Gonadal Development in European Eel Populations of North Adriatic Lagoons at Different Silvering Stages

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla, Linnaeus 1758) is a catadromous fish with significant cultural, scientific, and commercial value. The protection of this species is particularly difficult because the biology of the eel life cycle remains unknown in many aspects. The European eel (A. anguilla) population has declined alarmingly over the past 30 years; this condition has led to questions about the long-term welfare of this species. This work aims to perform a histological analysis on gonad samples from European eels coming from four different lagoons of the North Adriatic at different stages of silvering, and to evaluate the maturation of the gonads. For this study, a total of 859 wild eels were captured from four different lagoons using the “lavoriero”. Subsequently, the biometric parameters were collected. Seventy-nine female eels were randomly selected, dissected, and the gonads were removed for histological analysis. Sections of 4 m were cut and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Histological observations of germ cells at the light microscopy level allowed for the characterization of six steps of oocyte maturation. Valle di Comacchio had the highest levels of oocyte maturation, while Valle Ca’ Pasta had the lowest. Eels with silver index III had an oocyte maturation nearly equal to that of eels at stages IV and V of silvering. Considering the results, we can affirm that eels from North Adriatic lagoons have high oocyte maturation levels and high GSI value indices at silvering stage III. The following experimental work shows that the levels of oocyte maturation are higher even at lower silver index levels. It can be hypothesized that in these eels, the transition from yellow to silver eel occurs faster in relation to the high trophic availability in North Adriatic lagoons

Correlation between sperm parameters and circulating thyroid hormones and testosterone concentrations in Labrador Retriever dog

Thyroid hormones physiologically regulate the semen quality, by altering testosterone concentrations, and different seminal parameters, as well as sperm motility, viability and semen volume. Serum thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and testosterone (T) concentrations were measured in 26 adult Labrador Retriever dogs (n. 20 normospermic and n. 6 azoospermic groups), aged 3 ± 0.5 years old, to determine their specific references, by taking into account the related conventional and kinematic sperm parameters and clinical ultrasound evaluations. The mean values of T4, fT4, TSH and T concentrations, as soon as those of sperm parameters and clinical evaluations of normospermic group were in line with dog's physiological range of literature data. Normospermic group showed significant correlations between T4 and T (r = −0.681; p < .01), sperm progressive motility (%) (r = −0.623; p < .01), and sperm non-progressive motility (%) (r = 0.625; p < .02). The azoospermic group showed higher T4, fT4, TSH and lower T concentrations, compared to normospermic group, and a positive correlation between T4 and T (r = 0.8548; p < .046). The use of breed-specific hormonal ranges and sperm parameters will improve the knowledge of their interaction in Labrador Retriever dogs, adding a new segment of scientific literature.Highlights Thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and testosterone (T) concentrations were measured in male dogs. Conventional and kinematic sperm parameters were also evaluated. Dogs were divided in 20 normospermic and n. 6 azoospermic Labrador Retrivers. Azoospermic group showed higher values of T4, fT4, TSH and lower values of T compared to normospermic Use of breed-specific hormonal ranges and sperm parameters will improve the knowledge of scientific literature

Sexual behaviour and reproductive performance of the endangered European eel Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758) based on direct observationsand paternity assignment in semi-natural conditions

European eel Anguilla anguilla is among the highly valued species for aquaculture. Since its peculiar biology, it is not yet possible to complete the whole life cycle in artificial conditions and its supply depends entirely on wild catches. In the last 50 years this species has suffered a population reduction of 99 % mainly due to overfishing. In a conservation perspective, it is of fundamental importance to improve the aquaculture production of European eel, to avoid the extinction of this species and preserve its residual genetic variability, allowing at the same time the fulfilling of costumers request without increasing its harvesting pressure. In this study we aimed to deepen the knowledge about the mechanisms at the basis of reproduction of the European eel in semi-natural conditions, through direct observation of spawning behaviour and through the paternity assignment using microsatellite markers. The systematic and prolonged observation of the reproductive behaviour of European eel and the contextual parentage analyses we carried out for the very first time in this species on 39 adults and 432 F1 randomly collected. We contributed to unravel the sexual behaviour of this species in the most common artificial reproduction conditions (polyandry), and define the precise courtship sequence until the release of gametes, and the male-male hierarchy in courtship. We characterized for the first time three main types of male: dominant (the first who starts the courtship, and the one with the majority of F1 assigned), subordinate (which starts the courtship only in a second time and with a minor percentage of F1 ascribed) and ineffective (which sometime appears totally disinterested to courtship and has few F1 or none). The evidences here produced represent an important attempt for developing good reproduction practices of the critically endangered European eel, providing a good starting point for its future aquaculture production

Effects of Environmental Enrichment on the Behavior of Octopus vulgaris in a Recirculating Aquaculture System

Octopus vulgaris is a commercially valuable species. It is overexploited in the natural environment and is considered to be an innovative species for aquaculture. However, large-scale farming is generally designed only based on economic requirements, disregarding any form of enrichment that induces the natural behavior of aquatic species. Although many studies have shown the influence of environmental enrichment on terrestrial vertebrates, fish, and cephalopod mollusks, information on the effect of environmental enrichment on the body patterns of O. vulgaris is limited. Therefore, in this study, we assessed how different environmental conditions (Basic vs. Enriched) affect sub-adults of O. vulgaris kept in recirculation systems, through qualitative–quantitative studies of the main body patterns and their potential application in the commercial production of this species. The results indicated that octopuses kept in the enriched environment showed several body patterns and gained a significantly higher weight than those kept in the basic environment. The body patterns displayed by the individuals kept in the basic environment were similar to those exhibited under situations of hostility and inter/intra-specific conflict. Hence, the environment of octopuses needs to be enriched, especially for the large-scale production of this species

Effects of environmental enrichment on the behavior of Octopus vulgaris in a recirculating aquaculture system

Octopus vulgaris is a commercially valuable species. It is overexploited in the natural envi-24 ronment and is considered to be an innovative species for aquaculture. However, large-scale farm-25 ing is generally designed only based on economic requirements, disregarding any form of enrich-26 ment that to induce the natural behavior of aquatic species. Although many studies have shown the 27 influence of environmental enrichment on terrestrial vertebrates, fish, and cephalopod mollusks, 28 information on the effect of environmental enrichment on the body patterns of O. vulgaris is limited. 29 Therefore, in this study, we assessed how different environmental conditions (Basic vs. Enriched) 30 affect sub-adults of O. vulgaris kept in recirculation systems, through qualitative–quantitative stud-31 ies of the main body patterns and their potential application in the commercial production of this 32 species. The results indicated that octopuses kept in the enriched environment showed several body 33 patterns and gained a significantly higher weight than those kept in the basic environment. The 34 body patterns displayed by the individuals kept in the basic environment were similar to those 35 exhibited under situations of hostility and inter/intra-specific conflict. Hence, the environment of 36 octopuses needs to be enriched, especially for the large-scale production of this species

Lista bibliografica

Questa lista bibliografica contiene il secondo aggiornamento della bibliografia della Lisy e deriva dall’assemblaggio da parte della redazione (M. Serdoz ed E. Panfili) dei contributi parziali stilati dai gruppi regionali

New national and regional Annex I Habitat records: from #45 to #59

New Italian data on the distribution of Annex I Habitats are reported in this contribution. Specifically, 8 new occurrences in Natura 2000 sites are presented and 27 new cells are added in the EEA 10 km × 10 km reference grid. The new data refer to the Italian administrative regions of Apulia, Campania, Calabria, Lazio, Tuscany, Umbria, Sardinia, and Sicily

Management of acute diverticulitis with pericolic free gas (ADIFAS). an international multicenter observational study

Background: There are no specific recommendations regarding the optimal management of this group of patients. The World Society of Emergency Surgery suggested a nonoperative strategy with antibiotic therapy, but this was a weak recommendation. This study aims to identify the optimal management of patients with acute diverticulitis (AD) presenting with pericolic free air with or without pericolic fluid. Methods: A multicenter, prospective, international study of patients diagnosed with AD and pericolic-free air with or without pericolic free fluid at a computed tomography (CT) scan between May 2020 and June 2021 was included. Patients were excluded if they had intra-abdominal distant free air, an abscess, generalized peritonitis, or less than a 1-year follow-up. The primary outcome was the rate of failure of nonoperative management within the index admission. Secondary outcomes included the rate of failure of nonoperative management within the first year and risk factors for failure. Results: A total of 810 patients were recruited across 69 European and South American centers; 744 patients (92%) were treated nonoperatively, and 66 (8%) underwent immediate surgery. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Hinchey II-IV on diagnostic imaging was the only independent risk factor for surgical intervention during index admission (odds ratios: 12.5, 95% CI: 2.4-64, P =0.003). Among patients treated nonoperatively, at index admission, 697 (94%) patients were discharged without any complications, 35 (4.7%) required emergency surgery, and 12 (1.6%) percutaneous drainage. Free pericolic fluid on CT scan was associated with a higher risk of failure of nonoperative management (odds ratios: 4.9, 95% CI: 1.2-19.9, P =0.023), with 88% of success compared to 96% without free fluid ( P &lt;0.001). The rate of treatment failure with nonoperative management during the first year of follow-up was 16.5%. Conclusion: Patients with AD presenting with pericolic free gas can be successfully managed nonoperatively in the vast majority of cases. Patients with both free pericolic gas and free pericolic fluid on a CT scan are at a higher risk of failing nonoperative management and require closer observation

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio