An objective examination of consumer perception of nutrition information based on healthiness ratings and eye movements

OBJECTIVE: Previous research on nutrition labelling has mainly used subjective measures. This study examines the effectiveness of two types of nutrition label using two objective measures: eye movements and healthiness ratings. DESIGN: Eye movements were recorded while participants made healthiness ratings for two types of nutrition label: standard and standard plus the Food Standards Agency's 'traffic light' concept. SETTING: University of Derby, UK. SUBJECTS: A total of 92 participants (mean age 31.5 years) were paid for their participation. None of the participants worked in the areas of food or nutrition. RESULTS: For the standard nutrition label, participant eye movements lacked focus and their healthiness ratings lacked accuracy. The traffic light system helped to guide the attention of the consumer to the important nutrients and improved the accuracy of the healthiness ratings of nutrition labels. CONCLUSIONS: Consumers have a lack of knowledge regarding how to interpret nutrition information for standard labels. The traffic light concept helps to ameliorate this problem by indicating important nutrients to which to pay attention.     

Characterization of Clostridium difficile isolates from foals with diarrhea: 28 cases (1993-1997)

OBJECTIVE: To determine molecular characteristics of Clostridium difficile isolates from foals with diarrhea and identify clinical abnormalities in affected foals. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 28 foals with C difficile-associated diarrhea. PROCEDURE: Toxigenicity, molecular fingerprinting, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns were determined. Information on signalment, clinical findings, results of clinicopathologic testing, whether antimicrobials had been administered prior to development of diarrhea, and outcome was obtained from the medical records. RESULTS: Twenty-three (82%) foals survived. Toxin A and B gene sequences were detected in isolates from 24 of 27 foals, whereas the toxin B gene alone was detected in the isolate from 1 foal. Results of an ELISA for toxin A were positive for fecal samples from only 8 of 20 (40%) foals. Ten of 23 (43%) isolates were resistant to metronidazole. Molecular fingerprinting revealed marked heterogeneity among isolates, except for the metronidazole-resistant isolates. Sixteen foals had tachypnea. Hematologic abnormalities were indicative of inflammation. Common serum biochemical abnormalities included metabolic acidosis, hyponatremia, hypocalcemia, azotemia, hypoproteinemia, hyperglycemia, and high enzyme activities. Passive transfer of maternal antibodies was adequate in all 12 foals evaluated. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that a large percentage of C difficile isolates from foals with diarrhea will have the toxin A and B gene sequences. Because of the possibility that isolates will be resistant to metronidazole, susceptibility testing is warranted. Clostridium difficile isolates from foals may have a substantial amount of molecular heterogeneity. Clinical and hematologic findings in affected foals are similar to those for foals with diarrhea caused by other pathogens.     

Benefits of prophylactic gastropexy for dogs at risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus

The lifetime probability of death from gastric dilation–volvulus (GDV) for five dog breeds was estimated based on published breed-specific longevity and GDV incidence. These breeds were Great Dane, Irish Setter, Rottweiler, Standard Poodle and Weimaraner. Lifetime risk (95% CI) of GDV in these breeds ranged from 3.9% (0–11.2%) for Rottweiler to 36.7% (25.2–44.6%) for Great Dane.

A decision-tree analysis for prophylactic gastropexy—using lifetime probability of death from GDV and expected cost savings for veterinary services as outcome measures—was undertaken to determine the preferred course of action in several dog breeds. Prophylactic gastropexy was the preferred choice of action for all breeds examined, with the reduction in mortality (versus no gastropexy) ranging from 2.2-fold (Rottweiler) to 29.6-fold (Great Dane). Assuming a prophylactic gastropexy costs US$ 400, the procedure was cost-effective when the lifetime risk of GDV was ≥34%. The maximum and minimum estimated breakeven costs for the gastopexy procedure ranged from US$ 20 (Rottweiler) to US$ 435 (Great Dane). The cost-effectiveness of prophylactic gastropexy was most sensitive to the cost of treating GDV (US$ 1500). Prophylactic gastropexy raises ethical issues that need to be considered by veterinarians and dog breeders.     

Do surrogates describe patterns in marine macroalgal diversity in the Recherche Archipelago,temperate Australia?

• 1. Surrogates aim to predict species diversity and to minimize sampling effort. Here the value of surrogates for marine macroalgae is tested.
• 2. Higher taxonomic levels and dominant taxa were evaluated as surrogates for detecting patterns in macroalgal species diversity (derived from species‐level biomass data) in the Recherche Archipelago, Western Australia.
• 3. Data were stratified by two island groups (inshore and offshore), three depth intervals (<10 m, 10–20 m, >20 m), and two exposures to wave energy. Correlations between similarity matrices from surrogate and species diversity data matrices were analysed using a modified Spearman rank correlation (r_s). The ability of surrogates to detect differences between exposures to wave energy was also investigated using analysis of similarity. Species diversity data were aggregated to higher taxonomic levels and were either fourth‐root or presence/absence (richness) transformed.
• 4. Species richness was the most consistent surrogate (r_s‐values>0.69, P=0.001). Genus‐level richness was also strongly correlated to species diversity in the Recherche Archipelago, except in depths <10 m where patterns in diversity were characterized by species turnover.
• 5. At offshore islands in depths 10–20 m and >20 m, family‐ and order‐level biomass data were suitable surrogates owing to the abundance of Alariaceae (Order Laminariales) represented by a single genus and species. Surrogates using biomass data from the orders Laminariales, Ceramiales, Dictyotales and Fucales were also successful at offshore islands in middle to deeper depths.
• 6. At inshore islands in depths 10–20 m and >20 m, genera from the orders Gigartinales, Fucales and Ceramiales were strongly correlated to species biomass data.
• 7. Surrogates, like species richness, that were strongly correlated to species biomass data were also able to distinguish between exposures to wave energy, based on analysis of similarity tests.
• 8. Sampling effort would be reduced if collecting richness data in species‐rich macroalgal assemblages such as those found in temperate Australia.

Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Extrinsic and intrinsic factors influence daily activity of a Mediterranean cyprinid

Factors shaping individual behavior remain poorly understood for European cyprinids. We examined the effects of extrinsic (temperature and year) and intrinsic factors (body size and shoal size) on the daily activity of chub Squalius torgalensis, a critically endangered cyprinid found in the Torgal stream, Portugal. We quantified chub behaviors while snorkeling, using instantaneous sampling of focal individuals, in spring 2009 and 2010. We used Principal Component Analysis to describe individual behavior and assessed competing models relating individual behavior to explanatory variables using Akaike's Information Criterion. Year had a strong influence on chub behavior, with individuals spending more time drift foraging and orienting in 2009, whereas in 2010 they spent more time benthic foraging and cruising. Shoal size did not influence behaviors in 2009, but in 2010 individuals in small shoals foraged benthically and searched with greater frequency than those in large shoals. Individuals increased cruising and decreased searching as they grew in length, but the opposite trend was observed as temperature increased. Our results indicate that both extrinsic and intrinsic factors influence daily activity of chub, with individual behaviors varying between years, and depending upon shoal size, body size and temperature. This suggests that chub display high levels of individual behavioral flexibility, which may be important for fish inhabiting harsh and highly variable Mediterranean streams. Conservation efforts for this species will benefit by integrating behavioral information into management strategies.     

Microbial Ecology of the Gastrointestinal Tract of Fish and the Potential Application of Prebiotics and Probiotics in Finfish Aquaculture

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The need for enhanced disease resistance, feed efficiency, and growth performance of cultured organisms is substantial for various sectors of this industry. If growth performance and feed efficiency are increased in commercial aquaculture, then the costs of production are likely to be reduced. Also if more fish are able to resist disease and survive until they are of marketable size, the subsequent cost of medication and overall production costs would be reduced drastically. It has been documented in a number of food animals that gastrointestinal microbiota play important roles in affecting the nutrition and health of the host organism. Thus, various means of altering the intestinal microbiota to achieve favorable effects such as enhancing growth, digestion, immunity, and disease resistance of the host organism have been investigated in various terrestrial livestock as well as in humans. Dietary supplementation of prebiotcs, which are classified as non‐digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by stimulating growth and/or activity of a limited number of health‐promoting bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacter spp. in the intestine, while limiting potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria and Escherichia coli, have been reported to favorably affect various terrestrial species; however, such information is extremely limited to date for aquatic organisms. Effects of probiotics, defined as live microbial feed supplements, on gastrointestinal microbiota have been studied in some fishes, but the primary application of microbial manipulations in aquaculture has been to alter the composition of the aquatic medium. In general, the gastrointestinal microbiota of fishes including those produced in aquaculture has been poorly characterized, especially the anaerobic microbiota. Therefore, more detailed studies of the microbial community of cultured fish are needed to potentially enhance the effectiveness of prebiotic and probiotic supplementation. This review summarizes and evaluates current knowledge of intestinal microbial ecology of fishes, the various functions of this intestinal microbial community, and the potential for further application of prebiotics and probiotics in aquaculture.     

National Park stewardship and ‘vital signs’ monitoring: a case study from Channel Islands National Park,California

• 1. Place‐based conservation strategies require that stewards know and understand the targeted ecosystems, restore impaired resources, protect the ecosystems, and connect people wholeheartedly to the places. Knowledge of ecosystem structure and functioning is the cornerstone of stewardship.
• 2. This paper describes the design, implementation, and application of an ecological monitoring programme in Channel Islands National Park, California, USA. Experience from this programme showed that monitoring ecological ‘vital signs’ was a quick, sure, and inexpensive way to discover and track ecosystem dynamics.
• 3. Monitoring ecological ‘vital signs’ determined status and trends of ecosystem integrity and established limits of normal variation of key ecosystem features. It also provided early warnings of situations that required intervention and helped frame research questions to determine chains of cause and consequence.
• 4. The strong influence and probabilistic nature of biological interactions in ecosystems precluded effective use of deterministic modelling to predict ecosystem behaviour accurately. Therefore, ongoing monitoring was required to increase knowledge of system dynamics reliably. The US National Park Service has begun to identify and monitor the ecological ‘vital signs’ in 32 networks of 270 parks.

Published in 2004 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Aquaculture pond temperature modeling

The prediction of aquaculture pond temperatures throughout the year is essential to the design and evaluation of potential aquaculture sites. A site may obtain the necessary heat inputs from the sun, geothermal wells or industrial and power plant waste heat. The amount of heat addition necessary is dependent upon climatic and environmental factors at the site.The MAPT (Maintenance of Aquaculture Pond Temperatures) model was developed to determine the potential for warm water aquaculture at any site in the world. Hot water sources and solar radiation provided the heat inputs to the model while the heats of evaporation, convection and radiation were responsible for the heat losses.The model was used to consider a variety of heat loss reduction methods, heat transfer methods and projected the pond temperatures and animal production rates. It has been applied to several sites around the world and provides an inexpensive means for evaluation of production potential without extensive site data collection.     

The performance and design of packed column aeration systems for aquaculture

The packed column aerator (PCA) is a highly efficient aerator that can be used for oxygen and nitrogen + argon removal. Standard transfer efficiencies (N₀) for oxygen range from 1·5 to 2·0 kg O₂/kWh. If 1–2 m of hydraulic head is available, N₀ can be as high as 80 kg O₂/kWh. A mass transfer model was developed for design purposes. Recommended design parameters and procedures are presented for full-scale PCA.