The search for transient astrophysical neutrino emission with IceCube-DeepCore

We present the results of a search for astrophysical sources of brief transient neutrino emission using IceCube and DeepCore data acquired between 2012 May 15 and 2013 April 30. While the search methods employed in this analysis are similar to those used in previous IceCube point source searches, the data set being examined consists of a sample of predominantly sub-TeV muon-neutrinos from the Northern Sky (-5 degrees < delta < 90 degrees) obtained through a novel event selection method. This search represents a first attempt by IceCube to identify astrophysical neutrino sources in this relatively unexplored energy range. The reconstructed direction and time of arrival of neutrino events are used to search for any significant self-correlation in the data set. The data revealed no significant source of transient neutrino emission. This result has been used to construct limits at timescales ranging from roughly 1 s to 10 days for generic soft-spectra transients. We also present limits on a specific model of neutrino emission from soft jets in core-collapse supernovae

Secretory phospholipase A2 pathway in various types of lung injury in neonates and infants: a multicentre translational study

Background Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) is a group of enzymes involved in lung tissue inflammation and surfactant catabolism. sPLA2 plays a role in adults affected by acute lung injury and seems a promising therapeutic target. Preliminary data allow foreseeing the importance of such enzyme in some critical respiratory diseases in neonates and infants, as well. Our study aim is to clarify the role of sPLA2 and its modulators in the pathogenesis and clinical severity of hyaline membrane disease, infection related respiratory failure, meconium aspiration syndrome and acute respiratory distress syndrome. sPLA2 genes will also be sequenced and possible genetic involvement will be analysed. Methods/Design Multicentre, international, translational study, including several paediatric and neonatal intensive care units and one coordinating laboratory. Babies affected by the above mentioned conditions will be enrolled: broncho-alveolar lavage fluid, serum and whole blood will be obtained at definite time-points during the disease course. Several clinical, respiratory and outcome data will be recorded. Laboratory researchers who perform the bench part of the study will be blinded to the clinical data. Discussion This study, thanks to its multicenter design, will clarify the role(s) of sPLA2 and its pathway in these diseases: sPLA2 might be the crossroad between inflammation and surfactant dysfunction. This may represent a crucial target for new anti-inflammatory therapies but also a novel approach to protect surfactant or spare it, improving alveolar stability, lung mechanics and gas exchange

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Not AvailableImpacts of long-term exposure to sub-lethal verapamil (VRP) at 0.14, 0.28, and 0.57 mg L−1were examined for 60 days to findthe effects on activities of metabolic catalysts as well as molecular reactions in Nile tilapia. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartateaminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities in the liver increased significantly (p< 0.05) at high concentration of thedrug while there was no significant difference in the activities of soluble phosphatases, corrosive phosphatase, and malatedehydrogenase in comparison with the control. Enzymes of gluconeogenesis, including fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase and glu-cose-6-phosphatase, were induced while RNA/DNA proportion in fish liver decreased significantly in the fish exposed to theVRP from the 15th day onwards. It caused DNA damage and upregulated expression of hsp70,cat,andsod in the liver, whichwere found to be correlated with concentration of the drug. Prolonged exposure to sub-lethal VRP could change activities ofmetabolic catalysts, causing harm to DNA and upregulating stress-related genes in the fish which suggested use of thesebiomarkers as early cautioning signs about the existence of the drug in aquatic ecosystems.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThis work aimed to appraise growth performance, immune responsiveness, bacterial disease resistance and mRNA expression of two antimicrobial peptides in Labeo rohita fingerlings fed diets supplemented with seaweed Sargassum wightii and its fucoidan-rich extract. Two hundred and twenty-five fingerlings were divided into five experimental groups in triplicates, each replicate having 15 fish in a 90-L tank. Different groups were fed with isonitrogenous (35% crude protein) and isoenergetic (1408.16 kJ/100 g) diets containing either 0% fucoidan-rich seaweed extract (FRSE), 1% FRSE, 2% FRSE, 3% seaweed powder and 6% seaweed powder for 60 days. Partial nucleotide sequences of the antimicrobial peptides, hepcidin and defensin, were characterized in Labeo rohita fingerlings, and gene expression in the different tissues of experimental fish was studied. The fish-fed FRSE-supplemented diets showed significant increase (P < 0.05) in the mRNA expression of antimicrobial peptides in liver, skin and intestine tissues. Bacterial challenge study using Aeromonas hydrophila showed higher survival in the FRSE-fed groups. Fish-fed FRSE-supplemented diets also showed better non-specific immune response (NBT reduction, serum lysozyme activity, serum albumin: globulin ratio and phagocytic activity) in pre-challenge and post-challenge periods. No significant difference was observed in the growth performance in the different experimental groups. The study indicates that although dietary FRSE is a potential immunostimulant in Labeo rohita fingerlings, it does not improve growth performance.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableA 45-day feeding experiment was carried out to evaluate the growth, conversion efficiency and body composition of zebrafish by altering the protein-carbohydrate ratio in the diet. One hundred and Eighty Zebrafish (Danio rerio) having an average weight of 0.20 ±0.03g were randomly distributed in three experimental groups with 20 fish in each replicate. Fish were fed with three iso-lipidic diets (crude lipid 8%) that contained three different levels of protein and in each protein level, three different levels of carbohydrate (T1:25% protein, 45% carbohydrate; T2- 35% protein and 45% carbohydrate; -T3-45% protein, 25% carbohydrate) were included. The growth performance of the experimental fish was evaluated. The results demonstrated that T1 group exhibited higher growth rate (SGR), feed efficiency ratio (FER) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) but lowest weight gain (% WG), as compared to T2 and T3. Feed conversion ratio was also significantly higher in T1 as compared to T2 and T3 groups. However, there was no significant difference in the protein efficiency ratio between T1 and T2, whereas it was significantly reduced in T3 group. A significant decrease in the whole body moisture, protein content, and increase in whole-body lipid content was observed in group T1. The present study shows that optimum protein levels in the diets may be reduced to 25% protein while carbohydrate levels can be increased up to 45% to formulate the feed with more inclusion of digestible carbohydrate based on the growth performance and protein utilization in zebrafishNot Availabl

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Not AvailableImmunomodulatory properties of fucoidan have been extensively studied in fish. However the effect of dietary fucoidan on the metabolic enzymes is not studied in detail with respect to aquatic organisms. An investigation of the effect of dietary fucoidan on the metabolic and haematological status of Labeo rohita fingerlings is presented. One hundred and eighty fingerlings were distributed into four experimental groups in triplicates. Each group was fed isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets containing 0% fucoidan (T1), 1% fucoidan (T2), 2% fucoidan (T3) and 3% (T4) seaweed powder to satiation for a period of sixty days. Dietary fucoidan was found to significantly (P < 0.05) reduce malate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase activity in the liver tissue. Alanine aminotransferase activity in the muscle tissue of fucoidan fed groups was significantly higher than the control. The liver and gill superoxide dismutase activity was significantly reduced in the fucoidan fed groups compared to the control. The catalase activity in the liver and gill was significantly lowered in the T3 group. The blood profile of the different experimental groups also revealed beneficial effects of dietary fucoidan yielding a superior haematological status in the groups fed with fucoidanNot Availabl

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Not AvailableBiofloc technology degrades waste into useful resources exploiting microbes and can be used in zero‐water exchange systems. To study the effect of different biofloc sys‐tems on haematological and metabolic response of Labeo rohita fingerlings, a 60‐daysexperiment was conducted using four long lasting carbon sources. Seven hundred and fifty fingerlings having mean weight of 4.80 ± 0.12 g were randomly distributed into 15 tanks (n = 50 per tank). Five experimental groups were set in triplicate; T1 (Tapioca), T2 (Wheat), T3 (Corn) T4 (Sugar bagasse) and control (clear water). In‐situ biofloc was devel‐oped in 300 L fibre‐reinforced plastic (FRP) tanks and a C/N ratio of 15 was maintained.Water quality variables indicated ammonia immobilization by heterotrophic bacteria, as the dominant mechanism for the removal of toxic‐nitrogenous compounds in the bio‐floc systems. Results exhibited significantly higher floc volume (53.33 ± 7.88 ml/L), hae‐moglobin content (6.61 ± 0.03 g/dl) and total leucocyte count (109.66 ± 0.06 thousandcells/mm3) in tapioca biofloc system. Furthermore, the digestive and anti‐oxidative en‐zymes activities were also significantly higher in tapioca biofloc system. The lactate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase enzyme assays showed a decreased level in tapioca biofloc system as compared with other biofloc systems and control group. Our observations indicate that tapioca biofloc system could improve the water quality, haematological and anti‐stress responses of L. rohita fingerlings in biofloc systems and thus can effectively replace other carbohydrate sources for the biofloc system.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe present research was conducted to evaluate the effect of curcumin supplement diet (CSD) on non-specific immunity, growth and disease resistance against Edwardsiella tarda infection in Cirrhinus mrigala. Fishes were fed with formulated diet containing curcumin in different graded levels as control (C) (0.00%), T1 (0.25%), T2 (0.5%), T3 (1.0%), T4 (1.5%), and T5 (2.0%) for 45 days. Treatments were maintained in triplicate and each tank was stocked with 20 fingerlings (10.5 g ± 1.4). Fishes were challenged with a virulent strain of E. tarda after 45 days of feeding and relative percentage survival was recorded over 14 days post challenge. The percentage weight gain (PWG), feed efficiency ratio (FER), feed conversion ratio (FCR), specific growth rate (SGR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) of fishes fed with curcumin enriched diet were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) better than the control group. Dietary curcumin at the level of 1.5% (T4) showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher RPS (62.5%) against E. tarda infection than control. Blood and serum samples were collected for non-specific immune parameters on 0, 15, 30, and 45 days interval and growth performance was evaluated at every 15 days period of the experiment. The results suggest that fishes feed with curcumin enriched diet (1-1.5%) showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher total immunoglobulin, serum protein, serum albumin, Immunoglobulin, respiratory burst activity and myeloperoxidase activity. Hence, this study revealed that CSD has a potential stimulatory effect on non-specific immunity along with improved growth performance and increased disease resistance against E. tarda infection in C. mrigalaNot Availabl