Leaching of taurine from commercial type aquaculture feeds

Leaching of soluble compounds from pelleted feeds is an issue for the aquaculture industry through increased environmental impact and reduced ingestion essential components. This study was undertaken to examine the leaching rates of taurine, a non‐protein amino acid with critical physiological roles in teleosts. To this end we adapted a new liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) method for quantifying taurine. Twelve different feeds (4 mm dia.) varying in protein source and taurine levels were examined. Fishmeal content ranged from 0.0% to 45.5% with taurine supplementation ranging from 0.0% to 5.0%. Taurine was extracted and quantified from individual pellets in triplicate at six time points (0, 1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 min). Leaching rates ranged from 0.026 ± 0.005 to 0.826 ± 0.121 mg min^?1 over 40 min at 27°C and were strongly correlated to initial taurine content of the feeds (for distilled water n = 12, P < 0.001, R² = 0.91 for artificial seawater, 25 ppt, n = 4, P = 0.020, R² = 0.96). Loss of taurine from feeds was 59.5 ± 16.5% after 40 min. This study shows that a significant amount of taurine is lost over time from uneaten feed and that taurine supplementation should exceed requirement levels for slow consumers or feed being delivered as multiple additions.     

Global conservation status and research needs for tarpons (Megalopidae), ladyfishes (Elopidae) and bonefishes (Albulidae)

We assessed the taxonomic diversity, geographic distributions, life history, ecology and fisheries of tarpons, ladyfishes and bonefishes (members of the subdivision Elopomorpha), which share many life history and habitat use characteristics that make them vulnerable to environmental and anthropogenic stresses in coastal environments. This assessment of Red List status for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature reveals three species considered near threatened or vulnerable, three species of least concern, and 11 data‐deficient species. Although the taxonomy of tarpons appears stable, it is less so for ladyfishes and bonefishes. In aggregate, these species are distributed circumtropically and foray into temperate zones. Although they spawn in marine habitats, larvae of many species disperse into estuarine habitats, which are declining in area or degrading in quality. Several species support high‐value recreational fisheries, or culturally important small‐scale commercial and artisanal fisheries. Nonetheless, no formal stock assessment exists for any species, so improved data collection, information sharing and assessment techniques should facilitate socio‐economic development of individual fisheries. Catch‐and‐release recreational fisheries that promote conservation of tarpon and bonefishes in some regions are promising models to improve the conservation status of these fishes elsewhere, as well as the economic development of these fishing communities. Most tarpons, ladyfishes and bonefishes likely face significant challenges from anthropogenically mediated habitat loss and alteration, and several are vulnerable to both habitat degradation and overfishing. Broader protection and enhancements to fisheries habitat in all regions will benefit these as well as many other coastal fishery species.     

Frequency of urinary tract infection in dogs with inflammatory skin disorders treated with ciclosporin alone or in combination with glucocorticoid therapy: a retrospective study

Background – Few studies have investigated the frequency of urinary tract infection (UTI) in dogs receiving long‐term ciclosporin therapy. Hypothesis/Objectives – The goal of the study was to investigate the frequency of UTI in dogs receiving ciclosporin with or without glucocorticoids. A secondary goal was to determine whether bacteriuria, pyuria and urine specific gravity were good predictors of UTI, and if ciclosporin dose, concurrent ketoconazole therapy, sex or duration of therapy affected the frequency of UTI. Animals – Eighty‐seven dogs with various inflammatory skin disorders and 59 control dogs with inflammatory skin conditions that had not received glucocorticoids or ciclosporin for 6 months were enrolled. Methods – This study was retrospective. The first urine culture from dogs receiving ciclosporin was compared with control dogs using Fisher’s exact test. A logistic mixed model was used to test for association between a positive bacterial culture and duration of treatment, dose of ciclosporin, concurrent ketoconazole therapy and sex. The sensitivities and specificities for bacteriuria, pyuria and urine specific gravity were determined. Results – Twenty‐six of 87 (30%) ciclosporin‐treated dogs had at least one positive culture. Compared with 3% positive control samples, 15% were positive in treated dogs (P = 0.027). The sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 64.1 and 98.1% for bacteriuria, 74.4 and 70.9% for pyuria, and 56.4 and 65.3% for urine specific gravity. All other analysed parameters were not significantly different. Conclusions and clinical importance – The results suggest that routine urine cultures and assessment of bacteriuria by cystocentesis should be part of the monitoring for dogs on long‐term ciclosporin with and without glucocorticoids.     

National animal health surveillance: Return on investment

A weighted benefit-cost analysis (BCA) supports prioritization of animal health surveillance activities to safeguard animal agriculture industries and reduce the impact of disease on the national economy. We propose to determine the value of investment in surveillance by assessing benefits from: avoiding disease incursion and expansion modified by the probability of occurrence of the disease event, the sensitivity of systems to detect it, and the degree to which we can mitigate disease impact when detected. The weighted benefit-cost ratio is the modified value of surveillance as laid out above divided by the cost of surveillance. We propose flexible, stream-based surveillance that capitalizes on combining multiple streams of information from both specific pathogen based and non-pathogen based surveillance. This stream-based type of system provides high value with lower costs and will provide a high return for the funds invested in animal health surveillance.     

乳品蛋白质预防肌肉衰减功能的探讨

随着全球人口老龄化的发展,患“肌肉衰减综合征”的人群的比例将不断加大。目前的研究结果表明,通过改变蛋白质摄入模式,摄入足够的富含亮氨酸的乳品蛋白质可以最大限度地促进每日肌肉蛋白质的合成,降低肌肉衰减的风险。     

In-situ enrichment and analysis of atrazine-degrading microbial communities using atrazine-containing porous beads

We examined the community composition of microbes that colonized atrazine-containing beads buried in agricultural soils that differed in atrazine treatment history. Bacterial abundance was 5-40-fold greater in atrazine-fortified beads. In beads containing 20 mg atrazine kg⁻¹ buried in soil with a history of atrazine application (conditioned soil), the abundance of Actinobacteria increased approximately 80-fold whereas in control soil, Actinobacteria were enriched only 10-fold and the gamma-Proteobacteria and Planctomycetes increased by 60- and 25-fold, respectively. The gamma-Proteobacteria were enriched by 120- and 230-fold in beads containing 200 mg atrazine kg⁻¹ in conditioned and control soil, respectively. The results demonstrate that BioSep^® beads are a suitable matrix for recruiting a diverse subset of the bacterial community involved in atrazine degradation.     

Seasonal population dynamics of wireworms in wheat crops in the Pacific Northwestern United States

Insect pests often exhibit predictable seasonal population dynamics in response to temperature and other environmental drivers. Understanding these dynamics is critical to developing effective integrated pest management strategies. Here we studied the seasonal phenology and feeding activity of two wireworm species that are major pests of wheat crops in the Pacific Northwestern United States, Limonius californicus and L. infuscatus. We conducted monthly sampling of the damaging larval stages of both species in commercial spring wheat fields in Washington and Idaho throughout 2013 and 2014. These data were used to model the seasonal phenology and feeding activity of each species in relation to soil temperature. We found larvae of both species were most abundant relatively early in the season, with total wireworms captures in soil cores declining as the season progressed. Larvae of both species were collected predominantly in the top 70 cm of the soil profile, suggesting that they primarily feed on plant roots and seeds up to this depth. While patterns of seasonal abundance of both species were similar, feeding activity varied significantly between the two species. Our results indicate that as spring moves into summer L. californicus feeds more aggressively, whereas the activity of L. infuscatus decreases as the crop season progresses. These differences might help explain why L. californicus is generally a more economically damaging pest that also threatens winter crops, while damage from L. infuscatus is generally limited to the spring. Accordingly, management strategies for each species should be tailored to their specific seasonal dynamics.