EFFECT OF DIFFERENT FEEDS ON MATURATION OF SNAKEHEAD (CHANNA LUCIUS, CUVIER, 1831) CULTURED IN EARTHERN PONDS

This study aims to find a suitable feed for the maturation of snakehead (Channa lucius) cultured in pond systems. The experiment was designed randomly in two different treatments, trash fish (treatment 1) and pellet feed (treatment 2), respectively. Each treatment was repeated three times. The weight of females selected for the experiment was about 102 ± 3,12g. Environmental factors were controlled in an appropriate range for fish growth and mature during the experiment. After 120 days of rearing, the final values of gonad somatic index of fish in treatment 1 and treatment 2 were respectively 3.61 ± 1.1 and 3.54 ± 1.8%. Condition factors of fish in treatment 1 and treatment 2 were 0.0093 ± 0.0013; 0.0095 ± 0.0008, respectively. Absolute fecundity of the fish in treatment 1 was 41,951 ± 7,820 eggs/kg, whereas this value in treatment 2 was 42,106 ± 7,201 eggs/kg. Relative fecundity of the fish in treatment 1 and treatment 2 were 5,762 ± 1,580 and 4,296 ± 737 eggs/fish, respectively. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the maturity rate of fish in treatment 1 and treatment 2, which were 75.0 ± 0.38% and 72.7 ± 0.28%, respectively. The results gained from this study indicated that both treatments (treatment 1 and treatment 2) were equally good for fish maturational characteristics of snakehead (Channa lucius)

Effects of different feeds and stocking densities on growth and survival rates of mud crab (<em>Scylla paramamosain</em>) at the stage from megalopa to crablet-1

Mud crabs (Scylla genus) are luxury foods in high demand internationally. The efficient techniques for mud crab hatcheries are vital for providing breeds for their aquaculture, which is rapidly growing in many countries. This study aims to investigate the effects of different feeds and stocking densities on mud crabs' growth and survival rates (Scylla paramamosain) in the stage from megalopa to crablet-1 stage. Two separate experiments were conducted indoors in the 60-liter round plastic tanks (containing 50 liters of water at a 28‰ salinity). Experiment 1 investigated four feeds: frozen Artemia biomass, pureed shrimp meat, Lansy pellet feed (48% protein), and NRD pellet feed (55% protein). Megalopae (mean weight of 5.8 mg) were stocked at a density of 10/L. In experiment 2, the megalopae (mean weight of 5.4 mg) were stocked at densities of 20, 30, and 40/L and were fed the Lansy pellet feed, which was the best one selected from experiment 1. High survival rates were obtained at all four feeds (82.2–87.5%) and three stocking densities (88.4–90.1%). The growth performances in Lansy feed and frozen Artemia biomass were better than those in pureed shrimp meat and NRD pellet feed, which was seen through higher indicators of daily weight gain (DWG) and specific growth rate in weight (SGRw) (p p > 0.05). The investigated feeds and stocking densities suit the nursing mud crab (S. paramamosain) megalopa. In contrast, the Lansy pellet feeds had a stocking density of 20/L, resulting in the highest nursing efficiency

Numerical investigation of force transmission in granular media using discrete element method

In this paper, a numerical Discrete Element Method (DEM) model was calibrated to investigate the transmission of force in granular media. To this aim, DEM simulation was performed for reproducing the behavior of a given granular material under uniform compression. The DEM model was validated by comparing the obtained shear stress/normal stress ratio with results published in the available literature. The network of contact forces was then computed, showing the arrangement of the material microstructure under applied loading. The number and distribution of the contacts force were also examined statistically, showing that the macroscopic behavior of the granular medium highly depended on the force chain network. The DEM model could be useful in exploring the mechanical response of granular materials under different loadings and boundary conditions

Polyculture of red seaweed (<i>Gracilaria tenuistipitata</i>) with different stocking densities of whiteleg shrimp (<i>Litopenaeus vannamei</i>): Effects on water quality and shrimp performance

This study was conducted to determine the impact of coculturing red seaweed (Gracilaria tenustipitata) with different densities of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) on water quality and shrimp performance. The experiment was carried out in indoor tank systems in triplicate. Five shrimp densities (100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 shrimp/m3) were integrated with red seaweed (2 kg/m3) for 60 days. The results demonstrated that polyculture of red seaweed with shrimp maintained appropriate levels of TAN and NO2- in rearing tanks at high shrimp densities ranging from 100 to 300 shrimp/m3. Shrimp growth rates tended to decline as density increased, but there were no statistical differences (p>0.05) between treatments at stocking densities ranging from 100 to 300 shrimp/m3. Shrimp survival declined dramatically as stocking densities increased from 400 shrimp/m3 upward. The lowest and maximum shrimp yields were achieved at densities of 100 and 300 shrimp/m3, respectively. Furthermore, the sensory quality of cooked shrimp meat was highly rated by the panelists. These findings demonstrated that polyculture of red seaweed with whiteleg shrimp can be applied at stocking densities up to 300 shrimp/m3 while maintaining appropriate water quality parameters and improved production efficiency in the culture unit

Chemical composition and cytotoxic activity of the essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus L. Grown in phu tho province

Culms and leaves of Cymbopogon citratus L. were collected from two regions of Phu Tho province (Thanh Son and Phu Ninh) and used as materials for essential oil extraction. Oils obtained were steam-distilled, analyzed for chemical composition and evaluated for cytotoxic activity against three different cancer cell lines. The GC/MS analysis showed that citral is the major content of the steam-distilled essential oils which was found in the range of 64.15-76.22%. Camphene was found only in culm oils of both regions but it was not detected in the leaf oils. Interestingly, the isomer forms of ocimene present at higher content in the culm oils than in the leaf oils whereas myrcene content in the leaf oils is higher than that in the culm oils. In a cytotoxicity test, four essential oils of culms and leaves of C. citratus from Thanh Son and Phu Ninh showed potent activity against A549 (human lung carcinoma) cell line with the IC50 values ranging from 4.01±0.39 to 6.3±0.54 µg/ml. The essential oils (culms and leaves) from Phu Ninh exhibited moderate effects on the Hela (human cervical adenocarcinoma) cells with the IC50 values of 19.43±1.16 and 42±2.41 µg/ml, respectively. However, they were inactive against the human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cell line. The essential oils from Thanh Son exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against Hela and Hep3B cell lines with the IC50 values ranging from 1.18±0.26 to 8.91±0.32 µg/ml. The results indicated that the essential oils of C. citratus from Thanh Son, Phu Tho could be considered as a promising candidate for the natural sources of anticancer agents

Prospects for Food Fermentation in South-East Asia, Topics From the Tropical Fermentation and Biotechnology Network at the End of the AsiFood Erasmus+Project

Fermentation has been used for centuries to produce food in South-East Asia and some foods of this region are famous in the whole world. However, in the twenty first century, issues like food safety and quality must be addressed in a world changing from local business to globalization. In Western countries, the answer to these questions has been made through hygienisation, generalization of the use of starters, specialization of agriculture and use of long-distance transportation. This may have resulted in a loss in the taste and typicity of the products, in an extensive use of antibiotics and other chemicals and eventually, in a loss in the confidence of consumers to the products. The challenges awaiting fermentation in South-East Asia are thus to improve safety and quality in a sustainable system producing tasty and typical fermented products and valorising by-products. At the end of the “AsiFood Erasmus+ project” (www.asifood.org), the goal of this paper is to present and discuss these challenges as addressed by the Tropical Fermentation Network, a group of researchers from universities, research centers and companies in Asia and Europe. This paper presents current actions and prospects on hygienic, environmental, sensorial and nutritional qualities of traditional fermented food including screening of functional bacteria and starters, food safety strategies, research for new antimicrobial compounds, development of more sustainable fermentations and valorisation of by-products. A specificity of this network is also the multidisciplinary approach dealing with microbiology, food, chemical, sensorial, and genetic analyses, biotechnology, food supply chain, consumers and ethnology

An Outbreak of Severe Infections with Community-Acquired MRSA Carrying the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Following Vaccination

Background: Infections with community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) are emerging worldwide. We investigated an outbreak of severe CA-MRSA infections in children following out-patient vaccination. Methods and Findings: We carried out a field investigation after adverse events following immunization (AEFI) were reported. We reviewed the clinical data from all cases. S. aureus recovered from skin infections and from nasal and throat swabs were analyzed by pulse-field gel electrophoresis, multi locus sequence typing, PCR and microarray. In May 2006, nine children presented with AEFI, ranging from fatal toxic shock syndrome, necrotizing soft tissue infection, purulent abscesses, to fever with rash. All had received a vaccination injection in different health centres in one District of Ho Chi Minh City. Eight children had been vaccinated by the same health care worker (HCW). Deficiencies in vaccine quality, storage practices, or preparation and delivery were not found. Infection control practices were insufficient. CA-MRSA was cultured in four children and from nasal and throat swabs from the HCW. Strains from children and HCW were indistinguishable. All carried the Panton-Valentine leukocidine (PVL), the staphylococcal enterotoxin B gene, the gene complex for staphylococcal-cassette-chromosome mec type V, and were sequence type 59. Strain HCM3A is epidemiologically unrelated to a strain of ST59 prevalent in the USA, althoughthey belong to the same lineage. Conclusions. We describe an outbreak of infections with CA-MRSA in children, transmitted by an asymptomatic colonized HCW during immunization injection. Consistent adherence to injection practice guidelines is needed to prevent CA-MRSA transmission in both in- and outpatient settings

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake