Environmental Enrichment and its effects on Welfare in fish

Although public and consumer awareness is increasing fast in regard to welfare in captive fish; one often neglected aspect of fish welfare is the complexity of their holding environment. Increasing the complexity in any given way is termed environmental enrichment. Enriching the environment of fishes can have various positive effects on physiology, health, survival and therefore general welfare. However, it usually is also increasing labor through increasing maintenance and handling time and is lowering thus the efficiency. Fish welfare in general includes also the acceptance that fish can feel a certain degree of pain and should be considered, at least to a certain degree, sentient and conscious beings, which is scientifically still under serious debate. Under the assumption that fish have the capabilities to feel pain and are, at least to a certain extent, conscious and sentient beings, the often neglected welfare‐aspect of environmental enrichment and its effects on fish under captive conditions are discussed in this review. This includes farmed fish for human consumption and restocking purposes (aquaculture) and fish kept for research. A definition of environmental enrichment is as well provided as a historical context, different enrichment types and the aims of environmental enrichment and areas of its application. Whether or not fish can feel pain is also debated. An extensive table is included, providing natural micro‐, meso‐ and macrohabitat preferences of some important freshwater salmonids (rainbow and brown trout, Arctic char), Eurasian perch and common carp in different life stages (fry, juveniles, adults). Furthermore the environmental enrichment is considered under the perspective of in‐stream restorations and its effect on, primarily, salmonids in culture. Environmental enrichment includes physical structures added to the captive environment to provide increase the structural complexity while other forms of environmental enrichment may include sensory, social, nutritional or even occupational enrichment. The latter, however, is usually not of higher importance for fish. In the various research papers reviewed, it is obvious that environmental enrichment can provide several beneficial advantages although some negative effects have been observed too. Observations of environmental enrichment effects on a production or farm level are basically completely missing in the literature and therefore a large knowledge gap exists between laboratory studies and practical application. While several types of environmental enrichment have been adapted to aquaculture out of necessity, mainly in terms of reproduction success, little is known of environmental enrichment effects on fish welfare under production conditions and whether benefits may outweigh the drawbacks like increased installation costs or increased effort for maintenance

The challenges of managing HIV/AIDS counsellors in a rural district in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

The pandemic of HIV/AIDS has challenged several aspects of contemporary social life. HIV/AIDS counselling has developed as a social response to provide support for those infected with the disease. Due to the nature and complexity of the disease, HIV/AIDS counsellors encounter a diversity and intensity of emotions when counselling. A support system that includes effective management and supervision may assist in resolving emotions and reactions that HIV/AIDS counsellors may experience as a result of working with HIV/AIDS clients. This study examines the difficulties that both managers and the HIV/AIDS counsellors at a rural district hospital in the Eastern Cape and its surrounding clinics are faced with, in providing the HIV/AIDS counsellors with the support they need. Engestrom's (1987) model of activity theory was used as a conceptual framework guiding both the analysis and interpretation of the data. This model facilitates the identification of tensions and contradictions thereby opening a space for change and transformation within an activity system. Multiple sources of data collection were used that included focus groups with managers and HIV/AIDS counsellors, interviews with senior hospital staff and an official from the Department of Health, Eastern Cape, and a tour of the rural district hospital. The findings suggest that HIV/AIDS counsellors do not feel supported by their managers. Managers in turn are of the opinion that they do not offer the support the HIV/AIDS counsellors' need. The lack of support is attributed to geographic distances between hospitals and the clinics they serve, lack of available transport and the multiplicity of roles of both managers and the HIV/AIDS counsellors. The pandemic of HIV/AIDS has challenged several aspects of contemporary social life. HIV/AIDS counselling has developed as a social response to provide support for those infected with the disease. Due to the nature and complexity of the disease, HIV/AIDS counsellors encounter a diversity and intensity of emotions when counselling. A support system that includes effective management and supervision may assist in resolving emotions and reactions that HIV/AIDS counsellors may experience as a result of working with HIV/AIDS clients. This study examines the difficulties that both managers and the HIV/AIDS counsellors at a rural district hospital in the Eastern Cape and its surrounding clinics are faced with, in providing the HIV/AIDS counsellors with the support they need. Engestrom's (1987) model of activity theory was used as a conceptual framework guiding both the analysis and interpretation of the data. This model facilitates the identification of tensions and contradictions thereby opening a space for change and transformation within an activity system. Multiple sources of data collection were used that included focus groups with managers and HIV/AIDS counsellors, interviews with senior hospital staff and an official from the Department of Health, Eastern Cape, and a tour of the rural district hospital. The findings suggest that HIV/AIDS counsellors do not feel supported by their managers. Managers in turn are of the opinion that they do not offer the support the HIV/AIDS counsellors' need. The lack of support is attributed to geographic distances between hospitals and the clinics they serve, lack of available transport and the multiplicity of roles of both managers and the HIV/AIDS counsellors. Recommendations include the introduction of self-supervision , peer groupsupervision for HIV/AIDS counsellors

Position-dependent effects on stability in tricyclo-DNA modified oligonucleotide duplexes

A series of oligodeoxyribonucleotides and oligoribonucleotides containing single and multiple tricyclo(tc)-nucleosides in various arrangements were prepared and the thermal and thermodynamic transition profiles of duplexes with complementary DNA and RNA evaluated. Tc-residues aligned in a non-continuous fashion in an RNA strand significantly decrease affinity to complementary RNA and DNA, mostly as a consequence of a loss of pairing enthalpy ΔH. Arranging the tc-residues in a continuous fashion rescues Tm and leads to higher DNA and RNA affinity. Substitution of oligodeoxyribonucleotides in the same way causes much less differences in Tm when paired to complementary DNA and leads to substantial increases in Tm when paired to complementary RNA. CD-spectroscopic investigations in combination with molecular dynamics simulations of duplexes with single modifications show that tc-residues in the RNA backbone distinctly influence the conformation of the neighboring nucleotides forcing them into higher energy conformations, while tc-residues in the DNA backbone seem to have negligible influence on the nearest neighbor conformations. These results rationalize the observed affinity differences and are of relevance for the design of tc-DNA containing oligonucleotides for applications in antisense or RNAi therap

Smell or vision? The use of different sensory modalities in predator discrimination

ABSTRACT Theory predicts that animals should adjust their escape responses to the perceived predation risk. The information animals obtain about potential predation risk may differ qualitatively depending on the sensory modality by which a cue is perceived. For instance, olfactory cues may reveal better information about the presence or absence of threats, whereas visual information can reliably transmit the position and potential attack distance of a predator. While this suggests a differential use of information perceived through the two sensory channels, the relative importance of visual vs. olfactory cues when distinguishing between different predation threats is still poorly understood. Therefore, we exposed individuals of the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher to a standardized threat stimulus combined with either predator or non-predator cues presented either visually or chemically. We predicted that flight responses towards a threat stimulus are more pronounced if cues of dangerous rather than harmless heterospecifics are presented and that N. pulcher, being an aquatic species, relies more on olfaction when discriminating between dangerous and harmless heterospecifics. N. pulcher responded faster to the threat stimulus, reached a refuge faster and entered a refuge more likely when predator cues were perceived. Unexpectedly, the sensory modality used to perceive the cues did not affect the escape response or the duration of the recovery phase. This suggests that N. pulcher are able to discriminate heterospecific cues with similar acuity when using vision or olfaction. We discuss that this ability may be advantageous in aquatic environments where the visibility conditions strongly vary over time. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ability to rapidly discriminate between dangerous predators and harmless heterospecifics is crucial for the survival of prey animals. In seasonally fluctuating environment, sensory conditions may change over the year and may make the use of multiple sensory modalities for heterospecific discrimination highly beneficial. Here we compared the efficacy of visual and olfactory senses in the discrimination ability of the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher. We presented individual fish with visual or olfactory cues of predators or harmless heterospecifics and recorded their flight response. When exposed to predator cues, individuals responded faster, reached a refuge faster and were more likely to enter the refuge. Unexpectedly, the olfactory and visual senses seemed to be equally efficient in this discrimination task, suggesting that seasonal variation of water conditions experienced by N. pulcher may necessitate the use of multiple sensory channels for the same task

The effect of pathological shoulder rhythm on muscle and joint forces after reverse shoulder arthroplasty, a numerical analysis.

BACKGROUND Compromised abduction ability after reverse shoulder arthroplasty is primarily linked to limited glenohumeral range of motion while scapulothoracic mobility can typically be maintained. Glenohumeral joint forces strongly depend on the resulting scapulohumeral rhythm, however, an association between the acting muscle and joint forces and the subject-specific scapulohumeral rhythm after reverse shoulder arthroplasty has not been established. METHODS Eleven reverse shoulder arthroplasty patients were divided into groups of poor and excellent abduction ability. Subject-specific models were developed and scaled for each patient using existing motion capture data in AnyBody™. Shoulder muscle and joint forces were obtained using inverse dynamics calculations during shoulder abduction to 100° in the scapula plane. The scapulohumeral rhythm, the resting abduction angle and internal body forces between the outcome groups were compared using a Mann Whitney U test. FINDINGS The mean glenohumeral and scapulothoracic contribution to overall shoulder abduction for the excellent group was on average 9.7% higher and 21.4% lower, respectively, compared to the mean of the poor group. For shoulder abduction angles between 30° and 60°, the excellent group demonstrated on average 25% higher muscle forces in the anterior deltoid which was significantly higher compared to the poor outcome patients. Scapulothoracic muscle activity did not differ significantly between the two functional groups. INTERPRETATION Accordingly, rehabilitation strategies focusing on strengthening the anterior part of the deltoid in particular may improve clinical outcomes

Application of an antibiotic spectrum index in the neonatal intensive care unit

Antimicrobial stewardship programs typically use days of therapy to assess antimicrobial use. However, this metric does not account for the antimicrobial spectrum of activity. We applied an antibiotic spectrum index to a population of very-low-birth-weight infants to assess its utility to evaluate the impact of antimicrobial stewardship interventions

A Remote Health Coaching, Text-Based Walking Program in Ethnic Minority Primary Care Patients With Overweight and Obesity: Feasibility and Acceptability Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: Over half of US adults have at least one chronic disease, including obesity. Although physical activity is an important component of chronic disease self-management, few reach the recommended physical activity goals. Individuals who identify as racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionally affected by chronic diseases and physical inactivity. Interventions using consumer-based wearable devices have shown promise for increasing physical activity among patients with chronic diseases; however, populations with the most to gain, such as minorities, have been poorly represented to date. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of an 8-week text-based coaching and Fitbit program aimed at increasing the number of steps in a predominantly overweight ethnic minority population. METHODS: Overweight patients (BMI \u3e 25 kg/m(2)) were recruited from an internal medicine clinic located in an inner-city academic medical center. Fitbit devices were provided. Using 2-way SMS text messaging, health coaches (HCs) guided patients to establish weekly step goals that were specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. SMS text messaging and Fitbit activities were managed using a custom-designed app. Program feasibility was assessed via the recruitment rate, retention rate (the proportion of eligible participants completing the 8-week program), and patient engagement (based on the number of weekly text message goals set with the HC across the 8-week period). Acceptability was assessed using a qualitative, summative evaluation. Exploratory statistical analysis included evaluating the average weekly steps in week 1 compared with week 8 using a paired t test (2-tailed) and modeling daily steps over time using a linear mixed model. RESULTS: Of the 33 patients initially screened; 30 (91%) patients were enrolled in the study. At baseline, the average BMI was 39.3 (SD 9.3) kg/m(2), with 70% (23/33) of participants presenting as obese. A total of 30% (9/30) of participants self-rated their health as either fair or poor, and 73% (22/30) of participants set up \u3e /=6 weekly goals across the 8-week program. In total, 93% (28/30) of participants completed a qualitative summative evaluation, and 10 themes emerged from the evaluation: patient motivation, convenient SMS text messaging experience, social support, supportive accountability, technology support, self-determined goals, achievable goals, feedback from Fitbit, challenges, and habit formation. There was no significant group change in the average weekly steps for week 1 compared with week 8 (mean difference 7.26, SD 6209.3; P=.99). However, 17% (5/30) of participants showed a significant increase in their daily steps. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of a remotely delivered walking study that included an HC; SMS text messaging; a wearable device (Fitbit); and specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound goals within an ethnic minority patient population. Results support further development and testing in larger samples to explore efficacy

The hypoxic response of tumors is dependent on their microenvironment

AbstractTo reveal the functional significance of hypoxia and angiogenesis in astrocytoma progression, we created genetically engineered transformed astrocytes from murine primary astrocytes and deleted the hypoxia-responsive transcription factor HIF-1α or its target gene, the angiogenic factor VEGF. Growth of HIF-1α- and VEGF-deficient transformed astrocytes in the vessel-poor subcutaneous environment results in severe necrosis, reduced growth, and vessel density, whereas when the same cells are placed in the vascular-rich brain parenchyma, the growth of HIF-1α knockout, but not VEGF knockout tumors, is reversed: tumors deficient in HIF-1α grow faster, and penetrate the brain more rapidly and extensively. These results demonstrate that HIF-1α has differential roles in tumor progression, which are greatly dependent on the extant microenvironment of the tumor

Protein interactions in Xenopus germ plasm RNP particles

Hermes is an RNA-binding protein that we have previously reported to be found in the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles of Xenopus germ plasm, where it is associated with various RNAs, including that encoding the germ line determinant Nanos1. To further define the composition of these RNPs, we performed a screen for Hermes-binding partners using the yeast two-hybrid system. We have identified and validated four proteins that interact with Hermes in germ plasm: two isoforms of Xvelo1 (a homologue of zebrafish Bucky ball) and Rbm24b and Rbm42b, both RNA-binding proteins containing the RRM motif. GFP-Xvelo fusion proteins and their endogenous counterparts, identified with antisera, were found to localize with Hermes in the germ plasm particles of large oocytes and eggs. Only the larger Xvelo isoform was naturally found in the Balbiani body of previtellogenic oocytes. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) experiments confirmed that Hermes and the Xvelo variants interact in germ plasm, as do Rbm24b and 42b. Depletion of the shorter Xvelo variant with antisense oligonucleotides caused a decrease in the size of germ plasm aggregates and loosening of associated mitochondria from these structures. This suggests that the short Xvelo variant, or less likely its RNA, has a role in organizing and maintaining the integrity of germ plasm in Xenopus oocytes. While GFP fusion proteins for Rbm24b and 42b did not localize into germ plasm as specifically as Hermes or Xvelo, BiFC analysis indicated that both interact with Hermes in germ plasm RNPs. They are very stable in the face of RNA depletion, but additive effects of combinations of antisense oligos suggest they may have a role in germ plasm structure and may influence the ability of Hermes protein to effectively enter RNP particles

Interferência do clima no consumo de opções alimentares em uma Unidade de Alimentação e Nutrição

Introdução: O comportamento alimentar é dividido em determinantes biológicos, sócio-culturais, antropológicos, econômicos, psicológicos e é também influenciado por fatores de sazonalidade dos alimentos. Objetivo: Avaliar a diferença nos hábitos de consumo quanto às opções de cardápios alternativos nos meses frios e quentes de uma Unidade de Alimentação e Nutrição (UAN) em Porto Alegre – RS. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo descritivo e quantitativo com dados secundários das opções de cardápios extras oferecidos no almoço da UAN: o prato do Chef e o Soft. Foram analisadas a diferença de consumo no ano considerando dois meses frios (junho e julho) e dois meses quentes (outubro e novembro) em 2011. Os dados foram apresentados em frequência e percentagem. A diferença entre os grupos foi avaliada por teste t de Student com nível se significância de 5%. Resultados: Não foram encontradas diferenças de consumo do prato do Chef nos meses quentes e frios. Entretanto houve diferença entre os meses de junho e outubro (p=0,0008). O consumo dos pratos Soft foi diferente entre os meses frios e quentes (p=0,001). A maior diferença de consumo entre eles foi constatada entre o mês de novembro e julho (p<0,0001). Conclusão: A identificação de hábitos no consumo alimentar por comensais de uma UAN em diferentes meses do ano, de acordo com as temperaturas de cada estação, é um importante instrumento de controle que permite o desenvolvimento e a avaliação geral dos cardápios a fim de proporcionar um melhor planejamento e gestão na preparação das refeições