Genetic parameters and genotype-environment interactions for skeleton deformities and growth traits at different ages on gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) in four Spanish regions.

One of the most important problems of fish aquaculture is the high incidence of fish deformities, which are mainly skeletal. In this study, genetic parameters on gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) for skeleton deformities at different ages (179, 269, 389, 539 and 689 days) and their correlations with growth traits were estimated, as were as their genotype × environment interactions (G × E) at harvesting age. A total of 4093 offspring from the mass spawning of three industrial broodstocks belonging to the PROGENSA(®) breeding programme were mixed and on-grown by different production systems in four Spanish regions: Canary Islands (tanks and cage), Andalusia (estuary), Catalonia (cage) and Murcia (cage). Parental assignment was inferred using the standardized SMsa1 microsatellite multiplex PCR. From three broodstocks, 139 breeders contributed to the spawn and a total of 297 full-sibling families (52 paternal and 53 maternal half-sibling families) were represented. Heritabilities at different ages were medium for growth traits (0.16-0.48) and vertebral deformities (0.16-0.41), and low for any type of deformity (0.07-0.26), head deformities (0.00-0.05) and lack of operculum (0.06-0.11). The genetic correlations between growth and deformity traits were medium and positive, suggesting that to avoid increasing deformities they should be taken into account in breeding programmes when growth is selected. The G × E interactions among the different facilities were weak for length and deformity and strong for growth rate during this period. These results highlight the potential for the gilthead seabream industry to reduce the prevalence of deformities by genetic improvement tools.

Development of the first standardised panel of two new microsatellite multiplex PCRs for gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.).

The high number of multiplex PCRs developed for gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) from many different microsatellite markers does not allow comparison among populations. This highlights the need for developing a reproducible panel of markers, which can be used with safety and reliability by all users. In this study, the first standardised panel of two new microsatellite multiplex PCRs was developed for this species. Primers of 138 specific microsatellites from the genetic linkage map were redesigned and evaluated according to their genetic variability, allele size range and genotyping reliability. A protocol to identify and classify genotyping errors or potential errors was proposed to assess the reliability of each marker. Two new multiplex PCRs from the best assessed markers were designed with 11 markers in each, named SMsa1 and SMsa2 (SuperMultiplex Sparus aurata). Three broodstocks (59, 47 and 98 breeders) from different Spanish companies, and a sample of 80 offspring from each one, were analysed to validate the usefulness of these multiplexes in the parental assignation. It was possible to assign each offspring to a single parent pair (100% success) using the exclusion method with SMsa1 and/or SMsa2. In each genotyped a reference sample (Ref-sa) was used, and its DNA is available on request similar to the kits of bin set to genotype by genemapper (v.3.7) software (kit-SMsa1 and kit-SMsa2). This will be a robust and effective tool for pedigree analysis or characterisation of populations and will be proposed as an international panel for this species.

Interhospital Sepsis Code in Catalonia (Spain): Territorial model for initial care of patients with sepsis. / Código Sepsis Interhospitalario en Catalunya: modelo organizativo territorial para la atención inicial al paciente con sepsis.

Sepsis is a syndromic entity with high prevalence and mortality. The management of sepsis is standardized and exhibits time-dependent efficiency. However, the management of patients with sepsis is complex. The heterogeneity of the forms of presentation can make it difficult to detect and manage such cases, in the same way as differences in training, professional competences or the availability of health resources. The Advisory Commission for Patient Care with Sepsis (CAAPAS), comprising 7 scientific societies, the Emergency Medical System (SEM) and the Catalan Health Service (CatSalut), have developed the Interhospital Sepsis Code (CSI) in Catalonia (Spain). The general objective of the CSI is to increase awareness, promote early detection and facilitate initial care and interhospital coordination to attend septic patients in a homogeneous manner throughout Catalonia.

Código Sepsis Interhospitalario en Catalunya: modelo organizativo territorial para la atención inicial al paciente con sepsis / Interhospital Sepsis Code in Catalonia (Spain): Territorial model for initial care of patients with sepsis

La sepsis es una entidad sindrómica de elevada prevalencia y mortalidad. Su manejo está estandarizado y tiene una eficacia dependiente del tiempo. Sin embargo, el manejo de los pacientes con sepsis es complejo. La heterogeneidad de las formas de presentación puede dificultar su detección y manejo, así como las diferencias en formación, competencias o disponibilidad de recursos sanitarios. La Comisión Asesora para la Atención al PAciente con Sepsis (CAAPAS), formada por 7 sociedades científicas, el Sistema de Emergencias Médicas (SEM) y el Servei Català de la Salut (CatSalut), han desarrollado en Catalunya el Código Sepsis Interhospitalario (CSI). El objetivo general del CSI es facilitar la detección precoz, la atención inicial y la coordinación interhospitalaria para optimizar el tratamiento de los pacientes con sepsis o shock séptico en formato código de riesgo vital, de forma homogénea a lo largo de todo el territorio catalán

Sepsis is a syndromic entity with high prevalence and mortality. The management of sepsis is standardized and exhibits time-dependent efficiency. However, the management of patients with sepsis is complex. The heterogeneity of the forms of presentation can make it difficult to detect and manage such cases, in the same way as differences in training, professional competences or the availability of health resources. The Advisory Commission for Patient Care with Sepsis (CAAPAS), comprising 7 scientific societies, the Emergency Medical System (SEM) and the Catalan Health Service (CatSalut), have developed the Interhospital Sepsis Code (CSI) in Catalonia (Spain). The general objective of the CSI is to increase awareness, promote early detection and facilitate initial care and interhospital coordination to attend septic patients in a homogeneous manner throughout Catalonia

Sensory characteristics of cooked pork loin as affected by nucleotide content and post-mortem meat quality.

Muscle longissimus dorsi excised at 2hr post mortem was utilised to study the effect of post-mortem meat quality, and their content of nucleotide metabolites, on the sensory characteristics of cooked loin. Four different post mortem meat qualities were defined: pale soft exudative (PSE), red soft exudative (RSE), red firm non-exudative (RFN) and dark firm dry (DFD). The DFD meat quality class showed low sour and salty tastes and a high sweet taste, low astringency and high juiciness and tenderness, giving the best overall quality. On the other hand, the RSE quality class produced a meat with a low juiciness and high hardness, and a low overall quality although these differences were not significant (p<0.05) against RFN and PSE meats. The effect of nucleotide metabolite contents on the sensory meat properties were most significant on taste although, the different meat qualities were only significantly different (p<0.05) in the content of hypoxanthine, guanosine, GDP and IDP.

Effects of the terminal sire type and sex on pork muscle cathepsins (B, B+L and H), cysteine proteinase inhibitors and lipolytic enzyme activities.

Pork muscle cathepsins (B, B+L, and H), cysteine proteinase inhibitors and lipolytic enzyme activities were measured in the offspring of five different genetic sire types: Danish Duroc (DU), Dutch Large White (LW(D)), English Large White (LW(E)), Belgian Landrace × Landrace (BL×LR) and Belgian Landrace (BL). Cathepsin B and B+L activities were higher for LW(E) and LW(D) sires than for BL×LR and BL. Cathepsin H activity showed an opposite evolution, being higher for BL and BL×LR sires than for DU, LW(D) and LW(E). Cysteine proteinase inhibitor activity was higher for LW(E) sires than for DU and BL. In lipolytic enzymes, BL sires had a lower acid lipase activity than DU and LW(E) sires and also a lower neutral esterase activity than LW(E) and LW(D) sires. Significant differences between sexes were found for cathepsin H activity only, being higher for females.