The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of propolis on mortality of fish eggs due to mycosis, to study its efficacy on the fish growth rate and to analyze the histochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of muscle fibres. We evaluated the muscular development of fish in two different experimental conditions: traditional feeding and feeding with addition of propolis (groups A and B, respectively). The study was carried out on two species of teleosts bred in Italy, Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) and Salmo trutta (brown trout). The use of propolis reduced mortality of fish eggs. The muscles were stained for myosin ATPase and succinic dehydrogenase to evaluate fibre type. The area, maximum and minimum diameter for each fibre type in relation to the body length were measured. The animals fed propolis showed a more rapid muscular growth compared to control fed the standard diet. Fibres were larger in the Salmo trutta than in the Oncorhynchus mykiss in both groups. In fish of A group, myotomal muscle, the presence of giant fibres and index of environmental stress was noticed. This type of study is valuable in order to extend the use of propolis as an antifungal agent and a natural product that can improve fish farming. ATPase and SDH activities, specific growth-rate, ultrastructural analysisEuropean aquaculture has shown a steady increase during the last twenty years, thanks to many initiatives promoted by the European Community to support this sector. But there are still many problems to solve, such as the support of ecocompatible activities, the improvement of animal health and welfare, product quality and consumer health assurance. Propolis is a mixture of various amounts of beeswax and resins collected by the honeybee from plants, particularly from flowers and leaf buds (Krell 1996). The colour of propolis ranges from yellow to dark brown depending on the origin of the resins. Propolis has attracted the researchers' interest in the last decades due to its biological and pharmacological properties, such as immunomodulatory, antitumor, antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, and antioxidant properties (Kanbur et al. 2009). The goal of this study was to analyze, for the first time, the influence of propolis on the fish muscular development and on the structural and ultrastructural characteristics of muscle fibre types. This study opens a new perspective on the investigation of biological properties of propolis, mainly with respect to the influence on the development of the trout and the mortality of fish eggs. Materials and MethodsThe following species of freshwater fish were used in our study: Salmo trutta (brown trout) and Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout). Experiment with eggsIn order to evaluate the effect of propolis on mortality of fish eggs, approximately 600 eggs (half and half) were placed in 3 "Californian tanks" arranged in cascade. Untreated samples (about 250 eggs) were used as control. The eggs were rinsed in propolis solution (1%) for 15 min, once every four days and then they were ...
Little is known about the Casertana pig. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sex on histochemical and morphometrical characteristics of muscle fibres (myocytes) in this pure breed and to verify the presence of giant fibres as well as vascularity of the muscle. Finally, maximum shortening velocity and isometric tension were measured in single muscle fibres.Sixteen Casertana pigs (8 males, 8 females) from a farm in Campania (Italy) were slaughtered at one year of age. Muscle tissues were obtained from psoas minor, rhomboideus and longissimus dorsi. Myofibres were stained for myosin adenosine triphosphatase, succinic dehydrogenase, and α-amylase-periodic acid schiff. For all fibre types, the area and perimeter were measured. Slowtwitch oxidative fibres, fast-twitch glycolytic fibres and fast-twitch oxidative-glycolytic fibres were histochemically differentiated; an image-analyzing system was used. The results showed significant differences between the sexes in the size of all three fibre types. The psoas minor muscle had a high percentage of slow-twitch oxidative fibres and contained more capillaries per fibre and per mm 2 than rhomboideus and longissimus dorsi, in which fast-twitch glycolytic fibres dominated. The cross-sectional area of all fibre types was larger in longissimus dorsi than in rhomboideus and psoas minor muscles; the giant fibres were present in the longissimus dorsi muscle only. Besides, isometric tension values were higher in fast-twitch glycolytic fibres than in the other ones. Variations in fibre type composition may contribute to meat quality. Giant fibres, myosin adenosine triphosphatase, succinic dehydrogenase, capillaries, shortening velocity, isometric tensionThe Casertana breed is an autochthonous pig breed of ancient origin, now threatened with extinction. In the past it was considered a very fine breed, raised in the Campania region and the surrounding area in South Italy. It was valued for its productive performance particularly regarding the fattening tendency. It is characterized by slow growth and massive accumulation of backfat; its coat is bright black and hairless. The purpose of this study was to complete the knowledge regarding the Casertana pig in order to valorise this breed and to study its meat quality characteristics. Porcine meat quality can be affected by variation in muscle fibre type composition (Depreux 2000). Muscle fibre types may be classified based on enzymatic activity; in this study the following nomenclature was used for myofibre types: FG (fast-contracting with glycolytic metabolism), FOG (fast contracting with glycolytic-oxidative metabolism) and SO (slow-contracting with oxidative metabolism). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sex on the histochemical and morphometric characteristics of muscle fibres on the basis of myosin adenosine triphosphatase (myosin ATPase), succinic dehydrogenase (SDH), to analyse the contractile properties of pig muscle fibres and to determine the presence of giant fibres in the muscles consi...
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