Microbial community management in aquaculture

Microbial community management in aquaculture creates benefits at the nutritional as well as at health level for cultured species. In addition, in case of biofloc application, it allows to link species at different trophic levels, making bioflocs the potential link in integrated multispecies aquaculture

Diversity studies in the interaction between the anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and its host plant Stylosanthes spp. in Mexico

Pests and diseases are important constraints to production in both traditional and modern agricultural systems. It is widely accepted that crop diversity, mainly through use of resistance and tolerance genes, is an important asset in reducing the risk of crop losses related to pests and diseases. However, little is known about the effect of the natural pathogen diversity on the occurrence and severity of phytopathological infestations. This publication summarizes the results of the multidisciplinary project ‘Genetic diversity studies in the interaction between the anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and its host plant Stylosanthes spp.’ The legume Stylosanthes is an important forage crop worldwide and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is its most important pathogen. This project was a multidisciplinary bi-national effort centred in Mexico, a centre of origin of the host plant, which focused on characterizing both the host plant and the pathogen using different characterization techniques, from macro-morphological through molecular. As anthracnosis is reducing Stylosanthes yields from Africa to Australia, an increased knowledge and understanding of the co-existence of crop and pathogen diversity will benefit stakeholders outside the study area as well. A team of international researchers undertook a coordinated effort to increase the inclusion of information on host and pathogen diversity in areas where the crop and its pathogen are native. The Unité de Phytopathologie de l’Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (UCL) focused on the characterization of C. gloeosporioides and other Colletotrichum species associated with wild Stylosanthes species in Mexico, while Stylosanthes diversity and taxonomy were studied by the Laboratorio de Recursos Naturales, Unidad de Biología, Tecnología y Prototipos, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) at the morphological level and by the Laboratory of Gene Technology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium (KUL) that studied the material at the molecular level. The Mexican partner, UNAM, was responsible for the collection of materials, both host plant and pathogen, while the Belgian partners, UCL and KUL, carried out the molecular analysis. This study is a clear example of how a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort, including the exchange of plant material, allows for the optimal use of existing synergies between different research centres, leading to a better understanding of a complex theme such as host-pathogen diversity. This will permit a better use of the crop’s genetic diversity, and the corresponding resistance genes available, as well as the application of better screening methods for pest or disease resistance, based on a more extensive pathogen diversity. Bioversity International, formerly known as IPGRI, and its Regional Office for the Americas in Cali, Colombia is honoured that it was allowed to coordinate this project

Evolutionary Origin and Phylogeography of the Diploid Obligate Parthenogen Artemia parthenogenetica (Branchiopoda: Anostraca)

Background: Understanding the evolutionary origin and the phylogeographic patterns of asexual taxa can shed light on the origin and maintenance of sexual reproduction. We assessed the geographic origin, genetic diversity, and phylogeographic history of obligate parthenogen diploid Artemia parthenogenetica populations, a widespread halophilic crustaceanPeer reviewe

A first AFLP-based genetic linkage map for brine shrimp Artemia franciscana and its application in mapping the sex locus

We report on the construction of sex-specific linkage maps, the identification of sex-linked markers and the genome size estimation for the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana. Overall, from the analysis of 433 AFLP markers segregating in a 112 full-sib family we identified 21 male and 22 female linkage groups (2n = 42), covering 1,041 and 1,313 cM respectively. Fifteen putatively homologous linkage groups, including the sex linkage groups, were identified between the female and male linkage map. Eight sex-linked AFLP marker alleles were inherited from the female parent, supporting the hypothesis of a WZ-ZZ sex-determining system. The haploid Artemia genome size was estimated to 0.93 Gb by flow cytometry. The produced Artemia linkage maps provide the basis for further fine mapping and exploring of the sex-determining region and are a possible marker resource for mapping genomic loci underlying phenotypic differences among Artemia species

Feel4Diabetes healthy diet score: Development and evaluation of clinical validity

Background: The aim of this paper is to present the development of the Feel4Diabetes Healthy Diet Score and to evaluate its clinical validity. Methods: Study population consisted of 3268 adults (63% women) from high diabetes risk families living in 6 European countries. Participants filled in questionnaires at baseline and after 1 year, reflecting the dietary goals of the Feel4Diabetes intervention. Based on these questions the Healthy Diet Score was constructed, consisting of the following components: breakfast, vegetables, fruit and berries, sugary drinks, whole-grain cereals, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy products, oils and fats, red meat, sweet snacks, salty snacks, and family meals. Maximum score for each component was set based on its estimated relative importance regarding T2DM risk, higher score indicating better quality of diet. Clinical measurements included height, weight, waist circumference, heart rate, blood pressure, and fasting blood sampling, with analyses of glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides. Analysis of (co) variance was used to compare the Healthy Diet Score and its components between countries and sexes using baseline data, and to test differences in clinical characteristics between score categories, adjusted for age, sex and country. Pearson''s correlations were used to study the association between changes from baseline to year 1 in the Healthy Diet Score and clinical markers. To estimate reproducibility, Pearson''s correlations were studied between baseline and 1 year score, within the control group only. Results: The mean total score was 52.8 ± 12.8 among women and 46.6 ± 12.8 among men (p < 0.001). The total score and its components differed between countries. The change in the Healthy Diet Score was significantly correlated with changes in BMI, waist circumference, and total and LDL cholesterol. The Healthy Diet Score as well as its components at baseline were significantly correlated with the values at year 1, in the control group participants. Conclusion: The Feel4Diabetes Healthy Diet Score is a reproducible method to capture the dietary information collected with the Feel4Diabetes questionnaire and measure the level of and changes in the adherence to the dietary goals of the intervention. It gives a simple parameter that associates with clinical risk factors in a meaningful manner

Clinical characteristics of women captured by extending the definition of severe postpartum haemorrhage with 'refractoriness to treatment': a cohort study

Background: The absence of a uniform and clinically relevant definition of severe postpartum haemorrhage hampers comparative studies and optimization of clinical management. The concept of persistent postpartum haemorrhage, based on refractoriness to initial first-line treatment, was proposed as an alternative to common definitions that are either based on estimations of blood loss or transfused units of packed red blood cells (RBC). We compared characteristics and outcomes of women with severe postpartum haemorrhage captured by these three types of definitions. Methods: In this large retrospective cohort study in 61 hospitals in the Netherlands we included 1391 consecutive women with postpartum haemorrhage who received either ≥4 units of RBC or a multicomponent transfusion. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of women with severe postpartum haemorrhage defined as persistent postpartum haemorrhage were compared to definitions based on estimated blood loss or transfused units of RBC within 24 h following birth. Adverse maternal outcome was a composite of maternal mortality, hysterectomy, arterial embolisation and intensive care unit admission. Results: One thousand two hundred sixty out of 1391 women (90.6%) with postpartum haemorrhage fulfilled the definition of persistent postpartum haemorrhage. The majority, 820/1260 (65.1%), fulfilled this definition within 1 h following birth, compared to 819/1391 (58.7%) applying the definition of ≥1 L blood loss and 37/845 (4.4%) applying the definition of ≥4 units of RBC. The definition persistent postpartum haemorrhage captured 430/471 adverse maternal outcomes (91.3%), compared to 471/471 (100%) for ≥1 L blood loss and 383/471 (81.3%) for ≥4 units of RBC. Persistent postpartum haemorrhage did not capture all adverse outcomes because of missing data on timing of initial, first-line treatment. Conclusion: The definition persistent postpartum haemo

A Comparison of Benthic Invertebrate Communities in Three Aquatic Habitats of the Hoh River Valley, Olympic National Park, Washington

Macroinvertebrate communities in three aquatic habitats of the Hoh River Valley, Jefferson County, Washington, were characterized and compared. Within-stream and between­ stream habitat differences and similarities were analyzed in a valley-wall tributary (Twin Creek), river off-channel (side channel of the Hoh River) and terrace tributary (Taft Creek). Between-stream differences were found to be significant using a one-way ANOV. Twin Creek and the side channel were similar in most physical characteristics, dominance of benthic functional groups, and general dominance by taxa. The major variable between these two sites was the influence of silt in the side channel. The effects of a high silt load and the process of siltation appear to be responsible for much lower X benthic densities and the absence of scrapers in the side channel. Taft Creek differed from the other sites in physical characteristics and benthic community composition. Twin Creek and the side channel had rock-rubble substrate, higher current velocities and heavy canopy cover, while Taft Creek had homogeneous substrate, reduced current velocities, dense macrophytic growth, and little canopy cover. Mean benthic densities in Taft Creek (103,914 m-2) were much higher than those found in Twin Creek (15,009 m-2) or the side channel (2,983 m-2). The e was a predominance of Diptera (40%) and non-insects (51%) in Taft Creek and Diptera and Ephemeroptera in Twin Creek (42% and 24% respectively) and the side channel (30% and 43% respectively). Collectors were the predominant functional group at all three sites. No significant differences between riffle, reach, and pool habitat types was found in either Twin Creek or the side channel using a one-way ANOV. When comparing taxonomic and functional group composition, however, reach, and riffle habitats were more similar to each other than to pool habitats in both Twin Creek and the side channel