Phytoconstituent Profiles Associated with Relevant Antioxidant Potential and Variable Nutritive Effects of the Olive, Sweet Almond, and Black Mulberry Gemmotherapy Extracts.

The extracts of whole plants or specific organs from different plant species are gaining increasing attention for their phytotherapy applications. Accordingly, we prepared standardized gemmotherapy extracts (GTEs) from young shoots/buds of olive (Olea europaea), sweet almond (Prunus amygdalus), and black mulberry (Morus nigra), and analyzed the corresponding phytonutrient profiles. We identified 42, 103, and 109 phytonutrients in the olive, almond, and black mulberry GTEs, respectively, containing amino acids, vitamins, polyphenols, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, iridoids, carboxylic acids, lignans, terpenoids, and others. In order to assess the physiological effects generated by the GTEs, we developed a translational nutrition model based on Drosophila melanogaster and Cyprinus carpio. The results indicate that GTEs could influence, to a variable extent, viability and ATP synthesis, even though both are dependent on the specific carbohydrate load of the applied diet and the amino acid and polyphenol pools provided by the GTEs. It seems, therefore, likely that the complex chemical composition of the GTEs offers nutritional properties that cannot be separated from the health-promoting mechanisms that ultimately increase viability and survival. Such an approach sets the paves the way for the nutritional genomic descriptions regarding GTE-associated health-promoting effects.

Assessment of the microbiological status of two Hungarian ostrich farms.

The aim of this study was to estimate the occurrence of bacterial infection and contamination in two ostrich-producing farms. Compared to other poultry species, the hatchability of ostrich eggs is especially low. In a quest to identify factors that may affect hatchability, we collected faecal samples from adult birds, as well as eggs with dead-in-shell embryos, dead chicks and swab samples from the surface of the eggs and from the environment. The samples were screened for the presence of bacteria by routine bacteriological culture methods. The most prevalent bacteria, detected in the samples, were Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp. and coliform bacteria, whereas Pseudomonas spp. were less frequently found. The intensity and species compositon of the bacterial contamination was comparable in the two farms. Our results revealed that the bacteria, present in the environment, may likely be transmitted to the surface of the eggs. If they are able to penetrate the shell then the embryos and chicks become infected easily. These findings draw the attention to the special importance of enforcing efficient decontamination and disinfection measures to keep the environment and egg surface free from germs. Besides the appropriate egg treatment procedure, the incubation and hatching technology should also be kept under control.

Nursing of Pike-Perch (Sander lucioperca) in Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Provides Growth Advantage in Juvenile Growth Phase.

This study aimed to estimate the efficacy of two pike-perch juvenile production technologies: exclusive Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) culture (the RAS group) and pond larviculture with a transfer to the RAS at the 42nd day post-hatch (DPH). Both direct weaning on dry feed (the Pond-D group) and 10-day gradual weaning using bloodworms (the Pond-B group) after transfer to the RAS were evaluated in pond-nursed fry. Their survival and morphometric indices were monitored after the RAS habituation period (first 10 days), after the 18-day post-habituation period and after an additional 30 days of on-grow. Our results indicate a negative allometric growth of the pond-nursed fish during the nursing period, which was slower (p < 0.0001) in comparison to the RAS-nursed fry (16.3 ± 0.4 vs. 17.8 ± 0.7%/day). After transfer, these fish grew faster than the RAS-nursed fry (7.7 ± 0.1, 4.9 ± 0.5 and 6.1 ± 0.6 during habituation, 8.5 ± 0.6, 9.3 ± 0.5 and 6.7 ± 0.1%/day during post-habituation period, in the Pond-B, Pond-D and RAS groups, respectively). However, four weeks afterwards, the RAS-nursed fry were again superior in terms of growth (4.0 ± 0.1, 3.6 ± 0.2 and 4.6 ± 0.2%/day, for the Pond-B, Pond-D and RAS groups, respectively), and this was accompanied by a significantly lower feed conversion ratio in this group. Although the survival of the RAS-nursed fry during the nursing period was lower in comparison to the pond-reared fry (11.3 vs. 67.3%), the RAS seems to provide a long-term growth advantage.

Genes and elements involved in the regulation of the nervous system and growth affect the development of spinal deformity in Cyprinus carpio.

Spinal deformity is a serious economic and animal welfare problem in intensive fish farming systems, which will be a significant unsolved problem for the fish sector. The aim of this study was to determine the relative expression of genes (Akt1 substrate 1, Calreticulin, Collagen type I alpha 2 chain, Corticotropin-releasing hormone, Chromodomain-Helicase DNA-binding, Growth hormone, Insulin like growth factor 1, Myostatin, Sine oculis-related homeobox 3, Toll-like receptor 2) in different tissues associated with spinal deformity and to determine the macroelement (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur) and microelement (barium, copper, iron, manganese, strontium, zinc) content of spine in healthy and deformed common carps (Cyprinus carpio) in Hungary. The mRNA levels of the genes were measured in 7 different tissues (abdominal fat, blood, brain, dorsal muscle, genitals, heart, liver) by qRT-PCR. Correlations between gene expression and element content were analyzed by using linear regression and Spearman rank correlation. In a total of 15 cases, we found a statistically significant connection between gene expression in a tissue and the macro- or microelement content of the spine. In these contexts, the genes Akt1 substrate 1 (3), Collagen type I alpha 2 chain (2), Corticotropin-releasing hormone (4), Insulin-like growth factor 1 (4), and Myostatin (2), the tissue's blood (3), brain (6), heart (5), and liver (1), the macroelements sodium (4), magnesium (4), phosphorus (1) and sulfur (2) as well as the microelement iron (4) were involved. We also found statistically significant mRNA level differences between healthy and deformed common carps in tissues that were not directly affected by the deformation. Based on our results, genes regulating the nervous system and growth, elements, and tissues are the most associated components in the phenomenon of spinal deformity. With our study, we wish to give direction to and momentum for the exploration of these complex processes.

Genetic Diversity and Structure of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the Centre of Carpathian Basin: Implications for Conservation.

Hungary is one of the largest common carp-production countries in Europe and now, there is a large number of local breeds and strains in the country. For proper maintenance of the animal genetic resources, information on their genetic diversity and structure is essential. At present, few data are available on the genetic purity and variability of the Hungarian common carp. In this study, we genetically analyzed 13 strains in Hungary and, in addition, the Amur wild carp, using 12 microsatellite markers. A total of 117 unique alleles were detected in 630 individuals. Low levels of genetic differentiation (Fst and Cavalli-Sforza and Edwards distance) were estimated among strains. The AMOVA showed the low but significant level of genetic differentiation among strains (3.79%). Bayesian clustering analysis using STRUCTURE classified the strains into 14 different clusters. The assignment test showed that 93.64% of the individuals could be assigned correctly into their original strain. Overall, our findings can be contributed to complementing scientific knowledge for conservation and management of threatened strains of common carp.

Novel neuroradiological image processing and information retrieval in a telestroke system.

A Cellular Neural Network based image processing system and a system based on Interaction Information Retrieval which are basic elements of a stroke teleconsultation system with most recent applications are introduced in this paper. Both of them are novel approaches in the image processing and information retrieval fields.