Ratiometric double channel borondipyrromethene based chemodosimeter for the selective detection of nerve agent mimics

A new chromo-fluorogenic probe based on the borondipyrromethene dye has been synthesized. The dye has been attached to a sensing unit for the diethylcyanophosphonate and di-isopropylfluorophosphate detection. The new probe has been fully characterized, and its optical properties in front of these simulants have been evaluated. No interference from other organo-phosphorous or other common contaminants compounds has been observed in the detection conditions. A portable kit has been developed and tested to demonstrate its practical application in real-time monitoring not only in solution but also in gas phase.We thank the Spanish Government and the European FEDER funds (project MAT2012-38429-C04-02 and 01). SCSIE and ICMOL (Universidad de Valencia) are gratefully acknowledged for all the equipment employed. R.G. is grateful to the Spanish Ministry of Education for its FPU grant. Knut Rurack is gratefully acknowledged for the life-time measurements performed at his lab.Gotor, R.; Costero Nieto, AM.; Gaviña, P.; Gil Grau, S. (2014). Ratiometric double channel borondipyrromethene based chemodosimeter for the selective detection of nerve agent mimics. Dyes and Pigments. 108:76-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dyepig.2014.04.011S768310

Pyridines from azabicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-4-ones through a proposed azacyclopentadienone

Pyridines have been formed by heating azabicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-4-ones in toluene. The generation of a 3-azacyclopentadienone intermediate via a [2+2]-cycloreversion is proposed as the key step. A Diels-Alder reaction of a styrene, extrusion of carbon monoxide and loss of hydrogen then gives the pyridine. The process parallels the well-known synthesis of benzenes from cyclopentadienones. The azabicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-4-ones were synthesized from the reaction between readily available cyclopropenones and 1-azetines, in which the cyclopropenones behave as all-carbon 1,3-dipolar equivalents

Predictions of response to selection caused by angling in a wild population of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Recreational angling activities in wild populations of Atlantic salmon may induce a selection pressure towards a reduction in body size and length if the angling season coincides with the return of the largest sea age fish class. Using estimates of heritability for growth traits and estimates of the selection pressure from angling operating on growth, we predicted the response to selection expected to occur in a wild population of Atlantic salmon. The dataset used here comprised individuals from two consecutive generations (parents and offspring) from the River Bidasoa (NW Spain). Offspring were assigned to parents using six highly polymorphic microsatellite loci. Use of restricted maximum likelihood methodology and the animal model allowed us to estimate the heritability for body length and body weight as well as their genetic correlation. Estimated heritabilities (0.32 ± 0.12 for length and 0.32 ± 0.11 for weight) and selection pressure caused by angling were used to obtain predictions of response to selection because of angling. Our results suggested a decline of 1.9 mm in body length and 103.3 g in body weight per generation because of angling pressure. The results derived from this study suggest that the angling season should be annually delayed in order to avoid selective angling of the multi-year class and further reductions in body weight and length. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Disease resistance in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) Coinfection of the intracellular bacterial pathogen Piscirickettsia salmonis and the sea louse Caligus rogercresseyi

Background Naturally occurring coinfections of pathogens have been reported in salmonids, but their consequences on disease resistance are unclear. We hypothesized that 1) coinfection of Caligus rogercresseyi reduces the resistance of Atlantic salmon to Piscirickettsia salmonis; and 2) coinfection resistance is a heritable trait that does not correlate with resistance to a single infection. Methodology In total, 1,634 pedigreed Atlantic salmon were exposed to a single infection (SI) of P. salmonis (primary pathogen) or coinfection with C. rogercresseyi (secondary pathogen). Low and high level of coinfection were evaluated (LC = 44 copepodites per fish; HC = 88 copepodites per fish). Survival and quantitative genetic analyses were performed to determine the resistance to the single infection and coinfections. Main Findings C. rogercresseyi significantly increased the mortality in fish infected with P. salmonis (SI mortality = 251/545; LC mortality = 544/544 and HC mortality = 545/545). Heritability estimates for resistance to P. salmonis were similar and of medium magnitude in all treatments (h2 SI = 0.2360.07; h2 LC = 0.1760.08; h2 HC = 0.2460.07). A large and significant genetic correlation with regard to resistance was observed between coinfection treatments (rg LC-HC = 0.9960.01) but not between the single and coinfection treatments (rg SI-LC =20.1460.33; rg SI-HC = 0.3260.34). Conclusions/Significance C. rogercresseyi, as a secondary pathogen, reduces the resistance of Atlantic salmon to the pathogen P. salmonis. Resistance to coinfection of Piscirickettsia salmonis and Caligus rogercresseyi in Atlantic salmon is a heritable trait. The absence of a genetic correlation between resistance to a single infection and resistance to coinfection indicates that different genes control these processes. Coinfection of different pathogens and resistance to coinfection needs to be considered in future research on salmon farming, selective breeding and conservation. © 2014 Lhorente et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Quantitative genetic basis for resistance to Caligus rogercresseyi sea lice in a breeding population of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

A total of 1511 Atlantic salmon smolts representing 75 full-sib and 40 half-sib families from the Antares S.A. breeding program were challenged with Caligus rogercresseyi in order to assess the quantitative genetic components of resistance to infection by this parasite. After three weeks of acclimatization in the experimental hatchery conditions, fish were distributed in three 6-m 3 tanks, with an equal number of fish per family per tank. An infection rate of 100 copepods per fish was used for the experiment. Resistance/susceptibility was recorded individually at approximately 5days (range=4-7days) after infestation as the number of sessile lice per fish on all fins (FSL), the estimated total number of sessile lice per fish (TSL), and the total number of sessile lice per fish per unit of body weight (TSL/BW s). Resistance/susceptibility was also recorded at approximately 25days (range=24-26days) after infestation as the total number of mobile lice per fish (TML) and the total number of mobile lice per fish per unit of body weight (TML/BW m). The level of infestation on days 5 and 25 post-infestation was 30.7 (SD=16.3) sessile parasites (TSL) and 13.2 (SD=6.0) mobile parasites (TML), respectively. A high level of phenotypic variation was observed for parasite load traits when considering fin and total counts as well as counts per unit of body weight (CV=46-56%). Significant differences between tanks (P<0.05) were observed in FSL and TSL. Weight was included as a covariate (P<0.05) when performing the genetic analysis on FSL, TSL and TML. Estimated heritabilities for parasite counts in the sessile stage were of low to medium magnitude (0.22-0.34), whereas in the mobile stage heritabilities were very low (0.03-0.06) and not significantly different from zero (P>0.05). The genetic correlations between parasite counts in the sessile (FSL, TSL) and the mobile (TML) stages were very high (0.99). Also, body weight shows a high genetic correlation with fish parasite count measured at both the sessile (0.61-0.65) and the mobile stages (0.95). These results show that there is enough additive genetic variation for selection to be applied for improving resistance to sea lice. Measurement of genetic resistance in the sessile stage is a better option than measurement in the mobile stage as a selection criterion in breeding programs of Atlantic salmon aimed at improving resistance to C. rogercresseyi. © 2011 Elsevier B.V

Genomic study for maternal related traits in Santa Inês sheep breed

The aim of this study was to estimate variance components and to identify genomic regions and pathways associated with maternal related traits in Santa Inês sheep breed adapted to tropical climate. Phenotypic records for maternal efficiency (ME), metabolic maternal efficiency (MME), twin lambing (TL), adult weight (AW), metabolic adult weight (MAW), and body condition score (BCS) from 1333 ewes from Santa Inês breed were used. A total of 576 animals were genotyped with the Ovine SNP12k BeadChip (Illumina, Inc.), that contains 12,785 bialleleic SNP markers. The variance components were estimated using a single trait animal model by single step genomic BLUP procedure. For AW, MAW, BCS, ME, MME and TL the mean values were 50.30 (±9.76), 19.2 (±2.33), 2.76 (±0.72), 34.6 (±15.95), 91.8 (±42.52), and 1.27 (±0.44), respectively. The heritabilities estimated were moderate for AW (0.32) and MAW (0.33) and low for BCS (0.04), ME (0.07), MME (0.08), and TL (0.10). A total of 7, 8, 13, 16, 19, and 09 candidate regions for ME, MME, TL, AW, MAW and BCS traits were identified, respectively. AW and MAW had a total of 15 regions in common, while AW and BCS had a common region on chromosome 21. ME and MME had six candidate regions in common, and TL had no common regions with any other features. The maternal indicator traits have genetic variability to respond to selection in Santa Inês breed, and it would be expected higher genetic gain for ewe adult weight when compared to the others studied traits. Several candidate regions related to growth, reproduction, lactation and enviromental adaptability were identified in this study. These candidate regions would give support to identify and select animals with higher maternal efficiency and fitness, and consequently, increase the productivity of Santa Inês sheep. Moreover, the results of this study should help to understand the genetic and physiologic mechanism associated with maternal related traits in Santa Inês breed