Subjective and objective sleep among air ambulance personnel

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of shift work on sleep among pilots and Helicopter Emergency Medical Service crew members (HCM) in the Norwegian Air Ambulance. Sleep was assessed by diaries and actigraphy during a workweek (24 h duty for 7 consecutive days) in the winter season and a workweek during the summer season in pilots and HCM (N = 50). Additionally, differences in sleep were studied between the week before work, the workweek, and the week after work in both seasons. Results indicated that bedtime was later (p <.001) and time spent in bed (p <.05) was shorter during the summer, compared to the winter, season. The workers delayed the sleep period in the workweek, compared to the week before (winter: p <.001, summer: p <.001) and the week after (winter: p <.05-.001, summer: p <.001). They spent more time in bed during the workweek, compared to the week before (winter: p <.001, summer: p <.01) and after (winter: p <.001, summer: p =.37). Further, the workers had longer wake after sleep onset during the workweek, compared to the week before (winter: p <.001, summer: p <.01) and the week after (winter: p <.01, summer: p <.01). Finally, the workers had lower sleep efficiency during the workweek recorded by actigraphy compared to the week before (winter: p <.01, summer: p <.001) and the week after (winter: p <.01, summer: p <.001). According to the sleep diaries the total sleep time was 7:17 h in the winter and 7:03 h in the summer season. Overall, the sleep was somewhat affected during the workweek, with delayed sleep period, longer wake after sleep onset, and lower sleep efficiency compared to when off work. However, the workers spent more time in bed during the workweek compared to the weeks off, and they obtained over 7 h of sleep in both workweeks. Our findings suggest that the pilots and the HCM sleep well during the workweek, although it affected their sleep to some extent.     

Discards in bottom‐trawl fishery in the western Black Sea (Turkey)

The aim of this study was to estimate the discards of target and non‐target species from bottom trawlers (rhombic and 40 mm cod end mesh size nets) in the Black Sea. On‐board sampling was conducted on the southwestern coasts of the Black Sea in the fishing ports of Rumelifeneri and Igneada for a total of 66 hauls on two commercial bottom trawlers from October 2012 to April 2013 and from October 2013 to April 2014. A total of 32 species were captured, including 25 species of fish, three crustacea, two echinodermata and two mollusca. Mullus barbatus and Merlangius merlangus euxinus were the target species, whereas 24 species were always discarded. Scophthalmus maximus and Pomatomus saltatrix were always retained. The two regions were similar in terms of catch and discard compositions, CPUE, DPUE and discard ratio. Discarding is important in the Black Sea commercial bottom trawl fishery and accounts for as much as 31.4% of the total bottom trawl catch. The results showed that the discard rates varied among species, depths (p = .04) and seasons (p = .0001). Finally, it was concluded that in the western Black Sea, when the impacts of depth and season are considered, that the discard quantity can be reduced.     

Spatial distribution and diversity of commercial demersal fish species in the shelf waters of the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea (CS) is a unique ecosystem known for its several fish species, especially sturgeons. To exhaustively manage the fish stocks of this ecosystem, detailed knowledge of species composition, abundance, distribution, and the habitat traits of the living organisms is necessary. This study analyzed the diversity, spatial, and seasonal distribution of commercial demersal fish species, and examined the relationships between community structure and environmental variability in Iranian shelf waters of the CS. For this purpose, seasonally fish sampling took place between 2009 and 2011 with a bottom trawl. Among 11 fish species captured, Chelon spp., Rutilus kutum, and Vimba vimba showed the highest abundances (i.e. 88.49%, 10.67%, and 0.69%, respectively). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed differences in commercial fish assemblages (abundance and species richness) according to seasons and regions. Distance-based Linear Model (DisTLM) showed that eight environmental variables display significant linear relationships with the fauna resemblance matrix (p < .05). Based on AIC criteria, the combination of silt&clay, TOM, longitude, depth, bottom, and surface temperature used to build the parsimonious DisTLM model explain 67.03% of the total variability. The results revealed a biogeographical and temporal gradient from the west to the east and summer to winter, in terms of commercial demersal fish assemblages and species diversity, as a consequence of different geomorphological, bottom substratum conditions and benthic communities.     

Relevance of local scale factors in winter host-plant selection by the rice pest Tibraca limbativentris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Tibraca limbativentris is a major stink bug pest in paddies of the Neotropics. In Argentina, its populations overwinter in twelve host-plant species that occur inside rice fields. However, it's unknown if there are local scale variations in the abundance of T. limbativentris. Likewise, the role of host-plant community composition (H_pCC) as a factor involved in the winter host-plant selection by the insects is poorly understood. The aims of this work were (a) to assess variations at local scale on the abundance of T. limbativentris in the context of winter H_pCC and incidence of entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs) and (b) to assess the abundance of T. limbativentris considering the relationship between the height of plants of rice cultivars present in target sites during summer, and the height of the hosts selected by T. limbativentris during winter in grassland adjoining rice plots. Sampling was carried out during summer–winter in different commercial rice fields, to assess winter abundance of T. limbativentris, H_pCC in grasslands adjacent to rice plots and incidence of EPFs. Height measurements of winter hosts and summer rice plants in target plots were taken. Our results show that H_pCC differed at the local scale, with significant differences in stink bug abundance between winter hosts in each site. Also, we found differences in the action of EPFs species recorded on the insects and variations in plant height between host species. A positive correlation was obtained between the height of the different rice cultivars used during spring–summer in target sites and the height of the hosts selected by T. limbativentris near to these plots during winter. This shows that the height of the rice cultivar could be a factor related to the local selection of winter hosts by T. limbativentris. These results serve as a framework for future research, contributing to integrated pest management for target sites.     

Response of Antarctic benthic communities to disturbance: first results from the artificial Benthic Disturbance Experiment on the eastern Weddell Sea Shelf, Antarctica

The long-term benthic disturbance experiment (BENDEX) was started on the eastern Weddell Sea shelf off Austasen (Antarctica) during ‘Polarstern’ cruise ANT XXI/2 in December 2003 to simulate the impact of grounding icebergs on the seabed and follow the steps and timescales of recovery of disturbed benthos and demersal fish communities. Here, we report the basic approach and first results for this experimental field study. By means of 11 densely-placed hauls with a modified bottom trawl, a seabed area of approximately 100 × 1000 m was artificially scoured to inflict a similar damage to the benthic habitats as a grounding iceberg. Before the disturbance event and 11 days after it, the seafloor communities were sampled (invertebrate assemblages by multibox corers, the fish fauna by trawl hauls) and comparatively analyzed. Sediment texture and chemistry was not significantly altered by the heavy disturbance inflicted by repeated trawling, whereas the fauna was negatively affected. Invertebrate benthic biomass was drastically reduced by a factor of 10, while mean abundances were only slightly reduced. Demersal fish biomass and abundance were slightly but not significantly smaller after the disturbance. Effects of disturbance became more evident in the composition of the fish fauna, with Trematomus pennelli and T. hansoni being dominant at disturbed sites, whereas Chionodraco myersi was the dominant species in trawl catches from undisturbed stations.     

Effects of grazing by fish and waterfowl on the biomass and species composition of submerged macrophytes

Biomanipulation improved water transparency of Lake Zwemlust (The Netherlands) drastically. Before biomanipulation no submerged vegetation was present in the lake, but in summer 1987, directly after the measure, submerged macrophyte stands developed following a clear-water phase caused by high zooplankton grazing in spring. During the summers of 1988 and 1989 Elodea nuttallii was the most dominant species and reached a high biomass, but in the summers of 1990 and 1991 Ceratophyllum demersum became dominant. The total macrophyte biomass decreased in 1990 and 1991. In 1992 and 1993 C. demersum and E. nuttallii were nearly absent and Potamogeton berchtholdii became the dominant species, declining to very low abundance during late summer. Successively algal blooms appeared in autumn of those years reaching chlorophyll-a concentrations between 60–130 µg l^–1. However, in experimental cages placed on the lake bottom, serving as exclosures for larger fish and birds, E. nuttallii still reached a high abundance during 1992 and 1993. Herbivory by coots (Fulica atra) in autumn/winter, and by rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) in summer, most probably caused the decrease in total abundance of macrophytes and the shift in species composition.     

Discards in bottom trawl fishery in the Aegean Sea (Izmir Bay,Turkey)

Sampling was carried out on a seasonal basis during 2007–2009, using a conventional bottom trawl net with 44 mm codend mesh size in Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea. A total of 116 valid hauls: 27 in autumn, 28 in winter, 35 in spring and 26 in summer, were conducted at depths ranging from 30 to 70 m. A total of 112 species: 15 Chondrichthyes, 83 Osteichthyes, 11 Cephalopoda and 3 Crustacea were obtained in the trawl codend. All captures were separated into commercial (C) and non‐commercial (NC) species. The C ratio was 69.6%, while NC (i.e. discards) was 30.4%. Diplodus annularis was the most abundant species in all seasons, followed by Mullus barbatus, Merluccius merluccius, Citharus linguatula, Serranus hepatus, Lepidotrigla cavillone, Spicara maena, Myliobatis aquila, Diplodus vulgaris, and Trisopterus minutus in decreasing order of abundance. These top ten species constituted 75% of total catch weight. Biomass ratios of total discards to commercial species were 0.44 : 1.     

The length-weight relationship of four fish species captured in the Ibicuí River,southern Brazil

Length-Weight relationship (LWRs) were estimated for four fish species occurring in the Ibicuí River drainage basin, southern Brazil. Samples were captured monthly during the spring and summer seasons (October 2018 to March 2019). The fish were caught with gillnets of different meshes (15, 20, 25, 30, 40 mm between adjacent nodes) and a trawl net (5 mm mesh between adjacent nodes) Eighteen excursions were realized in three sites, with a length of approximately 100 km, in third-order flux, all distributed in sub-basin Ibicuí River. The captured tools were installed at the end of the day (6 p.m.) and removed around 6 a.m. the next day. The present study provides the length-weight relationship for four species (Astyanax dissensos, Galeocharax humeralis, Hypostomus roseopunctatus e Hypostomus uruguayensis).     

Diet composition and selection of Père David's deer in Hubei Shishou Milu National Nature Reserve,China

Hubei Shishou Milu National Nature Reserve is an ideal place to restore the wild population of Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus). Understanding foraging ecology and diet composition is essential for assessing population development or establishing long-term effective conservation measures for endangered species. However, little is known about the diet composition of Père David's deer and its diet selection mechanism. In this study, we used stable isotope technology to investigate the diet composition of Père David's deer according to various tissues (i.e., fur, muscle, liver, heart, and feces) and seasons, and evaluated the correlation between the nutrient composition of plants and diet composition. Bayesian isotope analysis showed that the autumn and winter diet estimated by fur and fecal samples indicated a diet dominated by C₃ grasses (42.7%–57.2%, mean), while the summer diet estimated by muscle and liver samples was dominated by C₃ forbs (30.9%–41.6%, mean). The Pearson correlation test indicated that the contribution of winter diet composition reflected by fur and fecal samples was associated with correlations with crude protein (r = .666, p < .01) and soluble sugars (r = .695, p < .01). The results indicated that crude protein and soluble sugars were important factors influencing the winter diet selection of Père David's deer. In the context of the current reintroduction facing many challenges, such as habitat fragmentation, wetland degradation, and human disturbance, comprehensively evaluating the diet selection mechanism of Père David's deer under different resource specificities and temporal changes should be considered in the future.     

Seasonal variation in effect of anti-PD-1 initiation on overall survival among patients with advanced melanoma

Melanoma is a highly immunogenic cancer, and circannual rhythms influence the activity of the immune system. We retrospectively collected information on all cases with metastatic melanoma (ocular melanoma excluded) that initiated treatment with BRAF-inhibitor-based therapy (BRAFi) or anti-PD-1 monotherapy (PD-1). Cases were divided in two groups based on treatment initiation in the summer half-year (April to September) or winter half-year (October to March). We collected a total of 1054 (BRAF-i) and 1205 (PD-1) patient cases. Median follow-up was 39.7 (BRAFi) and 47.5 (PD-1) months. We did not observe differences in outcomes across patients who were treated in summer versus winter in the BRAFi cohort. Furthermore, we did not observe significant differences in ORR, CRR, and PFS in the PD-1 cohort. However, in patients with BRAF wild-type disease of the PD-1 cohort, treatment initiation in summer was associated with an improved OS (mOS 39.7 months [summer] versus 21.3 months [winter]; HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.57–0.86, p = .0007). This result remained robust to multivariable proportional hazards adjustment (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.57–0.87, p = .001). Initiation of immunotherapy in summer is associated with prolonged survival in patients with BRAF wild-type melanoma living in Denmark.     

Trophic ecology of two syntopic sciaenid species (Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest, 1823) and Ctenosciaena gracilicirrhus) (Metzelaar, 1919) in a tropical bay in south‐eastern Brazil

Analyzed were the diets of two closely related species of Sciaenidae (Micropogonias furnieri and Ctenosciena gracilicirrhus) coexisting in high abundance in the outer zone of Sepetiba Bay. Their sizes and seasonal niche dimensions were also analysed. The tested hypothesis was that these two abundant species do not overlap in the trophic niche despite occurring in the same area and having similar sizes and body shapes and where an intraspecific overlap is likely to occur. The stomach contents of 198 M. furnieri specimens (85–280 mm total length) and 198 C. gracilicirrhus (49–131 mm total length) were examined. Quarterly diurnal fish samplings were performed using bottom trawls between winter 2012 and autumn 2013. In each season, three replicate tows were taken against the current during 20 min at the bottom with a towing speed of circa 4.5 km/hr, covering a distance of approximately 1,500 m. The trawl had an 8 m headline, 11 m ground rope, 25 mm stretched mesh and 12 mm mesh cod‐end liner. Significant differences were detected in the diet between the two species (Pseudo‐F = 5.16; p = .001) and among size classes (Pseudo‐F = 2.23; p = .001), but not among seasons (Pseudo‐F = 0.36; p = .920), according to PERMANOVA. Micropogonias furnieri fed mainly on Polychaeta and Caprella, whereas C. gracilicirrhus fed preferably on Caprella. Both species tended to specialize as they grew in size, with M. furnieri preferring Polychaeta, and C. gracilicirrhus specializing in Caprella. As expected, a high intraspecific niche overlap was observed among the size classes within each species, but not at an interspecific level and with the two syntopic species using different feeding resources.     

Genetic structure of Sufflogobius bibarbatus in the Benguela upwelling ecosystem using microsatellite markers

The bearded goby Sufflogobius bibarbatus is an abundant endemic small fish species on the continental shelf of the northern Benguela. The goby habitat is characterised by generally low bottom oxygen concentrations that vary spatially and seasonally. In the present study of population structure, 13 samples of S. bibarbatus from inner and outer shelf areas between 19°S and 32°S were screened using ten microsatellite loci. The genetic data were analysed in relation to isolation by distance and depth. Furthermore, for the first time, this study examined genetic data in relation to bottom oxygen concentration at the sampling locations. The data show low but significant genetic heterogeneity (G-test; F_ST = 0.007, p < .05). There was weak but significant genetic differentiation along a latitudinal gradient across all sampling sites from 19.50°S to 32.37°S (Mantel test; r = .464, p = .001), but this disappeared when the southernmost sample was removed. On the other hand, a positive correlation of bottom oxygen concentration with pairwise F_ST (r = .336; p = .017) was observed among the sampling sites from the Northern Benguela shelf area. Overall, the data are complex but suggest that isolation by distance and bottom oxygen concentration may play a role in the genetic structuring of S. bibarbatus. The findings are discussed in relation to the species’ life history features and oceanographic characteristics of the Benguela upwelling ecosystem.     

Winter ecology of Arctic charr (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvelinus alpinus</Emphasis>) and brown trout (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmo trutta</Emphasis>) in a subarctic lake,Norway

We studied habitat choice, diet, food consumption and somatic growth of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) during the ice-covered winter period of a subarctic lake in northern Norway. Both Arctic charr and brown trout predominantly used the littoral zone during winter time. Despite very cold winter conditions (water temperature <1°C) and poor light conditions, both fish species fed continuously during the ice-covered period, although at a much lower rate than during the summer season. No somatic growth could be detected during the ice-covered winter period and the condition factor of both species significantly declined, suggesting that the winter feeding rates were similar to or below the maintenance requirements. Also, the species richness and diversity of ingested prey largely decreased from summer to winter for both fish species. The winter diet of Arctic charr <20 cm was dominated by benthic insect larvae, chironomids in particular, and Gammarus lacustris, but zooplankton was also important in December. G. lacustris was the dominant prey of charr >20 cm. The winter diet of brown trout <20 cm was dominated by insect larvae, whereas large-sized trout mainly was piscivorous, feeding on juvenile Arctic charr. Piscivorous feeding behaviour of trout was in contrast rarely seen during the summer months when their encounter with potential fish prey was rare as the small-sized charr mainly inhabited the profundal. The study demonstrated large differences in the ecology and interactions of Arctic charr and brown trout between the winter and summer seasons.     

Larval rearing of fringe-lipped carp,Labeo fimbriatus (Bloch) with low cost diets including green bottle fly Lucilia sericata (Meigen) larvae meal incorporated diet

A study was conducted with non-conventional ingredients to test their efficacy as fishmeal (FM) replacers in the diet of fringe- lipped carp. Labeo fimbriatus first feeding larvae and fry were reared for 30 and 60 days in indoor, 50 L, aerated, circular plastic tanks at 100 and 30 numbers tank⁻¹, respectively. In the first feeding larvae to fry rearing experiment (Exp. 1), the fish were fed with either of the following isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets – live plankton, FM diet, green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) larvae meal (GBFLM) diet and silkworm pupa (SWP) diet. The fry to fingerling rearing (Exp. 2), was also conducted using the same diets described above except live plankton. All compounded diets were formulated to contain 40% crude protein for the experiment 1 and 35% for experiment 2 and were fed ad libitum. Triplicate tanks were maintained for each treatment in both the experiments. In Exp. 1, the mean final weight of fry was higher with plankton and FM diets, while no difference (p > .05) was observed between FM and GBFLM diets. Weight of fish fed SWP diets was not statistically different from those fed GBFLM diet. No difference (p > .05) in final length, survival and condition factor was recorded. Analysis of digestive enzyme activity of whole fish revealed lower (p < .05) activity of amylase in fish fed plankton. In Exp. 2, no difference (p > .05) was observed between the different diet groups in terms of mean final weight, length, survival and condition factor. Analysis of digestive enzyme activity of whole fish revealed no difference (p > .05) in the activity of digestive enzymes between the treatments except a lower (p < .05) activity of trypsin in FM diet and lipase in FM and GBFLM diets. Since the survival and condition factors of animals is the most important aspect during nursery rearing, similar (p > .05) values recorded in different treatments indicate the possibility of incorporation of these non-conventional protein sources in the diet of L. fimbriatus during first feeding larvae to fry and fry to fingerling rearing.     

Differences in proximate lipid composition,heavy metals,and mineral contents in bogue (Boops boops,Linnaueus, 1758) captured far away and directly at sea bass and sea bream cage farms

The objective of this study was to investigate the differences in proximate lipid composition, heavy metals, and mineral contents between bogue (Boops boops, Linnaeus, 1758) captured directly around and near a cage fish farm and those captured far away from it (“wild”). Wild fish were obtained from the fishery of the Aegean Sea and Northeastern Mediterranean. Fish were also caught at a distance of at least 100 meters away from the net cages using a commercial trammel set net. The fish captured near cages were taken at farms cultivating mainly sea bass and sea bream. Samples were taken in March 2016 to determine crude lipid content, moisture, and ash amounts. There were some differences between wild fish and near farm captured fish for both genders. Crude lipid contents of female wild fish and near farm captured fish were found to be higher than those in males (p < .05). The moisture contents of the males near the farms were higher than those in females. Results showed that the predominant macro minerals were potassium in females and males for both capture locations (near and far away from farms: range of 1070–1205 mg/kg). The near farm captured fish had a higher heavy metal content than those captured further away. This may be the result of environmental influences caused by the farm operations.     

Seasonal inter‐calibration between acoustic and multi‐mesh gillnets sampling for fish biomass assessment in reservoirs

This paper presents the results of an inter‐calibration between acoustic and gillnets sampling in two North African reservoirs according to seasons. Gillnets with multi‐mesh were designed for sampling fish in lakes while acoustic surveys were performed with a split beam Simrad EK60 echosounder. Sampling events were carried out during summer (September 2015), autumn (December 2015), winter (March 2016) and spring (June 2016) in two Tunisian reservoirs (Kasseb and Siliana) with different depths and shapes. Gillnet catches showed a high proportion of barbell whatever the seasons in Kasseb Reservoir, while at Siliana Reservoir, significant seasonal changes in relative abundances have been evidenced. The highest fish biomass of the entire water column was observed in winter daytime (103 kg/ha) in Kasseb Reservoir and in summer daytime (283 kg/ha) in Siliana Reservoir. Average biomass observed in autumn (December) for the two reservoirs were lower than the other seasons. During spring, density daytime values in Kasseb were higher than during nighttime while it was the opposite in summer and autumn. Fish densities detected in Kasseb Reservoir in vertical beaming was higher than those detected in horizontal beaming (p < .05). The longitudinal distribution of fish in the reservoirs showed that there is no clear trend in fish densities according to strata. High numbers of fish were detected in deep strata and big fish were located in the surface water near the dam of Kasseb Reservoir. A significant linear correlation was showed between acoustic density/NPUE and acoustic biomass/BPUE but the perfect correlation with the 1:1 fit was showed only between acoustic biomass/BPUE.     

Implications for catch composition and revenue in changing from diamond to square mesh codends in the northeastern Mediterranean

The objective of this study was to estimate the potential short‐term economic loss as a result of replacing the commercial diamond codend with a square mesh codend, and to compare fish lengths captured in 40 mm square (S40) vs 44 mm commercial hand‐woven diamond (CD44) mesh codends for red mullet (Mullus barbatus), common pandora (Pagellus erythrinus), bogue (Boops boops), European hake (Merluccius merluccius), axillary seabream (Pagellus acarne), and brushtooth lizardfish (Saurida undosquamis). A total of 20 hauls (10 hauls for S40 and 10 hauls for CD44) were conducted onboard a commercial trawler between 27 February and 11 April 2012 in Mersin Bay in the northeastern Mediterranean. Results showed that the 40 mm square mesh codend caught significantly fewer juveniles of all aforementioned species. However, when changing from the commercial diamond codend to the 40 mm square mesh codend the potential economic loss of revenue was found to be 40% in the study period, which covered the final 6 weeks of the fishing season.     

Effect of water temperature on activity of wintering age‐0 Acipenser transmontanus and A. brevirostrum: An artificial stream study

The effect of water temperature on behaviour and life history of wintering age‐0 = young‐of‐the‐year (YOY) northern sturgeons (populations using winter refuge habitat) is poorly understood. Using artificial stream tanks, we observed the effect of water temperature on 1) day‐time activity of cultured YOY Kootenai River white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus, during two winters (2008 and 2009–2010), and 2) observed day‐time activity of cultured YOY Connecticut River shortnose sturgeon, A. brevirostrum, in the winter, 2009–2010. Activity of YOY was measured every 2 to 7 days by visual or video observations on each fish to determine the mean number of 10 cm² square gridlines on the tank bottom crossed by all fish in each replicate tank (two replicate tanks, 10 fish in each tank). Daily water temperature was recorded by a logger in one tank every 20 min, 24 hr per day. In 2008, YOY A. transmontanus activity was positively related to decreasing mean daily temperature (R² = 0.96, p < 0.01) with 0 to 5 gridlines (range) crossed by all fish during observation periods at the coldest temperature (≤3°C). During the winter of 2009–2010, activity of both species was significantly related to decreasing temperature, and again, a mean of 0 to 5 gridlines (range) were crossed by fish at ≤3°C. We accept the hypothesis that YOY of both species are mostly inactive in the day when winter water temperature decreases to ≤3°C. Using the daytime inactivity temperature threshold of 3°C for YOY, and recent temperatures in river reaches where wild wintering YOY likely occur, we predict (a) wild wintering YOY A. transmontanus are moderately active in the day, may be energy challenged due to elevated temperatures from the warm river discharge by Libby Dam, and have poor survival in the regulated Kootenay River, and (b) wintering YOY Connecticut River A. brevirostrum are moderately active most winter months due to elevated natural river temperatures and may be energy challenged. More research is needed on YOY wintering activity and energetics relative to temperature to insure management of river temperature includes conservation of sturgeons.     

The effects of dietary Betaplus® and TechnoMos® on growth performance,blood parameters,and intestinal microflora in juvenile kutum,Rutilus kutum (Kamensky, 1901)

The main goal of the current study was to assess the combined effects of a dietary probiotic Betaplus and prebiotic TechnoMos on growth performance, blood biochemical parameters, and intestinal microflora in juvenile Rutilus kutum. Four experimental diets were prepared with the addition of Betaplus and/or TechnoMos to a basal diet for R. kutum juveniles. The diets were randomly assigned to one of 12 tanks, with three replications per diet. The results showed that supplementation of both pro‐ and prebiotic, separately or in combination, improved fish growth parameters (p < .05). These additives also reduced fish mortality rates, either alone or in combination (p < .05). Protein content of the carcass increased by an addition of Betaplus (p < .05), but Betaplus supplementation reduced the fat content of the carcass (p < .05). Bacillus leicheniformis and B. subtilis counts were elevated by the addition of Betaplus and TechnoMos, with even a larger bacterial count observed in fish fed a mixed diet of pro‐ and prebiotics (p < .05). White blood cell counts increased with both pro‐ and prebiotic supplementations. Glucose and cortisol levels significantly decreased with the administration of Betaplus and TechnoMos, and the mixed treatment showed the lowest estimate of these parameters (p < .05). In conclusion, a better performance of juvenile R. kutum fed a diet mixture of Betaplus and TechnoMos is probably related to the elevation of Lactobacillus counts in the fish gut, which improves the digestive performance.     

Seasonal variation in in vitro immune activity of milk leukocytes in elite and non-elite crossbred cows of Indian sub-tropical semi-arid climate

Immunity of mammary gland in terms of in vitro activity of milk leukocytes has been evaluated during hot-humid, summer, and winter season in elite (n = 10) and non-elite (n = 10) crossbred cows. Milk samples were collected from all the cows throughout the year at 15-day interval. Milk somatic cell counts (SCC) and differential leukocyte counts (DLC) were evaluated microscopically. Milk neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes were isolated and cultured in vitro. In vitro PI of milk neutrophils and macrophages was evaluated by colorimetric NBT (nitro-blue tetrazolium) reductive assay. Mitogen-induced milk lymphocyte blastogenic response was measured by colorimetric MTT (thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide) assay. Milk SCC was found to be significantly (p < 0.01) higher in elite cows compared to non-elite cows irrespective of season. There was significant (p < 0.05) increase in milk SCC during hot-humid season compared to winter season in both the group of the cows. There was no significant difference between group and season in terms of DLC. In vitro phagocytic index of elite cows was significantly (p < 0.01) higher than non-elite cows. The phagocytic index was significantly (p < 0.01) decreased in summer and hot-humid season compared to winter season in both the group of animals. Macrophages isolated from elite cows having significantly (p < 0.01) lower phagocytic index than non-elite cows which significantly (p < 0.01) decreased during summer and hot-humid season compared to winter. In vitro milk lymphocyte proliferative response was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in elite cows. Activity of B-lymphocytes decreased significantly (p < 0.01) during summer and hot-humid season than winter, but activity of T-lymphocytes remains unaltered during different seasons. In conclusion, the mammary immunity in terms of in vitro activity of milk leukocytes is compromised during summer and hot-humid season in elite crossbred cows; therefore, better care and management should be taken in high-yielding cows during summer and hot-humid season to minimize intramammary infections.