Microradiography as a useful technique for the rapid detection of skeletal anomalies in early sea bream juveniles

no abstract availabl

Rearing in captivity affects spermatogenesis and sperm quality in greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili (Risso, 1810)

The greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili (Risso, 1810), is a promising candidate for the diversification of European aquaculture production, but inconsistent reproduction in captivity prevents commercial production. Recent studies showed that greater amberjack confined in sea cages exhibited scarce gonad development and early interruption of gametogenic activity during the reproductive season. The aim of the present study was to improve our understanding of the observed impairment of spermatogenesis. Adult wild and captive-reared males were sampled during 3 different phases of the reproductive cycle: early gametogenesis (EARLY; late April to early May), advanced gametogenesis (ADVANCED; late May to early June), and spawning (SPAWNING; late June to July). Spermatogonial stem cells and proliferating germ cells were identified through the immunohistochemical localization of Pou5f1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, respectively. Apoptotic germ cells were identified throughout the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated 2â -deoxyuridine 5â -triphosphate nick end labeling method. Sperm quality of captive-reared fish was evaluated using computer-assisted sperm analysis. Captive-reared males exhibited seminiferous lobules of a smaller diameter, a precocious and progressive decrease of spermatogonial mitosis, and a high level of apoptosis at the beginning of the reproductive season, concomitant with a many-fold higher 17β-estradiol plasma concentration. The motile spermatozoa percentage of captive greater amberjack was lower than in other teleosts, and a drastic decrease of spermatozoa motility duration, velocity, and ATP content occurred along the reproductive season. An abnormal increase of sperm concentration as well as an increase of dead spermatozoa occurred during the SPAWNING phase, probably because of lack of sperm hydration and ejaculation and consequent sperm ageing. The present study demonstrates the extreme susceptibility of greater amberjack to rearing stress and underscores the need for improvement of the rearing and handling procedures to ameliorate gametogenesis dysfunctions in commercial aquaculture production

Male germ cell proliferation and apoptosis in sexually immature meagre Argyrosomus regius (Asso, 1801) treated with recombinant follicle stimulating hormone

The meagre Argyrosomus regius (Asso, 1801) is a marine fish species that has an increasing aquaculture production in Europe. Lowering the age at maturity of hatchery-produced juveniles would support meagre aquaculture by reducing time between generations in selective breeding programs and reducing industrial costs for broodstock maintenance. The aim of this work was to assess the effects of a treatment with recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFsh), produced in ovarian cells of Chinese hamsters, on male germ cell proliferation and apoptosis in sexually immature meagre. The rFsh-treated fish had higher gonadosomatic index, larger seminiferous tubules, more abundant luminal spermatozoa, a lower density of anti-PCNA positive single A spermatogonia, a higher density of anti-PCNA positive spermatocysts and a lower incidence of germ cell apoptosis than control groups. The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of the produced rFsh in stimulating testis development and spermatogenesis in pre-pubertal meagre. Moreover, the rFsh treatment proved to be highly efficient in removing the apoptotic block of spermatogenesis observed in juvenile meagre, allowing spermatogonial survival and progress towards meiosis. The administration of rFsh did not stimulate spermatogonial self-renewal, a process whose control still needs to be elucidated.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Rearing in captivity affects spermatogenesis and sperm quality in greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili (Risso, 1810)

The greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili (Risso, 1810), is a promising candidate for the diversification of European aquaculture production, but inconsistent reproduction in captivity prevents commercial production. Recent studies showed that greater amberjack confined in sea cages exhibited scarce gonad development and early interruption of gametogenic activity during the reproductive season. The aim of the present study was to improve our understanding of the observed impairment of spermatogenesis. Adult wild and captive-reared males were sampled during 3 different phases of the reproductive cycle: early gametogenesis (EARLY; late April to early May), advanced gametogenesis (ADVANCED; late May to early June), and spawning (SPAWNING; late June to July). Spermatogonial stem cells and proliferating germ cells were identified through the immunohistochemical localization of Pou5f1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, respectively. Apoptotic germ cells were identified throughout the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated 2â -deoxyuridine 5â -triphosphate nick end labeling method. Sperm quality of captive-reared fish was evaluated using computer-assisted sperm analysis. Captive-reared males exhibited seminiferous lobules of a smaller diameter, a precocious and progressive decrease of spermatogonial mitosis, and a high level of apoptosis at the beginning of the reproductive season, concomitant with a many-fold higher 17β-estradiol plasma concentration. The motile spermatozoa percentage of captive greater amberjack was lower than in other teleosts, and a drastic decrease of spermatozoa motility duration, velocity, and ATP content occurred along the reproductive season. An abnormal increase of sperm concentration as well as an increase of dead spermatozoa occurred during the SPAWNING phase, probably because of lack of sperm hydration and ejaculation and consequent sperm ageing. The present study demonstrates the extreme susceptibility of greater amberjack to rearing stress and underscores the need for improvement of the rearing and handling procedures to ameliorate gametogenesis dysfunctions in commercial aquaculture production

The observed oogenesis impairment in greater amberjack Seriola dumerili (Risso, 1810) reared in captivity is not related to an insufficient liver transcription or oocyte uptake of vitellogenin

The greater amberjack Seriola dumerili is an excellent candidate for the Mediterranean aquaculture, due to its large body size and high growth rate, as well as its high flesh quality and commercial value worldwide. For its successful incorporation in the aquaculture industry, an in-depth understanding of the reproductive function of the species under rearing conditions is necessary, since completion of oogenesis in captivity is currently a bottleneck for the commercial production of the species. Liver and ovary samples from wild and captive-reared greater amberjack females were collected at three different phases of the reproductive cycle: early gametogenesis (EARLY, late April-early May), advanced gametogenesis (ADVANCED, late May-early June) and spawning (SPAWNING, late June-July). The cDNAs of three vitellogenins (VtgA, VtgB and VtgC) were partially sequenced and a qRT-PCR for their expression was used to compare ovarian maturity stage and liver vitellogenin transcript levels between wild and captive-reared individuals. An extensive atresia of late vitellogenic follicles, which prevented any further oocyte development and spawning was observed in captive-reared individuals during the ADVANCED phase. The expression levels of the three vitellogenins, as well as the amount of yolk globules in vitellogenic oocytes, did not differ significantly between captive-reared and wild females, indicating that the observed oogenesis impairment in greater amberjack reared in captivity was not related to an insufficient liver synthesis or a reduced oocyte uptake of vitellogenin

First detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 on the surfaces of tourist-recreational facilities in Italy

A Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by a new virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), spreads via direct contact through droplets produced by infected individuals. The transmission of this virus can also occur via indirect contact if objects and surfaces are contaminated by secretions from individuals with COVID-19 or asymptomatic carriers. Environmental contamination with SARS-CoV-2 is high in hospital settings; on the contrary, surface contamination in non-healthcare settings is still poorly studied. In this study, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on the surfaces of 20 tourist-recreational facilities was investigated by performing a total of 100 swabs on surfaces, including refrigerator handles, handrails, counters, tables, and bathroom access doors. Six (6%) swabs from four (20%) tourist-recreational facilities tested positive for SARS-CoV-2; the surfaces that were involved were toilet door handles, refrigerator handles, handrails, and bar counters. This study highlights that SARS-CoV-2 is also present in non-healthcare environments; therefore, in order to limit this worrying pandemic, compliance with behavioral rules and the adoption of preventive and protective measures are of fundamental importance not only in healthcare or work environments but also in life environments

Evaluation of air contamination in orthopaedic operating theatres in hospitals in Southern Italy: The IMPACT project

Postoperative infections are a concern, especially in total knee and total hip arthroplasty. We evaluated the air quality in orthopaedic operating theatres in southeastern Italy to determine the level of bacterial contamination as a risk factor for postoperative infection. Thirty-five hospitals with operating theatres focused on total knee and total hip arthroplasty participated. We sampled the air passively and actively before surgeries began for the day (at rest) and 15 min after the surgical incision (in operation). We evaluated bacterial counts, particle size, mixed vs turbulent airflow systems, the number of doors, number of door openings during procedures and number of people in the operating theatre. We found no bacterial contamination at rest for all sampling methods, and significantly different contamination levels at rest vs in operation. We found no association between the number of people in the surgical team and bacteria counts for both mixed and turbulent airflow systems, and low bacterial loads, even when doors were always open. Overall, the air quality sampling method and type of ventilation system did not affect air quality

Advances in greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) research: the DIVERSIFY project

The greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) is a species with high potential for the EU aquaculture due to its fast growth (6 kg in 2.5 years), excellent flesh quality and global market. Its farming in the Mediterranean region started in the 1990s with wild-caught juveniles, but the production is still negligible, as several bottlenecks exist for its industrial production. These include the absence of reliable reproduction, limited availability of juveniles, lack of knowledge on the nutrient requirements and pathology of the species. The EU FP7-funded DIVERSIFY project (www.diversifyfish.eu) examines the major aspects of greater amberjack aquaculture in order to overcome these bottlenecks and develop appropriate rearing methods for commercial production. This article provides some highlights from the first 2 years of the project.Postprin

Potential use of untreated wastewater for assessing COVID-19 trends in southern Italy

As a complement to clinical disease surveillance, the monitoring of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater can be used as an early warning system for impending epidemics. This study investigated the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastew-ater with respect to the trend of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevalence in Southern Italy. A total of 210 wastewater samples were collected between May and November 2020 from 15 Apulian wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The samples were concentrated in accordance with the stan-dard of World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland) procedure for Poliovirus sewage surveillance, and molecular analysis was undertaken with real-time reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-(q) PCR). Viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) was found in 12.4% (26/210) of the samples. The virus concentration in the positive samples ranged from 8.8 × 102 to 6.5 × 104 genome copies/L. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve modeling showed that at least 11 cases/100,000 inhabitants would occur after a wastewater sample was found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 (sensi-tivity = 80%, specificity = 80.9%). To our knowledge, this is the first study in Italy that has applied wastewater-based epidemiology to predict COVID-19 prevalence. Further studies regarding methods that include all variables (meteorological phenomena, characteristics of the WWTP, etc.) affecting this type of wastewater surveillance data would be useful to improve data interpretation

Microbiological and chemical assessment of wastewater discharged by infiltration trenches in fractured and karstified limestone (Sca.re.s. project 2019–2020)

This study investigated the environmental contamination of groundwater as a consequence of the discharge of treated wastewater into the soil. The investigation focused on a wastewater treatment plant located in an area fractured by karst in the Salento peninsula (Apulia, Italy). Water samples were collected at four sites (raw wastewater, treated wastewater, infiltration trench, and monitoring well), monthly from May to December 2019 (with the exception of August), and were tested for (1) panel of bacteria; (2) enteric viruses; and (3) chemical substances. A gradual reduction in the concentration of bacteria, viruses and contaminants of emerging concern was observed across the profile of soil fissured by karst. All monitored bacteria were absent from the monitoring well, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pepper mild mottle virus and adenovirus were detected at all sampling sites. Personal care products and X-ray contrast media showed the greatest decrease in concentration from infiltration trench to the monitoring well, while the highest residual concentrations in the monitoring well were found for anticonvulsants (78.5%), antimicrobials (41.3%), and antipsychotic drugs (38.6%). Our results show that parameters provided by current law may not always be sufficient to evaluate the sanitary risk relating to the discharge of treated wastewater to the soil