The aim of this study was to determine whether feed supplementation with nanoencapsulated Ph2Se2 would improve the growth performance of silver catfish and would maintain or improve the muscle antioxidant system. Final mean weight (p = .031), weight gain (p = .014) and specific growth rates (p = .045) were significantly higher in supplemented fish than in the control group. Muscle reactive oxygen species (p = .0001) levels were significantly lower in supplemented fish than in the control group. Also, muscle hydrogen peroxide (p = .0001) and lipid peroxidation (p = .0001) levels were significantly lower in supplemented fish than in the control group. Muscle antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radical (p = .00001) levels were significantly higher in fish supplemented with both Ph2Se2 forms (free or nanocapsules) than in the control group, while muscle superoxide dismutase (p = .001) and catalase (p = .0001) activities were significantly higher in supplemented fish than in the control group. Finally, selenium (Se) deposition (p = .00001) was significantly higher in the muscle of fish supplemented with free and nanoencapsulated forms compared with the control; and deposition levels were significantly higher in fish supplemented with Ph2Se2‐loaded in nanocapsules compared with the free form. Based on this evidence, Ph2Se2‐loaded in nanocapsules improves silver catfish performance and antioxidant/oxidant status. The greater content of Se (1.22 µg/g muscle) in the muscle of fish fed with dietary Ph2Se2‐loaded nanocapsules indicates that it may be considered a nutraceutical for fish.
A simple, rapid, low-cost method was proposed for the imaging of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms on metallic surfaces using an infrared camera. Stainless steel coupons were cooled to generate a thermal gradient in relation to biofilm for active thermography (AT). Both cooling and image acquisition times were optimized and the images obtained with AT were compared with those from scanning electron microscopy. A free software (Thermofilm) was developed for image processing and the results were compared with the software ImageJ, with good agreement (from 87.7 to 103.8%). Images of coupons treated with sanitizer (peracetic acid) were obtained to show the applicability of the proposed method for biofilm studies. All analytical steps could be performed in 3 min in a noncontact, nondestructive, low-cost, portable, and easy-to-use way.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.