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Somatic Condition (somatic + condition)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	40%

Selected Abstracts

Detrimental effects of recent ocean surface warming on growth condition of Atlantic salmon

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008
CHRISTOPHER D. TODD
Abstract Ocean climate impacts on survivorship and growth of Atlantic salmon are complex, but still poorly understood. Stock abundances have declined over the past three decades and 1992,2006 has seen widespread sea surface temperature (SST) warming of the NE Atlantic, including the foraging areas exploited by salmon of southern European origin. Salmon cease feeding on return migration, and here we express the final growth condition of year-classes of one-sea winter adults at, or just before, freshwater re-entry as the predicted weight at standard length. Two independent 14-year time series for a single river stock and for mixed, multiple stocks revealed almost identical temporal patterns in growth condition variation, and an overall trend decrease of 11,14% over the past decade. Growth condition has fallen as SST anomaly has risen, and for each year-class the midwinter (January) SST anomalies they experienced at sea correlated negatively with their final condition on migratory return during the subsequent summer months. Stored lipids are crucial for survival and for the prespawning provisioning of eggs in freshwater, and we show that under-weight individuals have disproportionately low reserves. The poorest condition fish (,30% under-weight) returned with lipid stores reduced by ,80%. This study concurs with previous analyses of other North Atlantic top consumers (e.g. somatic condition of tuna, reproductive failure of seabirds) showing evidence of major, recent climate-driven changes in the eastern North Atlantic pelagic ecosystem, and the likely importance of bottom-up control processes. Because salmon abundances presently remain at historical lows, fecundity of recent year-classes will have been increasingly compromised. Measures of year-class growth condition should therefore be incorporated in the analysis and setting of numerical spawning escapements for threatened stocks, and conservation limits should be revised upwards conservatively during periods of excessive ocean climate warming. [source]

Effects of angling on post-release mortality, gonadal development and somatic condition of Australian bass Macquaria novemaculeata

JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 10 2009
K. C. Hall
This study assessed the protracted effects of two angling treatments (mild and harsh) on the post-release mortality, gonadal development and somatic condition of Australian bass Macquaria novemaculeata in a pond-based experiment. Angled fish were destructively sampled (along with controls) three times: immediately before, and 1 or 4 weeks after release into cages. Compared with the other groups, harshly angled fish had similar, low immediate and short-term mortalities (,5%), but significant delayed mortality (25%) and fed only minimally. None of these fish ejected ingested hooks. Forty-six per cent of captive fish (across all groups) and 20% of wild fish had non-ripening gonads (stage I) prior to, or during, the experiment. In females with ripening ovaries (stages II or III), neither angling treatment significantly reduced standardized gonadal mass. The mean per cent of atretic oocytes increased among females in all groups, but was significantly greater in those that were harshly angled. The results demonstrated that the gonadal development of M. novemaculeata could be suppressed or impaired (by angling, handling and confinement), and that further research is warranted. In particular, the timing and severity of angling in relation to the stage of gonadal development could have important implications for the introduction of temporal restrictions to angling. [source]

Aetiology of autism: findings and questions,

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 4 2005
M. Rutter
Abstract Background Although there is good evidence that autism is a multifactorial disorder, an adequate understanding of the genetic and non-genetic causes has yet to be achieved. Methods Empirical research findings and conceptual reviews are reviewed with respect to evidence on possible causal influences. Results Much the strongest evidence concerns the importance of susceptibility genes, but such genes have yet to be identified. Specific somatic conditions (such as tuberous sclerosis and the fragile X anomaly) account for a small proportion of cases. Over recent decades there has been a major rise in the rate of diagnosed autism. The main explanation for this rise is to be found in better ascertainment and a broadening of the diagnostic concept. Nevertheless, some degree of true rise cannot be firmly excluded. However, the epidemiological evidence on the main hypothesized environmental explanation, namely the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, is consistently negative. Conclusion Progress on the elucidation of the causes of autism will be crucially dependent on the combination of epidemiology with more basic science laboratory studies. [source]

Recognizing the risk of erectile dysfunction in a urology clinic practice

BJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 7 2005
David L. Rowland
OBJECTIVE To determine the utility of simple patient-reported information in signalling erectile dysfunction (ED), as a challenge for the clinical urologist or related specialist is to quickly recognize risk factors for sexual dysfunction within the time constraints of an office visit. PATIENTS AND METHODS In a sample of men visiting a urology clinic, we determined the utility of simple patient-reported information in signalling ED. RESULTS Information readily obtained through a patient's self-report (that typically obtained in the office setting) can be very useful in understanding and predicting the likelihood of ED. Risk factors identified largely paralleled those identified in men generally, and included age, specific urological and non-urological somatic conditions, and tobacco use. Furthermore, knowing about even moderate levels of patient-reported psychological or relationship stress was useful in assessing the risk of ED. CONCLUSION Understanding the relationship of such risk factors to ED among men visiting a urology clinic might be particularly useful in clinical situations where the patient, for whatever reason, is reluctant to disclose an erectile problem when scheduling an appointment or even during the consultation. [source]