Enrichment of Artemia nauplii with essential fatty acids and vitamin C: effect on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) larvae performance

The effect of essential fatty acids (EFA) and vitamin C-enriched Artemia nauplii on growth, survival, and resistance to temperature (high) stress in rainbow trout larvae reared in tanks were investigated. The larvae (average weight 120.43mg±13.5) were fed 6 times daily starting at the onset of exogenous feeding for 1 week. Triplicate groups of fish were offered one of four treatments (1) commercial starter food for rainbow trout, (2) newly hatched Artemia nauplii (unenriched), (3) highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) + vitamin C-enriched Artemia nauplii and (4) combination of 10% HUFA + vitamin C enriched nauplii and commercial starter food. After 1 week, all groups of fish were switched to the commercial diet for an additional period of 3 weeks. Statistical analysis of growth after the first week and at the end of the experiment, showed that growth of larvae in various treatments was significantly different (P<0.05). After 4 weeks, the larvae in treatment 3 with the average weight of 657.50 ± 57.93 mg had the highest body weight (P<0.05). The highest percentage of survival (96%) was observed in treatment 3 (P<0.05). Proximate compositions of trout larvae after one week feeding with experimental diets showed that the protein in the larvae of treatments 3 and 4 was significantly different compared to other treatments (P<0.05). The best result of resistance to temperature (up to 24ºC) was observed in larvae reared on treatment 3 with 91.34 ± 1.52 percent (P<0.05)

Short communication: Effects of garlic (Allium sativum L) extract on growth, feed utilization and carcass composition in Mugil cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) larvae

Various extracts from herbs and spices are reported to improve animal performance by stimulating action on gut secretions or by having a direct bactericidal effect on gut micro flora. Furthermore the active principles of the herb in the diets induce the secretion of the digestive enzymes and the growth promoter in herbs induces high protein synthesis. Garlic is an important medicinal herb extensively cultivated in many countries and has played an important dietary function as well as medicinal role for centuries. Several studies have demonstrated the positive effect of garlic inclusion in fish feed on the growth performance of various species. ... Until now, no trial has been conducted to study the effects of dietary garlic extract on growth of grey mullet (M. cephalus) This study was therefore designed to investigate the effects of garlic on growth, feed utilization and carcass composition of M. cephalus larvae with the aim of ascertaining the importance and level of garlic supplementation in fish feeds especially in M. cephalus

Effects of letrozole, non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor, on serum sex steroid levels, oocyte diameter and gonadosomatic index (GSI) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The objective of this study was to contribute to investigate the efficacy of letrozole, a potent non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor, on serum sex steroid levels and oocyte growth in rainbow trout females. Serum steroid levels were measured using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and 22 days after an initial injection with 1, 2.5 mg kg^-1 and subsequent weekly injection with 2.5 mg kg^-1 letrozole. After the last blood collection, gonad tissues were removed and oocyte diameter and GSI were determined. In all groups treated with letrozole, serum 17β-esteradiol levels (E2) decreased significantly and inversely serum 17α-20ß dihydroxy-4 pregnen-3-one (17α-20ß-P), testosterone (T) levels increased significantly from 6 to 96 h after injection (p<0.05). The lowest E2 levels, oocyte diameter and GSI were measured in the group treated weekly with 2.5 mg kg^-1 letrozole (p<0.05). This study demonstrates that letrozole has the potential to interfere in the synthesis of endogenous estrogens from androgens and delay gonadal development

Growth performance and digestive enzymes activities of Pacific white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) juveniles fed dietary mixtures of four medicinal plants

In present study the effect of dietary inclusion of equal amounts of four traditional medicines; Matricaria chamomilla L, Zataria multiflora L, Mentha piperita L and Terminalia chebulo L on growth performance and digestive enzymes activity in Litopenaeus vannamei was investigated. Two diets, including a control basal diet and an experimental diet with 30 g kg^-1 herbal mixture supplementation were prepared. Juveniles (with average weight of 2.63±0.11 g) were fed control and supplemented diet for 60 days. At the end of the experiment, shrimp fed the experimental diet showed significant increase in SGR, WGR, compared with those of the control group. Shrimp fed with herbal mixture supplementation revealed significantly higher lipase, protease and amylase activities as compared with the control group in 60 days. The results indicated that using equal mixtures of four medicinal plants in L. vannamei diets can improve the growth parameters and digestive enzyme activities

Effect of galacto oligosaccharide prebiotic on growth performance, survival and several of innate immunity parameters of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) larvae

Prebiotics are non-digestive food ingredients which beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and activity of health-promoting bacteria in the intestinal tract. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of galactooilgosaccharide on the growth performances, survival and several of innate immunity parameters of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) larvae for 60 days. In this experiment, 360 of larvae (with average weight of 0.13±0.01g) in 4 treatments and 3 replicates (n=30 in each replicate) in a completely randomized design was divided and fed with diets containing 0, 1, 2 and 3 percent galactooligosaccharide respectively. The present results showed that highest WG, SGR and PER were observed in the diet containing 2 and 3 percent of dietary galactoologosaccharide which had a significant difference compared with other treatments (p<0.05). The highest, survival, total protein, albumin and globulin levels were observed in treatments containing 2 percent of dietary galactooligosaccharide which showed a significant difference compared with other treatments (p<0.05). Finally, the present results suggest that diets containing 2 percent of dietary galactooligosaccharide could improve growth, survival and innate immunity responses of rainbow trout

A Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Milrinone in Pediatric Patients After Cardiac Surgery

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the optimal pharmacokinetic model for milrinone in pediatric patients after cardiac surgery when milrinone was administered as a slow loading dose followed by a constant-rate infusion. The data used for pharmacokinetic analysis were collected in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled multi-center trial of milrinone as prophylaxis for the development of low cardiac output syndrome after surgery for repair of complex congenital cardiac defects. Two blood samples were randomly collected from each patient for determination of plasma milrinone concentrations with subsequent population pharmacokinetic modeling. The pharmacokinetics of milrinone in pediatric patients under 6year's age were best described by a weight-normalized one compartment model after a slow loading dose followed by a constant-rate infusion. The volume of distribution was 482mlkg −1 , and was independent of age. Clearance was a linear function of age given by Cl=2.42mlkg −1 min −1 [1+0.0396*age].Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45063/1/10928_2004_Article_485925.pd