I read this book the same weekend that the Packers took on the Rams, and the experience of the latter event, obviously, colored my judgment. Although I abhor anything that smacks of being a handbook (like, \"How to Earn a Merit Badge in Neurosurgery\") because too many volumes in biomedical science already evince a boyscout-like approach, I must confess that parts of this volume are fast, scholarly, and significant, with certain reservations. I like parts of this well-illustrated book because Dr. Sj6strand, without so stating, develops certain subjects on technique in relation to the acquisition of judgment and sophistication. And this is important! So, given that the author (like all of us) is somewhat deficient in some areas, and biased in others, the book is still valuable if the uninitiated reader swallows it in a general fashion, realizing full well that what will be required from the reader is a modulation to fit his vision, propreception, adaptation and response, and the kind of problem he is undertaking. A major deficiency of this book is revealed by comparison of its use of physics and of chemistry to provide understanding and background for the application of high resolution electron microscopy to problems in biology. Since the volume is keyed to high resolution electron microscopy, which is a sophisticated form of structural analysis, but really morphology in a modern guise, the physical and mechanical background of The instrument and its ancillary tools are simply and well presented. The potential use of chemical or cytochemical information as it relates to biological fine structure , however, is quite deficient. I wonder when even sophisticated morphol-ogists will consider fixation a reaction and not a technique; only then will the fundamentals become self-evident and predictable and this sine qua flon will become less mystical. Staining reactions (the most inadequate chapter) ought to be something more than a technique to selectively enhance contrast of morphological elements; it ought to give the structural addresses of some of the chemical residents of cell components. Is it pertinent that auto-radiography gets singled out for more complete coverage than other significant aspects of cytochemistry by a high resolution microscopist, when it has a built-in minimal error of 1,000 A in standard practice? I don't mean to blind-side (in strict football terminology) Dr. Sj6strand's efforts for what is \"routinely used in our laboratory\"; what is done is usually well done. It's just that …

Methods in Enzymology.

Proteins and amino acids are important biomolecules which regulate key metabolic pathways and serve as precursors for synthesis of biologically important substances; moreover, amino acids are building blocks of proteins. Fish is an important dietary source of quality animal proteins and amino acids and play important role in human nutrition. In the present investigation, crude protein content and amino acid compositions of important food fishes from different habitats have been studied. Crude protein content was determined by Kjeldahl method and amino acid composition was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography and information on 27 food fishes was generated. The analysis showed that the cold water species are rich in lysine and aspartic acid, marine fishes in leucine, small indigenous fishes in histidine, and the carps and catfishes in glutamic acid and glycine. The enriched nutrition knowledge base would enhance the utility of fish as a source of quality animal proteins and amino acids and aid in their inclusion in dietary counseling and patient guidance for specific nutritional needs.

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Amino Acid Compositions of 27 Food Fishes and Their Importance in Clinical Nutrition

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the principal constituent of a variety of cells especially the brain neurons and retinal cells and plays important role in fetal brain development, development of motor skills, and visual acuity in infants, lipid metabolism, and cognitive support and along with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) it plays important role in preventing atherosclerosis, dementia, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and so forth. Being an essential nutrient, it is to be obtained through diet and therefore searching for affordable sources of these ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is important for consumer guidance and dietary counseling. Fish is an important source of PUFA and has unique advantage that there are many food fish species available and consumers have a wide choice owing to availability and affordability. The Indian subcontinent harbors a rich fish biodiversity which markedly varies in their nutrient composition. Here we report the DHA and EPA content and fatty acid profile of 39 important food fishes (including finfishes, shellfishes, and edible molluscs from both marine water and freshwater) from India. The study showed that fishes Tenualosa ilisha, Sardinella longiceps, Nemipterus japonicus, and Anabas testudineus are rich sources of DHA and EPA. Promotion of these species as DHA rich species would enhance their utility in public health nutrition.

/pdf/dha-and-epa-content-and-fatty-acid-profile-of-39-food-fishes-unogehx3eq.pdf

DHA and EPA Content and Fatty Acid Profile of 39 Food Fishes from India

Fluctuations in water temperature affected waterborne cadmium toxicity: Hematology, anaerobic glucose pathway, and oxidative stress status of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.)

We evaluated the effects of rearing temperature on the composition of fatty acids and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) activity and gene expression in GIFT (genetically improved farmed tilapia) tilapia. Three triplicate groups of fish were reared for 40 days at 22, 28, or 34 °C. At the end of the trial, the final body weight of juveniles reared at 28 °C was higher than that of fish reared at 22 or 34 °C. Feed intake, feed efficiency, and the protein efficiency ratio were also higher at 28 °C. The fatty acid composition of muscle tissue differed significantly (P < 0.05) among the treatment groups. The content of SFA decreased with decreasing temperature, whereas the UFA content increased. We observed high levels of PUFA, particularly n-3 PUFAs, in fish reared at the lower temperature. Rearing at low temperature significantly (P < 0.05) increased the expression and activity of the SCD gene. Increased SCD activity and gene expression can increase the biosynthesis of MUFAs in GIFT tilapia muscle. Additionally, cold acclimation can decrease the content of TC and TG in GIFT tilapia, which can help increase cold tolerance.

Changes in the physiological parameters, fatty acid metabolism, and SCD activity and expression in juvenile GIFT tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared at three different temperatures

A 30-day acclimation trial was conducted using Tor putitora to elucidate its thermal tolerance, oxygen consumption, haemato-biochemical variables and selected enzymatic activities at five acclimation temperatures (AT). Juveniles of T. putitora were randomly distributed among five treatment groups (20, 23, 26, 29 and 32 ± 0.5 °C). There was a significant curvilinear increase in critical thermal maxima (CTmax) (y = −0.0693x
 2 + 1.7927x + 34.628, R
 2 = 0.996) and lethal thermal maxima (LTmax) (y = −0.1493x
 2 + 2.3407x + 35.092, R
 2 = 0.991) with increasing AT. The oxygen consumption rate increased significantly with increasing AT. The Q
 10 values were 1.16 between 20 and 23 °C, 3.09 between 23 and 26 °C, 1.31 between 26 and 29 °C and 1.76 between 29 and 32 °C of AT. The acclimation response ratios were ranged between 0.37 and 0.59. Catalase, superoxide dismutase and ATPase activities were increased linearly in liver, gill and kidney, while brain acetylcholine esterase activity decreased linearly with increasing AT. Blood glucose remained unchanged up to AT of 26 °C and increased significantly at AT of 29 and 32 °C. Haemoglobin content was increased linearly with increasing AT. The highest WBC count was observed at 20 °C, and no significant changes found till AT of 26 °C and significantly decreased at 32 °C. Total serum protein and globulin were significantly decreased with increasing AT. Highest values were observed at 20 °C and remained consistent till 26 °C, then decreased significantly. There was no significant change in A/G ratio through the AT 20–29 °C and increased significantly at 32 °C. The increase in CTmax, LTmax and oxygen consumption rate with increasing AT may suggest that the thermal tolerance of T. putitora is dependent on its prior thermal exposure history, and it could adapt to higher AT by altering its haemato-biochemical variables.

Thermal tolerance, oxygen consumption and haemato-biochemical variables of Tor putitora juveniles acclimated to five temperatures

Muscle samples of Tor putitora, Neolissochilus hexagonolepis, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Schizothorax richardsonii and Cyprinus carpio were analyzed for fatty acid and amino acid composition with a view to generate nutritional information of the five important coldwater fish species of Indian upland Himalayan region. In the present study, all the fish species recorded good amounts of n-3 fatty acids (8.69–21.48 %) and the n-3/n-6 ratio ranged from 0.7 to 4.98. The amino acid score calculated based on the World Health Organization (WHO) protein standard indicated good quality proteins in the species but with mostly marginally lower values for C. carpio. However, when the amino acid levels of the fish species were compared with the recommended amino acid levels, all the fish species were found to constitute a good source of essential amino acids. Limiting amino acids such as lysine, methionine and cysteine occurred at levels higher than or marginally lower than the recommended amino acid profile. It could be concluded that the five coldwater fish species from upland Himalayan region contained high quality lipids and proteins constituting a healthy addition to the human diet.

Nutritional Quality in Terms of Amino Acid and Fatty Acid of Five Coldwater Fish Species: Implications to Human Health

A 30-day acclimation trial was conducted using golden mahseer, Tor putitora juveniles to study its muscle fatty acid composition at five acclimation temperatures (AT). Ninety juveniles of T. putitora were distributed among five treatment groups (20, 23, 26, 29 and 32±0.5 °C). At the end of 30 days trial, highest percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids was found at 20 °C and lowest at 26 °C. The highest percentage of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) was found at 23 °C and a decreasing trend was observed with increase in AT. However, highest percentage of n-3 PUFA was found at 32 °C and lowest at 29 °C. The maximum n-6 to n-3 ratio was observed at 23 °C and ratio decreased to a minimum at 32 °C. The results revealed that T. putitora juveniles could adapt to higher acclimation temperatures by altering its muscle fatty acid composition mainly by increasing its total saturated fatty acids especially stearic acid.

P. C. Mahanta

Papers

Thermal tolerance, oxygen consumption and haemato-biochemical variables of Tor putitora juveniles acclimated to five temperatures

Nutritional Quality in Terms of Amino Acid and Fatty Acid of Five Coldwater Fish Species: Implications to Human Health

Higher acclimation temperature modulates the composition of muscle fatty acid of Tor putitora juveniles

Management in seed production of golden mahseer, Tor putitora in hatchery conditions.

Captive breeding and growout of the golden mahseer.