This review compiles and evaluates existing scientific information on the use, limitations, and procedural considerations for EROD activity (a catalytic measurement of cytochrome P4501A induction) ...

Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity in fish as a biomarker of chemical exposure.

The measurement of sperm motility and factors affecting sperm quality in cultured fish

Preface.- Introduction.- Algal Lipids and Effect of the Environment on their Biochemistry.- Formation and transfer of fatty acids in aquatic microbial food webs - role of heterotrophic protists.- Ecological significance of sterols in aquatic food webs.- Fatty acids and oxylipins as semiochemicals.- Integrating lipids and contaminants in aquatic ecology and ecotoxicology.- Crustacean zooplankton fatty acid composition.- Fatty acid ratios in freshwater fish, zooplankton and zoobenthos - are there specific optima?- Preliminary estimates of the export of omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (EPA+DHA) from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems.- Biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids in aquatic ecosystems: general pathways and new directions.- Health and condition in fish: the influence of lipids on membrane competency and immune response.- Lipids in marine copepods: latitudinal characteristics and perspective to global warming.- Lipids in marine copepods: latitudinal characteristics and perspective to global warming.- Tracing aquatic food webs using fatty acids: from qualitative indicators to quantitative determination.- Essential fatty acids in aquatic food webs.- Human life: caught in the food web.

Lipids in aquatic ecosystems

Capacitation is a priming event that renders mammalian spermatozoa responsive to signals originating from the cumulus-oocyte complex. The attainment of a capacitated state is dependent upon an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation and results in the acquisition of responsiveness to physiological agonists such as progesterone and ZP3. In this study we have shown that this capacitation-dependent increase in tyrosine phosphorylation is controlled by a unique redox-regulated, cAMP-mediated, signal transduction cascade. Either stimulation of reactive oxygen species generation or elevation of intracellular cAMP induced increases in phosphotyrosine expression by human spermatozoa and enhanced their responsiveness to progesterone. Ultimate convergence of the redox- and cAMP-regulated pathways was indicated by the ability of the protein kinase A inhibitor, H89, to block both modes of signal transduction. Furthermore, the fact that the redox-regulated pathway could be silenced by catalase, while this enzyme had no effect on the cAMP-mediated response, indicated that oxidant generation must lie upstream from cAMP in the reaction sequence. In keeping with this conclusion, a functional association was demonstrated between the redox status of human spermatozoa and their cAMP content. The continuous production of reactive oxygen species was also shown to be necessary for the protein kinase A-tyrosine phosphorylation axis to remain functional. If the generation of oxidising conditions during capacitation was prevented with 2-mercaptoethanol, 2-deoxyglucose or the flavoprotein inhibitor, diphenylene iodonium, then cAMP could no longer trigger tyrosine phosphorylation. These data support a model for human sperm capacitation as a redox-regulated process, involving a unique sequence of interactive events including reactive oxygen species production, elevation of intracellular cAMP, stimulation of protein kinase A and the induction of tyrosine phosphorylation. This is the first report of such a signal transduction cascade and may have implications for the functional significance of reactive oxygen metabolites in other cell types.

A novel signal transduction cascade in capacitating human spermatozoa characterised by a redox-regulated, cAMP-mediated induction of tyrosine phosphorylation

Antioxidant enzymes and peroxisome proliferation in relation to contaminant body burdens of PAHs and PCBs in bivalve molluscs, crabs and fish from the Urdaibai and Plentzia estuaries (Bay of Biscay).

http://directory.umm.ac.id/Data%20Elmu/jurnal/A/Animal%20Reproduction%20Science/Vol62.Issue1-3.Aug2000/2027.pdf

Storage of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) semen

Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aquatic organisms

Cryopreservation of seabream (Sparus aurata) spermatozoa.

Botryococcus braunii strains are high-lipid producers. Despite this, their use as biodiesel feedstock is limited by their slow growth, which increases production costs. B. braunii wastewater bioremediation power, however, may be able to overcome this problem. This research evaluated the performance of two strains (UTEX-USA and IBL-Brazil) grown in pre-treated (influent) and treated (effluent) wastewater. The goal was to optimize algal-productivity and wastewater treatment in order to provide biomass rich in high-quality oil for biodiesel. The standard CHU-medium was used as control. Phosphorus was 100% removed in all treatments for both strains. Nitrogen removal was higher in wastewater (61–65%) than in CHU medium (48 and 61%), respectively for UTEX and IBL strains. Cultivation in the effluent generated higher biomass and lipid productivity for the UTEX strain, while the influent was the best for the IBL strain. The composition of the fatty-acids produced by Botryococcus was used to estimate the biodiesel quality. Hence, the biodiesels may have good fuel quality (high ignition and combustion efficiency) but limited application at low temperatures. The composition of fatty-acids, however, can be optimized by growing or mixing strategies. Therefore, Botryococcus braunii is a potential source for high quality biodiesel production.

Wastewater treatment by microalgae can generate high quality biodiesel feedstock

Microalgae-oil yields and quality, associated with CO 2 -fixation rates, are able to enhance the feasibility of algal-biodiesel production and economics. Those issues were used as selective criteria applied to Trebouxiophyceae strains. Chlorella vulgaris and two Botryococcus strains were confirmed to grow and to produce high quality biodiesels at distinct levels (2.5 to 20%) of CO 2 -supplementation. Nevertheless, under nutrient-sufficient conditions, C. vulgaris showed the highest CO 2 -fixation rate (0.611 g L − 1  d − 1 ) and biomass production at 5% CO 2 - supplementation, while for Botryococcus terribilis and Botryococcus braunii , the maximum rates (0.614 and 0.555 g L − 1  d − 1 CO 2 ) were obtained at 10%-supplementation. Under nutrient-deficient conditions lipids have increased to be above the contents found during the exponential growth-phase, by a maximum of 43%. The fatty-acid profiles varied according to strains and CO 2 -levels in cultures. Despite variation, palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids predominated. The higher percentage of oleic and palmitic acids over stearic acid, tended to balance the excess of the long chain-size and saturation effects on algal biodiesels' ignition and cold-flow properties . Thus, CO 2 -supplemented levels from 2.5 to 10.0% made biodiesels compliant with fuel-quality standards. Based on the obtained CO 2 -fixation rates biodiesels were projected to minimum yields of 42 to 46 L ha − 1  d − 1 .

Giovanni Sansone

Papers

Storage of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) semen

Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aquatic organisms

Cryopreservation of seabream (Sparus aurata) spermatozoa.

Wastewater treatment by microalgae can generate high quality biodiesel feedstock

Biodiesel yields and fuel quality as criteria for algal-feedstock selection: Effects of CO2-supplementation and nutrient levels in cultures