Reidar Bertelsen, de l&#39;Universite de Tromso, de 1975 a nos jours, ont permis de documenter l&#39;evolution d&#39;un centre proto-urbain date d&#39;environ 1200 apres J.-C., le site de Vagan, pres du centre de peche industrielle moderne des iles Lofoten. Le centre a evolue en un carrefour important dans le commerce grandissant de la morue au Moyen Age, canalisant les ressources vers le sud de Bergen et vers le reseau commercial hanseatique. Ce site est capital pour comprendre la transformation d&#39;une societe septentrionale maritime autonome en une zone peripherique du coeur de l&#39;Euro...

Fish communities and habitat structures were evaluated by underwater visual censuses a rocky location impacted by thermal discharge (I) and at two control locations, one in a Sargassum bed (C1) and the other in a rocky shore with higher structural complexity (C2). Habitat indicators and fish communities exhibited significant differences between the impacted and control locations, with the impacted one

A new method for the molecular detection of the fish pathogens, infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) and infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV), is described. By employing molecular padlock probe (MPP) technology combined with rolling circle amplification (RCA) and hyperbranching (Hbr), it is possible to detect RNA target sequence from these viruses at levels comparable with those detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), but without prior reverse transcription. The use of MPP technology combined with RCA and Hbr for the detection of IHNV and ISAV in fish exhibited selectivity comparable with that of PCR while potentially reducing the time and cost required for analysis. The method described was used to detect as few as 10 4 DNA oligonucleotide targets and was sequence-specific at the single base level. Viral RNA could be detected directly, either alone or in the presence of non-viral RNA from fish tissue. This technology is applicable for detecting a variety of microbes, in addition to IHNV and ISAV, and is ideal for further integration into a biosensor platform for on-site diagnosis of pathogen infection in fish.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph), which results from a balanced translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22, the t(9;22)(q34;q11.2). In 5e10% of the cases, variants of the Ph (vPh) are detected, involving various breakpoints in addition to 9q34 and 22q11.2. Deletions on the der(9) and der(22) can be detected in approximately 10e15% of CML patients. The frequency of a deletion of the der(9) in vPh CML is variable. Most studies have shown high frequencies (30e45%) in this subgroup. We report the cytogenetic evaluation of 25 vPh cases, which represents 6.8% of the CML cases diagnosed at one institution in 20 years. The breakpoints of the partners of the vPh in our patients agree with those reported previously, except for a novel 18q23. We found a low incidence of deletions of the der(9) (10%) and der(22) (5%) in these patients, contrasting with several reports in the literature. This finding may reflect the extensive spectrum of aberrations in vPh, and the possibility that a considerable group of these aberrations may not affect the genetic stability of 5 0 ABL1 and 3 0 BCR. Epidemiologic differences may also exist and could explain our results. These differences would require further investigation.

Despite their involvement in different processes, histone genes have been analysed in few insects. In order to improve the knowledge about this important gene family, genes coding for histones have been analysed in the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum showing that at the amino acid level, aphid histones are highly conserved. In particular, data from A. pisum confirm that H1 is the most variable of the five histones, whereas histones H3 and H4 are highly conserved with the H3 almost identical from insects to vertebrates. A. pisum histone genes are organized in a quintet with the H1 gene followed by H2A and H2B genes that are adjacent and transcribed in same directions, in the opposite strand in respect to the H1 gene. At the 3' end of the histone cluster, genes H3 and H4 constitute an oppositely transcribed pair. The span of the aphid histone genes (more than 7 kb) is greater than the average length of the histone cluster till now reported in insects (about 5 kb). Furthermore, spacers that separate the aphid histone genes vary in length. The histone genes have been mapped in A. pisum and successively in the aphids Myzus persicae and Rhopalosiphum padi showing that they are present in a single large cluster located in an interstitial position of autosomes 1, differently from what reported in the Russian wheat aphid Diuraphis noxia, where histone genes have been localized in a telomere of the two X chromosomes suggesting a dynamic organization of this multigene family in aphids. Acknowledgements: we are greatly indebted to Emanuele Mazzoni (Università Cattolica di Piacenza, Italy) and Manuel Plantagenest (INRA, France) for sending us the aphid strains. This work is supported by the grant Experimental approach to the study of evolution from the Department of Animal Biology of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (M.M.).

Total mercury (T-Hg) and organic mercury (mainly methylmercury, MeHg) concentrations in the most important compartments (water, sediment, macrophytes, zooplankton, mussels and fish) of the shallow and eutrophic Lake Candia (Turin, Northern Italy) were measured. The decreasing sequence of the T-Hg concentrations is as follows: cat-fish (143 µg kg -1 d.w.), zooplankton (77 µg kg -1 d.w.), Unio pictorum mancus (37.9 µg kg -1 d.w.), macrophytes (28.9 µg kg -1 d.w.). The content of mercury in mussel tissues increased with the size of the animal, but the relationship between Hg concentration and tissue weight was negative, indicating that the rate of mercury accumulation was lower than the tissue growth rate. The amount of mercury accumulated in the mussels living in the lake sediments was estimated to be 0.54 µg m -2 . The importance of mercury biomagnification is also discussed.

Monoamine neurotransmitters (norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin) play an important role in reproduction and sexual behavior throughout the vertebrates. They are the first endogenous chemical signals in the regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitarygonadal (HPG) axis. In teleosts with behavioral sex determination, much is known about behavioral cues that induce sex reversal. The cues are social, processed via the visual system and depend on the ratio of females to males in the population. The mechanisms by which these external behavioral cues are converted to an internal chemical regulatory process are largely unknown. The protogynous Hawaiian saddleback wrasse, Thalassoma duperrey, was used to investigate the biological pathway mediating the conversion of a social cue into neuroendocrine events regulating sex reversal. Because monoamines play an important role in the regulation of the HPG axis, they were selected as likely candidates for such a conversion. To determine if monoamines could affect sex reversal, drugs affecting monoamines were used in an attempt to either induce sex reversal under non-permissive conditions, or prevent sex reversal under permissive conditions. Increasing norepinephrine or blocking dopamine or serotonin lead to sex reversal in experimental animals under non-permissive conditions. Increasing serotonin blocked sex reversal under permissive conditions, while blocking dopamine or norepinephrine retarded the process. The results presented here demonstrate that monoamines contribute significantly to the control sex reversal. Norepinephrine stimulates initiation and completion of gonadal sex of reversal as well as color change perhaps directly via its effects on the HPG axis. Dopamine exercises inhibitory action on the initiation of sex reversal while 5-HT inhibits both initiation and completion of sex reversal. The serotonergic system appears to be an integral part of the pathway mediating the conversion of a social cue into a neuroendocrine event. The complex organization of neurochemical events controlling the psychosocial, physiological, and anatomical events that constitute reversal of sexual identity includes monoamine neurotransmitters.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether water quality parameters commonly associated with primary productivity may be used to predict the susceptibility of a specific water body to exceed proposed fish consumption advisory limitation of 0.3 mg kg −1 . South Dakota currently has nine lakes and impoundments that exceed fish tissue mercury advisory limits of 1.0 mg kg −1 total mercury, far exceeding US Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration 0.3 mg kg −1 consumption criteria. Previous studies suggest that increased aquatic productivity may mitigate the effects of biological production and subsequent uptake of methyl mercury through bio-dilution; however, it is uncertain whether these trends may exist within highly alkaline and highly productive aquatic conditions common to South Dakota lakes and impoundments. Water quality parameters and fish tissue mercury data for northern pike and walleye were collected and assessed using existing South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Game Fish and Parks data. The data was initially screened using both parametric linear regression and non-parametric Mann-Whitney rank sum comparisons and further assessed using binary logistic regression and stepwise logistic regression methodology. Three separate phosphorus measurements (total, total dissolved, and Trophic State Index) and pH were determined to significantly correlate with increased mercury concentrations for the northern pike-in-impoundments model. However, phosphorus surprisingly was not a strong predictor for the remaining scenarios modeled. For the northern pike-in-natural lakes models, alkalinity was the most significant water quality parameter predicting increased mercury concentrations. Mercury concentrations for the walleye-in-natural lakes models were further influenced by pH and alkalinity. The water quality and fish tissue mercury interrelationships determined within this study suggest aquatic productivity, and consequential eutrophication processes appear to be reasonable indicators of fish tissue mercury susceptibility for aquatic conditions common to South Dakota and highlight the continuing need to minimize eutrophication through effective watershed management strategies.

Total Hg concentrations and Hg speciation were determined in bottom sediments of Marano lagoon to investigate the consequences of Hg phases on Wsh farms and shellWsh cultivation areas. Mercury phases were separated into cinnabar (HgS) and non-cinnabar compounds, via a thermo-desorption technique, in surface and core sediments; both of which had been contaminated by industrial wastes and mining activity residues. The former are due to an industrial complex, which has been producing cellulose, chlor-alkali and textile artiWcial Wbres since 1940. Processing and seepage wastewaters, which were historically discharged into the Aussa-Corno river system and therefore into the lagoon, have been signiWcantly reduced since 1984 due to the construction of wastewater treatment facilities. The second source is the Isonzo River, which has been the largest contributor of Hg into the northern Adriatic Sea since the 16th century due to Hg mining at the Idrija mine (western Slovenia). Red cinnabar (HgS) derived from the mining area is mostly stable and insoluble under current environmental conditions. In contrast, organically bound Hg, such as Hg bound to humic acids, has the potential to be transformed into bioavailable Hg compounds (for example, methylmercury). The presence of the two Hg forms permitted each Hg source to be quantiWed. It also allowed the areas with the highest risk of Hg contamination from Hg-rich sediment to be identiWed; thus potentially avoiding the transfer of Hg from the sediment into the water column and eventually into living biota. The results show that Hg Enrichment Factors in bottom sediments exceed values of 10 and cinnabar dominates the central sector near the main tidal channel where tidal Xux is more eVective. Non-cinnabar compounds were found to be enriched in Wne grained material and organic matter. In fact, up to 98% of total Hg at the Aussa-Corno river mouth and in the inner margin of the basin occurred in an organic form. This evidence, combined with the high contents of total Hg (4.1-6.6 g g ¡1 and EF > 10) measured in surface sediments, suggest that Hg in Marano lagoon is involved in biogeochemical transformations (e.g., methylation). 

International organizations and biodiversity scientists recognize three levels of biodiversity: genetic, species, and ecosystem. However, most studies with the goal of assessing biodiversity collect data at only a single level-that of the species. Even when multiple levels of biodiversity are considered, usually only ecosystem diversity is also evaluated. Genetic diversity is virtually never considered. Yet, genetic diversity is essential for the maintenance of populations and species over ecological and evolutionary time periods. Moreover, because components of genetic diversity are independent of either species or ecosystem diversity, genetic diversity can provide a unique measure by which to assess the value of regions for conservation. Regions can be valuable for conservation of their genetic resources regardless of their levels of species or ecosystem uniqueness or diversity. In general, the same methods and statistical programs that are used to answer questions about population genetics and phylogenetics are applicable to conservation genetics. Thus, numerous genetic techniques, laboratory methods, and statistical programs are available for assessing regional levels of genetic diversity for conservation considerations. Here, we provide the rationale, techniques available, field and laboratory protocols, and statistical programs that can be used to estimate the magnitude and type of genetic diversity in regions. We also provide information on how to obtain commonly utilized statistical programs and the type of analyses that they include. The guide that we present here can be used to conduct investigations of the genetic diversity of regions under consideration for conservation of their natural resources.

Increased productivity from sewage effluents can enhance species richness locally. Results from a study of spottail shiners (Notropis hudsonius) in 1999 showed that prevalence and the mean number of myxozoan parasite species per host were higher downstream of the wastewater outflow from the Island of Montreal than upstream in the St. Lawrence River, Quebec, Canada. This was attributed to organic enrichment of the sediments which presumably lead to increased densities of oligochaetes, the alternate hosts, downstream of Montreal. Spottail shiners subsequently were collected every August/early September in 2001-2004 to examine the stability and repeatability of these patterns. Prevalence and mean number of myxozoan species per fish typically were again higher downstream of the sewage source each year compared to upstream, although there was no significant difference in these measurements pooled across years between localities immediately upstream and downstream of the effluent outflow. Density of the oligochaete Limnodrilus hoffmeistereri, a common alternate host of myxozoans, was much higher at two downstream localities than at an upstream one. At a larger spatial scale, mean myxozoan infracommunity richness across sites in the St. Lawrence River was negatively correlated with mean water levels measured in the 3 months prior to fish sampling. Results suggest that on a local scale, variations in prevalence and diversity among localities are influenced by municipal effluents, but that at a landscape scale annual variations across sites are affected by the hydrological regime and climate. In effect, water level fluctuation had a landscape-wide impact that was superimposed over pollution-induced local variations.

Juvenile Atlantic halibut (40.5±9.1g mean initial body mass±SD) were reared at five different levels of oxygen availability (57%, 84%, 100%, 120%, and 150% of air saturation) for 94days. The availability of oxygen significantly affected the growth rate of the fish while feed conversion was not significantly different. The final size of fish reared at 57% of air saturation was significantly

Ž. Aflatoxin B AFB is classified as a Group I hepatocarcinogen in humans by the International Agency for Research on 1 1 Ž. Cancer IARC. The alkaline Comet assay is a simple and rapid method by which DNA damage can be demonstrated as a function of tail moment. The present work is the first to evaluate the genotoxicity of AFB in fish using the Comet assay. 1 Two different species of fish were selected as models due to previously established sensitivity to AFB : rainbow trout 1 Ž. Ž. sensitive and channel catfish resistant. Fish were i.p. injected with 0.5 mg AFB r1 ml DMSOr1 kg body weight. The 1 Comet assay was performed after 4 and 24 h on whole blood, liver, and kidney cells of both species. Trout blood and kidney Ž. Ž. tissue tested displayed significant p-0.05 and extensive DNA damage shown by increased tail moment after 4 h which then decreased by 24 h. In liver cells, damage progressively increased over time. Conversely, similarly treated catfish showed no elevation in DNA damage over controls at the same doses. These results suggest that the Comet assay is a useful tool for monitoring the genotoxicity of mycotoxins such as AFB and for evaluating organ specific effects of these agents in 1 different species.

Aquatic coastal systems are affected by high fluctuations in salinity and the zooplankton may rely on dispersal or dormancy to recolonise these environments. Here, we analysed the long-term dynamics of the zooplankton community over 6 years during large salinity fluctuations in a coastal lagoon (Garças Lagoon, Brazil) and the effect of salinity on the hatching patterns of the resting egg bank. We hypothesised that salinity is the main driving factor of the zooplankton community structure, and that increases in salinity reduce the species richness and the abundance of hatchlings. Multiple regression analysis showed that salinity was associated negatively with species richness in the open water, whereas total phosphorus and chlorophyll-a concentrations were negatively and positively related to abundance respectively. Redundancy analysis demonstrated that temporally structured environmental variables (total phosphorus and salinity) were important for zooplankton composition. Periods of...

Our ability to demonstrate statistical patterns of invasion by non-native species will determine the success of future management projects. We investigated the suitability of self-organizing maps (SOM, neural network) for patterning habitat invasion by exotic fish species at the regional scale (Southwest France), using a binary dataset of species occurrences. The SOM visualization can be used as an analytical tool to bring out relationships between sample locations and biological variables, but in addition the weight of each species in the output of the SOM can be interpreted as its occurrence probability in various geographic areas. After training the SOM with fish presence/absence data, the k-means algorithm helped to derive three major clusters of sites (headwater, montane, and plain areas). Each cluster was divided into two subsets of sites according to non-native fish, because assemblage compositions delineated different geological areas: Pyrenees Mountains, Massif Central Moun...

Fish communities and habitat structures were evaluated by underwater visual censuses a rocky location impacted by thermal discharge (I) and at two control locations, one in a Sargassum bed (C1) and the other in a rocky shore with higher structural complexity (C2). Habitat indicators and fish communities exhibited significant differences between the impacted and control locations, with the impacted one

This study investigated the behaviour of Pomacea bridgesii, describing the daily activity, substrate selection and the influence of the flood regime in the Amazon, the species’ native habitat. The present study described the daily activity and substrate selection, and evaluated the activity adaptations of the gastropods in a simulated flood-pulse regime. Gastropods were collected in Amazonas, Brazil, in June 2013. Assessments of the daily behaviour, substrate selection, and flood-pulse simulation were made in experimental water tanks. The snails were observed hourly for 48h, and their behaviour recorded on an ethogram. The snails were more active during the night, when up to 80% of them moved about. In general, during both day and night, the gastropods used the pebble substrate most often. Comparing the day periods, a significant proportion of the individuals that were using the pebbles moved to other substrates (t=5; d.f.=2; P=0.03). The interaction of the behaviour of P. bridgesii...

Six loci containing genes involved in the dioxin metabolism (ARNT, AHR, CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1 and AHRR) were assigned, for the first time, to cattle (Bos taurus, 2n=60, BTA), river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis, 2n=50, BBU), sheep (Ovis aries, 2n=54, OAR) and goat (Capra hircus, 2n=60, CHI) chromosomes by comparative FISH-mapping and R-banding using bovine BAC-clones. The following chromosome locations were found: ARNT to BTA3q21, BBU6q21, OAR1p21 and CHI3q21, AHR to BTA4q15, BBU8q15, OAR4q15 and CHI4q15; CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 to BTA21q17, BBU20q17, OAR18q17 and CHI21q17; CYP1B1 to BTA11q16, BBU12q22, OAR3p16 and CHI11q16, AHRR to BTA20q24, BBU19q24, OAR16q24 and CHI20q24. All loci were mapped at the same homoeologous chromosomes and chromosome bands of the four bovid species. Comparisons with corresponding human locations were also reported.

Identifying the respective role of environmental, landscape and management factors in explaining the patterns in community composition is an important goal in ecology. Using a set of 32 temporary ponds in northern Morocco we studied the respective importance of local (within the pond) and regional (density of ponds in landscape) factors and the impacts of different land uses on the plant species assemblages, separating pond and terrestrial species. The main hypotheses tested were that (1) species assemblages respond to both local and regional environmental factors, (2) anthropogenic pressure has a negative influence on the number of pond species, and that (3) human activities differ in their impact on pond biodiversity. The results showed that (1) local factors explain most of the variation in plant community composition, and (2) land use impacts the communities through changing local environmental conditions, leading to a loss of typical pond species. Aside from recreation, all oth...

Parasites constitute the majority of coral reef animal diversity and are believed to contribute significantly to host, community and trophic dynamics. Anilocra spp. are large conspicuous ectoparasitic isopods, making them ideal models for host–parasite studies. In the tropical western Atlantic and Caribbean, Anilocra haemuli infects the ecologically important French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum). French grunt are trophic connectors between reef and seagrass environments, and how A. haemuli infection influences connectivity is unknown. As a first step in understanding the French grunt–A. haemuli association, we conducted reef surveys during three consecutive years to quantify the abundance and prevalence of infected fish on reef sites in the north-eastern Caribbean. We examined their correlations with fish population and aggregation size, and social affiliation. Annual infected fish abundance and prevalence per site ranged from 0–24 fish and 0–66%. Prevalence: (1) appeared autocorre...

The biotic composition, structure, and function of aquatic, wetland, and riparian ecosystem depend largely on the hydrological regime (Poff, N.L., Ward, J.V., 1990. Implications of streamflow variability and predictability for lotic community structure: a regional analysis of streamflow patterns. Can. J. Fisheries Aquat. Sci. 46, 1805-1818; Richter, B.D., Baumgartner, J.V., Wiginton, R., Braun, D.P., 1997 How much water does a river need? Freshwater Biol. 37, 231-249). Available flow data for many rivers in the world can be used to validate these ecological theories. There is a demand for studies that use hydrological indices to establish criteria, which serve to group together regime types at a local level. Once this has been done, these hydrologically similar groups can be used to identify communities of living organisms that are linked to specific aspects of the river's behaviour.

Purpose: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the genitourinary tract is a spindled soft tissue lesion that is often mistaken for sarcoma. These tumors have been described in numerous sites in the body and have been assigned many names. The relationship between inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor and other morphologically similar entities has been a longstanding source of controversy. We investigated whether inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors in adults and children are the same entity, and whether inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is part of a biological spectrum that includes benign and malignant entities at opposite ends.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is becoming popular in the diagnosis of clonal chromosomal abnormalities. We set up a fast FISH procedure using an extensive set of specific probes. Conventional banding analysis (CBA) and FISH were compared in 260 newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. For FISH the following probes were used: MLL, CBF-b/MYH11, ETV-6/AML1; AML1/ETO, BCR/ABL, PML/RAR, c-MYC, TP53, RB1, 5q31/5p15.2, 5q33-34, 7q31/CEP7 , 20q13; CEP 4, X, Y. Result time was 96 h for CBA versus 5 h for FISH from direct harvest. CBA showed clonal abnormalities in 41% (n ¼ 105/ 260), normal karyotype in 39% (n ¼ 102/260) and failed in 20% (n ¼ 53/260). FISH screened all patients and detected abnormalities in 39% (n ¼ 102/260); CBA and FISH together identified abnormalities in 49% (n ¼ 128/260). In six patients with normal CBA and in eight patients with clonal karyotype, it detected further cryptic abnormalities. CBA showed clonal abnormalities in 13% of patients negative at FISH (n ¼ 21/158). FISH screening does not add relevant information to CBA, but is the quickest method for detecting major genetic abnormalities in AML. The speed of FISH is very valuable in AML-M3/M3v because PML/RAR þ patients require specific therapy. Furthermore, we suggest FISH screening in failed, complex or suboptimal quality chromosome and specific FISH analysis for 5q, 7q, 12p, 17p, inv(16), t(11q23) in order to implement CBA accuracy.

Benign fibrous histiocytoma (BFH) is a mesenchymal tumor that most often occurs in the skin (socalled dermatofibroma), but may also appear in soft tissues (so-called deep BFH) and in the skeleton (so-called non-ossifying fibroma). The origin of BFH is unknown, and it has been questioned whether it is a true neoplasm. Chromosome banding, fluorescence in situ hybridization, single nucleotide polymorphism arrays, RNA sequencing, RT-PCR and quantitative real-time PCR were used to search for recurrent somatic mutations in a series of BFH. BFHs were found to harbor recurrent fusions of genes encoding membrane-associated proteins (podoplanin, CD63 and LAMTOR1) with genes encoding protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms PRKCB and PRKCD. PKCs are serine-threonine kinases that through their many phosphorylation targets are implicated in a variety of cellular processes, as well as tumor development. When inactive, the amino-terminal, regulatory domain of PKCs suppresses the activity of their catalytic domain. Upon activation, which requires several steps, they typically translocate to cell membranes, where they interact with different signaling pathways. The detected PDPN-PRKCB, CD63-PRKCD and LAMTOR1-PRKCD gene fusions are all predicted to result in chimeric proteins consisting of the membrane-binding part of PDPN, CD63 or LAMTOR1 and the entire catalytic domain of the PKC. This novel pathogenetic mechanism should result in constitutive kinase activity at an ectopic location. The results show that BFH indeed is a true neoplasm, and that distorted PKC activity is essential for tumorigenesis. The findings also provide means to differentiate BFH from other skin and soft tissue tumors. This article is part of a Directed Issue entitled: Rare cancers.