Feed Quantity Effect on Carp Juveniles’ Plasma Protein and Immunoglobulin Levels

Plasma protein and immunoglobulin (Ig) levels in fish can be influenced by stress reaction, caused by some nutritional factors. This paper shows effects of different feed quantity on total protein and total Ig levels in blood of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) juveniles exposed to chronic stress conditions. The study was carried out in a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS) during 96 days. Carps (initial weight 6.43±0.02 g) were distributed into four groups in three replicate tanks, 40 fish per tank. The groups were formed according to the feed quantity applied: 2, 3, 4 and 5% of commercial extruded mixture in relation to the ichthyomass (i.e. groups I, II, III and IV respectively). According to the results, the mean values of total plasma proteins and Ig were highest in group IV and the lowest in group II (p<0.05). Total protein levels were influenced by feed quantity (p<0.05), and sampling time (p<0.001). Total Ig levels were influenced by duration of the experiment i.e. sampling time (p<0.001). In all groups the mean values of plasma proteins after two month of the experiment was increased (p<0.01), and the mean values of Ig in less fed groups I and II (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Total plasma proteins and Ig were not significantly affected by water quality parameters only in the group fed 2% of feed (group I). Significant positive correlation between total proteins and Ig was determined in each experimental group (p<0.01). In terms of reducing stress and ensuring welfare in carp juveniles, applied feed amount should match to the length of fish growing in the fish tanks, stocking density and capacity of the system for efficient water purification

Multidisciplinary Approach in the Implementation of ATL Methods in Teaching of Animal Sciences I. Presentation of Scenarios

One of the problems Serbian HE faces is summing up of knowledge thaught in different courses and its application in real life by professional decision making. In order to give an example of possibilities of interactive teaching methodology and contribute to the transformation of students from knowledge recipients to knowledge co-constructors, a set of scenarios for a multidisciplinary approach in teaching/learning is presented. The set consists of 4 scenarios for knowledge refreshment followed by a final workshop – a debate similar to the real life situation. A multidisciplinary approach to the topic of aquaculture development, water and fish quality in aquaculture is presented in this case. By participating interactive classes and a debate, 4 year students in animal sciences work in groups to exercise solving problems, to make professional decision, and develop other professional and generic skills. This paper presents the result of the process of development o scenarios for such exercise and results of the exercise will be presented in another paper (Part 2)

Morfometrijsko ispitivanje nabora crevne sluzokože šarana hranjenog različitom dodatnom hranom u poluintenzivnom sistemu

U poluintenzivnom sistemu gajenja šarana u poslednjoj deceniji dolazi do promena u vrsti dodatne hrane koje povećavaju održivost proizvodnje. Sa žitarica koje su se godinama koristile kao dodata hrana, sada se prelazi na peletiranu i ekstrudiranu hranu. Ova zamena uzrokuje i promene u fiziologiji varenja riba, a kao posledica se dešavaju morfološke promene na crevima. Najčešće se na organima za varenje riba gajenih u akvakulturi ne nalaze teže histopatološke promene, pa se pribegava kvantifikaciji i morfometriji histoloških parametara koje mogu da ukažu na odstupanja od normalne građe/funkcije. Metod evaluacije dužine crevnih nabora je korišćen u velikom broju studija koje su se bavile efektima različitih tipova hrane i/ili aditiva na crevo riba. Cilj rada je da se utvrdi efekat različitih tipova hrane (žitarice, peletirana, ekstrudirana hrana) na crevo šarana merenjem dužine crevnih nabora kod riba koje su gajene poluintenzivno. Dužina crevnih nabora je korelisana sa prirastom ribe. Kretanje dužine crevnih nabora po jezerima/vrsti dodate hrane je imalo pravilan tok (Fig. 1). Najkraći crevni nabori su izmereni kod riba hranjenih žitaricama. U sva tri jezera primetan je pad dužine nabora u junu. U ovom mesecu su vrednosti najmanje, manje čak i od inicijalnih na početku eksperimenta (u aprilu), kao i vrednosti dobijenih u maju. Od juna dužina nabora creva konstantno raste kod riba u svim jezerima, bez obzira na tip dodate hrane. Rezultati su pokazali visok stepen statistički značajne korelacije između mase tela ribe i dužine crevnih nabora u svim jezerima (Tab. 2). Ukoliko se posmatraju pojedinačna jezera, vrednosti se kreću između 0.82 kod riba hranjenih peletiranom hranom, preko 0.83 kod riba hranjenih žitaricama do 0.86 kod riba hranjenih ekstrudiranom hranom. Dužina crevnih nabora je koristan parametar u eksperimentima ishrane riba i često se primenjuje u proceni efekta određene hrane na crevo riba. Smanjenje dužine nabora može da ukaže na pojavu enteritisa, na nedovoljnu ishranu ili gladovanje. Naši rezultati pokazuju pozitivnu korelaciju između mase tela ribe i dužine crevnih nabora. Oni su u skladu i sa sličnim istraživanjima koja su sprovedena na drugim životinjskim vrstama, mahom na domaćim životinjama. Crevni nabori na početku eksperimenta ne rastu, čak pokazuju trend pada sve do juna meseca i to iako ribe pokazuju konstantan prirast u svim jezerima, što se objašnjava količinom prirodne hrane koja je u to doba najveća u jezerima. Naime, na osnovu analize prirodne hrane tokom ovog perioda možemo videti da postoji velika biomasa zooplanktona u toku aprila, maja i juna dok je zoobentos na niskom nivou u svim jezerima u toku celog eksperimenta i ne prelazi 10 g/m2. Ovo uzrokuje promene u načinu ishrane ribe od juna meseca. Do tada se šaran hranio uglavnom zooplanktonom, koga je bilo u izobilju, a nakon toga, početkom juna, zbog nedostatka prirodne hrane,riba počinje da sve više konzumira dodatu, što uzrokuje i povećanje dužine crevnih nabora, s obzirom da su pelete, kojom se ribe hrane voluminoznije i većih dimenzija od zooplanktona. Hranjenjem, ribe pune creva i samim tim ih i šire, što omogućava povećanje apsorpcione površine povećanjem dužine crevnih nabora. Ovaj fenomen u stvari predstavlja adaptaciju creva na različite tipove hrane kod riba. Naše istraživanje je pokazalo da praćenje histologije šarana može da ukaže kako se odvija proces varenja zavisno od dela sezone/razvoja zajednice zooplanktona, ali i vrste dodate hrane u poluintenzivnom sistemu

Maternal deprivation in rats decreases the expression of interneuron markers in the neocortex and hippocampus

Early life stress has profound effects on the development of the central nervous system. We exposed 9-day-old rat pups to a 24 h maternal deprivation (MD) and sacrificed them as young adults (60-day-old), with the aim to study the effects of early stress on forebrain circuitry. We estimated numbers of various immunohistochemically defined interneuron subpopulations in several neocortical regions and in the hippocampus. MD rats showed reduced numbers of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons in the CA$_1$ region of the hippocampus and in the prefrontal cortex, compared with controls. Numbers of reelin-expressing and calretinin-expressing interneurons were also reduced in the CA1 and CA$_3$ hippocampal areas, but unaltered in the neocortex of MD rats. The number of calbinin-expressing interneurons in the neocortex was similar in the MD rats compared with controls. We analyzed cell death in 15-day-old rats after MD and found no difference compared to control rats. Thus, our results more likely reflect the downregulation of markers than the actual loss of interneurons. To investigate synaptic activity in the hippocampus we immunostained for glutamatergic and inhibitory vesicular transporters. The number of inhibitory synapses was decreased in the CA$_1$ and CA$_3$ regions of the hippocampus in MD rats, with the normal number of excitatory synapses. Our results indicate complex, cell type-specific, and region-specific alterations in the inhibitory circuitry induced by maternal deprivation. Such alterations may underlie symptoms of MD at the behavioral level and possibly contribute to mechanisms by which early life stress causes neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia