Nutritional Considerations in Geriatric Care

Nutritional Considerations in Geriatric Care Title of the Topic: Nutritional Considerations in Geriatrics Running Title: Geriatric Nutrition List of Cotributors: Dr.Veena B. Benakatti, Post Graduate student, Department of Prosthodontics, KLEVK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE University Belagavi Dr.Raghunath Patil, Professor and Head, Department of Prosthodontics, KLEVK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE University Belagavi Dr Ulhas N Amasi , Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, KLEVK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE University Belagavi Dr Veena Benakatti1, Dr Raghunanth Patil2, Dr Ulhas N Amasi3 Department of Prosthodontics, KLEVK Institute of Dental Sciences, KLE University Belgavi. Abstract: Human beings need a wide range of nutrients to lead a healthy and active life. The nutrients required for different physiological age groups can be derived only from a well balanced diet. One of the major challenges for the success of health sciences in present scenario is increasing elderly population in the society. Nutritional deficiency, particularly of proteins is very common in elderly people. Over 60% of elderly people are malnourished, and there are many causes for this malnutrition and it is not always easy to differentiate the age related from the pathological. We always need to remind the phrase that it is of great importance to add life to years and not years to life. Here is an article reviewing the basics of nutrition in elderly people and role of prosthodontist in the same. Key words: Diet Counseling, Geriatrics, Healthy, Nutrition, Prosthodontist, Recommended Dietary Allowance. Introduction Nutrition is the basic human need and a prerequisite for healthy life. A well proportionate diet is essential from the very early stages of life for proper growth, development and maintatinance of normal body functioning, physical activity and, health.1 The three basic prerequisites to sustain life are air, water, and food. Human being is supposed to consume air, water and food in pure and naturally occurring condition. However, assuming air and water is being consumed in pure form, food is the basic requisite for healthy life which is in control of human being but still the one most neglected. The overall improvement in economy at the macro level and subsequent improvements in purchasing power (though unevenly distributed) among households have not resulted in the expected levels of improvement in the nutritional status of Indians mainly because of ignorance. The major food issues of concern are insufficient and imbalanced intake of nutrients.1 One of the major challenges in field of health sciences is the increasing number of geriatric population in the society. Also, it is expected that by 2050, 20% of the total geriatric population of the world would be in India.2 Nutritional deficiencies particularly concerning protein is very common in elderly. Over 60% of elderly people are malnourished, and many causes may be traced for this malnutrition and it is not always easy to differentiate the age related factors from the pathological.3 We need to always remember the phrase that it is of great importance to add life to years and not years to life.2 Nutritional needs of the elderly Nutrition in geriatrics needs a special attention considering factors that affect nutritional status of an aging individual. Physiological changes that occur with age, like Body composition (Annual decline in lean body mass of 1-2% and decline in extracellular water) reduced and impaired organ function, therapeutic drugs affect nutritional status of elderly people. Apart from these, Emotional problems, Insufficient funds, inability to shop and food preparation problems, adherence to specific diet, alcohol, above all the individuals’ taste play a more important role for the selection of food than does the availability of nurients.4 The main sources of energy in Indian diets, which are mainly plant food based, are Carbohydrates, Fat, Protein considered to be macronutrients. Other nutrients are Vitamins and minerals, which are considered as micronutrients. The required nutrients for different physiological groups can only be derived from a well balanced diet.1 Water Water accounts for 70% of total human body weight. It is a constituent of blood and other vital body fluids. A normal healthy person will require 8 glasses (2 liters) of water per day. During very hot weather and when undertaking vigorous physical activity, the requirement of water increases as a considerable amount of water is lost through sweat. Water should be free from disease-causing agents like bacteria, viruses, parasites etc., and harmful chemical substances like pesticides, industrial wastes, and heavy metals, nitrates, arsenic and excess of fluoride. Boiling for 10-15 minutes is a satisfactory method of purifying the water. Tablets containing 0.5 g of chlorine can disinfect 20 liters of water.1 Energy Body needs energy, to maintain body temperature, metabolic activity and for supporting physical work and growth. The main source of energy in the Indian diet is carbohydrates which derived largely from cereals. These cereals constitute 80% of our diet and provide 50-80% of daily energy intake. Elderly Men need 46kcal/kg/day (average 2730kcal/kg/day). Elderly Women need 41kcal/kg/day (average 2230kcal/kg/day).1 Carbohydrates Carbohydrates provide energy of 4 Kcal/g (Table 1). The simple carbohydrates, glucose and fructose, are found in fruits, vegetables and honey, sucrose in sugar and lactose in milk, while the complex polysaccharides are starches in cereals, millets, pulses and root vegetables and glycogen in animal foods. The elderly consume a large proportion of their calories as carbohydrates, possibly at the expense of other nutrients like protein, because of their low cost, ability to be stored without refrigeration and ease of preparation. Denture patients preferring soft foods high in simple sugars fat should be advised importance of complex carbohydrates. Fiber component of complex carbohydrates promotes bowel function, lowers glycemic response, reduce serum cholesterol prevents diverticular disease. Most of the fruits and vegetables (except potatoes, watermelon, sweet corn) whole grains, beans, lentils are low glycemic index foods.1 Proteins Dietary proteins should provide eight essential amino acids in a proper proportion and in adequate quantities to synthesize tissue proteins in the body. Particularly Egg protein is used as a reference protein against which the quality of other proteins can be considered. Vegetable proteins, like cereals, legumes and vegetables are of poorer quality than animal proteins. Cereal proteins are generally deficient in lysine and pulses or legume proteins deficient in methionine. However, when both cereal and pulses (legumes) are consumed in the diet in proper proportions, the proteins from these two sources will supplement each other and overcome each other‘s deficiencies in lysine or methionine to a significant extent. Daily requirement of protein is .8g/kg body wt (60g for males 55g for females per day).1 Fat The maximum amount of fat that can be consumed in the diet should not exceed 30 %E (about 60g visible fat / day). Fat intake if exceeds 35% E may increase the risk of diet related non communicable diseases and should be avoided. However, daily fat intake in the diet can be between 20-30%E (20- 40 g/day). Low fat milk and dairy foods should be consumed. Processed, premixed, ready to eat and fast foods should be avoided. Beef and mutton should be consumed moderately. Use of butter/Ghee should be limited. Intake of saturated fat (butter, ghee and hydrogenated fats) and cholesterol (red meat, eggs, organ meat) should be restricted. Excess of these substances could lead to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Use palm oil, sesame, rice bran, or cotton seed oils as they have higher thermal stability. For bakery items use coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil or their blends/solid fractions.1 Dietary fiber Dietary fiber is the remnants of the edible part of plants and is similar to carbohydrates which are resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the human large intestine. Dietary fiber includes polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, lignin and associated plant products. Dietary fiber exhibits one or more of either laxation (fecal bulking and softening; increased frequency; regularity), blood cholesterol attenuation, blood glucose attenuation. Animal foods do not contain fiber. Cereals, seeds, beans, many fruits and vegetables, bran and whole grain are sources of fiber. In Indian scenario fiber deficiency is rare as it is consumed adequately in daily Indian foods. However, a minimum intake of 20-35 g of fiber is recommended for long-term good health.1 Minerals Minerals are calorie free and essential nutrients which regulate many biological functions. Minerals such as iron, zinc and copper aids in collagen formation, Wound healing, and regulate inflammation.5 Calcium and Phosphorous Average need of calcium over 60yrs is 1500mg daily, and of phosphorous 1gm/day. Elemental Ca:P ratio of 1:1 has to be maintained. Sources include Milk and milk products, Egg, Meat, Fish, millet ragi, Green Leafy Vegetables. Milk is Rich source of bioavailable calcium. Milk fat serves as a vehicle for fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E. Since milk fat is of the saturated type, those who need to be on a low fat diet can consume skimmed/toned milk. For strict vegetarians, milk is the only source of vitamin B12. Milk is also rich in riboflavin. Only pasteurized or boiled milk should be consumed to ensure protection from disease-causing agents. Osteoporosis is the most common disease affecting aging person and postmenopausal women resulting from calcium deficiency.1 Iron, Zinc, Sodium, Magnesium and Potassium – (Table No 2) Vitamins These are essential organic and calorie free molecules necessary for human body. They are further classified as fat soluble and water soluble vitamins.5 (Table No 3) As a person grows older, he tends to become physiologically less active and therefore need lesser calories to maintain their weights. The daily intake of oil should not exceed 20 g. Use of ghee, butter, and coconut oil should be avoided. They need foods rich in protein such as pulses, toned milk, egg-white etc. Therefore, the elderly need nutrient-rich foods rich in calcium, micro-nutrients and fiber. Apart from cereals and pulses, they need daily at least 200-300 ml of milk and milk products and 400 g of vegetables and fruits to provide fiber, micro-nutrients and antioxidants. Inclusion of these items in the diet improves the quality of the diet and bowel function. Flesh foods and eggs add to the quality of diet. The diet needs to be well cooked, soft and less salty and spicy. Small quantities of food should be consumed at more frequent intervals and adequate water should be consumed to avoid dehydration hyponatraemia. 6 Food preparation Fermentation and germination (sprouting) are common Indian food practices which definitely improve digestibility and increase nutrients such as B-complex vitamins and vitamin C. Repeated washing of food grains like rice and pulses will lead to loss of minerals and vitamins. Cutting vegetables into smaller pieces will expose a greater surface area of the foodstuff to the atmosphere, resulting in loss of nutrients like vitamins due to oxidation. Cut vegetables should not be soaked in water for longer time, as water-soluble minerals and vitamins will get dissolved. Boiling being the most common method of cooking, will lead to loss of heat-labile and water-soluble vitamins like vitamins B-complex and C. excess water should not be used while cooking rice. Shallow frying uses much smaller amounts of oils than deep frying. Repeated heating of oils particularly PUFA-rich oils results in formation of peroxides and free radicals and, thus, should be avoided. Oils which have been repeatedly hea ted should not to be mixed with fresh oil. Microwave do not cook uniformly and leave some cold spots in the food by which harmful bacteria can enter into body, avoid large amounts and big pieces in the microwave oven otherwise mix the food in between for uniform heating or cooking.6 Natural fruit juices provide energy, vitamins (beta carotenes, vitamin C) and minerals (potassium, calcium). Fruit juices are potassium rich and are ideal for hypertension. Compared to natural fruit juices, synthetic drinks do not contain nutrients. Tea and coffee although relieve mental and muscular fatigue should be avoided at least one hour before and after meals due to presence of tannin that interfere with absorption of iron. Coffee known to increase Blood Pressure and abnormalities in heart beat, excess tea coffee is harmful to health as they contain caffeine. Decaffeinated coffee and tea can be consumed which are being marketed to obviate the adverse effects of caffeine.6 Role of Prosthodontist Teeth are not a prerequisite in healthy individuals for proper digestion. However edentulous subjects with poor masticatory function consume more medications than those with better masticatory function for their digestive problems. Impaired masticatory function may lead to adhesion to specific diet and an unbalanced diet in elderly individuals. Apart from masticatory efficiency several other oral conditions like painful mucosal disorders, oral dryness may also lead to nutritional problems.3 Adequate nutrition plays a vital role in maintaining health of aging oral tissues which in turn is going to influence the prognosis of prosthesis6. An adequate dentition either natural or artificial is not always essential for sufficient food intake for maintaining balanced nutrition in normal health, but is necessary to support extra demands of illness aging. Prosthodontist is in a strategic position to evaluate correct nutritional deficiencies that promote premature aging of oral tissues by providing a functional prosthesis. A prosthodontist need to understand aging patient his requirements provide prosthetic treatment to meet his demands helping him towards optimal health a happier life. Quality of denture wearing patient can definitely be improved by diet counseling. Creating nutrition awareness referral to physician or dietitian when required is of utmost importance. A careful screening, diet evaluation and regular follow ups will help to identify nutritional risk deal with it. Objective of diet counseling is to correct imbalance in nutrition that interfere with body as well as oral health.7 Older people with dry mouth are likely to prefer foods that are high in fats, oils and sugars due to ease of chewing and swallowing. Older people with altered taste and smell may consume more sugars as a way of making food palatable. Some people may not consume some foods that are good sources of dietary fiber due to problems with their teeth or dentures. For those with dry mouth, encourage frequent sipping of non-sugared, low acidic drinks such as water. The intake of sugar-containing medications should be limited. Ask the doctor for alternatives for the person in your care. Prepare chopped up vegetables or mashed vegetables for them. Avoid giving them stringy foods. Provide small bite-sized portions of fruit. Conclusion The geriatric population being a very important asset for our society, their experience and guidance in real life is indispensible. As a Prosthodontist, if we think what we can give back to the society? One of the answers could be obtaining detailed knowledge of diet and nutrition and guiding our patients during our long and repeated appointments. This way, Prosthodontist can bang a correct balance between profession and their responsibility towards society at a large and attain professional happiness.2The concluding principle is that proper nutrition is an important aid in preventive medicine in geriatric people in which the practicing Prosthodontist can play a vital role. References Recommended Dietary Allowances For Indians, Report Of Expert Group Of Indian Council Of Medical Research, National Institute Of Nutrition, Hyderabad. Palaskar J. Diet nutrition in geriatric patients- A matter of concern. J Dent Allied Sci 2012; 1(2):44. Philippie Mojon, Ejvind Budtz-Jorgensen, Charles-Henri Rrapin. Relationship between oral health and nutrition in very old people. Age and ageing 1999; 28:463-68 Nancy G sebring, Albert D Gluckes, Shou Hua, Mccarthy. Nutritional adequacy of reported intake of edentulous subjects treated with new conventional or implant-supported mandibular dentures. J Prosthet Dent oct 1995; 74(4):358-63 Snehal Sonarkar, Rucheet Purba, Shishir Singh, Rajesh Podar. â€Å"Components of diet and it relation to dental caries: A review†. Int J Contemp Dent Med Rev 2014 Dietary guidelines for Indians, National Institute Of Nutrition 2010 Zarb, Hobkirk, Eckert, Jacob. Prosthodontic Treatment for Edentulous Patients, 13th Ed. New Delhi, Mosby, Elsevier, 2013;28-33 Sheldon Winkler. Essentials of Complete Denture Prosthodontics, 2nd Ed. New Delhi, AITBS publishers, 2012,15-20 List of Tables: Table 1 Amount of energy derived from various macronutrients.1 Table 2 Recommended Daily Allowance and sources of micronutrients.1 Table 3 Recommended Daily Allowance and sources of vitamins.1 Table 1: Amount of energy derived from various macronutrients.1 Table 2: Recommended Daily Allowance and sources of micronutrients.1 Table 3: Recommended Daily Allowance and sources of vitamins.1

Mans Need For Woman in the Works of Edgar Allen Poe Essay -- Biograph

Man's Need For Woman in the Works of Edgar Allen Poe      Ã‚   In the beginning, there was Adam.   Adam felt incomplete in the Garden of Eden and needed a companion.   Eve was created and Adam had his woman.   Edgar Allen Poe experimented with man's eternal necessity and drew his final conclusion near the end of his literary career.   With the publication of Eureka, Poe made his final realization that tied every one of his love driven short stories together and triumphantly proclaimed: "I have no desire to live since I have done Eureka.   I could accomplish nothing more" (n. pag.).   Kenneth Graham puts it best:   "For Poe, the most notable glimpse of eternity available to man is in the beauty of woman, always ephemeral, always melancholic" (2760).   With this idea in mind, Poe shows the consequences of losing the love of one's life through his short stories and his poetry, and also tries to bring reason to his own troubled life.   In the works of Poe, a man without his love becomes a man without the most vital part of his spirit and collapses in a horrifying manner.   "For Poe, the most notable glimpse of eternity available to man is in the beauty of woman, always ephemeral, always melancholic" (Graham 2760).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Poe's obsession with dying women stems from his own life.   His mother died when he was only three.   His first love, Elmira Royster was forbidden from associating with him by her father.   His child-wife, Virginia, who was also his cousin, died at the age of 24.   Just when he found Elmira once again, who was by this time a widow, he died of his own health problems.   These stinging losses, especially that of his mother, left a subconscious scar in his already convoluted psyche.   Poe's personal history compelled him... ...r': an Allegory of the Artist." Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe.   New York: Marlowe, 1972. Rpt. in Literary Companion. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1998. Huxley, Aldous.   "Vulgarity in Literature" Music at Night and Other Essays.   New York: Harper & Row, 1930. Rpt. in Poe: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1967. James, Henry.   Dustjacket.   Regan, Robert ed.   Poe: A Collection of Critical Essays.   Englewood Cliffs:   Prentice-Hall, 1967. Lawrence, D.H.   " 'Ligeia': Analyzing Poe's Love Stories."   Studies in Classic American Literature. New York: Seltzer, 1923.   Rpt. in Literary Companion. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1998. Poe, Edgar Allan.   Selected Tales.   Oxford: Oxford UP, 1988 ______.The Complete Online Reference Manual. 1999 ______.Philosophy of Composition.   Rpt. in Literary Companion. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1998.

Fish Anatomy

FISHERIES BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT External Fish Anatomy The following illustration of a largemouth bass shows some of the common external features that are used to describe the differences among fish species. Fish are animals that are cold-blooded, have fins and a backbone. Most fish have scales and breathe with gills. There are about 22,000 species of fish that began evolving around 480 million years ago. The largemouth billustrated abovethe typical torplike (fusiform) shape associated with many fishes used by the fish to maintain its position, move, steer and stop.They are either single fins alonthe centerline of the fish, such as the dorsal (back) fins, caudal (tail) fin and anal fin, or paired fins, which include the pectoral (chest) and pelvic (hip) fins. Fishes such as catfish have another fleshy lobe behind the dorsal fin, called an adipose (fat) fin that is not illustrated here. The dorsal and anal fins primarily help fish to not roll over onto their sides. The caudal fin is t he main fin for propulsion to move the fish forward. The paired fins assist with steering, stoppingand hovering.Scales in most bony fishes (most freshwater fishes other than gar that have ganoid scales, and catfish which have no scales) are either ctenoid or cycloid. Ctenoid scales have jagged edges and cycloid have smooth rounded edges. Ctenii are tiny, comblike projections on the exposed (posterior) edge of ctenoid scales. Bass and most other fish with spines have ctenoid scales composed of connective tissue covered with calcium. Most fishes also have a very important mucus layer covering the body that helps prevent infection.Anglers should be careful not to rub this â€Å"slime† off when handling a fish that is to be released. Maryland Envirothon 1 In many freshwater fishes the fins are supported by spines that are rigid and may be quite sharp thus playing a defensive role. Catfish have notably hard sharp fins that anglers should be wary of. The soft dorsal and caudal fins are composed of rays, as are portions of other fins. Rays are less rigid and frequently branched. The gills are the breathing apparatus of fish and are highly vascularized giving them their bright red cover.An operculum (gill cover) that is a flexible bony plate protects the sensitive gills. Water is â€Å"inhaled† through the mouth, passes over the gills and â€Å"exhaled† from beneath the operculum. Fish see through their eyes and can detect color. The eyes are rounder in fish than mammals because of the refractive index of water and focus is achieved by mthe lens in and out, not distorting it as in mammals. water and can be quite sensitive. Eels and catfish have particularly well developed senses of smell. larger it is the bigger the prey it can consume.Fish hava sense of taste and may sample items to taste them before swallowing if they are not obvious prey items. Some are primmostly other fish). The imported grass carp is one of the few large fishes that are prim arily herbivorous (eating plants). Fish may or may not have teeth depending on the species. Fishchain pickerel and gar have obvious canine-shaped teeth. Other fish have less obvious teeth, such as the cardiform teeth in catfish which feel like a roughened area at the front of the mouthor vomerine teeth that are tiny patches of teeth, for example, in the roof of a striped bass' mouth.Grass carp and other minnows have pharyngeal teeth modified from their gill arches for grinding that are located in the throat. that are open to the water through a series of pores (creating a line along the side of the fish). The lateral line primarily senses water currents and pressure, and movement in the water. immediately in front of the anal fin. are used to describe the differences between fish that are described in more detail below. Maryland Envirothon 2 front of thhollow and house and protect the delicate spinal cord. SPINAL CORD: Cbrain, as well as in BRAIN: Thbehaviors processed here.LATERAL LINEOsense organs; detectunderwater vibrations and is capable of determinthe direction of their source. (See Issue 8 of The City Fisher for minformation. ) SWIM (or AIRBLA hollow, gas-fillbalance organ a fish to conserve energyby maintaining neutral buoyancy (suspending) in water. Fish caught fromvery deep water sometimes need to have air releasreleased and return to deep water, dusurface. Species of fish that do not possess a swim bladder sink to the bottom if they stop swimming. GILLS: Aif the fishKIDNEY: ed from their swim bladder before they can be idney is alsbody, allowing certain fish species to exist in freshwater or saltwater, and in some cases (such assnook or tarpon) both. Maryland Envirothon 3 STOMACH AND INTESTINES: Break down (digest) fo Fish such as tilapia that are herbivomatter is usually tough and fibrous and more difficult to break down into usable components. A great deal about fish feeding habits can be determined by examining stomach contents. PYLORIC CAECA: Th is organ with fingerlike projections is located near the junction of the stomach and theindigestion, may functio VENT: The site of waste elimination from the fish’s body.LIVER: This important organ has a number of functions. It abrimportantas playing a role in nitrogen (waste) excretion. HEART: Circulates blood throughout the body. Oxygen avakidneys an GONADS (REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS): In adult female bass, the bright oranbufertilizing the eggs, are much smaller and wh(or roe) of certain fish are considered a delicacy, as in the case of caviar from sturgeon. MUSCLES: Provide movement and locomotion. This is the part of the fish that is usually eaten, and Measuring a Fish of the fish with the mouth closed and the tail fin aying along a tape measure, then pinch the tail fin closed and determine the total length, do NOT pull a flexible tape measure along the curve of the fish. Conversely, most marine (saltwater regulations) refer to the â€Å"fork length†, and scientists ofte nuse â€Å"standard length† which is to the end of the fleshy part of t Maryland Envirothon 4 aby minor damage to the tanor does it give too much creditto a fish for the relatively light weight tail when calculatingfish's condition. â€Å"Girth† is best measured with a fabric ruler, such as tailors use.It can also be determined by drawing a string around the fish at its widest point marking wherethe string overlaps and then mthe overlapping points on a conventional ruler. Knowing thegirth is important when tryingcertify a fish for a record, and provides useful information Using total length and girth you can get a rough estimate of a fish's weight using various formulas. Length-Weight Formulas to Estimate Fish Weights biologists use. The equation is: Log (weight in grams)= -4. 83 + 1. 923 x Log (total length in millimeters) + 1. 57 x Log (girthmillimeters). A 22†³ long bass w A quick, though very rough, estimate of torpedo shaped fish like young bass can be obtain ed by using: Total Length (in inches)-squared, times girth (in inches) divided by 1200. A 22†³ long Another common option used for estimating bass weights is: Girth (in inches)-squared, times length (in inches) divided by 800. A 22†³ long bass with a girth of 15 How Fish Swim alternately on each side first toward one side and then toward the other, results in a series of waves traveling down the fish's body.The rear part of each wave thrusts against the water and propels the fish forward. Maryland Envirothon 5 This type of movement is quite clearly seen in the freshwater eel. Because movement of the head back and forth exerts drag, which consumes additional energy and slows travel, a great many fishes have modified this snakelike motion by keeping the waves very small along most of thelength of the body, in some cases showing no obvious movement at all, and then increasing them sharply in the tail region.It is the end of the traveling waves that moves the tail forcefully b ackand forth, providing the main propulsion for forward motion. A simpler form of tail propulsion seen in such inflexible-bodied fishes as the trunkfish, which simply alternates contractions of all the muscle blocks on one side of the body with those on the other side, causing the tail to move from side to side like a sculling paddle. Some of the predatory bony fishes are the fastest swimmers; they can cruise at speeds that are between three and six times their body lele0. 8 km/hr (0. mph), swim very slowly; others, such as the salmon, which may reach a sustainespeed of 13 km/hr (8 mph), move much faster; and it has been estimated that tuna may reach speeds of 80 km/hr (50 mph), and swordfish, 97 km/hr (60 mph). Introduction to Aging Fish: What Are Otoliths? directly behind the brain of bony fishes. There are three types of o 1. Sagitta—the largest of the 3 pairs of otoliths; involved in the detection of sound and process of hear 3. Lapillus—involved in the detection o f gravitational force and sound (Popper and Lu 2000) re are many different shapes and sizes of otoliths differenOtoliths are important to scientific age and growth studies. This figure shows the growth rings of a sagittal otolith section viewed under reflective light. The darker area or â€Å"translucent zone† represents a period of fast growth. The whiter area or â€Å"opaquezone† represents a period of slower growth. The age of the fish is estimated by counting the annuli, or opaque bands, of the thin sections, as one would count rings on a tree to determine its age. Maryland Envirothon 6 Before age data can be used, the method of estimating age by counting annuli must be validated for each species to which it is applied.There are several ways to validate age, or prove that â€Å"one annulus is equal to one year. † Most obvious might be to simply rear fish from spawn, sacrifice the fish after a few years, and compare the number of rings to the known age of tho se fish. This process can be time consuming and expensive. It also creates the possibility of abnormal growth patterns caused by laboratory settings (Campana, 2001). Although this method may not be practical for validating annular ring formation, a similar method is effective in validating daily ring formation (Campana and Neilson, 1985).To avoid the effects of long-term laboratory exposure, tag and release of wild fish can be useful in validating annulus deposition. This figure shows the fluorescent tag of a common snook otolith. A captured common snook was injected with oxytetracycline (OTC), a chemical that is incorporated into calcium-rich structures including otoliths. The fish was then tagged and released. Seven years later, the fish was recaptured, sacrificed, and processed for aging. The OTC, which binds to the calcium in the otolith, appears as a glowing band when the otolith is viewed using fluorescence microscopy.The number of annuli between capture and recapture is also seven. Information like this is key to linking a single annulus to one year of growth, but such information relies heavily on time and chance. The age data gathered from otolith examinations allow scientists to model growth rates, maximum age, age at maturity, and the trend of future generations. Literature Referenced Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. http://www. floridamarine. org/features/view_article. asp? id=21978 and http://myfwc. com/Fishing/Fishes/anatomy. html. Fish and Wildlife Research Fish Anatomy FISHERIES BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT External Fish Anatomy The following illustration of a largemouth bass shows some of the common external features that are used to describe the differences among fish species. Fish are animals that are cold-blooded, have fins and a backbone. Most fish have scales and breathe with gills. There are about 22,000 species of fish that began evolving around 480 million years ago. The largemouth billustrated abovethe typical torplike (fusiform) shape associated with many fishes used by the fish to maintain its position, move, steer and stop.They are either single fins alonthe centerline of the fish, such as the dorsal (back) fins, caudal (tail) fin and anal fin, or paired fins, which include the pectoral (chest) and pelvic (hip) fins. Fishes such as catfish have another fleshy lobe behind the dorsal fin, called an adipose (fat) fin that is not illustrated here. The dorsal and anal fins primarily help fish to not roll over onto their sides. The caudal fin is t he main fin for propulsion to move the fish forward. The paired fins assist with steering, stoppingand hovering.Scales in most bony fishes (most freshwater fishes other than gar that have ganoid scales, and catfish which have no scales) are either ctenoid or cycloid. Ctenoid scales have jagged edges and cycloid have smooth rounded edges. Ctenii are tiny, comblike projections on the exposed (posterior) edge of ctenoid scales. Bass and most other fish with spines have ctenoid scales composed of connective tissue covered with calcium. Most fishes also have a very important mucus layer covering the body that helps prevent infection.Anglers should be careful not to rub this â€Å"slime† off when handling a fish that is to be released. Maryland Envirothon 1 In many freshwater fishes the fins are supported by spines that are rigid and may be quite sharp thus playing a defensive role. Catfish have notably hard sharp fins that anglers should be wary of. The soft dorsal and caudal fins are composed of rays, as are portions of other fins. Rays are less rigid and frequently branched. The gills are the breathing apparatus of fish and are highly vascularized giving them their bright red cover.An operculum (gill cover) that is a flexible bony plate protects the sensitive gills. Water is â€Å"inhaled† through the mouth, passes over the gills and â€Å"exhaled† from beneath the operculum. Fish see through their eyes and can detect color. The eyes are rounder in fish than mammals because of the refractive index of water and focus is achieved by mthe lens in and out, not distorting it as in mammals. water and can be quite sensitive. Eels and catfish have particularly well developed senses of smell. larger it is the bigger the prey it can consume.Fish hava sense of taste and may sample items to taste them before swallowing if they are not obvious prey items. Some are primmostly other fish). The imported grass carp is one of the few large fishes that are prim arily herbivorous (eating plants). Fish may or may not have teeth depending on the species. Fishchain pickerel and gar have obvious canine-shaped teeth. Other fish have less obvious teeth, such as the cardiform teeth in catfish which feel like a roughened area at the front of the mouthor vomerine teeth that are tiny patches of teeth, for example, in the roof of a striped bass' mouth.Grass carp and other minnows have pharyngeal teeth modified from their gill arches for grinding that are located in the throat. that are open to the water through a series of pores (creating a line along the side of the fish). The lateral line primarily senses water currents and pressure, and movement in the water. immediately in front of the anal fin. are used to describe the differences between fish that are described in more detail below. Maryland Envirothon 2 front of thhollow and house and protect the delicate spinal cord. SPINAL CORD: Cbrain, as well as in BRAIN: Thbehaviors processed here.LATERAL LINEOsense organs; detectunderwater vibrations and is capable of determinthe direction of their source. (See Issue 8 of The City Fisher for minformation. ) SWIM (or AIRBLA hollow, gas-fillbalance organ a fish to conserve energyby maintaining neutral buoyancy (suspending) in water. Fish caught fromvery deep water sometimes need to have air releasreleased and return to deep water, dusurface. Species of fish that do not possess a swim bladder sink to the bottom if they stop swimming. GILLS: Aif the fishKIDNEY: ed from their swim bladder before they can be idney is alsbody, allowing certain fish species to exist in freshwater or saltwater, and in some cases (such assnook or tarpon) both. Maryland Envirothon 3 STOMACH AND INTESTINES: Break down (digest) fo Fish such as tilapia that are herbivomatter is usually tough and fibrous and more difficult to break down into usable components. A great deal about fish feeding habits can be determined by examining stomach contents. PYLORIC CAECA: Th is organ with fingerlike projections is located near the junction of the stomach and theindigestion, may functio VENT: The site of waste elimination from the fish’s body.LIVER: This important organ has a number of functions. It abrimportantas playing a role in nitrogen (waste) excretion. HEART: Circulates blood throughout the body. Oxygen avakidneys an GONADS (REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS): In adult female bass, the bright oranbufertilizing the eggs, are much smaller and wh(or roe) of certain fish are considered a delicacy, as in the case of caviar from sturgeon. MUSCLES: Provide movement and locomotion. This is the part of the fish that is usually eaten, and Measuring a Fish of the fish with the mouth closed and the tail fin aying along a tape measure, then pinch the tail fin closed and determine the total length, do NOT pull a flexible tape measure along the curve of the fish. Conversely, most marine (saltwater regulations) refer to the â€Å"fork length†, and scientists ofte nuse â€Å"standard length† which is to the end of the fleshy part of t Maryland Envirothon 4 aby minor damage to the tanor does it give too much creditto a fish for the relatively light weight tail when calculatingfish's condition. â€Å"Girth† is best measured with a fabric ruler, such as tailors use.It can also be determined by drawing a string around the fish at its widest point marking wherethe string overlaps and then mthe overlapping points on a conventional ruler. Knowing thegirth is important when tryingcertify a fish for a record, and provides useful information Using total length and girth you can get a rough estimate of a fish's weight using various formulas. Length-Weight Formulas to Estimate Fish Weights biologists use. The equation is: Log (weight in grams)= -4. 83 + 1. 923 x Log (total length in millimeters) + 1. 57 x Log (girthmillimeters). A 22†³ long bass w A quick, though very rough, estimate of torpedo shaped fish like young bass can be obtain ed by using: Total Length (in inches)-squared, times girth (in inches) divided by 1200. A 22†³ long Another common option used for estimating bass weights is: Girth (in inches)-squared, times length (in inches) divided by 800. A 22†³ long bass with a girth of 15 How Fish Swim alternately on each side first toward one side and then toward the other, results in a series of waves traveling down the fish's body.The rear part of each wave thrusts against the water and propels the fish forward. Maryland Envirothon 5 This type of movement is quite clearly seen in the freshwater eel. Because movement of the head back and forth exerts drag, which consumes additional energy and slows travel, a great many fishes have modified this snakelike motion by keeping the waves very small along most of thelength of the body, in some cases showing no obvious movement at all, and then increasing them sharply in the tail region.It is the end of the traveling waves that moves the tail forcefully b ackand forth, providing the main propulsion for forward motion. A simpler form of tail propulsion seen in such inflexible-bodied fishes as the trunkfish, which simply alternates contractions of all the muscle blocks on one side of the body with those on the other side, causing the tail to move from side to side like a sculling paddle. Some of the predatory bony fishes are the fastest swimmers; they can cruise at speeds that are between three and six times their body lele0. 8 km/hr (0. mph), swim very slowly; others, such as the salmon, which may reach a sustainespeed of 13 km/hr (8 mph), move much faster; and it has been estimated that tuna may reach speeds of 80 km/hr (50 mph), and swordfish, 97 km/hr (60 mph). Introduction to Aging Fish: What Are Otoliths? directly behind the brain of bony fishes. There are three types of o 1. Sagitta—the largest of the 3 pairs of otoliths; involved in the detection of sound and process of hear 3. Lapillus—involved in the detection o f gravitational force and sound (Popper and Lu 2000) re are many different shapes and sizes of otoliths differenOtoliths are important to scientific age and growth studies. This figure shows the growth rings of a sagittal otolith section viewed under reflective light. The darker area or â€Å"translucent zone† represents a period of fast growth. The whiter area or â€Å"opaquezone† represents a period of slower growth. The age of the fish is estimated by counting the annuli, or opaque bands, of the thin sections, as one would count rings on a tree to determine its age. Maryland Envirothon 6 Before age data can be used, the method of estimating age by counting annuli must be validated for each species to which it is applied.There are several ways to validate age, or prove that â€Å"one annulus is equal to one year. † Most obvious might be to simply rear fish from spawn, sacrifice the fish after a few years, and compare the number of rings to the known age of tho se fish. This process can be time consuming and expensive. It also creates the possibility of abnormal growth patterns caused by laboratory settings (Campana, 2001). Although this method may not be practical for validating annular ring formation, a similar method is effective in validating daily ring formation (Campana and Neilson, 1985).To avoid the effects of long-term laboratory exposure, tag and release of wild fish can be useful in validating annulus deposition. This figure shows the fluorescent tag of a common snook otolith. A captured common snook was injected with oxytetracycline (OTC), a chemical that is incorporated into calcium-rich structures including otoliths. The fish was then tagged and released. Seven years later, the fish was recaptured, sacrificed, and processed for aging. The OTC, which binds to the calcium in the otolith, appears as a glowing band when the otolith is viewed using fluorescence microscopy.The number of annuli between capture and recapture is also seven. Information like this is key to linking a single annulus to one year of growth, but such information relies heavily on time and chance. The age data gathered from otolith examinations allow scientists to model growth rates, maximum age, age at maturity, and the trend of future generations. Literature Referenced Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. http://www. floridamarine. org/features/view_article. asp? id=21978 and http://myfwc. com/Fishing/Fishes/anatomy. html. Fish and Wildlife Research

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