Laboratory trials on the effects of different diets on growth and survival of the common whelk, Buccinum undatum L. 1758, as a candidate species for aquaculture.

Newly hatched juvenile Buccinum undatum can be reared under laboratory conditions. Good was growth is achieved when juveniles were fed on combined diets (blue mussel, cod, and fish pellets). Juveniles reached shell heights of 33.0 ± 4.2 mm, 26.9 ± 3.8 ± mm, 23.2 ± 2.2 mm, and 20.1 ± 1.6 mm, after 14 months of fedding on a combined diet, blue mussel, cod, and fish pellets, respectively under ambient sea temperature and salinity. After 14 months juveniles fed blue mussel had the highest survival rates (67%) followed by those fed a combination of all other experimental diets (61%), cod waste (53%) and fish-feed pellets (46%). High mortalities were recorded in most treatments during the summer months between June and September. This species appears to have an aquaculture potential, as juveniles readily feed on artificial diets at an early age, show high survival rates and could potentially reach market size in 2 years or less. The major constraint in realising this potential at present, is the relatively low value of the species; if market values increased as a result of serious depletion of natural populations, hatchery production of juveniles for intensive aquaculture or restocking could become economically viable.

Factors affecting adherence to use of hip protectors amongst residents of nursing homes - A correlation study

Background: Hip protectors are protective pads designed to cover the greater trochanter and attenuate or disperse the force of a fall sufficiently to prevent a hip fracture. Promising results from randomised controlled trials in nursing homes have resulted in hip protectors being widely recommended in the health care literature and in national guidelines. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to identify characteristics of individual residents, and the organisational features of the homes in which they live, which may affect adherence to wearing hip protectors. Design: An observational, correlation study designed to identify factors related to adherence. Setting: Forty nursing and residential homes in the UK. Participants: 1346 residents of the homes who were not confined to bed and with no pressure sore on the hip. Methods: The introduction of an evidence-based policy to offer Safehips hip protectors to residents free of charge and with support from a nurse facilitator. Adherence to wearing the hip protectors was observed over 72 weeks. Results: Initial acceptance of the hip protectors was 37.2%. Continued adherence was 23.9% at 24 weeks; 23.2% at 48 weeks; and 19.9% at 72 weeks. Greater adherence was associated with the following individual resident characteristics: a greater degree of dependency (95% CI 1.39 - m3.78) and cognitive impairment (95% CI 1.01 - 2.98); being male rather than female (95% CI 1.06 - 2.48). Greater adherence was also associated with the following organisational characteristics of homes: fewer changes of senior manager during the study period (95% CI 1.01 - 8.51), and being resident in a home with a resident profile showing a greater proportion of residents with a higher degree of dependency (95% CI 1.04 - 1.27). There was wide a variation in the degree of success in implementation between homes (adherence of 0 - 100% at 24 weeks). Conclusions: Those implementing a policy of introducing hip protectors into nursing and residential homes should consider targeting residents with cognitive impairment. Such residents are at greater risk of hip fracture and appear to be more likely to continue wearing hip protectors. Those charged with implementing changes inpractice or policy should consider how the context for implementation can be optimised to increase the likelihood of success.

Components of the peptidome and transcriptome persist in lin wa pi: the dried skin of the Heilongjiang brown frog Rana amurensis as used in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Although the ancient practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) utilizes predominantly herbal ingredients, many of which are now the subject of intense scientific scrutiny, significant quantities of animal tissue-derived materials are also employed. Here we have used contemporary molecular techniques to study the material known as lin wa pi, the dried skin of the Heilongjiang brown frog, Rana amurensis, that is used commonly as an ingredient of many medicines, as a general tonic and as a topical antimicrobial/wound dressing. Using a simple technology that has been developed and validated over several years, we have demonstrated that components of both the skin granular gland peptidome and transcriptome persist in this material. Interrogation of the cDNA library constructed from the dried skin by entrapment and amplification of polyadenylated mRNA, using a "shotgun" primer approach and 3'-RACE, resulted in the cloning of cDNAs encoding the precursors of five putative antimicrobial peptides. Two (ranatuerin-2AMa and ranatuerin-2AMb) were obvious homologs of a previously described frog skin peptide family, whereas the remaining three were of sufficient structural novelty to be named amurins 1-3. Mature peptides were each identified in reverse phase HPLC fractions of boiling water extracts of skin and their structures confirmed by MS/MS fragmentation sequencing. Components of traditional Chinese medicines of animal tissue origin may thus contain biologically active peptides that survive the preparation procedures and that may contribute to therapeutic efficacy.