Water quality and welfare assessment on United Kingdom trout farms

Interest in the subject of fish welfare is continuing to grow, with increasing public awareness and new legislation in the UK. Water quality has long been recognised as being of prime importance for welfare: water provides the fish with oxygen and removes and dilutes potentially toxic waste metabolites. This thesis investigates the interactions between water quality and the welfare of farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum). A literature review was undertaken to identify current recommended water quality limits for the health and welfare of farmed rainbow trout. Contradictions in the literature regarding suggested ‘safe’ water quality limits were also identified, as were deficiencies in some of the methods used to arrive at conclusions for recommended limits. The literature relating to the effects of poor water quality on welfare were also reviewed. The review ends with a discussion about water quality monitoring in the context of on-farm welfare assessment and how the information might be used in such a scheme. A telephone survey of UK rainbow trout farmers was undertaken to ascertain the level of water quality monitoring currently conducted. Participants in this study accounted for over 80% of 2005 UK rainbow trout production. It was established that 54% of farmers monitored dissolved oxygen to some extent and 69% monitored temperature, the most commonly measured water quality parameters and among the most important for health, welfare and growth. Subsequent visits were made to a sample of the participants in the telephone survey to obtain more detailed information of the farming operations, such as frequency of water quality monitoring, retention of production data and slaughter methods. Monitoring water quality will be an integral part of any on-farm welfare assessment scheme, and while measuring some water quality parameters requires specialist equipment, farmers should be able to monitor the essential parameters, dissolved oxygen and temperature. Any on-farm welfare assessment scheme for rainbow trout should incorparate fish-based measures in addition to resource-based parameters in order to provide as complete an overview of trout welfare as possible. An epidemiological study was undertaken to investigate the current status of welfare on UK rainbow trout farms and to identify risk factors for welfare. Forty-four trout farms from throughout the British Isles were visited between July 2005 and April 2007, sampling a total of 3700 fish from 189 different systems. Farms were visited twice, once in winter and once in summer, to account for any seasonal differences in fish physiology and environmental conditions. Data were collected on a range of fish parameters, together with background information on the batch from which the fish originated. Particular emphasis was placed on water quality due to the potential effects this can have on welfare. The water in each system sampled was monitored for 24 hours, with measurements of dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, specific conductivity and ammonia taken every 15 minutes. A welfare score was developed for each fish using a multifactorial method, combining data on the condition of the fins, the condition of the gills, the stress hormone cortisol, the splenosomatic index and the mortality levels for the population of fish in the system. Using this welfare score and the individual components of the score as response variables, multi-level models were developed using the water quality, system and husbandry data collected. The primary risk factor that was associated with deteriorating welfare was disease. The purpose for which the fish was being farmed was also important, as fish farmed for the table market had on average worse welfare than those farmed for restocking fisheries. Seasonal effects, linked to higher water temperatures in summer, were associated with poorer welfare scores. Aside from seasonal effects, there is not much evidence that poor water quality is a major problem for the welfare of farmed rainbow trout in the UK. While deteriorating water quality certainly has the potential to affect the welfare of farmed rainbow trout, water quality measurements were within recommended ranges for the majority of farms visited. The results of this epidemiological study suggest that factors other than water quality may have a greater impact on trout welfare, such as exposure to diseases and production differences between farming for the table and restocking markets

Virus pneumonia of pigs

THIS disease is widespread in Western Australia and is undoubtedly a most serious source of economic loss to the pig industry. The effects of virus pneumonia are such that in badly managed herds, widespread pneumonic outbreaks and deaths are common. By contrast, in well managed herds, there is the more insidious problem of low or nil death rates, accompanied however by an appreciable fall in animal production

Investigation of surface films - Chesapeake Bay entrance

Experimental point source oil releases have been conducted in the Chesapeake Bay mouth area. Predictions of oil slick motion were tested, and slicks were sampled and analyzed to measure their aging rates over periods up to 32 hours. Remote sensing. techniques were used to detect and measure the spreading rate of oil. Some laboratory oil film aging experiments were done to further document and elucidate aging processes. Results indicate· a,reasonable motion prediction, an explanation of the non-biological initial aging of oil films, and a fair corroboration of a theoretical oil spreading model

Relationship between diffusion capacity and small airway abnormality in COPDGene.

Impaired single breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) is associated with emphysema. Small airways disease (SAD) may be a precursor lesion to emphysema, but the relationship between SAD and DLCO is undescribed. We hypothesized that in mild COPD, functional SAD (fSAD) defined by computed tomography (CT) and Parametric Response Mapping methodology would correlate with impaired DLCO. Using data from ever-smokers in the COPDGene cohort, we established that fSAD correlated significantly with lower DLCO among both non-obstructed and GOLD 1-2 subjects. The relationship between DLCO with CT-defined emphysema was present in all GOLD stages, but most prominent in severe disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00608764. Registry: COPDGene. Registered 06 February 2008, retrospectively registered

Developing and evaluating complex interventions: the new Medical Research Council guidance

<p><i>Evaluating complex interventions is complicated. The Medical Research Council's evaluation framework (2000) brought welcome clarity to the task. Now the council has updated its guidance</i></p> <p>Complex interventions are widely used in the health service, in public health practice, and in areas of social policy that have important health consequences, such as education, transport, and housing. They present various problems for evaluators, in addition to the practical and methodological difficulties that any successful evaluation must overcome. In 2000, the Medical Research Council (MRC) published a framework<sup>1</sup> to help researchers and research funders to recognise and adopt appropriate methods. The framework has been highly influential, and the accompanying BMJ paper is widely cited.<sup>2</sup> However, much valuable experience has since accumulated of both conventional and more innovative methods. This has now been incorporated in comprehensively revised and updated guidance recently released by the MRC (<a href="www.mrc.ac.uk/complexinterventionsguidance">www.mrc.ac.uk/complexinterventionsguidance</a>). In this article we summarise the issues that prompted the revision and the key messages of the new guidance. </p&gt

TB STIGMA – MEASUREMENT GUIDANCE

TB is the most deadly infectious disease in the world, and stigma continues to play a significant role in worsening the epidemic. Stigma and discrimination not only stop people from seeking care but also make it more difficult for those on treatment to continue, both of which make the disease more difficult to treat in the long-term and mean those infected are more likely to transmit the disease to those around them. TB Stigma – Measurement Guidance is a manual to help generate enough information about stigma issues to design and monitor and evaluate efforts to reduce TB stigma. It can help in planning TB stigma baseline measurements and monitoring trends to capture the outcomes of TB stigma reduction efforts. This manual is designed for health workers, professional or management staff, people who advocate for those with TB, and all who need to understand and respond to TB stigma

A translational framework for public health research

<p><b>Background</b></p> <p>The paradigm of translational medicine that underpins frameworks such as the Cooksey report on the funding of health research does not adequately reflect the complex reality of the public health environment. We therefore outline a translational framework for public health research.</p> <p><b>Discussion</b></p> <p>Our framework redefines the objective of translation from that of institutionalising effective interventions to that of improving population health by influencing both individual and collective determinants of health. It incorporates epidemiological perspectives with those of the social sciences, recognising that many types of research may contribute to the shaping of policy, practice and future research. It also identifies a pivotal role for evidence synthesis and the importance of non-linear and intersectoral interfaces with the public realm.</p> <p><b>Summary</b></p> <p>We propose a research agenda to advance the field and argue that resources for 'applied' or 'translational' public health research should be deployed across the framework, not reserved for 'dissemination' or 'implementation'.</p&gt

Defining the research agenda to measure and reduce tuberculosis stigmas

This is an Open Access article, © 2017 International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. Content in the UH Research Archive is made available for personal research, educational, and non-commercial purposes only. Unless otherwise stated, all content is protected by copyright, and in the absence of an open license, permissions for further re-use should be sought from the publisher, the author, or other copyright holder.Crucial to finding and treating the 4 million tuberculosis (TB) patients currently missed by National TB Programs, TB stigma is receiving well-deserved and long-delayed attention at the global level. However, the ability to measure and evaluate the success of TB stigma reduction efforts is limited by the need for additional tools. At a 2016 TB stigma measurement meeting held in The Hague, stigma experts discussed and proposed a research agenda around four themes: (1) Drivers: What are the main drivers and domains of TB stigma(s)?; (2) Consequences: How consequential are TB stigmas? How are negative impacts most felt?; (3) Burden: What is the global prevalence and distribution of TB stigma(s)? What explains any variation? (4): Intervention: What can be done to reduce the extent and impact of TB stigma(s)? Each theme was further subdivided into research topics to be addressed to move the agenda forward. These include more clarity on what causes TB stigmas to emerge and thrive, the difficulty of measuring the complexity of stigma, and the improbability of a universal stigma ‘cure’. Notwithstanding, these challenges should not hinder investments in TB stigma measurement and reduction. We believe it is time to focus on how and not whether the global community should measure and reduce TB stigma.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Electron Cryotomography of Bacterial Secretion Systems

In biology, function arises from form. For bacterial secretion systems, which often span two membranes, avidly bind to the cell wall, and contain hundreds of individual proteins, studying form is a daunting task, made possible by electron cryotomography (ECT). ECT is the highest-resolution imaging technique currently available to visualize unique objects inside cells, providing a three-dimensional view of the shapes and locations of large macromolecular complexes in their native environment. Over the past 15 years, ECT has contributed to the study of bacterial secretion systems in two main ways: by revealing intact forms for the first time and by mapping components into these forms. Here we highlight some of these contributions, revealing structural convergence in type II secretion systems, structural divergence in type III secretion systems, unexpected structures in type IV secretion systems, and unexpected mechanisms in types V and VI secretion systems. Together, they offer a glimpse into a world of fantastic forms—nanoscale rotors, needles, pumps, and dart guns—much of which remains to be explored