The evolution of the digestive enzyme equipment in seabream from hatching to 30 days old larvae was studied; there was a progressive increase in the activity of protease, amylase and acid and alkaline phosphatase from day 15 onwards. The use of specific inhibitors, and SDS-PAGE provided evidence to suggest that most of the proteases belonged to the serine group. A high α-amylase activity was also denoted. Zymograms of larval extracts indicated that exogenous food has more a qualitative than a quantitative role in the secretion of digestive enzymes in this species.

No abstract

The metamorphosis of Solea senegalensis was studied in larvae reared at 20 C and fed four different feeding regimes. A, Artemia (4 nauplii ml 1 ); B, Artemia (2 nauplii ml 1 ); C, mixed diet (2 nauplii ml 1 and 3 mg ml 1 microencapsulated diet); and D, microencapsulated diet (3·7 mg ml 1 ). Rotifers were also supplied in all cases during the first days of feeding. These feeding regimes supported different growth rates during the pre-metamorphosis period (regime A, G=0·376 day 1 ; regime B, G=0·253 day 1 ; regime C, G=0·254 day 1 ; regime D, G=0·162 day 1 ). Larvae started metamorphosis 9 days after hatching (DAH) when fed the regime A, 13 DAH with regime B, 11 DAH with regime C and 15 DAH with regime D. A minimum 5·6-5·9 mm L T was required under all feeding regimes to initiate the metamorphosis. Eye translocation was completed when the larvae reached 8·6-8·7 mm L T (regimes A, B and C), but only 7·3 mm L T with regime D. 4·4-6·2 days were required to complete eye migration under the regimes A, B and C, and 18·3 days under the regime D. This transformation is concomitant with changes in body reserves, and with the pattern of some digestive enzymes. 2001 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

Because an increasing number of patients were arriving at our emergency room with cocaine intoxication and rhabdomyolysis, we reviewed our experience with such patients. We identified 39 patients seen at our institution over an eight-year period with acute rhabdomyolysis after cocaine use. The patients' mean creatine kinase level was 12,187 U per liter (range, 1756 to 85,000). Thirteen of the 39 patients (33 percent) had acute renal failure; 6 of them died. In comparison to the patients with normal renal function, those with renal failure were more often admitted with profound hypotension (46 vs. 4 percent; P less than 0.001), hyperpyrexia (69 vs. 15 percent; P less than 0.001), and markedly elevated serum creatine kinase levels (mean, 28,084 vs. 7931 U per liter; P less than 0.01). Disseminated intravascular coagulation developed in seven patients with renal failure. All six deaths were in this group. Severe hepatic dysfunction was found in 11 patients with renal failure. We conclude that cocaine intoxication can cause acute rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure, severe liver dysfunction, and disseminated intravascular coagulation and that the mortality rate among patients with this syndrome is high.

The effects of the dietary administration of two bacterial probiotic strains (Ppd11 and Pdp13) from the Alteromonadaceae family for 60 days, were assessed by measuring growth and feed efficiency, activities of leucine aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase and structural changes in the intestine of juvenile Senegalese sole. In addition, the profile of intestinal microbiota was studied by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis. Growth and nutrient utilization were significantly higher in fish receiving probiotics than in those fed the control diet. No differences were observed in proximal composition between treatments, though higher lipid muscle content was measured in fish receiving Pdp13. Those fish also exhibited higher activities of AP when compared to Ppd11 and control groups. The profile of intestinal microbiota clearly separated those fish receiving probiotics from those of the control group. Microscopical examination revealed accumulation of lipid droplets in the enterocytes of fish receiving the control diet, but not in those fed on probiotics. Interactions between those structural changes and growth performance are discussed.