Search

Challenges associated with first feeding have impeded the intensive culture of larval Yellow Perch Perca flavescens. Live‐food enrichment with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can increase the growth and survival of larval fish, but this method has not been tested with Yellow Perch. This study includes two experiments that were meant to evaluate (1) the relative proportion of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6[n‐3]) and arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4[n‐6]) in enrichment emulsions and (2) the provision of PUFA emulsions in ethyl ester (EE) or triacylglycerol (TG) form on Yellow Perch growth and survival. Fish were provided with live rotifers Brachionus plicatilis and brine shrimp Artemia nauplii for the first 10 d of exogenous feeding within a specialized recirculating system (phase I). Fish were then transferred to flow‐through tanks and were fed Artemia nauplii for 3 d before gradually transitioning to a formulated starter diet (5–7 d; phase II). Fish size, growth, survival, swim bladder inflation rates, and lipid/fatty acid concentrations were evaluated after each phase. Overall, rotifers assimilated ARA in higher concentrations (23.3% of total fatty acids) than Artemia (0.6–0.7% of total fatty acids). Rotifers also tended to assimilate PUFAs better in EE form than in TG form (71.3% versus 66.5% Σn‐3 + n‐6 fatty acids). In the first experiment, fish from the ARA‐ and DHA‐enriched diet groups had greater swim bladder inflation rates (phase I) and growth rates (phase II) than the unenriched control group. In phase I of the second experiment, the EE enrichment group had a significantly faster growth rate than the TG enrichment group (specific growth rate: mean ± SD = 40.5 ± 0.9% and 36.6 ± 1.8%, respectively). Fatty acid composition of zooplankton was heavily influenced by enrichments, and fatty acid composition of larvae/juveniles reflected that of their live prey. The results of this study suggest that PUFA enrichment of live feeds can accelerate Yellow Perch growth and reduce the time spent in the critical period of early development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Ensuring patients with Atrial fibrillation (AF) are appropriately anticoagulated across NHS Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG) with the primary goal of reducing AF-related strokes.Methods: With Inspira Health, BCCG adopted the Primary Care Atrial Fibrillation (PCAF) Service which is led by Consultant Cardiologists. PCAF uses retrospective clinical audit to identify patients who require prospective face-to-face review on the need for anticoagulation.Results: 34 GP practices participated covering a 376 311 population (80% of BCCG). 12 573 patients' medical records were audited. The initial AF register was 7301 patients (AF prevalence 1.9%) and an additional 265 patients were identified through AF casefinder resulting in an AF prevalence of 2.0%. From 7566 patients with AF, 5831 were already on anticoagulants (77.1%), with 50.5% (n = 2947) on VKA medications and 49.5% (n = 2884) on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Of the DOAC patients, 595 (20.6%) required dosage review or up to date blood tests. Case notes were reviewed for 1735 patients not on anticoagulation, with 901 (51.9%) patients deemed not eligible for anticoagulation. This left 834 (48.1%) patients who were eligible for, but not on, anticoagulation. A further 407 (13.8%) patients currently taking VKA medications were deemed sup-optimal with regards to INR control with TTR < 65%. In total 1241 patients were invited for review by a Consultant Cardiologist at their local GP practice, with an attendance rate of 90%. From all face to face and virtual consultations, 908 patients had anticoagulants prescribed, changed, management of INRs improved or were in the process of being anticoagulated at the time of follow-up. From this we would expect 36.3 AF related strokes prevented and a cost saving to the NHS of £470 200 per year.Conclusion: Through comprehensive audit, BCCG have been able to ensure that patients with AF are appropriately anticoagulated in 80% of their catchment population. This has improved anticoagulation to prevent AF-related stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The sperm of Yellow Perch Perca flavescens of two different age‐classes, age 0 and 3, were cryopreserved using two different cryoprotectants (dimethylsulfoxide [DMSO] and methanol [MetOH]) with two freezing methods (pellet and vial). The viability and quality of the progenies obtained from fertilization with cryopreserved sperm were then examined. The motility of Walleye Sander vitreus sperm was examined following cryopreservation and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, with the aim of using heterologous cryopreserved sperm to inseminate Yellow Perch eggs to ensure gynogenesis. The first experiment compared the motility of fresh sperm and pellet method cryopreserved sperm devoid of salmon seminal plasma. Despite the high motility of fresh sperm—75% and 100%—of males age 0 and 3, respectively, the postthaw motility of seminal plasma devoid cryopreserved sperm was 0%. The second experiment addressed the efficiency of pellet and vial freezing methods with DMSO and MetOH supplemented with salmon seminal plasma. Cryopreserved sperm was thawed and motility measured. Sperm motility was not significantly different between pellet (13.3 ± 10.4%) and vial (10.3 ± 12.9%) methods in the absence of sperm extender; however, sperm motility of the pellet method was further improved (20 ± 8.7%) with the addition of sperm extender after thawing, while motility of the vial method sperm (10 ± 7.1%) was not. Cryopreserved sperm was further evaluated based on fertilization rate and ultimate survival and growth of larvae and juveniles through 14 d posthatch. Effects of UV exposure on fresh and pellet method cryopreserved sperm following UV irradiation were also examined. The motility of control sperm cryopreserved with DMSO and MetOH, and UV‐exposed sperm cryopreserved with DMSO decreased from 100% motility before cryopreservation (fresh sperm) to 75% following cryopreservation, while UV‐exposed sperm cryopreserved with MetOH decreased from 100% to 50%. This experiment provides significant new data to improve the effectiveness of straightforward cryopreservation techniques for Yellow Perch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous angiographic lesion classification systems were derived from analysis of outcomes and lesion complexity in the early stent era. Advances in equipment design and techniques have altered the association between lesion and target vessel characteristics and procedural outcome in modern percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We evaluated the precise relationship between lesion characteristics and technical outcome on a lesion by lesion basis in a large dataset. We developed a multivariate model to predict technical failure in PCI. Methods: Analysis of prospectively collected data on 10,800 lesions in 6,719 consecutive PCI cases between January 2000 and December 2004. Multivariate logistic regression was undertaken to identify predictors of angiographic outcome at each treated lesion (success/failure). Statistical model validation was carried out using data from a further 3,340 treated lesions in 1,940 consecutive cases. Results: Independent variables associated with an increased risk of technical failure included total occlusion, severe calcification, proximal vessel tortuosity >90 degrees, lesion in a degenerate vein graft, and lesion angulation ≥90 degrees. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve for the predicted probability of technical failure was 0.85. Failure occurred in 2.2% of treated lesions in the validation set (ROC curve 0.82, model predicted 2.5%). Conclusions: We have re-evaluated the association between lesion characteristics and technical outcome in modern PCI. We have thereby developed a contemporary prediction model for angiographic outcome at each treated lesion. (J Interven Cardiol 2010;23:394–400) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the impact of diabetes on 2-year mortality in current PCI practice. Background: In patients with coronary artery disease undergoing revascularization, diabetes mellitus is associated with higher mortality. Methods: A retrospective analysis was done of all patients undergoing PCI at our tertiary center between January 2000 and December 2004. There were 6,160 PCI procedures performed in 5,759 patients who received at least one stent. Of these patients, 801 (13.9%) were diabetic and 4,958 (86.1%) were nondiabetic. The primary outcome measure of the study was all-cause mortality. All patients were followed up for a period of 2 years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to test for a potential independent association between diabetic status and follow-up mortality. Results: Before adjustment, a trend toward higher mortality was observed in diabetic patients compared to non-diabetics at 1 year (3.2% vs 2.4%) and 2 years (5.1% vs 3.8%), P = 0.12. Independent predictors for mortality were increasing age, renal dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease, NYHA class >2, urgent PCI, treating left main stem lesions, vessel diameter ≤ 2.5 mm, and 3-vessel disease. The use of drug-eluting stent was associated with a reduction in mortality. Diabetes was found to have no independent impact on mortality following PCI (odds ratio = 1.08; 95% confidence intervals = 0.73–1.60; P = 0.71). Conclusion: The presence of diabetes was not an independent predictor of mortality following PCI. A diabetic patient that does not require insulin treatment and has no evidence of macro- or microvascular diabetic disease could enjoy a PCI outcome similar to nondiabetic subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives The purpose of this work was to describe the methodology used to build a transfusion database that allows continuous audit of transfusion practices in coronary artery bypass surgery. Materials and Methods The transfusion database requires electronic data available from two sources: the hospital's patient administration system; and the local blood transfusion service. Results We demonstrated a reduction in the percentage of patients receiving red blood cell transfusion: from 47·4% in 1997/1998 to 31·6% in 2001/2002 (P < 0·001). Reductions have also been shown in the percentage of patients receiving fresh-frozen plasma and platelet units. Conclusions The data sourcing the transfusion database should be available to all hospitals through their patient administration systems and local blood transfusion service. Its use can help to reduce transfusion rates significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]