Some haematochemical parameters of intensively farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The aim of the present study was a preliminary determination of the metabolic profile (MP) of one of the most economically valuable species on the Italian market. Defining the metabolic profile (MP) of a species is not easy because of many factors affecting the blood parameters, but assessing the normality values is necessary to identify the limits out of which a production or reproduction decrease can happen

Contribution to the definition of the metabolic profile of farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The haematic outline of 339 rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)from two different farms in the Lucca province was studied for a preliminary assessment of the metabolic profile of this species and for the investigation of the influence of some endogenous and exogenous factors on the variability of the studied parameters. The sampling time, as well as the weight, appears to have caused significant variations on most of the parameters analysed. The present study gives the annual means and the seasonal trends for each farm where the study was carried out

Preliminary approach on early post mortem stress and quality indexes changes in large size bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is very appreciated on Japan and USA market for the preparation of sushi and sahimi. The market price of the fresh product can vary from 8 to 33 Euro/kg (gate farm/producers prices) according to size, shape, fat level, meat colour, consistency and freshness (absence of "hyake"), all parameters strictly connected to feeding quality and quantity, rearing and killing stress factors and refrigeration times and conditions after death. Excessive levels of stress during the slaughtering can affect meat quality, contributing to significantly decrease of tuna's price. The present trial was carried out to evaluate the possible harvesting/slaughtering stress effect on reared bluefin tuna meat quality, starting from the examination of the most important stress and quality parameters changes during the early post mortem period

Morphological, nutritional and safety traits of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) reared in floating cages

To evaluate the influence of fattening on morphological, nutritional and safety characteristics, two lots of bluefin tuna were sampled before (November: 2 C, 4 ?) and after 5 months of fattening (April: 5 C, 5 ?). The specimens, after death, were refrigerated and analysed at different times over the period of a week for morphological and flesh physico-chemical parameters in six muscle sites. Tuna sampled in April had greater body weight (44.04 vs 36.41kg), trunk length (52.21 vs 48.22cm) and minimum and maximum circumferences (13.74 vs 12.77 and 94.90 vs 89.10cm). No differences in other linear measures or body components were found. Fattening did not influence flesh colour or total lipid content, producing small differences in its chemical composition: greater C18:0, C18:1n9 and PUFAn6 percentages; higher putrescine and histamine (0.489 vs 0.335 and 0.666 vs 0.370mg/kg) but lower spermine and spermidine (10.598 vs 17.387 and 2.420 vs 3.928mg/kg) levels. Large differences in physico-chemical parameters were found between muscle sites and a significant interaction between sampling date and muscle site indicated non homogeneous changes in chemical composition of dorsal, ventral and red muscle after fattening. Sex only influenced fat content in viscera (C 12.84 vs ? 9.84%)

Population Empirical Likelihood Estimation in Dual Frame Surveys

Dual frame surveys are a device to reduce the costs derived from data collection in surveys and improve coverage for the whole target population. Since their introduction, in the 1960’s, dual frame surveys have gained much attention and several estimators have been formulated based on a number of different approaches. In this work, we propose new dual frame estimators based on the population empirical likelihood method originally proposed by Chen and Kim (2014) and using both the dual and the single frame approach. The extension of the proposed methodology to more than two frame surveys is also sketched. The performance of the proposed estimators in terms of relative bias and relative mean squared error is tested through simulation experiments. These experiments indicate that the proposed estimators yield better results than other likelihood-based estimators proposed in the literature.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spai

Kernel-based methods for combining information of several frame surveys

A sample selected from a single sampling frame may not represent adequatly the entire population. Multiple frame surveys are becoming increasingly used and popular among statistical agencies and private organizations, in particular in situations where several sampling frames may provide better coverage or can reduce sampling costs for estimating population quantities of interest. Auxiliary information available at the population level is often categorical in nature, so that incorporating categorical and continuous information can improve the efficiency of the method of estimation. Nonparametric regression methods represent a widely used and flexible estimation approach in the survey context. We propose a kernel regression estimator for dual frame surveys that can handle both continuous and categorical data. This methodology is extended to multiple frame surveys. We derive theoretical properties of the proposed methods and numerical experiments indicate that the proposed estimator perform well in practical settings under different scenarios.Ministerio de Economía y CompetitividadConsejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Emple

TB Hackathon: Development and Comparison of Five Models to Predict Subnational Tuberculosis Prevalence in Pakistan

Pakistan’s national tuberculosis control programme (NTP) is among the many programmes worldwide that value the importance of subnational tuberculosis (TB) burden estimates to support disease control efforts, but do not have reliable estimates. A hackathon was thus organised to solicit the development and comparison of several models for small area estimation of TB. The TB hackathon was launched in April 2019. Participating teams were requested to produce district-level estimates of bacteriologically positive TB prevalence among adults (over 15 years of age) for 2018. The NTP provided case-based data from their 2010–2011 TB prevalence survey, along with data relating to TB screening, testing and treatment for the period between 2010–2011 and 2018. Five teams submitted district-level TB prevalence estimates, methodological details and programming code. Although the geographical distribution of TB prevalence varied considerably across models, we identified several districts with consistently low notification-to-prevalence ratios. The hackathon highlighted the challenges of generating granular spatiotemporal TB prevalence forecasts based on a cross-sectional prevalence survey data and other data sources. Nevertheless, it provided a range of approaches to subnational disease modelling. The NTP’s use and plans for these outputs shows that, limitations notwithstanding, they can be valuable for programme planning

Calibration estimation in dual-frame surveys

Survey statisticians make use of auxiliary information to improve estimates. One important example is calibration estimation, which constructs new weights that match benchmark constraints on auxiliary variables while remaining “close” to the design weights. Multiple-frame surveys are increasingly used by statistical agencies and private organizations to reduce sampling costs and/or avoid frame undercoverage errors. Several ways of combining estimates derived from such frames have been proposed elsewhere; in this paper, we extend the calibration paradigm, previously used for single-frame surveys, to calculate the total value of a variable of interest in a dual-frame survey. Calibration is a general tool that allows to include auxiliary information from two frames. It also incorporates, as a special case, certain dual-frame estimators that have been proposed previously. The theoretical properties of our class of estimators are derived and discussed, and simulation studies conducted to compare the efficiency of the procedure, using different sets of auxiliary variables. Finally, the proposed methodology is applied to real data obtained from the Barometer of Culture of Andalusia survey.Ministerio de Educación y CienciaConsejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y EmpleoPRIN-SURWE

TB hackathon : development and comparison of five models to predict subnational tuberculosis prevalence in Pakistan

Pakistan's national tuberculosis control programme (NTP) is among the many programmes worldwide that value the importance of subnational tuberculosis (TB) burden estimates to support disease control efforts, but do not have reliable estimates. A hackathon was thus organised to solicit the development and comparison of several models for small area estimation of TB. The TB hackathon was launched in April 2019. Participating teams were requested to produce district-level estimates of bacteriologically positive TB prevalence among adults (over 15 years of age) for 2018. The NTP provided case-based data from their 2010-2011 TB prevalence survey, along with data relating to TB screening, testing and treatment for the period between 2010-2011 and 2018. Five teams submitted district-level TB prevalence estimates, methodological details and programming code. Although the geographical distribution of TB prevalence varied considerably across models, we identified several districts with consistently low notification-to-prevalence ratios. The hackathon highlighted the challenges of generating granular spatiotemporal TB prevalence forecasts based on a cross-sectional prevalence survey data and other data sources. Nevertheless, it provided a range of approaches to subnational disease modelling. The NTP's use and plans for these outputs shows that, limitations notwithstanding, they can be valuable for programme planning

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). METHODS/DESIGN: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH2O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure 6430 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration metho