scholarly journals Three rivers and a fish: body shape variation in adult inanga (Galaxias maculatus) and implications for reproductive output

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Vincent Wood

<p>Inanga (Galaxias maculatus) are the major component of New Zealand’s whitebait fisheries. Monitoring of freshwater-based adult populations in both North and South Island river systems suggests a general decline in numbers of fish, and specific streams and watersheds are of particular concern for some regional councils. Given this context, improved information about the environmental conditions that influence inanga’s reproductive output may help to inform appropriate management actions and improve the long term viability of these populations. The breeding biology of adult inanga has been the focus of considerable research effort, with restoration of spawning grounds further extending our knowledge of spatio-temporal patterns of spawning. However, the behaviour patterns and fates of adult fish outside of the spawning locations and seasons are poorly known, as are the factors that may influence the survival and development of pre-spawning stages of inanga. Variation in body shape and size influences multiple performance and fitness attributes, and has major implications for reproduction. My thesis aims to quantify relationships between morphology and reproductive output for adult inanga, and to investigate environmental factors that may influence morphological development.  I collected inanga at two discrete stages of adult development: (i) pre-spawning stage adults at upstream habitats and (ii) spawning-stage adults collected at known breeding grounds during the spawning season. I photographed inanga in the field using a purpose-built aquarium and measured a set of morphological characteristics related to reproductive output and swimming ability. Specifically, I measured standard length, head depth, body depth and caudal peduncle depth. A subsample of adult inanga collected during the spawning season were returned to the laboratory and euthanized to measure aspects of their reproductive biology. Specifically, I measured reproductive output using gonad weight, I estimated maturity using the gonadosomatic index (GSI: weight of the gonad relative to total body weight), and I estimated energetic reserves using the hepatosomatic index (HSI: weight of the liver relative to total body weight).   Pre-spawning stage inanga in the Waiwhetu Stream displayed deeper bodies than fish in either the Hutt or Wainuiomata Rivers, potentially due to higher concentrations of food. Inanga in the Wainuiomata River displayed slightly larger sizes prior to the spawning season and substantially larger bodies during the spawning season. Although the Waiwhetu Stream may have had a greater supply of food, high densities of fish in smaller stream systems could constrain adult growth. Spawning-stage adults collected from the Waiwhetu Stream had greater reproductive output than fish collected from the Hutt River, with a peak in spawning activity during May. Fish collected from spawning grounds in the Hutt River had lower reproductive output and two peaks in spawning activity during March and May. Inanga in the Hutt River also displayed greater within-month variation in the maturity of fish.   My results suggest that spawning grounds in larger, more complex river systems (e.g., the Hutt River) may be supplied by inanga from a diverse range of main stem habitats and smaller tributaries further inland. Smaller systems (e.g., the Waiwhetu Stream) may be comprised of a more homogeneous population of inanga, and reproductive output of the system as a whole may be greater, but concentrated over a shorter time period. I hypothesise that the reproductive output from larger river systems may be more resilient to disturbance events (e.g., stock trampling of spawning grounds) because these systems (by virtue of their greater diversity of habitats and phenotypes of fish) may enable multiple opportunities for spawning. I suggest that larger rivers, such as the Hutt River, may be of disproportionate importance (independent of their total reproductive output) for the replenishment of inanga stocks.</p>

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Vincent Wood

<p>Inanga (Galaxias maculatus) are the major component of New Zealand’s whitebait fisheries. Monitoring of freshwater-based adult populations in both North and South Island river systems suggests a general decline in numbers of fish, and specific streams and watersheds are of particular concern for some regional councils. Given this context, improved information about the environmental conditions that influence inanga’s reproductive output may help to inform appropriate management actions and improve the long term viability of these populations. The breeding biology of adult inanga has been the focus of considerable research effort, with restoration of spawning grounds further extending our knowledge of spatio-temporal patterns of spawning. However, the behaviour patterns and fates of adult fish outside of the spawning locations and seasons are poorly known, as are the factors that may influence the survival and development of pre-spawning stages of inanga. Variation in body shape and size influences multiple performance and fitness attributes, and has major implications for reproduction. My thesis aims to quantify relationships between morphology and reproductive output for adult inanga, and to investigate environmental factors that may influence morphological development.  I collected inanga at two discrete stages of adult development: (i) pre-spawning stage adults at upstream habitats and (ii) spawning-stage adults collected at known breeding grounds during the spawning season. I photographed inanga in the field using a purpose-built aquarium and measured a set of morphological characteristics related to reproductive output and swimming ability. Specifically, I measured standard length, head depth, body depth and caudal peduncle depth. A subsample of adult inanga collected during the spawning season were returned to the laboratory and euthanized to measure aspects of their reproductive biology. Specifically, I measured reproductive output using gonad weight, I estimated maturity using the gonadosomatic index (GSI: weight of the gonad relative to total body weight), and I estimated energetic reserves using the hepatosomatic index (HSI: weight of the liver relative to total body weight).   Pre-spawning stage inanga in the Waiwhetu Stream displayed deeper bodies than fish in either the Hutt or Wainuiomata Rivers, potentially due to higher concentrations of food. Inanga in the Wainuiomata River displayed slightly larger sizes prior to the spawning season and substantially larger bodies during the spawning season. Although the Waiwhetu Stream may have had a greater supply of food, high densities of fish in smaller stream systems could constrain adult growth. Spawning-stage adults collected from the Waiwhetu Stream had greater reproductive output than fish collected from the Hutt River, with a peak in spawning activity during May. Fish collected from spawning grounds in the Hutt River had lower reproductive output and two peaks in spawning activity during March and May. Inanga in the Hutt River also displayed greater within-month variation in the maturity of fish.   My results suggest that spawning grounds in larger, more complex river systems (e.g., the Hutt River) may be supplied by inanga from a diverse range of main stem habitats and smaller tributaries further inland. Smaller systems (e.g., the Waiwhetu Stream) may be comprised of a more homogeneous population of inanga, and reproductive output of the system as a whole may be greater, but concentrated over a shorter time period. I hypothesise that the reproductive output from larger river systems may be more resilient to disturbance events (e.g., stock trampling of spawning grounds) because these systems (by virtue of their greater diversity of habitats and phenotypes of fish) may enable multiple opportunities for spawning. I suggest that larger rivers, such as the Hutt River, may be of disproportionate importance (independent of their total reproductive output) for the replenishment of inanga stocks.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moreno Zanardo ◽  
Fabio Martino Doniselli ◽  
Anastassia Esseridou ◽  
Massimiliano Agrò ◽  
Nicol Antonina Rita Panarisi ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Iodinated contrast media (ICM) could be more appropriately dosed on patient lean body weight (LBW) than on total body weight (TBW). Methods After Ethics Committee approval, trial registration NCT03384979, patients aged ≥ 18 years scheduled for multiphasic abdominal CT were randomised for ICM dose to LBW group (0.63 gI/kg of LBW) or TBW group (0.44 gI/kg of TBW). Abdominal 64-row CT was performed using 120 kVp, 100–200 mAs, rotation time 0.5 s, pitch 1, Iopamidol (370 mgI/mL), and flow rate 3 mL/s. Levene, Mann–Whitney U, and χ2 tests were used. The primary endpoint was liver contrast enhancement (LCE). Results Of 335 enrolled patients, 17 were screening failures; 44 dropped out after randomisation; 274 patients were analysed (133 LBW group, 141 TBW group). The median age of LBW group (66 years) was slightly lower than that of TBW group (70 years). Although the median ICM-injected volume was comparable between groups, its variability was larger in the former (interquartile range 27 mL versus 21 mL, p = 0.01). The same was for unenhanced liver density (IQR 10 versus 7 HU) (p = 0.02). Median LCE was 40 (35–46) HU in the LBW group and 40 (35–44) HU in the TBW group, without significant difference for median (p = 0.41) and variability (p = 0.23). Suboptimal LCE (< 40 HU) was found in 64/133 (48%) patients in the LBW group and 69/141 (49%) in the TBW group, but no examination needed repeating. Conclusions The calculation of the ICM volume to be administered for abdominal CT based on the LBW does not imply a more consistent LCE.


2002 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 107-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pauline L. Martin ◽  
Joan Lane ◽  
Louise Pouliot ◽  
Malcolm Gains ◽  
Rudolph Stejskal ◽  
...  

Development ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 289-294
Author(s):  
R. R. Schmidt ◽  
K. P. Chepenik ◽  
B. V. Paynton

Pregnant rats were subjected to either a folic-acid-deficient regimen that produces multiple congenital skeletal malformations, or a control folic-acid-supplemented regimen. Fetal limbs were extirpated on days 16 and 18 of gestation, pooled from each litter, homogenized, and aliquots set aside for hydroxyproline, protein and DNA determinations. We found that (1) the amount of protein recovered per treated limb was approximately half that of controls on both days, (2) the amount of protein recovered per treated or controlday-18 limb was twice that of a day-16 limb, (3) treated limbs constituted the same percentage of total body weight as in controls on day 16, but a smaller percentage than in controls on day 18, and (4) the concentration of hydroxyproline (μg/mg protein) was significantly less for treated limbs than for controls on day 18 of gestation. We noted also that: (1) lowest hydroxyproline concentrations were found in limbs from treated fetuses with gross limb malformations, (2) intermediate concentrations were found in limbs of treated fetuses not exhibiting gross limb malformations, and (3) highest concentrations were found in control limbs. We suggest that the treatment resulted in (1) a decreased rate of accumulation of protein in limbs prior to day 16, but not from day 16 to day 18, (2) a decreased rate of accumulation of some non-protein component(s) in treated limbs from day 16 to day 18, and (3) an altered collagen metabolism.


Rangifer ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg L. Finstad ◽  
Alexander K. Prichard

Total body weight of 9749 reindeer calves and 4798 adult reindeer were measured from 1984 to 1999 on the Seward Peninsula, western Alaska, USA. Growth rates of male and female calves, and annual growth patterns of adults were determined. Male calves grew faster than female calves. Reproductive females were lighter than non-reproductive females during summer but there was no effect of reproduction on average body weights the following winter. Adult males age 3-5 were heavier during summer than winter. Castrated males weighed the same as uncastrated males in summer, but were significantly heavier in winter, and did not display the large annual fluctuations in weight typical of reproductive males and females. Growth rates were higher and body weights greater in this herd than many other cir-cumpolar reindeer populations. We suggest these kinds of physiological indices should be used to monitor the possible effects of spatial and temporal variation in population density and to evaluate changes in herding practices.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoe Rock ◽  
Juliana Chen ◽  
Joanna Jaques ◽  
Bernard L Champion ◽  
Reginald V Lord ◽  
...  

Abstract Over 2.5 billion people worldwide are overweight or obese. Multidisciplinary weight management interventions have evolved to address the complexity of weight loss for those with one or more chronic diseases, and the trend of weight regain. The aim of these interventions is to encourage sustainable lifestyle changes, resulting in weight loss and weight maintenance and improvements in comorbidities. While some prospective clinical trials have demonstrated efficacy, results are often not reported by real life practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Sydney based multidisciplinary weight management clinic with endocrinology, dietetics, exercise physiology, psychology, and bariatric surgical domains. All patients who attended the clinic for weight loss purposes between March 2017 and April 2019 were included (n=220). A retrospective chart review was conducted. Patient data on weight, BMI, waist circumference, body composition measurements, and selected blood test results and co-morbidities were analysed. All patient therapy included endocrinological input for co-morbidity identification and management, lifestyle intervention (dietetic and exercise physiology input) with optional adjunct pharmacotherapy or psychological counselling. Of the 220 cohort, 20 of the patients had sleeve gastrectomy. Patient retention in the clinic after the first consultation was 85% (n=186), a high rate within the weight management community. 59% of patients achieved a minimum of 5% total body weight loss, including 18% who achieved greater than 10% total body weight loss. Additionally, 31% of patients lost enough weight to decrease their BMI class by up to 2 or more classes. Of the gastric sleeve cohort average excess body weight loss was 32kg (21-56kg) enhanced by multidisciplinary care in the lead up to surgery. Across the cohort some patients completely reversed co-morbidities; including dyslipidaemia (n=1), hypertension (n=3), NAFLD (n=1), pre-diabetes (n=8) and type 2 diabetes (n=3), OSA (n=1). These results demonstrate that obesity is a chronic condition that can be successfully managed. We have demonstrated significant durable weight loss and improvement in metabolic co-morbidities with holistic coordinated care. Future directions include translating this model of care into standard practice in Australia and other countries where obesity to date not received the same coordinated approach as other chronic conditions.


1961 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-180
Author(s):  
A. J. COCKBAIN

1. Water content varies from 64 to 73% of the total body weight and 72-76% of the fatless body weight of 24 hr. old unflown alatae of Aphis fabae. 2. Water loss during flight may be attributed to evaporation and excretion. A mean of 0.07 mg. water is lost per aphid during a 6 hr. tethered fligh a 25-26° C. and 57-82% R.H., corresponding to c. 9% body weight; at least 66% of the loss (c. 1% body weight/hr.) is by evaporation. 3. Excretion during fligh is not affected by relative humidity differences over the range 41-75% at 25%26° C., but the relative amounts of water lost during prolonged flight are inversely related to relative humidity, because of the effect of humidity on evaporation. 4. Proportion of water in he body does no change significantly during tethered fligh. Mean percentage water to total body weight increases from c. 68-69% during 6 hr.; mean percentage water to fatless body weight decreases from c. 74 to 73%. 5. Water loss is evidently not a limiting factor to fligh in atmospheres of saturation deficit less than c. 23 mm. Hg.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Ponce ◽  
Welder Zamoner ◽  
Fernanda Moreira Freitas ◽  
André Balbi ◽  
Linda Awdishu

Studies on vancomycin pharmacokinetics in acute kidney injury (AKI) patients on high-volume peritoneal dialysis (HVPD) are lacking. We studied the pharmacokinetics of intravenous (IV) vancomycin in AKI patients treated by HVPD who received a prescribed single IV dose of vancomycin (15 - 20 mg/kg total body weight) to determine the extent of vancomycin removal and to establish vancomycin dosing guidelines for the empirical treatment of AKI patients receiving HVPD. The application of 18 mg/kg vancomycin every 48 - 72 hours in AKI patients undergoing HVPD was required to maintain therapeutic concentrations.


Author(s):  
Ryan D Dunn ◽  
Ryan L Crass ◽  
Joseph Hong ◽  
Manjunath P Pai ◽  
Lynne C Krop

Abstract Purpose To compare methods of estimating vancomycin volume of distribution (V) in adults with class III obesity. Methods A retrospective, multicenter pharmacokinetic analysis of adults treated with vancomycin and monitored through measurement of peak and trough concentrations was performed. Individual pharmacokinetic parameter estimates were obtained via maximum a posteriori Bayesian analysis. The relationship between V and body weight was assessed using linear regression. Mean bias and root-mean-square error (RMSE) were calculated to assess the precision of multiple methods of estimating V. Results Of 241 patients included in the study sample, 159 (66.0%) had a BMI of 40.0–49.9 kg/m2, and 82 (34.0%) had a BMI of ≥50.0 kg/m2. The median (5th, 95th percentile) weight of patients was 136 (103, 204) kg, and baseline characteristics were similar between BMI groups. The mean ± S.D. V was lower in patients with a BMI of 40.0–49.9 kg/m2 than in those with a BMI of ≥50.0 kg/m2 (72.4 ± 19.6 L versus 79.3 ± 20.6 L, p = 0.009); however, body size poorly predicted V in regression analyses (R2 < 0.20). A fixed estimate of V (75 L) or use of 0.52 L/kg by total body weight yielded similar bias and error in this population. Conclusion Results of the largest analysis of vancomycin V in class III obesity to date indicated that use of a fixed V value (75 L) and use of a TBW-based estimate (0.52 L/kg) for estimation of vancomycin V in patients with a BMI of ≥40.0 kg/m2 have similar bias. Two postdistribution vancomycin concentrations are needed to accurately determine patient-specific pharmacokinetic parameters, estimate AUC, and improve the precision of vancomycin dosing in this patient population.


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