Necessity of dietary lecithin and eicosapentaenoic acid for growth, survival, stress resistance and lipoprotein formation in gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata

The substitution of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) reduces larval growth in gilthead sea bream. However, the value of EPA when dietary DHA is able to meet the requirements of the larvae has not been sufficiently studied. Dietary phosphoacylgliceride levels also affect fish growth and it has been suggested that they enhance lipid transport in developing larvae. The present experiment was carried out to further study the effect of dietary lecithin and eicosapentaenoic acid on growth, survival, stress resistance,. larval fatty acid composition and lipid transport, when DHA is present in the microdiets of gilthead:sea bream. Eighteen thousand gilt-head sea bream larvae of 4.99+/-0.53 mm total length were fed three microdiets tested by triplicate: a control diet [2% soybean lecithin (SBL) and 2.89% EPA], a low EPA diet,(2% SBL and 1.63% EPA) and a no SBL diet (0% SBL and 2.71% EPA). Handling, temperature and salinity tests determined larval resistance to stress. The results show that when dietary DHA levels are high, but dietary arachidonic acid (ARA) levels are about 0.2%, EPA is necessary to improve larval growth, and survival. Larval EPA content, but not DHA or ARA, was affected by dietary EPA levels. Increased dietary EPA improved larval stress resistance to handling and temperature tests, which could be related to its possible role as a regulator of cortisol production whereas it did not affect stress resistance after salinity shock. Larvae fed the no SBL diet showed a lower lipid content characterized by a low proportion of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, together with a significant reduction in the appearance of lipoprotein particles in the lamina propria and in the size of such particles, denoting a critical reduction in dietary lipid transport and utilization, and lower larval growth and survival rates.

Acute peristome edema disease in juvenile and adult sea cucumbers Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka) reared in North China

Acute peristome edema disease (APED) is a new disease that broke out in cultured sea cucumber along the Shangdong and Liaoning province coasts in China, PR, and has caused a great deal of death in Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka) since 2004. Here we report virus-like particles found in intestine epithelium of sea cucumbers reared in North China. It is the first time that sea cucumbers are reported to be infected by virus. Histological examinations showed that the viral inclusion bodies existed in intestine epithelium cells. Electron microscopic examinations show that the virions were spherical, 80-100 nm in diameter, and composed of a helical nucleocapsid within an envelope with surface projections. Detailed studies on the morphogenesis of these viruses found many characteristics previously described for coronaviruses. Virus particles always congregated, and formed a virus vesicle with an encircling membrane. The most obvious cellular pathologic feature is large granular areas of cytoplasm, relatively devoid of organelles. Tubular structures within virus-containing vesicles, nucleocapsid inclusions, and double-membrane vesicles are also found in the cytopathic cells. No rickettsia, chlamydia, bacteria, or other parasitic organisms were found. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preliminary studies on the vitrification of red sea bream (Pagrus major) embryos

The objective was to identify an appropriate cryoprotectant and protocol for vitrification of red sea bream (Pagrus major) embryos. The toxicity of five single-agent cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), propylene glycol (PG), ethylene glycol (EG), glycerol (GLY), and methyl alcohol (MeOH), as well as nine cryoprotectant mixtures, were investigated by comparing post-thaw hatching rates. Two vitrifying protocols, a straw method and a solid surface vitrification method (copper floating over liquid nitrogen), were evaluated on the basis of post-thaw embryo morphology. Exposure to single-agent cryoprotectants (10% concentration for 15 min) was not toxic to embryos, whereas for higher concentrations (20 and 30%) and a longer duration of exposure (30 min), DMSO and PG were better tolerated than the other cryoprotectants. Among nine cryoprotectant mixtures, the combination of 20% DMSO + 10% PG + 10% MeOH had the lowest toxicity after exposure for 10 min or 15 min. High percentages of morphologically intact embryos, 50.6 +/- 16.7% (mean +/- S.D.) and 77.8 +/- 15.5%, were achieved by the straw vitrifying method (20.5% DMSO + 15.5% acetamide + 10% PG, thawing at 43 degrees C and washing in 0.5 M sucrose solution for 5 min) and by the solid surface vitrification method (40% GLY, thawing at 22 degrees C and washing in 0.5 M sucrose solution for 5 min). After thawing, morphological changes in the degenerated embryos included shrunken yolks and ruptured chorions. Furthermore, thawed embryos that were morphologically intact did not consistently survive incubation. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Corrosion of steel structures in sea-bed sediment

Seabed sediment (SBS) is a special soil that is covered by seawater. With the developments in marine oil exploitation and engineering, more and more steel structures have been buried in SBS. SBS corrosion has now become a serious problem in marine environment and an important issue in corrosion science. In this paper, approach in the field of SBS corrosion is reviewed. Electrochemical and microbial corrosion factors, corrosion mechanism, measurement of metal corrosion rate, corrosion evaluation and prediction of corrosion are also discussed here.

Corrosion failure of marine steel in sea-mud containing sulfate reducing bacteria

The corrosion failure behavior of marine steel is affected by stress, which exists in offshore structures at sea-mud region. The sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) in the sea-mud made the steel more sensitive to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and weaken the corrosion fatigue endurance. In this paper, a kind of natural sea-mud containing SRB was collected. Both SCC tests by slow strain rate technique and corrosion fatigue tests were performed on a kind of selected steel in sea-mud with and without SRB at corrosion and cathodic potentials. After this, the electrochemical response of static and cyclic stress of the specimen with and without cracks in sea-mud was analyzed in order to explain the failure mechanism. Hydrogen permeation tests were also performed in the sea-mud at corrosion and cathodic potentials. It is concluded that the effect of SRB on environment sensitive fracture maybe explained as the consequences of the acceleration of SRB on corrosion rate and hydrogen entry into the metal.

Effects of anaerobe in sea bottom sediment on the corrosion of carbon steel

The in-situ study of steel corrosion in sea bottom sediment (SBS) was carried out by Transplanting Burying Plate method (TBP method). It was found that the corrosion rate of steel in the sea bottom sediment with sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) could be as high as ten times of that in sea bottom sediment without SRB. The experiments in simulated sea bottom sediments with different SRB contents by artificial culturing showed that the electrochemical behavior of steel in the sea bottom sediment with SRB was different from that without SRB. SRB altered the polarization behavior of steel significantly. The environment was acidified due to the activity of SRB and the corrosion of steel was accelerated. The corrosion of carbon steel in sea bottom sediment is anaerobic corrosion, and the main factor is anaerobe. There are SRB commonly in SBS, and the amount of SRB decreases along with the depth of sediment. Because of the asymmetry and variation of sea bottom sediment, the most dangerous corrosion breakage of steel in SBS is local corrosion caused by SRB. So the main countermeasure of corrosion protection of sea bottom steel facilities should be controlling of the corrosion caused by anaerobe.

Alloy elements' effect on anti-corrosion performance of low alloy steels in different sea zones

The corrosion rate of low alloy steel in different sea zones has close correlation with the content of the alloy element. From the field data of steel corrosion rates in atmospheric zone, splash zone and immersion zone, regression analysis was used to study the correlation between the corrosion rate of steels and the amount of added alloy elements. Three regression equations were obtained in different sea zones. Based on the equations, the anti-corrosion performance of the alloy elements can be deduced which can be used to screen out low alloy steel with good anti-corrosion performance. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of sulfate-reducing bacteria on corrosion behavior of mild steel in sea mud

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is very severe corrosion for constructions buried under sea mud environment. Therefore it is of great importance to carry out the investigation of the corrosion behavior of marine steel in sea mud. In this paper, the effect of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) on corrosion behavior of mild steel in sea mud was studied by weight loss, dual-compartment cell, electronic probe microanalysis (EPMA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM).combined with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed that corrosion rate and galvanic current were influenced by the metabolic activity of SRB. In the environment of sea mud containing SRB, the original corrosion products, ferric (oxyhydr) oxide, transformed to iron sulfide. With the excess of the dissolved H2S, the composition of the protective layer formed of FeS transformed to FeS2 or other non-stoichiometric polysulphide, which changed the state of the former layer and accelerated the corrosion process.

The hydrogen permeation investigation of API X56 steel in sea mud

It was found that the corrosion rate of steel in the sea mud with sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) could be as high as 10 times of that in the sea mud without SRB. And the hydrogen permeation reaction would occur when metals were corroded. So it is necessary to investigate the effect of living SRB on hydrogen permeation in the sea mud. Cathodic potential was often added to metals in order to protect them. But hydrogen permeation could be affected by the cathodic potential. So it is also necessary to study the effect of cathodic potential on hydrogen permeation. In this paper, the hydrogen permeation actions of APT X56 steel in the sea mud with and without SRB at corrosion and cathodic potential were studied with an improved Devanathan-Stachurski's electrolytic cell. Experimental results showed that during the growth of SRB, the current density curve of hydrogen permeation was accordant with the growth curve of SRB. But the hydrogen permeation current density of APT X56 steel hardly changed in the sterilized sea mud. Compared with the hydrogen permeation current density of APT X56 steel in the sterilized sea mud, the hydrogen permeation of APT X56 steel in the sea mud could be accelerated by living SRB. Experimental results also showed that the hydrogen permeation current density increased rapidly when the cathodic potential was added to the three-electrode system of the cathodic cell, and then the hydrogen permeation current density could obtain a stable value slowly. So the cathodic potential added to the cathodic cell could accelerate hydrogen permeation.

Diversities in hepatic HIF-1, IGF-I/IGFBP-1, LDH/ICD, and their mRNA expressions induced by CoCl2 in Qinghai-Tibetan plateau mammals and sea level mice

Ochotona curzoniae and Microtus oeconomus are the native mammals living on the Qinghai-TibetanPlateau of China. The molecular mechanisms of their acclimatization to the Plateau-hypoxia remain unclear. Expressions of hepatic hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 alpha, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)/IGF binding protein (BP)-1(IGFBP-1; including genes), and key metabolic enzymatic genes [lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-A/isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICD)] are compared in Qinghai-Tibetan- Plateau mammals andsea- level mice after injection of CoCl2 (20, 40, or 60 mg/ kg) and normobaric hypoxia (16.0% O-2, 10.8% O-2, and 8.0% O-2) for 6 h, tested by histochemistry, Western blot analysis, ELISA, and RT-PCR. Major results are CoCl2 markedly increased 1) HIF-1 alpha only in mice, 2) hepatic and circulatory IGF-I in M. oeconomus, 3) hepatic IGFBP-1 in mice and O. curzoniae, and 4) LDH-A but reduced ICD mRNA in mice (CoCl2 20 mg/kg) but were unchanged in the Tibetan mammals. Normobaric hypoxia markedly 1) increased HIF-1 alpha and LDH-A mRNA in mice and M. oeconomus (8.0% O-2) not in O. curzoniae, and 2) reduced ICD mRNA in mice and M. oeconomus (8.0% O-2) not in O. curzoniae. Results suggest that 1) HIF-1 alpha responsiveness to hypoxia is distinct in lowland mice and plateau mammals, reflecting a diverse tolerance of the three species to hypoxia; 2) CoCl2 induces diversities in HIF-1, IGF-I/IGFBP-1 protein or genes in mice, M. oeconomus, and O. curzoniae. In contrast, HIF-1 mediates IGFBP-1 transcription only in mice and in M. oeconomus (subjected to severe hypoxia); 3) differences in IGF-I/IGFBP-1 expressions induced by CoCl2 reflect significant diversities in hormone regulation and cell protection from damage; and 4) activation of anaerobic glycolysis and reduction of Krebs cycle represents strategies of lowland-animals vs. the stable metabolic homeostasis of plateau- acclimatized mammals.

南海ODP1144也微玻璃陨石物理地球化学特征及成因和气候效应综合研究

澳大利亚-东南亚散落区覆盖着地球表面的1／10，是迄今散落面积最大，最年轻，成分最复杂的散落区。澳一亚群微玻璃陨石已经在印度洋、太平洋西部、Sulu海、Celebes海和菲律宾海的40个深海岩心中被发现。澳-亚（微）玻璃陨石及撞击残骸的分布区域以Indochina为中心呈放射状或者稍微同心状分布模式，因而许多研究者认为Indochin。是澳亚群的撞击坑所在地。南海是西太平洋最大的边缘海之一，地处太平洋板块、印度洋板块及欧亚板块的接合部位，具有典型的边缘海特点—对古海洋学变化具有放大作用，南海的北部陆缘保存有完好的晚更新世地层，记录着丰富的海洋地质和古环境演化的信息。同时南海在澳大利亚-东南亚散落区范围内，距离假定Indochina的撞击位置〔12°N，106°E）较近，对于澳亚群微玻璃陨石的研究具有重要的地理优越性。南海海域澳亚群（微）玻璃陨石事件现今研究较少，对于南海含微玻璃陨石孔位的综合研究是近年来的热点和重点。南海ODPI144孔位于20°3.18'N，117'25.14'E，取得了1.1Ma以来连续的沉积地层样品，沉积物中含有丰富的微玻璃陨石，对含有微玻璃陨石层位加密取样，取样间距为1一Zcm。微玻璃陨石主要赋存在386.17-386.27mcd（合成深度米数：meter of composed depth，以下简称m），样品中共挑出完整的微玻璃陨石969颗，不规则碎片1543颗，在柱样状386.23m处微玻璃陨石的含量最为丰富，共发现完整颗粒194颗，不规则碎片239颗。同时在微玻璃陨石的挑选的基础上，对孔位中有孔虫进行了初步研究，挑选出其中的优势种属袋拟抱球虫或者红拟抱球虫。本文通过对南海ODPll44孔微玻璃陨石赋存层位、物理性质、地球化学特征等综合研究，结合有孔虫碳氧同位素研究结果进行分析，本文研究主要取得了以下几点认识：前人对于澳亚群微玻璃陨石的分类问题，根据物理性质和地球化学特征，划分了两种类型的微玻璃陨石，即普通型和瓶绿色微玻璃陨石，对于南海ODPI144孔微玻璃陨石物理性质和化学特征的综合研究，表明了南海沉积物中的微玻璃陨石为澳亚群普通型微玻璃陨石。根据微玻璃陨石表面特征，可能微玻璃陨石在沉积过程中受到了一定的溶蚀作用，但是其空气动力学过程目前仍不清楚。通过微玻璃陨石的物理性质、主量元素特征以及微量元素特征研究，表明微玻璃陨石的主要成因是部分熔融作用的产物，与闪电熔岩和撞击玻璃具有非常明显的类似特征，对于南海ODP1144孔微玻璃陨石的主量元素、微量元素及稀土元素等地球化学特征的综合研究，表明微玻璃陨石母岩为地球岩石，尤其是与上地壳沉积岩石类型密切相关。微玻璃陨石是由两种或者两种以上的母源物质混合而成的。地球化学特征表明：ODPll44孔及整个澳亚群普通型微玻璃陨石的原始母源物质可能是一些很年轻的（未遭受淋滤作用）碎屑沉积岩，另一种母源成份可能是粘土或者杂砂岩。这两种结果仅仅是靶区母源物质的两种成份，可能还存在其它成份，例如白云石成份的出现，这些结果从一个侧面同样反映了澳亚散落区微玻璃陨石母源物质的成份复杂性。通过ODP1144孔微玻璃陨石的研究，结合南海和澳亚群其它孔位的资料对比，发现在南海及一些等高分辨率岩心中的微玻璃陨石的赋存层位主要在B/M之下，而其它地区的低分辨率孔位则位于界线层或者之上。其原因可能是沉积过程中生物扰动和沉积地磁的获得深度（PDRM）影响了微玻璃陨石和B/M界线的位置。生物扰动对微玻璃陨石的影响最高可达8cm，沉积速率强烈的影响PDRM获得深度。沉积速率较低的孔位，其PDRM的值异常的高，而沉积速率较高的孔位，PDRM深度平均约为16cm。生物扰动以及 PDRM的获得深度影响了微玻璃陨石和地磁事件地层位置，上述原因直接导致了微玻璃陨石沉积年龄探讨的复杂性。根据本文的研究结果和综合资料对比，澳亚群微玻璃陨石的撞击地点可能存在着很大的不确定性，对南海ODP1144孔微玻璃陨石研究表明，其源坑位置距离现今预测Indochina的位置向东北方向偏移，偏移的程度还需要南海更多的孔位的研究结果，坑的半径大小可能在50-140km之间，靠近我国南方的东南亚地区应该是撞击地点的最可能区域。南海ODP1144孔有孔虫碳氧同位素研究结果表明，澳亚群微玻璃陨石事件对于南海地区存在着一定的气候效应，在该时期，由于撞击事件的发生，导致了该区有一次短暂的气候变冷事件，气温约下降了4℃，持续的事件约2ka。这一证据表明了澳亚微玻璃陨石事件对于南海的气候具有显著的影响。根据上述所取得的认识，结合当前微玻璃陨石的研究现状，本文提出我国南方包括南海应该是今后澳亚群微玻璃陨石的重点地区，应该加强对该区域的综合研究程度，在该区进一步寻找增加南海中含微玻璃陨石赋存层的孔位资料。通过本文的对南海ODPI144孔微玻璃陨石的类型、成因以及撞击事件的气候效应探讨，这些成果对于今后在该区域的研究甚至整个澳亚群的研究都起到了一定推动作用，为今后的研究工作提供了一个全新的思路。