Exploring connectivity between spawning and nursery areas of Mullus barbatus (L., 1758) in the Mediterranean through a dispersal model

Connectivity between spawning and nursery areas plays a major role in determining the spatial structure of fish populations and the boundaries of stock units. Here, the potential effects of surface current on a red mullet population in the Central Mediterranean were simulated using a physical oceanographic model. Red mullet larvae were represented as Lagrangian drifters released in known spawning areas of the Strait of Sicily (SoS), which represents one of the most productive demersal fishing‐grounds of the Mediterranean. To consider the effect of inter‐annual variability of oceanographic patterns, numerical simulations were performed for the spawning seasons from 1999 to 2012. The main goal was to explore connectivity between population subunits, in terms of spawning and nursery areas, inhabiting the northern (Sicilian‐Maltese) and southern (African) continental shelves of the SoS. The numerical simulations revealed a certain degree of connectivity between the Sicilian–Maltese and the African sides of the SoS. Connectivity is present in both directions, but it is stronger from the Sicilian–Maltese spawning areas to the African nurseries owing to the marine circulation features of the region. However, because the majority of the larvae are transported to areas unsuitable for settlement or outside the SoS, the dispersal process is characterized by a strong loss of potential settlers born in the spawning areas. These results are in agreement with the low genetic heterogeneity reported for this species in the Mediterranean Sea and support the existence of a metapopulation structure of red mullet in the SoS and the adjacent areas.     

Validation of the Radimer/Cornell food insecurity measure in rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to assess the construct validity, criterion-related validity and internal consistency of the Radimer/Cornell food insecurity measure for use in rural Tanzania. DESIGN: A cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted from March to May 2005. Key adaptations to the nine-item Radimer/Cornell items included translation to Swahili, replacing the term 'balanced diet' with 'full meal' and constructing the items as questions rather than statements. Factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were used to assess validity and reliability, respectively. SETTING: Rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. SUBJECTS: Analysis was restricted to data from 530 women aged 15-44 years who had children under 5 years old. RESULTS: Principal component factor analysis revealed a two-factor solution: (1) altered eating pattern at household level and (2) altered eating pattern at child level. The two factors accounted for 66.2% of the total variance. The subscales developed had good reliability. Internal consistency of the scales was 0.853 and 0.784 for food insecurity at household level and food insecurity at child level, respectively. Only 14.0% of the women reported to be food-secure and 86.0% reported some kind of food insecurity. The Radimer/Cornell food insecurity measure showed significant associations with selected sociodemographic factors in the expected directions. There was also an association with the NHANES III (Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) and CCHIP (Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project) indicators. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the adapted Radimer/Cornell measure may have some utility in assessing food insecurity in settings like rural Tanzania.     

Effects of pneumoperitoneum and of an alveolar recruitment maneuver followed by positive end-expiratory pressure on cardiopulmonary function in sheep anesthetized with isoflurane–fentanyl

Objective

To investigate the effects of pneumoperitoneum alone or combined with an alveolar recruitment maneuver (ARM) followed by positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) on cardiopulmonary function in sheep.

Effects of the opioid remifentanil on the arrhythmogenicity of epinephrine in halothane-anesthetized dogs

Opioids may exert a protective effect against ventricular arrhythmias via a vagally mediated mechanism. This study evaluated the effects of the opioid remifentanil on arrhythmogenicity of epinephrine during halothane anesthesia. Eight dogs were assigned to 2 treatments in a randomized crossover design, with 1-week intervals between treatments. Anesthesia was maintained with 1.3% end-tidal halothane in oxygen and mechanical ventilation to maintain eucapnia. A constant rate infusion of remifentanil (0.72 microg/kg/min) was administered throughout the study in the experimental treatment, while control animals received physiologic saline as placebo. The arrhythmogenic dose of epinephrine (ADE), defined as 4 premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) within 15 s, was determined by administering progressively increasing infusion rates of epinephrine (2.5, 5.0, and 10 microg/kg/min), allowing 20 min intervals between each infusion rate. In both treatments, epinephrine infusions induced bradyarrhythmias and atrioventricular conduction disturbances, which were followed by escape beats and PVCs. In the remifentanil treatment, mean +/- s ADE values (11.3 +/- 4.9 microg/kg) did not differ from values observed in control animals (9.9 +/- 6.1 microg/kg). On the basis of the ADE model for assessing the arrhythmogenity of drugs during halothane anesthesia, the present study did not demonstrate a protective effect of remifentanil (0.72 microg/kg/min) against ventricular arrhythmias in dogs.     

Sur l'Involution de la Bourse de Fabricius chez le Canard

On the involution of the bursa of Fabricius of the duck
The morphological and structural aspects of the functional aspects of the involution were studied light- and electronmicroscopically in ducks 90 to 150 days old. The first involutionary changes were observed in the interfollicular connective tissue around day 100. Following this, cells left the periphery of the follicles; they were connected with collagen fibers and positioned themselves between the lymphocytes of the cortex that became thinner before it disappeared.
On day 135 the medulla lost its lymphocyte content through wide ducts which opened directly into the lumen of the bursa. On day 150 the bursa experienced a massive overgrowth; almost all follicles had disintegrated and only small groups of cells remained which consisted principally of reticuloepithelial cells and some lymphocytes.
Cysts were not observed during the involution of the bursa.     

Comparative study between atropine and hyoscine-N-butylbromide for reversal of detomidine induced bradycardia in horses

Reasons for performing study: Bradycardia may be implicated as a cause of cardiovascular instability during anaesthesia. Hypothesis: Hyoscine would induce positive chronotropism of shorter duration than atropine, without adversely impairing intestinal motility in detomidine sedated horses. Methods: Ten minutes after detomidine (0.02 mg/kg bwt, i.v.), physiological saline (control), atropine (0.02 mg/kg bwt) or hyoscine (0.2 mg/kg bwt) were randomly administered i.v. to 6 horses, allowing one week intervals between treatments. Investigators blinded to the treatments monitored cardiopulmonary data and intestinal auscultation for 90 min and 24 h after detomidine, respectively. Gastrointestinal transit was assessed for 96 h via chromium detection in dry faeces. Results: Detomidine significantly decreased heart rate (HR) and cardiac index (CI) from baseline for 30 and 60 min, respectively (control). Mean ± s.d. HR increased significantly 5 min after atropine (79 ± 5 beats/min) and hyoscine (75 ± 8 beats/min). After this time, HR was significantly higher after atropine in comparison to other treatments, while hyoscine resulted in intermediate values (lower than atropine but higher than controls). Hyoscine and atropine resulted in significantly higher CI than controls for 5 and 20 min, respectively; but this effect coincided with significant hypertension (mean arterial pressures >180 mmHg). Auscultation scores decreased from baseline in all treatments. Time to return to auscultation scores ≥12 (medians) did not differ between hyoscine (4 h) and controls (4 h) but atropine resulted in significantly longer time (10 h). Atropine induced colic in one horse. Gastrointestinal transit times did not differ between treatments. Conclusion: Hyoscine is a shorter acting positive chronotropic agent than atropine, but does not potentiate the impairment in intestinal motility induced by detomidine. Because of severe hypertension, routine use of anticholinergics combined with detomidine is not recommended. Potencial relevance: Hyoscine may represent an alternative to atropine for treating bradycardia.     

Agreement between direct, oscillometric and Doppler ultrasound blood pressures using three different cuff positions in anesthetized dogs

ObjectiveTo evaluate the agreement between invasive blood pressure (IBP) and Doppler ultrasound blood pressure (DUBP) using three cuff positions and oscillometric blood pressure (OBP) in anesthetized dogs.Study designProspective study.AnimalsNine adult dogs weighing 14.5–29.5 kg.MethodsThe cuff was placed above and below the tarsus, and above the carpus with the DUBP and above the carpus with the OBP monitor. Based on IBP recorded via a dorsal pedal artery catheter, conditions of low, normal, and high systolic arterial pressures [SAP (mmHg) <90, between 90 and 140, and >140, respectively] were induced by changes in isoflurane concentrations and/or dopamine administration. Mean biases ± 2 SD (limits of agreement) were determined.ResultsAt high blood pressures, regardless of cuff position, SAP determinations with the DUBP underestimated invasive SAP values by more than 20 mmHg in most instances. With the DUBP, cuff placement above the tarsus yielded better agreement with invasive SAP during low blood pressures (0.2 ± 16 mmHg). The OBP underestimated SAP during high blood pressures (?42 ± 42 mmHg) and yielded better agreement with IBP for mean (MAP) and diastolic (DAP) arterial pressure measurements [overall bias: 2 ± 15 mmHg (MAP) and 0.2 ± 16 mmHg (DAP)].ConclusionsAgreement of SAP determinations with the DUBP is poor at SAP > 140 mmHg, regardless of cuff placement. Measurement error of the DUBP with the cuff placed above the tarsus is clinically acceptable during low blood pressures. Agreement of MAP and DAP measurements with this OBP monitor compared with IBP was clinically acceptable over a wide pressure range.Clinical relevanceWith the DUBP device, placing the cuff above the tarsus allows reasonable agreement with IBP obtained via dorsal pedal artery catheterization. Only MAP and DAP provide reasonable estimates of direct blood pressure with the OBP monitor evaluated.     

Crystal structure of a lipid G protein-coupled receptor

The lyso-phospholipid sphingosine 1-phosphate modulates lymphocyte trafficking, endothelial development and integrity, heart rate, and vascular tone and maturation by activating G protein-coupled sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors. Here, we present the crystal structure of the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 fused to T4-lysozyme (S1P(1)-T4L) in complex with an antagonist sphingolipid mimic. Extracellular access to the binding pocket is occluded by the amino terminus and extracellular loops of the receptor. Access is gained by ligands entering laterally between helices I and VII within the transmembrane region of the receptor. This structure, along with mutagenesis, agonist structure-activity relationship data, and modeling, provides a detailed view of the molecular recognition and requirement for hydrophobic volume that activates S1P(1), resulting in the modulation of immune and stromal cell responses.     

Morphology of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) tongue

The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is a freshwater and marine fish of the family Salmonidae, widely farmed in aquaculture facilities in several countries. The salmon are carnivorous, but in aquaculture, alternative foods have been experienced. It is well known that feeding in captivity should cause adaptation and modifications of the morphological characteristics of the oral cavity, especially of tongue; therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate, by light, laser confocal and scanning electron microscopy, the morphological characteristics of the tongue dorsal surface, considering the importance of the correlations between feeding habits and the anatomy of the tongue. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrates the presence of caniniform teeth with oro-aboral orientation surrounded by numerous filiform papillae, single, fused or arranged in row. Oro-aborally, the papillae show an appearance like a rosette and they disappear at level of the root. Light and laser confocal microscopy demonstrates that the mucosa is covered by a non-keratinized stratified pavement epithelium with, in the deepest layer, the presence of a triangular structure whose apex is cranially directed and base facing aborally. In this structure, spindle-shaped cells are present, with a vimentin immunoreactivity, that for their characteristics could be adult mesenchymal stem cells. The obtained data could be useful not only for further studies on the nutrition, but it is interesting the detection of tissues typical of the embryo-fetal phase in the adult specimens tongue, thus giving a basis for studies of potential applications, if any, regarding cell therapies for different clinical indications.