Back to the roots: the integration of a constructed wetland into a recirculating hatchery - a case study.

Aquaculture is currently one of the fastest growing food-producing sectors, accounting for around 50% of the world's food fish. Limited resources, together with climatic change, have stimulated the search for solutions to support and sustain the production of fish as a nutritious food. The integration of a constructed wetland (CW) into a recirculating hatchery (RHS) was evaluated with respect to its economic feasibility and environmental impact. The outcome of eight production cycles showed the potential of CW integration for expanded production without increased operation costs or environmental load. Concretely, the use of constructed wetland allows the rearing about 40% more fish biomass, resulting in higher production and profitability. The low requirements for space, fresh water, and energy enable the establishment of such systems almost anywhere. Constructed wetlands could enhance the productivity of existing small scale facilities, as well as larger systems, to address economic and environmental issues in aquaculture. Such systems have potential to be sustainable in the context of possible future climate change and resource limitations.

[Possibilities of influencing the drug content and encapsulation efficiency of chitosan microspheres prepared by ionic gelation process]. / Moznosti ovlivnení obsahu léciva a enkapsulacní úcinnosti chitosanových mikrosfér pripravených procesem iontové gelace.

UNLABELLED: This study aimed to prepare high molecular weight chitosan blank and drug-loaded microparticles using 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) as the model active substance by an external ionic gelation. Formulation and process variables included the chitosan concentration and presence of drug in the polymer solution, and/or in hardening solution during the microparticles preparation. The effect of different preparation conditions on the properties of the microparticles was observed with a view to increase drug content in microparticles. For both types of microparticles (with and without the drug), it was found that their sphericity and equivalent diameter increased with increasing chitosan concentration. The drug content of drug-loaded microparticles was the highest in the case of the sample prepared from 1.75% chitosan dispersion, when the drug was present both in the chitosan dispersion and the hardening solution. Maximum six times higher drug content was achieved by change of the placement of 5-ASA during preparation (1.25% chitosan concentration). KEYWORDS: microparticles external ionotropic gelation chitosan 5-ASA encapsulation efficiency.

Dopamine control of LH release in the tench (Tinca tinca).

Tench (Tinca tinca) is apparently the only known member of the Cyprinidae in which ovulation is stimulated following administration of a low dose of GnRH analogue (GnRHa) without a dopamine inhibitor. This study evaluated LH release effectiveness of the most commonly used GnRHa and clarified whether LH secretion followed by ovulation is subject to inhibitory dopaminergic control in tench. Fish were intraperitoneally injected with three types of GnRHa, GnRHa with dopamine inhibitor metoclopramide (combined treatment), or the dopamine inhibitor metoclopramide alone. LH concentrations at five sampling times (0, 6, 12, 24, and 33 h) together with ovulation success and fecundity index were recorded. The combined treatment triggered an almost immediate LH release peak with a gradual decline, and resulted in a high ovulation rate. In contrast to the combined treatment, an application of GnRHa alone at 10 µg kg(-1) induced gradual increase of LH concentrations with peaks close to ovulation time, and with high ovulation success. Significant differences in LH concentrations at 6 and 12h and no differences in ovulation success were found between the combined and the GnRHa alone treatments. Metoclopramide alone induced a small increase in LH with no ovulation. The study presents clear evidence of dopaminergic control of LH release in tench, with a high ovulation rate obtained after application of GnRHa alone or in combination with dopamine inhibitor.