Evaluation of Agricultural Contamination Level by Heavy Metals and Pesticides in Sediments of Rivers and Water Bodies for Shrimp Fishing in the Lower Ouémé: Case of the Aguigadji, Ahlan and Sele Stations in Benin

This study assessed sediment contamination by heavy metals and pesticide active ingredients linked to chemical inputs used in agricultural activities in the lower Ouémé. Pesticide residues from the organochlorine, pyrethroid and organophosphorus families were investigated by gas chromatography, and heavy metals (Cd, Pb, As, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mg, Cr and Hg) by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The metallic pollution indices, the contamination factor (CF) and the ecological risk index were calculated. The results revealed 8 active ingredients in the rainy season and 9 in the dry season. Glyphosate was the active ingredient with the highest concentration at all stations, 9.65 ± 0.84 mg/kg recorded in the dry season at the Aguigadji station. All glyphosate values were above the EQS. DDT, Atrazine and Endosulfan also showed high concentrations in the dry and rainy seasons. Emamectin, Abamectin and Lambda Cyhalothrin also showed high concentrations in the dry season at Aguigadji, Ahlan and Sele. Only glyphosate was recorded at the control station (Toho), but in very low concentrations. Lead showed the highest concentrations at all the stations, 265.96 ± 21.02 mg/Kg in the rainy season and 255.38 ± 79.09 mg/Kg in the dry season, all detected at the Aguigadji station and above the EQS. Zn, Ni, Fe, Cu and Cr were all representative in both the dry and rainy seasons at the contaminated stations. Manganese showed high concentrations in the rainy season. Pb showed very high contamination (FC ≥ 6) at the Aguigadji and Ahlan stations and significant contamination (3 ≤ FC 6) at the Sele station in both the rainy and dry seasons. Ni, Hg and Cd, showed either moderate or significant contamination at the contaminated stations. The risk values showed a considerable ecological Ri (190 ≤ Ri < 380) in the rainy season and a moderate ecological Ri (95 ≤ Ri < 190) in the dry season at these contaminated stations.

IHC与FISH在乳腺癌HER2蛋白表达和基因扩增检测中的应用

目的比较免疫组织化学法(immunohistochemisity,IHC)和荧光原位杂交法(fluorescence in situ hybridization,FISH)在乳腺癌患者中检测人表皮生长因子受体2(human epidermal growth factor receptor 2,HER2)的应用。方法2019年2月至2022年1月本院收治158例乳腺癌患者作为研究对象,均采用IHC和FISH检测HER2的蛋白表达和基因扩增情况,比较两种方法的检测结果和一致性。结果IHC结果显示158例患者中HER2(1+)、HER2(2+)、HER2(3+)分别为5例(3.16%)、97例(61.39%)、56例(35.44%),FISH结果显示HER2扩增73例(46.20%),未扩增85例(53.80%),其中,HER2(1+)患者FISH均显示未扩增,阴性符合率为100%;HER2(3+)患者FISH均显示扩增,阳性符合率为100%;97例HER2(2+)患者FISH显示扩增17例,阳性符合率为17.52%。两种方法检测HER2一致性较好且具有统计学意义(Kappa值=0.775,P<0.05)。结论HIC与FISH在乳腺癌患者HER2表达检测中一致性较好,可在临床推广使用,必要时需结合两种方法检测。

尿脱落细胞FISH单染色体拷贝大量异常分析

目的探讨尿脱落细胞FISH单染色体拷贝大量异常病例的FISH检测结果特点与最终活检病理结果的相关性,进一步完善FISH阳性诊断标准。方法收集847例行尿脱落细胞FISH检测,选择其中不符合阳性标准、但存在大量单染色体拷贝的5例作为研究对象,分析它们的临床特征、FISH检测结果特点、脱落细胞学特征和活检组织病理学检测结果。结果观察相应区域100个核异质上皮细胞,例1显示3号染色体3倍体扩增,异常细胞数32个;例2显示17号染色体3倍体扩增,异常细胞数48个;例3显示17号染色体5倍体扩增,异常细胞数56个;例4显示17号染色体单倍体,异常细胞数67个;例5显示p16基因杂合子缺失,异常细胞数61个,其它染色体均无异常。5例活检病理结果均为低级别或高级别乳头状尿路上皮癌。结论在临床实践中,尿脱落细胞FISH单染色体拷贝大量异常的病例应引起重视,将其归入可疑阳性比较合适,从而能提高尿FISH检测的敏感性,使患者获益。

多基因组合FISH检测技术在黑色素瘤诊断中的应用价值及质控要点分析

目的探讨FISH技术在黑色素瘤诊断中的应用价值及质控要点。方法应用黑色素瘤多基因组合FISH检测试剂盒,对109例色素样本中的6个基因位点(MYB、RREB1、PTEN、MYC、CDKN2A和CCND1)进行检测,分析FISH检测阳性病例的临床病理特征。结果黑色素瘤中的6个基因位点FISH阳性率均显著高于良性黑色素细胞痣(P<0.05)。88例黑色素瘤多基因组合FISH检测结果与各项临床病理特征相关性分析结果显示,不同黑色素瘤组织类型病例中同时3个及以上探针(≥3个探针)FISH阳性比例差异有统计学意义,其中结节型最高(100%),肢端雀斑样次之(96.43%),表浅播散型较低(82.35%)。Breslow厚度>2.0 mm病例中≥3个探针FISH阳性比率显著高于Breslow厚度≤2.0 mm病例。黑色素瘤样本的FISH质控关键点是组织固定:黑色素瘤组织FISH备片2.5~3μm厚为宜;若色素影响严重,可做单种绿色信号判读加其他检测方式辅助诊断。结论FISH检测6个基因位点对黑色素瘤辅助诊断具有重要价值;应严格进行黑色素瘤样本FISH技术的质量控制。

FISH技术检测乳腺癌HER2基因的质控要点

目的探讨FISH技术检测乳腺癌HER2基因的质控要点。方法收集2022年6月至2023年6月安阳市肿瘤医院病理科乳腺癌HER2 FISH检测样本208例。4例样本检测不合格需重新制片进行HER2 FISH检测,对比前后检测效果。结果4例样本重新制片后在荧光显微镜下显示细胞核内杂交信号清晰,双色信号,背景干净。结论制定和完善FISH技术检测乳腺癌HER2基因的质控要点是保证FISH检测结果的准确性、可靠性和及时性的前提。

Effects of Different Spatial Resolutions on Prediction Accuracy of Thunnus alalunga Fishing Ground in Waters Near the Cook Islands Based on Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM)Neural Network Model

Albacore tuna(Thunnus alalunga)is one of the target species of tuna longline fishing,and waters near the Cook Islands are a vital albacore tuna fishing ground.Marine environmental data are usually presented with different spatial resolutions,which leads to different results in tuna fishery prediction.Study on the impact of different spatial resolutions on the prediction accuracy of albacore tuna fishery to select the best spatial resolution can contribute to better management of albacore tuna resources.The nominal catch per unit effort(CPUE)of albacore tuna is calculated according to vessel monitor system(VMS)data collected from Chinese distantwater fishery enterprises from January 1,2017 to May 31,2021.A total of 26 spatiotemporal and environmental factors,including temperature,salinity,dissolved oxygen of 0–300 m water layer,chlorophyll-a concentration in the sea surface,sea surface height,month,longitude,and latitude,were selected as variables.The temporal resolution of the variables was daily and the spatial resolutions were set to be 0.5°×0.5°,1°×1°,2°×2°,and 5°×5°.The relationship between the nominal CPUE and each individual factor was analyzed to remove the factors irrelavant to the nominal CPUE,together with a multicollinearity diagnosis on the factors to remove factors highly related to the other factors within the four spatial resolutions.The relationship models between CPUE and spatiotemporal and environmental factors by four spatial resolutions were established based on the long short-term memory(LSTM)neural network model.The mean absolute error(MAE)and root mean square error(RMSE)were used to analyze the fitness and accuracy of the models,and to determine the effects of different spatial resolutions on the prediction accuracy of the albacore tuna fishing ground.The results show the resolution of 1°×1°can lead to the best prediction accuracy,with the MAE and RMSE being 0.0268 and 0.0452 respectively,followed by 0.5°×0.5°,2°×2°and 5°×5°with declining prediction accuracy.The results suggested that 1)albacore tuna fishing ground can be predicted by LSTM;2)the VMS records the data in detail and can be used scientifically to calculate the CPUE;3)correlation analysis,and multicollinearity diagnosis are necessary to improve the prediction accuracy of the model;4)the spatial resolution should be 1°×1°in the forecast of albacore tuna fishing ground in waters near the Cook Islands.

Identification of Fishing State of Purse Seine Fishing Vessels Based on Multi-Indices

With the popularization of vessel satellite AIS(automatic identification system)equipment and the continuous improve-ment of the AIS data’s coverage,continuity and effectiveness,AIS has become an important data source to study the navigation char-acteristics of vessel groups.This study established an identification model to extract the fishing state and intensity information of fishing vessels,based on the AIS data of purse seine fishing vessels,combined with the variables of vessel position,speed and course.Expert experience,spatial statistics and data mining analysis methods were applied to establish the model,and the Western and Cen-tral Pacific Ocean areas were studied.The results showed that the overall accuracy of identification of the fishing state using Support Vector Machine method is higher,and the method has a good modeling effect.The spatial distribution characteristics of the vessels’fishing intensity based on AIS data showed a significant cluster distribution pattern.The obtained high-intensity fishing area can be used as a prediction of purse seine fishing grounds in the Western and Central Pacific areas.Through the processing and research of AIS data,this study provided important scientific support for the identification of fishing state of purse seine fishing vessels.The spatial fishing intensity of fishing vessels based on AIS data can also be used for the analysis of fishery resources and fishing grounds,and further serve the sustainable development of marine fisheries.

Safety Equipment in Artisanal Maritime Fishing in Gabon: Between Adaptation and the Weight of Socio-Cultural Logics at the Libreville Artisanal Fishing Center (CAPAL)

Maritime safety equipment allows to prevent and minimize the risks inherent to navigation at sea. However, in the artisanal maritime fishery in Gabon, fishermen are confronted with the major difficulty of the inaccessibility of protective tools to carry out fishing trips in all peace of mind. The absence of equipment to help maritime navigation poses the problem of insecurity in which the various artisanal fishermen work, often victims of numerous accidents at sea. This article aims at highlighting the difficulties of accessibility, by the fishermen, of all the conventional protection tools recommended by the administrations. In fact, the methodology used is based on the consultation of official reports and publications on the subject, field observations and semi-structured interviews with 110 actors. The results obtained reveal, on the one hand, a plethora of conventional protective equipment required of fishing vessels. On the other hand, they reveal the high cost of safety equipment which creates, among the professionals concerned, a reluctance to acquire all of the said tools and forces the interested parties to associate them very often with the traditional procedures for rescue at sea.

Scale and Associated Factors of Using Pyrethroid-Impregnated Mosquito Nets as Fishing Tools on Nokoué Lake within Sô-Ava Municipality in Benin, 2020

Background: In lacustrine communities, whether in Benin or elsewhere, populations use impregnated mosquito nets (IMNs) as fishing nets. This depletes the lake of its fishery resources, which in turn are contaminated by the pyrethroids impregnated in the nets. This study aims to determine the scale and factors associated with the use of pyrethroid-impregnated mosquito nets as fishing tools in the municipality of Sô-Ava in Benin. Methods: This is a cross-sectional and analytical study with two components. First, a quantitative component was made up of 280 volunteers who were interviewed in the seven districts of the city. Data collection was done in two phases: the first from September to October 2020, and the second in August 2022. Data were analyzed with Stata and logistic regression was used. Another qualitative component was made up of forty participants chosen by reasoned choice, of which 32 were split into four focus groups of eight members each, and the rest participated in semi-structured interviews. Triangulation of the different sources was used to analyze the data. Results: Around 67% of the population reported using impregnated mosquito nets as fishing tools and 33% exclusively for malaria. Seasonal fishermen (ORa = 2.03, CI = 1.35 - 4.97, P = 0.004) and years of professional experience (ORa = 1.53, CI = 1.00 - 2.05, P = 0.021) increase the risk of using these nets as fishing tools. The use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets against mosquitoes causes skin scratching and impairs breathing because of the impregnation products, as reported by respondents. Conclusion: A high prevalence of inappropriate use of impregnated mosquito nets in fishing practices is highlighted in this study. Interviews in the field revealed that nets are diverted for fishing purposes to increase the volume of catches. Consequently, it will be appropriate to assess the pyrethroid content in water and fishery products.

An innovative classification system for ranking the biological effects of marine aromatic hydrocarbons based on fish embryotoxicity

Petroleum hydrocarbon pollution is a global concern,particularly in coastal environments.Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) are regarded as the most toxic components of petroleum hydrocarbons.In this study,the biomonitoring and ranking effects of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs on the marine fish model Oryzias melastigma embryos were determined in the Jiulong River Estuary(JRE) and its adjacent waters in China.The results showed that the levels of petroleum hydrocarbons from almost all sites met the primary standard for marine seawater quality,and the concentrations of the 16 priority PAHs in the surface seawater were lower compared with those in other coastal areas worldwide.A new fish expert system based on the embryotoxicity of O.melastigma(OME-FES) was developed and applied in the field to evaluate the biological effects of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs.The selected physiological index and molecular indicators in OME-FES were appropriate biomarkers for indicating the harmful effects of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs.The outcome of OME-FES revealed that the biological effect levels of the sampling sites ranged from level Ⅰ(no stress) to level Ⅲ(medium stress),which is further corroborated by the findings of nested analysis of variance(ANOVA) models.Our results suggest that the OME-FES is an effective tool for evaluating and ranking the biological effects of marine petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs.This method may also be applied to evaluate other marine pollutants based on its framework.

IHC、FISH、qRT-PCR检测NSCLC ALK融合基因的对比分析

目的对比分析免疫组化(IHC)、荧光原位杂交(FISH)、实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)检测非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)ALK融合基因情况。方法收集453例NSCLC标本。随机选取IHC检测的ALK融合基因不同表达程度标本40例[ALK(-)、(+)、(2+)、(3+)标本各10例],采用FISH和qRT-PCR法分别检测各组ALK融合基因表达水平,并进行一致性分析。结果IHC与FISH、qRT-PCR的ALK融合基因检测结果比较,IHC ALK(-)/(3+)与FISH、qRT-PCR检测结果一致率均为100%,具有高度一致性(r=0.781、r=0.740,P<0.05)。FISH与qRT-PCR的检测结果一致率为97.5%,具有高度一致性(r=0.943,P<0.05)。结论FISH、qRT-PCR法与IHC法检测在不同表达程度ALK融合基因样本中检测结果存在差别,IHC敏感性更高。FISH、qRT-PCR法在ALK融合基因样本的检测结果具有高度一致性。

Measurement of Malondialdehyde as a Biomarker of Lipid Oxidation in Fish

Oxidative reactions are key part of the stress response in marine organisms, which are exposed to a wide variety of environmental stressors. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) occurs in response to oxidant attack, giving rise to unsaturated aldehydes as malondialdehyde (MDA), the main biomarker for LPO assessment. Levels of MDA are measured in biological samples of different fish matrices to determine the oxidative effect of physical or chemical agents, particularly represented by metals. The most used assay is the spectrophotometric determination of thiobarbituric acid (TBA) as MDA-TBA2 adduct. Selectivity is enhanced by separating the adduct by chromatographic methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography or by using alternative derivatization reagents. Because, in biological organism, MDA is found free or protein bound, the two forms should be measured, and the extraction procedures are a crucial step in the processing of the biological sample. This review focused on MDA determination procedures used to assess the effect of experimental and environmental stress induced in fish.

Microbial Quality and Molecular Identification of Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus Strains Isolated from Dried, Smoked, and Braised Fish Sold in Ouagadougou Markets

Background: The investigation of toxin genes in strains involved in staphylococcal food poisoning contributes to food safety. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus strains from dried, smoked, and braised fish sold in Ouagadougou markets. Methodology: Staphylococci were isolated using standard microbiology methods. Staphylococcus strains were identified using API Staph kit (Reference # 20500, BioMerieux S.A., Marcy l'Etoile, France). The molecular identification of isolated Staphylococcus aureus strains was specifically confirmed by PCR using the Staur4 and Staur6 primers. The genes encoding enterotoxins, enterotoxin-like toxins, exfoliative toxins, and TSST-1 toxin were detected by multiplex PCR using specific primers from Inquaba Biotec West Africa Ltd, Africa's Genomics Company. Results: The results of the microbiological quality assessment indicated that most of the samples analyzed were found to be of unsatisfactory microbiological quality according to the Staphylococcus aureus microbiological criteria (m = 102). Overall, only 12.55% of samples were satisfactory, while 97.45% were unsatisfactory. The STAPH API gallery allowed the identification of the following species: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus lugdunensis, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus lentus, Staphylococcus sciuri and Staphylococcus capitis. Of the 108 Staphylococcus isolates, 81 (75%) showed at least one (1) toxin gene. Among the 21 toxin genes tested in this study, 20 genes were detected in all strains analyzed. The staphylococcal toxin genes detected were present in both Staphylococcus aureus and the other coagulase-negative strains isolated in this study. In addition, these genes are found individually or in association in certain strains. The most frequent genes detected in toxin gene-positive strains were: the tsst-1 gene in 45 isolated strains (41.7%), sei (16/14.8%), seg (13/12%), ser (7/6.5%) sec (6/5.5%), and sea (5/4.6%) for staphylococcal enterotoxins, seln (14/12.9%), selq (8/7.4%), for enterotoxin-like toxin gene and eta (3/2.7%) for exfoliative toxin genes. Conclusion: This study highlighted the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus strains isolated from dried, smoked, and braised fish sold in Ouagadougou markets. Monitoring toxin-producing strains of Staphylococcus is invaluable for better prevention of food poisoning.

Fishing Production and Fishing Changes in Hong Kong after the Ground Trawl Ban of 31st December 2012:A Geospatial Evaluation

From data published by the Hong Kong SAR(HKSAR)government in their two sole fisheries surveys of 2006 and 2016/2017,the current authors produced regional maps using spatial interpolation to more accurately describe and estimate the geographic coverage of changes in fishing production in Hong Kong waters since the ground trawl ban of 2012 December 31st.These suggest the fishing industry has adapted to smaller craft,and that fishing production increased in several areas in the period after the ground trawl ban came into effect.In addition,the maps enable a smoother assessment to be made of the geospatial changes in fishing production which have occurred since the ground trawl ban and suggest a‘workaround’by fishermen.In particular,small fishing craft known as sampans are able to take advantage by being more suitable vessels for areas such as narrower or shallower bays.Marine plastics pollution is also a proxy indicator of these activities,as evidenced by discarded fishing gear that includes plastic nets,floats,and other fishing boat equipment.

Assessment of the Characteristics of Demersal Fish Communities Using Species-and Trait-Based Approaches in the Coastal Habitats Along Rongcheng Bay,Shandong Peninsula,China

Biodiversity declines have motivated many studies on the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functioning.In this study,we described the spatial-temporal characteristics of demersal fish communities along a coastal habitat in Rongcheng Bay,Shandong Peninsula,China with both species-based and biological trait-based approaches.The field survey was carried out monthly using traps from April to October of 2018,and divided into three seasons(spring:April and May;summer:June,July and August;autumn:September,October and November).The study area included five distinct habitats:seagrass bed,natural rocky reef,bare sand,artificial reef together with natural rocky reef,and artificial reef together with bare sand.We analyzed the fish communities with three taxonomic diversity indices,including Shannon-Wiener,Simpson,and Pielou Evenness,as well as four functional diversity indices,including FRic,FEve,FDiv,and FDis,based on 7 functional groups which are categorized into 27 traits.The results showed that there were no significant differences in taxonomic diversity indices among different habitats in the three seasons.However,significant differences were found in the functional richness of fish communities among different habitats in three seasons.Seagrass bed represented the highest functional richness in spring and autumn.This study demonstrates that seagrass bed is very important in enhancing the functional diversity of fish communities in a complex habitat.The study also indicates that the combination of taxonomic diversity and functional diversity will provide a more detailed description of the characteristics of fish communities.

Fishing Dynamic and Stock Status of Endeavour Shrimp(Metapenaeus ensis de Haan)in Bombana Waters,South-East Celebes

The high market demand for endeavour shrimp(Metapenaeus ensis de Haan)has caused intensive fishing for this resource and tends to threaten their sustainability.Assessment of fishing dynamic and stock status of fisheries resource is the main point to formulate its proper sustainable management in the future.The purpose of this study was to determine the stock status of endeavour shrimp in the Bombana and its surrounding waters.The study was conducted from April to November 2021 using a survey method to analyze the length at first capture(L_(c)),length at first maturity(L_(m)),growth rate(K),maximum theoretical carapace length(Loo),and mortality rate such as total mortality rate(Z),fishing mortality rate(F)and natural mortality rate(M).The study results revealed that the endeavour shrimp growth pattern in Bombana was negative allometric and that the ratio of males and females was not balanced.The length at first capture(L_(c))was 29.83 mm(carapace length)and the length at first maturity(L_(m))was at a total carapace length of 31.67 mm.The growth rate(K)was 1.0 per year and maximum theoretical length(L_(∞))was 46.2 mm.The estimate total mortality rate(Z)was 2.52 per year,the fishing mortality rate(F)and natural mortality rate(M)were 0.91 per year and 1.61 per year respectively.The exploitation rate(E)was 0.36 per year,therefore the stock status is not categorized overfishing.In order to ensure the sustainability of the endeavour shrimp,then the effort must be increased by about 28%of the current effort.

Distribution and Contamination of Arsenic in Fish, Gastropods and Bivalves in the Aby and Tendo Lagoons in East of Ivory Coast

Lagoons are ecosystems for biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal communities. The main objective of the study was to analyze the variability of arsenic concentrations in gastropods and bivalves in the Aby and Tendo lagoons, taking into account spatial, seasonal and hydrological variations. The study was carried out in four stages spread over two successive hydroclimatic cycles, including two seasons during the rainy season and two more during the dry season. The samples were taken in two areas of the Aby and Tendo lagoons. Arsenic levels were measured by ICP-MS. The results showed that mean arsenic concentrations in the muscles of organisms in Aby Lagoon ranged from 0.01 to 1.26 μg As/g, with a mean and median of 0.17 and 0.06 μg As/g, respectively. Fish had the highest levels of arsenic, followed by crustaceans, while molluscs and plants had lower and comparable concentrations of As. Arsenic concentrations in tilapia and jawbones varied significantly between sites and seasons, with higher concentrations at Tendo and during the rainy season. Arsenic concentrations in gastropods and bivalves were significantly higher than those of other species, with averages of 0.74 and 1.03 mg As/kg, respectively.

比较两种固定液过度固定乳腺癌组织对FISH法检测HER2基因的影响

FISH技术常用于检测和定位染色体上特定的DNA序列[1],有利于病理鉴别诊断[2]、指导临床靶向用药[3]和监测肿瘤的复发[4]。组织标本的前处理对确保临床检验结果的准确性尤为重要,固定是组织处理中最重要的环节,也是整个制片过程中最无法补救的一步[5],组织过度固定或固定不足均会对检测结果造成影响[6]。乳腺癌穿刺样本,在离体后即加入固定液中保存,由于周末节假日等原因,部分样本未能及时送至病理科,穿刺组织体积较小易出现固定过度,在制片中常存在消化难和杂交背景亮等问题。

Mandarin fish von Hippel-Lindau protein regulates the NF-κB signaling pathway via interaction with IκB to promote fish ranavirus replication

The von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein(VHL),an E3 ubiquitin ligase,functions as a critical regulator of the oxygen-sensing pathway for targeting hypoxia-inducible factors.Recent evidence suggests that mammalian VHL may also be critical to the NF-κB signaling pathway,although the specific molecular mechanisms remain unclear.Herein,the roles of mandarin fish(Siniperca chuatsi)VHL(scVHL)in the NF-κB signaling pathway and mandarin fish ranavirus(MRV)replication were explored.The transcription of scVHL was induced by immune stimulation and MRV infection,indicating a potential role in innate immunity.Dual-luciferase reporter gene assays and reverse transcription quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)results demonstrated that scVHL evoked and positively regulated the NF-κB signaling pathway.Treatment with NF-κB signaling pathway inhibitors indicated that the role of scVHL may be mediated through scIKKα,scIKKβ,scIκBα,or scp65.Co-immunoprecipitation(Co-IP)analysis identified scIκBαas a novel target protein of scVHL.Moreover,scVHL targeted scIκBαto catalyze the formation of K63-linked polyubiquitin chains to activate the NF-κB signaling pathway.Following MRV infection,NF-κB signaling remained activated,which,in turn,promoted MRV replication.These findings suggest that scVHL not only positively regulates NF-κB but also significantly enhances MRV replication.This study reveals a novel function of scVHL in NF-κB signaling and viral infection in fish.

Effect of the Dietary Substitution of Fish Meal with Achatina fulica Meat Meal on the Growth Performance and Production Cost of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Fingerlings

Fishmeal is the most preferred source of protein in aquafeeds, but it is expensive and scarce. Hence, Achatina fulica meat meal (AFM), which is much less preferred for human consumption out of three species of African giant land snails, was tested as a fishmeal substitute for Clarias gariepinus growth. Five iso-nitrogenous and iso-calorific diets were formulated, in which AFM substituted fish meal at 0% (control or Diet A), 25% (Diet B), 50% (Diet C), 75% (Diet D) and 100% (Diet E). These dietary treatments were each replicated thrice in a completely randomized design experiment, using 36-L plastic tanks in which the fish were fed daily rations corresponding to 5% of their body weight, for 8 weeks. Water quality parameters in the tanks were monitored. Proximate analyses were conducted on the fish meal, snail meal and experimental diets before the feeding trials. Cost-benefit analysis of the different diets was performed. The crude protein content of AFM (69.18%) was significantly higher than that of fish meal (55.81%). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the mean weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and survival rate in fish fed Diet A and Diet B. The best protein efficiency ratio (0.77) was recorded in fish fed Diet B. Furthermore, the survival rate of fish increased with increased levels of AFM substitution. Water quality parameters were within a suitable range for tropical fish culture, indicating that the AFM did not pollute the water. The fish fed 25% AFM diet significantly (P Clarias gariepinus diets at a 25% substitution level. The aquaculture industry can thus exploit the availability of this feed resource.