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Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758 (Perciformes, Sparidae)) is an important aquaculture species in the Mediterranean Sea basin. Yet, quantitative data on its dentition under standard farming conditions are currently lacking. Furthermore, it is unknown if the dentition can adapt to food of different sizes. Here, we describe the lower jaw dentition of juvenile S. aurata fed a standard pellet size (4 mm) and present a detailed analysis of 11 representative teeth. Overall, the number of teeth showed large individual variation, but it was not significantly related to fish length. Considerable left-right differences were observed, without clear side dominance. We also assessed the influence of feeding S. aurata a smaller (2 mm) or larger (6 mm) pellet size. Four months of feeding with different pellet sizes did not cause detectable differences in total tooth number on the dentaries at the time of harvest, nor in size of the teeth assumed to be most relevant in food processing. If and how different pellet sizes may nevertheless affect digestion, and eventually fish health, is subject for further studies. Key words: gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata, lower jaw, dentary, dentition, teeth, pellet size. Bien que la dorade royale (Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758 (perciformes, sparides)) soit une importante espece aquacole dans le bassin de la mer Mediterranee, des donnees quantitatives sur sa dentition dans des conditions d'elevage normales ne sont actuellement pas disponibles. En outre, la capacite d'adaptation de cette dentition a des aliments de differentes tailles n'est pas etablie. Nous decrivons la dentition de la machoire inferieure de S. aurata juveniles nourries de granules de taille standard (4 mm) et presentons une analyse detaillee de 11 dents representatives. Globalement, il y a de grandes variations individuelles du nombre de dents, mais elles ne presentent pas une relation significative avec la longueur des poissons. Des differences considerables entre les cotes gauche et droit sont observees, sans predominance claire d'un cote ou de l'autre. Nous evaluons egalement l'effet de donner aux S. aurata des granules de plus petite (2 mm) ou de plus grande (6 mm) taille. Apres 4 mois d'alimentation avec des granules de differentes tailles, aucune difference detectable n'a ete relevee du nombre de dents sur les dentaires au moment de la recolte ni de la taille des dents presumees etre les plus importantes pour le traitement de la nourriture. L'incidence eventuelle de la taille des granules sur la digestion et, consequemment, la sante des poissons devra faire l'objet d'autres etudes. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: dorade royale, Sparus aurata, machoire inferieure, os dentaire, dentition, dents, taille des granules., Introduction Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758 (Perciformes, Sparidae)) is a warm-temperate coastal teleost fish species in the Eastern Atlantic and is a species intensely produced in aquaculture in the [...]

Background: Plaque angiogenesis is associated with atherosclerotic lesion growth, plaque instability and negative clinical outcome. Plaque angiogenesis is a natural occurring process to fulfil the increasing demand of oxygen and nourishment of the vessel wall. However, inadequate formed, immature plaque neovessels are leaky and cause intraplaque haemorrhage.Objective: Blockade of VEGFR2 normalizes the unbridled process of plaque neovessel formation and induces maturation of nascent vessels resulting in prevention of intraplaque haemorrhage and influx of inflammatory cells into the plaque and subsequently increases plaque stability.Methods and Results: In human carotid and vein graft atherosclerotic lesions, leaky plaque neovessels and intraplaque haemorrhage co-localize with VEGF/VEGFR2 and angiopoietins. Using hypercholesterolaemic ApoE3*Leiden mice that received a donor caval vein interposition in the carotid artery, we demonstrate that atherosclerotic vein graft lesions at t28 are associated with hypoxia, Hif1α and Sdf1 up-regulation. Local VEGF administration results in increased plaque angiogenesis. VEGFR2 blockade in this model results in a significant 44% decrease in intraplaque haemorrhage and 80% less extravasated erythrocytes compared to controls. VEGFR2 blockade in vivo results in a 32% of reduction in vein graft size and more stable lesions with significantly reduced macrophage content (30%), and increased collagen (54%) and smooth muscle cell content (123%). Significant decreased VEGF, angiopoietin-2 and increased Connexin 40 expression levels demonstrate increased plaque neovessel maturation in the vein grafts. VEGFR2 blockade in an aortic ring assay showed increased pericyte coverage of the capillary sprouts.Conclusion: Inhibition of intraplaque haemorrhage by controlling neovessels maturation holds promise to improve plaque stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 9-week feeding trial was performed to evaluate the effects of fishmeal ( FM) replacement by a mixture of plant proteins ( PP), consisted of wheat gluten, soybean meal and soy protein concentrate, on the growth performance and welfare of turbot juveniles (initial weight 9.7 ± 0.2 g). Four isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets contained FM at 500 g kg−1 ( FM50), 350 g kg−1 ( FM35), 200 g kg−1 ( FM20) and 50 g kg−1 ( FM5). A decreased feed intake and an increased feed conversion rate was observed in FM5 group. Specific growth rate was significantly reduced in FM20 and FM5 groups, whereas protein and lipid utilization and proximate whole body composition were significantly different in FM5 group. Serum cortisol significantly increased in FM20 and FM5 groups whereas cholesterol, triglycerides, NEFA, total protein and urea concentrations significantly decreased. Serum lysozyme and blood phagocytes increased in FM20 and FM5 groups. FM35 ensured growth close to FM50, without significant effects on health and welfare of animals. FM20 and FM5 groups displayed reduced growth, metabolic stress and an immune response with effects on health and welfare. Results highlighted the consistency between growth performance and welfare status, suggesting the usefulness of their combined assessment for evaluating the suitability of PP and to improve dietary formulation for turbot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents The study of lipids and fatty acids ( FAs) has been used in the assessment of egg quality because their composition can influence the fertilization rate, hatching, survival and growth of marine fish larvae. For these reasons, the lipid content ( TL) and fatty acid composition of common sole ( Solea solea) eggs were measured and correlated to egg and larval viability parameters throughout an entire reproductive season. Seventeen batches of fertile eggs obtained from natural spawning of captive breeders were characterized for the TL, FA profile, hatching rate ( HR) and survival rate of larvae ( SR) at 0-6 days post-hatching (dph). The egg FA composition reflected the composition of the feed supplied to the broodstock during summer and autumn (before and during vitellogenesis) rather than that supplied during the spawning season. In general, the egg FA profile showed minimal differences among the early-, mid- and late-spawning periods (possibly due to the change of the diet and/or water temperature) indicating that it is possible to obtain a similar egg quality in terms of egg FA profile over 2 months of spawning. Saturated FAs and monounsaturated FAs ( MUFA) were positively correlated with HR, while TL, 22 : 6n-3 ( DHA), 20 : 4n-6 ( ARA), polyunsaturated FAs of the (n-3) series (n-3 PUFA) and polyunsaturated FAs of the (n-6) series were negatively correlated (p ≤ 0.05). MUFA, 20 : 5n-3 ( EPA), n-6/n-3 were positively correlated with SR, while DHA, n-3 PUFA, DHA/ EPA were negatively correlated (p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, the feed supplied before and during vitellogenesis has a major role in determining the egg FA profile in common sole. The relationships found between TL and FAs with egg and larval viability parameters differ from many other farmed marine fish species, which may suggest the need for a specific broodstock feed for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of study of Pb influence on high temperature magnetic and thermal properties of the chalcogenides (PbySn1-y)2P2S6 are presented. The increasing Pb content shifts phase transition to the ferroelectric state at about 337 K towards lower temperatures while magnetic field till 3 T has no influence on this transition. The measured susceptibility and magnetisation data are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]