Background: The Eastern collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) is a species of lizard native to the United States and Mexico and is growing in popularity in the exotic community around the world. There is minimal knowledge known on the analyte breakdown of this or closely related species. As this species becomes more popular in the exotic community more medical conditions are being identified that can be assisted in diagnosis with the establishment of ranges of the different essential analytes. Being an insectivorous lizard, this species may suffer from hypovitaminosis A. There has been a lack of antemortem diagnostics available for minimally invasive and appropriate diagnosis of this disease. Recent studies have been performed in other small insectivore species establishing plasma retinol reference intervals. Reference intervals for retinol have not been published or validated in collared lizards or any closely related species. Methods: Plasma, with a sample volume of only 50 mu l, from forty clinically healthy captive bred Eastern collared lizards, twenty males and twenty females were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to determine plasma retinol concentrations. Results: Using UPLC-MS/MS analysis, data was normally distributed and a reference interval for plasma retinol in the Eastern collared lizard was 1.57-3.07 mu g/mL (0.237-0.464 mu mol/L). A mean of 0.31 mu g/mL; with a lower limit 95% confidence interval being 1.34-1.80 mu g/mL and upper limit of 2.84-3.30 mu g/mL. Vitamin A (retinol) levels were significantly different when comparing a captive bred line called Blazing Blue (n = 4), with all other sampled captive bred localities. Including a closely related Aquaflames (n = 16), (Sky Blue) (n = 2), Western yellowhead (n = 5), Fancy Spotted (n = 4), Aquamarine (n = 3), and Lightning Yellow (n = 6); with the Blazing Blue morph being significantly lower using a t-Test comparison assuming equal variations. There was only 1 statistical variation seen in age groups between the 1-year-old and 6-year-old age groups with the 6-year-old age group being significantly lower than the 1-year-old age group. There was no variation based on sex. Conclusions and clinical relevance: This study provides the first established plasma retinol range in a species in the suborder iguania. Values are valuable in assistance in diagnosing and treating hypovitaminosis A and to provide advice on dietary supplementation and dietary improvement for the collared lizards and possibly other related species as well. In addition, these values can be used to design and evaluate other studies for nutritional needs of this species. Limitations of this study include only a single season of collection, no same time comparison to liver values, some age groups were limited to only 1 individual, and the evaluation of only captive bred individuals.

Brewery byproducts such as brewer's spent yeast (BSY, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) have little-to-no commercial value; however, BSY contains nutritional properties with the potential to be utilized as a beneficial feed additive by the aquaculture industry. It was hypothesized that BSY could be used as a supplement in farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) diets to improve production and health in relation to the gastrointestinal (GI) bacterial community. Fourteen juvenile rainbow trout (28.6 +/- 0.4 g, mean +/- standard error [SEM]) were stocked per 12 polyethylene tanks (170 L each) in a single recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). Three treatment groups, performed in quadruplicate at the tank level, included a control (commercial feed), low yeast (LY, commercial feed coated with 2% BSY), and high yeast (HY, commercial feed coated with 5% BSY). Over the 8-week trial, compared to the control, the LY and HY fed fish grew significantly (p < 0.01) faster, with a 20.8% and 35.4% increase in weight gain, respectively. No differences were observed for fish biometrics or bacterial communities between treatment groups. However, between tissue types significant differences (p < 0.05) in the bacterial communities were observed for alpha diversity. Overall, supplemented BSY served as an effective growth additive for rainbow trout without negatively impacting animal health.

Within the 9th European Framework programme, since 2021 EUROfusion is operating five tokamaks under the auspices of a single Task Force called ‘Tokamak Exploitation’. The goal is to benefit from the complementary capabilities of each machine in a coordinated way and help in developing a scientific output scalable to future largre machines. The programme of this Task Force ensures that ASDEX Upgrade, MAST-U, TCV, WEST and JET (since 2022) work together to achieve the objectives of Missions 1 and 2 of the EUROfusion Roadmap: i) demonstrate plasma scenarios that increase the success margin of ITER and satisfy the requirements of DEMO and, ii) demonstrate an integrated approach that can handle the large power leaving ITER and DEMO plasmas. The Tokamak Exploitation task force has therefore organized experiments on these two missions with the goal to strengthen the physics and operational basis for the ITER baseline scenario and for exploiting the recent plasma exhaust enhancements in all four devices (PEX: Plasma EXhaust) for exploring the solution for handling heat and particle exhaust in ITER and develop the conceptual solutions for DEMO. The ITER Baseline scenario has been developed in a similar way in ASDEX Upgrade, TCV and JET. Key risks for ITER such as disruptions and run-aways have been also investigated in TCV, ASDEX Upgrade and JET. Experiments have explored successfully different divertor configurations (standard, super-X, snowflakes) in MAST-U and TCV and studied tungsten melting in WEST and ASDEX Upgrade. The input from the smaller devices to JET has also been proven successful to set-up novel control schemes on disruption avoidance and detachment.

Early mortality syndrome (EMS) or acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome (AHPND) is an epizootic bacterial infection of shrimp that has had significant negative impact on the global shrimp aquaculture industry. This disease is largely attributed to pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus EMS strains (VP-EMS). Application of probiotics was examined for control of pathogenic VP-EMS infections in Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) under laboratory-scale conditions. Two probiotic products, a single strain (O14VRQ) of Bacillus subtilis and a blend (Plus10) of five strains of Bacillus from four different species (Bacillus amyloliquifaciens, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus brevis, and two distinct strains of Bacillus subtilis), were evaluated at various concentrations as feed additives (applied as a top coat on commercial feed) or dosed directly into the culture water. Two trials were conducted in which shrimp were fed either a control feed (no probiotics) or probiotic-coated feed for 7 days prior to be being challenged with VP-EMS. Shrimp were observed for clinical signs of disease and mortalities during the disease challenge study. These experiments demonstrated that while both Bacillus probiotic products were shown to significantly (p < 0.05) improve shrimp survival, the O14VRQ strain provided the most consistent protection across the trials in top-coated feed. Overall, better efficacy was observed with probiotic-coated feeds. Findings were directly and positively correlated with concentration for top-coated and even more so for direct in-tank applications. Collectively, these findings contribute to our understanding about how probiotic strains could be applied to enhance shrimp health in aquaculture.

Vicilin-buried peptides (VBPs) are derived from the N-terminal leader-sequence (LS) of vicilin proteins and are receiving increasing attention as novel food allergens. Characterizing the VBPs from peanuts and tree nuts may help understand comorbidity and cross-reactivity despite a distant evolutionary origin. Peptide microarrays were used to identify IgE-reactive sequences from the LS of the vicilin allergens from Ara h 1, Ana o 1, Jug r 2, and Pis v 3 using serum from patients diagnosed as peanut and/or pistachio/cashew allergic. The structure of four VBPs were solved using solution-NMR (cashew: AO1.1, AO1.2 and pistachio: PV3.1, PV3.2), and compared to solved VBP structures from peanut (AH1.1) and walnut (JR2.1, JR2.2, and JR2.3). Biophysical properties were assessed using in vitro proteolysis assays and circular dichroism. Hybridomas of B-cells from allergic patients were screened for cells producing IgE against VBPs. IgE binding to peptides was frequently observed in the VBP domains AH1.1, AO1.1, JR2.1, and PV3.1, and not in AO1.2, JR2.2, JR2.3, PV3.2. Comparisons of structural features suggest the VBP scaffold can support cross-reactivity despite low sequence identity. The cashew VBPs are more resistant to proteolysis than the pistachio VBPs, correlating with a slight increase in prevalence. Human IgE monoclonal antibodies were discovered with specificity for AH1.1 and JR2.1. VBPs are domains derived from vicilin allergens with variable prevalence. The conserved VBP fold could allow for cross-reactivity with peanuts and other tree-nuts including walnut. Further research is needed to correlate the VBP IgE levels to clinical diagnosis.

Introduction: Berberine is a naturally occurring alkaloid substance that can be extracted from various plants and can be found in medicinal herbs. The goal of this study is to conduct a literature review of the clinical use of berberine and assess the knowledge and opinion of pharmacy students on its beneficial effect as a blood sugar-reducing supplement. Methodology: An online survey was developed and sent to 42 students with a 100% response rate. The focal point of the remaining 15 questions was based on knowledge and perceptions regarding Berberine. Results: A total of 42 individuals participated in the survey. The majority of the participants were female (64.29%); between 24- 26 years old age range (40.48%); live in the DMV area where the study was conducted (42.86%). When asked about work experience, 50% of those who took the survey answered full-time, and 16 (38.10%) worked part-time. The majority (61.9%) indicated high knowledge about feeling comfortable with the beneficial use of berberine in reducing blood sugar. However, their overall knowledge score was 59.5% which is much less than the passing score set at 70%. When looking at how comfortable participants were regarding dietary supplements, the majority (n=25; 59.5%) were positive in their comfort. But only a third of participants (n=14; 33.3%) had the opportunity to interact with patients to discuss dietary supplements. Interestingly, more than two-thirds (n=29; 69%) of participants had taken supplements in the past for various personal reasons and the majority (n=28; 66.7%) of participants responded that they are currently taking supplements including vitamins. However, because of the low number of participants as a limitation of this study, a larger study with students in the medical field is recommended as a future plan. Conclusion: Overall, students showed a low level of knowledge despite their high opinion. The study shows the need to expose students more to dietary and herbal supplements during their pharmacy program. This would allow them to meet their patients’ needs upon graduation particularly if they chose to practice in a community pharmacy setting.

Shellfish, such as the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica), are an important agricultural commodity. Previous research has demonstrated the importance of the native microbiome of oysters against exogenous challenges by non-native pathogens. However, the taxonomic makeup of the oyster microbiome and the impact of environmental factors on it are understudied. Research was conducted quarterly over a calendar year (February 2020 through February 2021) to analyze the taxonomic diversity of bacteria present within the microbiome of consumer-ready-to-eat live Eastern oysters. It was hypothesized that a core group of bacterial species would be present in the microbiome regardless of external factors such as the water temperature at the time of harvest or post-harvesting processing. At each time point, 18 Chesapeake Bay (eastern United States) watershed aquacultured oysters were acquired from a local grocery store, genomic DNA was extracted from the homogenized whole oyster tissues, and the bacterial 16S rRNA gene hypervariable V4 region was PCR-amplified using barcoded primers prior to sequencing via Illumina MiSeq and bioinformatic analysis of the data. A core group of bacteria were identified to be consistently associated with the Eastern oyster, including members of the phyla Firmicutes and Spirochaetota, represented by the families Mycoplasmataceae and Spirochaetaceae, respectively. The phyla Cyanobacterota and Campliobacterota became more predominant in relation to warmer or colder water column temperature, respectively, at the time of oyster harvest.

OBJECTIVE:Carnobacterium maltaromaticum is considered an emerging pathogen of salmonids in the United States and around the world.METHODS:Bacterial cultures obtained from the posterior kidney and skin of moribund Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss from a commercial aquaculture facility in Virginia, USA, grew C. maltaromaticum, which was confirmed by additional phenotypic and molecular characterization.RESULT:A presumptive diagnosis based on the clinical signs, necropsy observations, histopathology, and bacterial cultures was bacterial septicemia due to C. maltaromaticum.CONCLUSION:This represents the first documentation of C. maltaromaticum in Rainbow Trout from Virginia.

Fish aquaculture has become the fastest growing sector in global food production. Thus, ensuring the sustainability of aquaculture practices is of the utmost importance. Studies in higher vertebrates (i.e. mammals) have demonstrated the role of the host microbiome in physiological processes from nutrient acquisition to pathogen protection. Therefore, analysis of fish microbiomes is an important factor to consider with regard to overall animal health and welfare. Rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) are an economically valued fish cultured worldwide. Several studies have identified microbial constituents inhabiting the intestinal tract of rainbow trout. To better elucidate some of the core constituents of the rainbow trout intestinal microbiome, this systematic literature review analysed the relative abundance results from 25 articles published on the rainbow trout intestinal microbiome from 2017 to 2021. Bacteria classified within the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were observed in every study. At the family level, Lactobacillaceae was consistently observed. Additionally, bacteria in the Actinobacteria, Bacteroides, and Tenericutes phyla were identified in at least 50% of the studies. Interestingly, Mycoplasma spp. were occasionally the most dominant organisms present in the microbiome. Overall, the results here identify bacteria that are commonly found members of the rainbow trout intestinal microbiome.

A wide variety of fish species have been displayed in public aquariums and zoological collections for over 150 years. Though the issue of pain perception in fish is still being debated, there is no disagreement that negative impacts on their welfare can significantly affect their health and wellbeing. A general description of the basic biological requirements for maintaining fish in captive environments is presented, but species-specific information and guidelines should be developed for the multitude of species being maintained. A combination of behavioral, performance, and physiological indicators can be used to assess the well-being of these animals. Ultimately, the goal for optimizing the welfare of fish should be to provide the best possible environment, husbandry, and social interactions to promote natural species-specific behaviors of the fish in captivity.

Sustainable aquaculture practices can help meet the increasing human demand for seafood, while easing pressures on natural fish populations. Studies aimed at increasing fish production in aquaculture have included supplementary dietary probiotics that often promote general health and enhanced growth rates by altering the microbiome of the host. Steelhead trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) is anadromous, like salmon, and it is a subspecies of rainbow trout capable of rapid growth, making it an attractive fish to the aquaculture industry. In this study, the impact of feeding a Bacillus subtilis probiotic on the bacterial microbiome of steelhead trout was examined temporally across several stages of animal development, from eggs (day -19) through 184 days after hatching, in relation to physiological measures. Diets included: commercial feed only as a control (A), continually-fed probiotic top-coated on commercial feed (B), commercial then switch to probiotic feed (C), or probiotic then switch to commercial feed (D). Validation of probiotic concentrations on feed and in fish tissues was performed using CFU/g and qPCR, respectively. Fish growth was measured and samples for intestinal microbiome analyses were collected at multiple timepoints during fish development. Fish fed diet D yielded higher weights than the other three diets, with little impact on other biometric parameters. However, bacterial microbiome analysis indicated an increasing trend of overall alpha diversity from the egg stage to day 29 for fish fed the various diets with diet D having the highest diversity. Fish fed diets A and D maintained a high alpha diversity beyond day 29 in contrast to a decreased trend for fish still being fed probiotics in diets B and C. The fish fed diets B and C harbored a significantly higher relative abundance of Bacillus sp. in their total microbiomes (feces + mucosa). Interestingly, the mucosal-only microbiome indicated little variation between the four groups of fish. Feeding the probiotic earlier in development, during the hatchery phase, to influence bacterial microbiome composition in the intestine (rather than later after the microbiome has been established) appears to be a more effective aquaculture practice by enhancing microbiome diversity while enabling higher fish yields.

The Better Understanding the Metamorphosis of Pregnancy (BUMP) study is a longitudinal feasibility study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the pre-pregnancy and pregnancy symptom experience using digital tools. The present paper describes the protocol for the BUMP study. Over 1000 participants are being recruited through a patient provider-platform and through other channels in the United States (US). Participants in a preconception cohort (BUMP-C) are followed for 6 months, or until conception, while participants in a pregnancy cohort (BUMP) are followed into their fourth trimester. Participants are provided with a smart ring, a smartwatch (BUMP only), and a smart scale (BUMP only) alongside cohort-specific study apps. Participant centric engagement strategies are used that aim to co-design the digital approach with participants while providing knowledge and support. The BUMP study is intended to lay the foundational work for a larger study to determine whether participant co-designed digital tools can be used to detect, track and return multimodal symptoms during the perinatal window to inform individual level symptom trajectories.

Environmental condition, such as environmental complexity or stocking density, can directly or indirectly influence animal emotion and ultimately, affective state. Affective states of animals can be assessed through judgement bias tests, evaluating responses to ambiguous situations. In this study, we aimed to determine whether environmental complexity and stocking density impacted rainbow trout affective state. Rainbow trout ( n = 108) were housed in recirculating aquaculture systems under commercial conditions while trained at tank-level to discriminate between a positively reinforced chamber (feed) in one location and a negative chamber (positive punishment; chase by net for 1 s) in the opposing location. Fish from successful tanks (two out of five tanks) were then housed in treatment tanks of either high- or low- environmental complexity at either high (165 fish/m 3 ) or low (69 fish/m 3 ) stocking density. Trained fish were tested for latencies to approach three intermediate, ambiguous chambers. Fish housed in high-density tanks were faster to enter all chambers than those housed in low-density tanks (8.5 s vs. 15.2 s; P = 0.001), with faster entries into the positive (7.4 s vs. 15.2 s; P = 0.02) and near-negative chambers (10.2 s vs. 17.4 s; P = 0.006), suggesting that these fish were more optimistic to receive a feed reward. Tank complexity did not affect test outcomes. No differences between treatments were observed between body weight, length, and plasma cortisol. Overall, rainbow trout are capable of discriminating between cues during a judgement bias test and fish housed in high-density environments respond more optimistically in ambiguous situations compared to fish in low-density environments.