Consecutive Evenings Research Articles

Notes on hatchery spawning methods for bigmouth sleeper Gobiomorus dormitor

The bigmouth sleeper Gobiomorus dormitor, a popular sport fish within its native range, offers a management alternative to exotic species currently managed for recreational fishing. Hatchery production and stocking are needed to create reservoir sport fisheries because this species usually requires access to marine environments for recruitment. Bigmouth sleepers have not been spawned previously in a hatchery, and hence we used natural, artificial and semi-natural spawning techniques. No egg deposition or propagation resulted from natural pond spawning. Artificial spawning techniques using Ovaprim® and Chorulon® injections followed by hand stripping were more successful. Semi-natural (hormone injections plus volitional spawning) spawning trials using Ovaprim® and Chorulon® displayed the greatest potential, and three consecutive evening injections (1.0 mL kg⁻¹) of Chorulon® appeared most conducive. High-fecundity spawning was achieved by injecting bigmouth sleeper pairs and allowing volitional spawning in aquaria with spawning cavities. Initial success in 2007-2008 was isolated to wild-caught fish, but captive broodstock were spawned using these techniques in 2009. Eggs hatched in <20 h at 23-24 °C. The resulting larvae, 1.0-1.5 mm in length, displayed large yolk sacs, unpigmented eyes and no apparent mouth. These hatchery propagation efforts suggest that hormone-induced semi-natural spawning has the greatest potential for bigmouth sleeper propagation.

Effects of Various Sodium Bicarbonate Loading Protocols on the Time-Dependent Extracellular Buffering Profile

Although much research has investigated the types of exercise that are enhanced with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) ingestion, to date, there has been limited research on the dosage and timing of ingestion that optimizes the associated ergogenic effects. This study investigated the effects of various NaHCO3 loading protocols on the time-dependent blood-buffering profile. Eight male volunteers (age, 22.4 +/- 5.7 yr; height, 179.8 +/- 9.6 cm, body mass, 76.3 +/- 14.1 kg) completed Part A, measures of alkalosis throughout 120 minutes after ingestion of various single NaHCO3 dosages (0.3 gxkg-1, 0.2 gxkg-1, 0.1 gxkg-1, and placebo); and Part B, similar profiles after alternative NaHCO3 loading protocols (single morning dosage [SMD], single evening dosage [SED], and dosages ingested on 3 consecutive evenings [CED]). Results from Part A are as follows. Blood buffering in the 0.1 gxkg-1 condition was significantly lower than the 0.2 g.kg-1 and 0.3 gxkg-1 conditions (p < 0.002), but there was no significant differences between the 0.2 gxkg -1and 0.3 g.kg-1 conditions (p = 0.34). Although the blood buffering was relatively constant in the 0.1 and 0.2 conditions, it was significantly higher at 60 minutes than at 100 minutes and 120 minutes in the 0.3 gxkg-1 condition (p < 0.05). Results from Part B are as follows. Blood buffering for SMD was significantly higher than for SED and CED (p < 0.05). Blood buffering in the SMD condition was significantly lower at 17:00 hours than at 11:00 hours (p = 0.007). The single 0.2 and 0.3 gxkg-1 NaHCO3 dosages appeared to be the most effective for increasing blood-buffering capacity. The 0.2 gxkg-1 dosage is best ingested 40 to 50 minutes before exercise and the 0.3 gxkg-1 dosage 60 minutes before exercise.

Affective differentiation in breast cancer patients.

Fifty-three breast cancer patients completed an Internet-based diary measuring daily negative affect and positive affect and daily negative and positive events for seven consecutive evenings shortly after surgery. The authors used Hierarchical Linear Modeling (Raudenbush and Bryk in Hierarchical linear models: applications and data analysis methods. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, 2002) to examine moderators of affective differentiation, or the daily relationship between the patients' negative affect and positive affect. Strong affective differentiation is characterized by the relative independence of negative and positive affect. There were no significant Level 1 (within-subject) moderators of affective differentiation. However, at Level 2 (between-subject), as predicted, increased age was associated with stronger affective differentiation, as was greater use of planning to cope with breast cancer. Also as predicted, increased anxiety and greater use of behavioral disengagement and denial coping were associated with weaker affective differentiation. The results suggest the value of the affective differentiation construct, and a daily diary methodology, for research on the daily lives of breast cancer patients.

Fluid cognitive ability is associated with greater exposure and smaller reactions to daily stressors.

The authors of this study investigated whether fluid cognitive ability predicts exposure and emotional reactivity to daily stressors. A national sample of adults from the Midlife in the United States study and the National Study of Daily Experiences (N = 1,202) who had a mean age of 57 years (SD = 12; 56% women, 44% men) completed positive and negative mood reports as well as a stressor diary on 8 consecutive evenings via telephone. Participants also completed a telephone-based battery of tests measuring fluid cognitive ability. Higher levels of fluid cognitive ability were associated with greater exposure to work- and home-related overload stressors. Possessing higher levels of fluid cognitive ability was associated with smaller stressor-related increases in negative mood, primarily for interpersonal tensions and network stressors, and smaller stressor-related decreases in positive mood for interpersonal tensions. Furthermore, fluid cognitive ability was unrelated to subjective severity ratings of the stressors reported. Discussion focuses on the role of fluid cognitive ability in daily stress processes.

Perceptions of childhood relationships with mother and father: Daily emotional and stressor experiences in adulthood.

Adults who report having had high-quality relationships with their parents during childhood have better overall mental health and are at decreased risk for mental disorders compared with those who report low parental relationship quality. Researchers have predominantly focused on the relationship with the mother, often times excluding the unique role that fathers may play in the long-term development of their offspring. The current study examined the unique associations of recalled childhood experiences of mother-child and father-child relationship quality with daily emotional experiences and stress processes in adulthood. Men and women (N = 912, ages 25-74) retrospectively reported the quality of their childhood relationships with their mother and father. Later, they reported their daily psychological distress and stressor exposure every night over 8 consecutive evenings. Results indicate that mother-child relationship quality was related to lower levels of daily psychological distress. The quality of both mother-child and father-child relationships was related to stressor exposure, but only father-son relationship quality was related to lower levels of emotional reactivity to stressors during adulthood.

Contribution of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity and environmental stress to vulnerability for smoking in adolescents.

Although tobacco smoking, which has been linked to depression, is a major public health problem, little is known about the neurobiological factors that confer vulnerability to smoking in youngsters and the effects of adolescent smoking on the course of depression. This study examined whether hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity and stressful life experiences are related to smoking behavior in depressed and non-depressed adolescents, and whether smoking predicts a worsening course of depression. Smoking history and stressful experiences were assessed in 151 adolescents (48 with no personal or family history of psychiatric disorder, 48 with no psychiatric history, but at high-risk for depression by virtue of parental depression, and 55 with current major depressive disorder). Evening salivary cortisol and nocturnal urinary free cortisol were measured for three consecutive evenings. The participants then were followed at regular intervals for up to 5 years to assess smoking history, clinical course of depression and stressful experiences during the follow-up period. Increased evening/night-time cortisol levels were associated with both initiation and persistence of smoking during follow-up. Stressful life experiences further increased the risk for smoking in depressed as well as non-depressed youth. Smoking also was associated with a higher frequency of depressive episodes during follow-up. A model that included stressful experiences and cortisol levels reduced the contribution of smoking per se to depression. High evening/night-time cortisol level appears to be a vulnerability marker for smoking in adolescents, with stressful experiences further increasing the risk for smoking in vulnerable youth. High evening/night-time cortisol levels and stressful experiences accounted, at least partially, for the association between depressive illness and smoking behavior.

Effects Of Various Sodium Bicarbonate Loading Protocols On Blood Buffering And Perceived Readiness For Exercise

The performance-enhancing effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) are associated largely with the degree of metabolic alkalosis, which is altered by the dosage and timing of ingestion. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of various NaHCO3 loading protocols on the time-dependent buffering profile and the perceived physical and mental readiness for intense exercise. METHODS: Eight male volunteers (age, 22.4 ± 5.7 yrs; height, 179.8 ± 9.6 cm, body mass, 76.3 ± 14.1 kg) completed: Part A) measures of alkalosis and perceived readiness for intense exercise throughout 120 min following ingestion of various single NaHCO3 dosages (0.3g·kg-1, 0.2g·kg-1, 0.1 g·kg-1 and placebo); and Part B) similar profiles following alternative NaHCO3 loading protocols [single morning dosage (SMD), single evening dosage (SED) and dosages ingested on three consecutive evenings (CED)]. RESULTS:Part A) Although the blood buffering was relatively constant in the 0.1 and 0.2 conditions, it was significantly higher at 60 min than at 100 min and 120 min in the 0.3 g·kg-1 condition (p < 0.05). Subjects exhibited greater perceived readiness for exercise at 120 min than at 30 min (p = 0.015) and 60 min (p = 0.037). Part B) Blood buffering for SMD was higher than for SED and CED (p < 0.05), yet at 11:00 hrs mental readiness was significantly lower in the SMD condition. CONCLUSION: The single 0.2 and 0.3 g·kg-1 NaHCO3 dosages appeared to be the most effective for increasing blood buffering capacity and best ingested 90 min before exercise, as sooner will reduce perceived readiness towards exercise.

Risk markers for depression in adolescents: sleep and HPA measures.

Previous work has demonstrated reliable electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) changes associated with adult major depressive disorder. These changes might be evident before clinical manifestation of the illness in at-risk persons. The aim of the study was to identify depression-related EEG sleep and HPA changes in healthy adolescents at high-risk for depression, and to examine the relationship between EEG sleep (or HPA) changes and the onset of depression. Forty-eight adolescent volunteers with no personal history of a psychiatric illness, including depression, but who were at high-risk for developing depression by virtue of parental depression (high-risk group), and 48 adolescent volunteers with no personal or family history of a psychiatric disorder (normal controls) were recruited. EEG sleep and HPA measures were collected on three consecutive evenings and nights at baseline. Clinical follow-up evaluations were conducted at regular intervals over a 5-year period. Compared with normal controls, adolescents at high-risk for depression had shorter latency to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, increased phasic REM sleep, more REM sleep and elevated nocturnal urinary free cortisol (NUFC) excretion at baseline. Shorter REM latency, higher REM density and elevated NUFC (measured at baseline) were associated with the development of depression during follow-up. The findings that REM sleep abnormalities and elevated HPA activity occur prior to the onset of depression in at-risk adolescents suggest that these variables serve as vulnerability markers for the illness.

&lt;i&gt;The King Lear Project: A Trilogy&lt;/i&gt; (review)

The King Lear Project: A Trilogy Presented by the Singapore Arts Festival at the Drama Centre Theatre, Singapore. June 11, 2008. Directed by Ho Tzuy Nyen. With Remish Panicker (King Lear), K. Rajagopal (King Lear, Gloucester), Gerald Chew (King Lear, Edgar), Crispian Chan (Fool), Oon Shu An (Cordelia), Brandon Fernandez (Kent, Cornwall), and others. The King Lear Project: A Trilogy is series of plays that dramatize the processes of staging Shakespeare's Lear. The first play opened on June 11 in conjunction with the annual 2008 Singapore Arts Festival at the Drama Centre Theatre. Headed by local filmmaker and director Ho Tzu Nyen, and producer Fran Borgia, the project performed the difficulties and complexities of staging what many critics believe to be Shakespeare's most unstageable tragedy through three components of fictional Lear production: an audition (Lear Enters), rehearsal (Dover Cliff--The Conditions of Representation), and post-show discussion (The Lear Universe). Since the plays were performed over three consecutive evenings, this review is by no means exhaustive, but attempts to highlight the distinguishing traits of each play to give unified sense of the overall production. The opening set of Lear Enters was minimal and modeled after typical audition scene. The actor-cameraman took the stage with about dozen actor-stagehands, who busied themselves with white hollow-cube structures that were rearranged conveniently according to the instructions of the crew, director Kaylene Tan, and her assistant Elizabeth Tan. A large screen in the background magnified the expressions of those speaking in the foreground. The first candidate to audition for the role of Lear was Remesh Panicker, and like the other hopeful Leafs that followed, he was given full creative control over his audition. There was, however, one restriction: he must choose to audition as 1) god-Lear, 2) madman-Lear, or 3) Everyman-Lear. Panicker chose the first, and with his court in place for the audition, god-Lear announced his darker purpose. Panicker portrayed an especially convincing depiction of god-Lear, and his gestures and speeches conveyed distinct courtly presence. Lear faithfully followed the script until Kent (Brandon Fernadez) was dismissed for defending Cordelia (Oon Shu An), at which point Panicker was asked to explain why he chose to play god-Lear. Every man, he claims, have a little divinity in them. When the audition was officially over, Kaylene Tan took the spotlight centre stage; she asked: What do you think? Initially, her question appeared to be directed at the audience, but she was in fact addressing her producer, Paul Rae, who was seated in the stalls with the audience few rows away from the stage, and visible only by spray of light that illuminated him in an otherwise dark theatre. More interestingly, he was practically invisible to the members of the audience in the balcony; they could only hear his voice, soft-spoken, soothing, yet keen in his opposition to Panicker's interpretation of Lear. Rae played the role of producer, but his mindful, philosophical responses to Tan and his position in the stalls marked him as the mouthpiece of the scholarly community and the audience. He paid no attention to Panicker's acting skills; instead, he voiced only his criticism of the idea of god-Lear. Lear, he contended, cannot simply be reduced to godlike figure. He is too complex, too fragile, and too weak to command the stage as his exclusive and sole privilege. After Rae offered his insights, the lights went out, and the second audition began; this cycle--audition, justification, and judgment--was repeated throughout Lear Enters. Madman-Lear, played by K. Rajagopal, wore only floor-length loincloth. He entered prancing, twirling, howling, and laughing madly with his royal procession. His choice prop was long black rope, attached around his protruding belly on one end, and held like leash by his royal fool (Crispian Chan) on the other. …

Now you see it, now you don’t: Age differences in affective reactivity to social tensions.

When faced with interpersonal conflict, older adults report using passive strategies more often than do young adults. They also report less affective reactivity in response to these tensions. We examined whether the use of passive strategies may explain age-related reductions in affective reactivity to interpersonal tensions. Over 8 consecutive evenings, participants (N = 1,031; 25-74 years-old) reported daily negative affect and the occurrence of tense situations resulting in an argument or avoidance of an argument. Older age was related to less affective reactivity when people decided to avoid an argument but was unrelated to affective reactivity when people engaged in arguments. Findings suggest that avoidance of negative situations may largely underlie age-related benefits in affective well-being.

Smoking is Associated with Worse Mood on Stressful Days: Results from a National Diary Study

Many smokers report smoking because it helps them modulate their negative affect (NA). The stress induction model of smoking suggests, however, that smoking causes stress and concomitant NA. Empirical support for the stress induction model has primarily derived from retrospective reports and experimental manipulations with non-representative samples of smokers. Moreover, prior studies have typically not considered contextual factors (e.g., daily stressors) that may impact the smoking-NA relationship. The aim of this study was to assess the stress induction model of smoking using a prospective design in a nationally representative sample of smokers while simultaneously examining the impact of daily stressors on the relationship between smoking and NA. We hypothesized that smoking and NA would be positively related, and this relationship would be intensified by exposure to daily stressors. A national sample of middle-aged smokers (N = 256) were called on eight consecutive evenings to assess stressor exposure and intensity. Participants also reported on their daily NA and indicated the number of cigarettes they smoked. Analyses were conducted using hierarchical linear modeling to determine the relationship between daily smoking, NA, and stress. Smoking more than usual was associated with increased NA on days when respondents were exposed to any stressors. Smoking more than usual had no effect on NA on days when no stressors were encountered. Moreover, the moderating effect of stressor exposure remained significant even after controlling for the number and intensity of daily stressors reported. While smokers report that smoking alleviates their NA, our study suggests that the exact opposite may occur, particularly on stressful days. When smokers smoke more than usual on days when the encounter stress, they are likely to feel emotionally worse off.

Rapid eye movement (REM) in premature neonates and developmental outcome at 6 months

Different aspects of early sleep organization have been associated with subsequent development in premature infants. The aim of the present study was to assess the relations between rapid eye movement (REM) activity in premature neonates and infants’ developmental outcomes at 6 months. Participants were 81 premature infants (47 males). Sleep–wake states and REM were observed across 4 consecutive evening hours (7–11PM) in 10-s frames when infants were between 32 and 36 weeks post-menstrual age. Developmental outcome was assessed at 6 months with the mental development index (MDI) of the Bayley II. Infants with low-REM activity spent more time in less growth-promoting states, including crying and unfocused alert states in the neonatal period and had lower MDI scores at 6 months corrected age compared to infants with high-REM. Differences between the high- and low-REM groups were independent of neonatal medical risk. Low-REM activity may serve as an indicator of developmental risk among premature neonates.

Impact of Aerial Spraying of Pyrethrin Insecticide on &lt;I&gt;Culex pipiens&lt;/I&gt; and &lt;I&gt;Culex tarsalis&lt;/I&gt; (Diptera: Culicidae) Abundance and West Nile Virus Infection Rates in an Urban/Suburban Area of Sacramento County, California

In response to an epidemic amplification of West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV), the Sacramento and Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District (SYMVCD) sprayed ultralow-volume (ULV) formulations of pyrethrin insecticide (Evergreen EC 60-6: 6% pyrethrin insecticide, 60% piperonylbutoxide; MGK, Minneapolis, MN, applied as 0.003 kg/ha [0.0025 lb/acre] ) over 218 km2 in north Sacramento and 243.5 km2 in south Sacramento on three consecutive evenings in August 2005. We evaluated the impact of this intervention in north Sacramento on the abundance and WNV infection rates of Culex pipiens L. and Culex tarsalis Coquillett. Mortality rates of caged Cx. tarsalis sentinels ranged from 0% under dense canopy to 100% in open fields. A comparison of weekly geometric mean mosquito abundance in CO2-baited traps in sprayed and unsprayed areas before and after treatment indicated a 75.0 and 48.7% reduction in the abundance of Cx. pipiens and Cx. tarsalis, respectively. This reduction was statistically significant for Cx. pipiens, the primary vector of WNV, with highest abundance in this urban area, but not for Cx. tarsalis, which is more associated with rural areas. The infection rates of WNV in Cx. pipiens and Cx. tarsalis collected from the spray zone were 8.2 and 4.3 per 1,000 female mosquitoes in the 2 wk before and the 2 wk after applications of insecticide, respectively. In comparison, WNV infection rates in Cx. pipiens and Cx. tarsalis collected at same time interval in the unsprayed zone were 2.0 and 8.7 per 1,000, respectively. Based on the reduction in vector abundance and its effects on number of infective bites received by human population, we concluded that the aerial application ofpyrethrin insecticide reduced the transmission intensity of WNV and decreased the risk of human infection.

Measuring Daily Ranging Distances of Rhinopithecus bieti via a Global Positioning System Collar at Jinsichang, China: A Methodological Consideration

There are few data on the daily ranging distances of Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti). We fitted 1 adult male from a natural group at Jinsichang in China’s Yunnan Province with a global positioning system (GPS) collar and tracked him from December 2003 to October 2004 to estimate the daily ranging distances of the group. The total acquisition rate of the GPS collar was 82.2%, which indicates that one can use GPS collars to track the species efficiently in high-altitude, temperate, coniferous forest. We obtained group locations or fixes at 5 predetermined times during the day. The sleeping sites of the subjects are the key points to estimate the day range. We compared 2 measures of day range: the 2-point straight-line displacement and the multipoint cumulative daily ranging distance. Straight-line displacement between 2 consecutive mornings or 2 consecutive evenings can substitute for that between the morning sleeping site and the evening sleeping site. In general, the group does not move at night. The 2 measures of day range yielded different results. The multipoint cumulative daily ranging distance was the method of choice to measure their daily travel costs. The minimum required number of fixes per day was 3. Per statistical evidence, the number of full-day group follows per month influences the estimate of day range of the group and ≥10 d is required to obtain a reliable estimate; 5 d per month might not be enough. We dealt mainly with the methodologic aspects of day range calculations. We did not address functional aspects on the estimate of day range, viz. the influence of vegetation, food distribution patterns, climate change, seasonality, and the monkey group itself.

The impact of free-time activities on sleep, recovery and well-being

We compared the effects of different types of free-time activity on subjective and objective indices of sleep, recovery and well-being in an experimental field study. Twelve participants spent four consecutive evenings after work in each of three conditions: pursuing quiet leisure activities at home; undertaking active leisure pursuits; doing additional work. Ratings of rest and recuperation, and of satisfaction, were lowest in the additional work condition. There were few other differences between conditions. However, being satisfied with one's evening activities (regardless of which experimental condition was being undertaken) was associated with improved subsequent sleep (self-reported). Evening activities involving lower mental effort were also associated with better-rated sleep, as well as improved recuperation and fatigue the next day. It is concluded that the nature of activity per se may be less important than (1) whether the activity accords with individual preference and (2) the cumulative demands of daytime and evening activities.

Living With Chronic Health Conditions: Age Differences in Affective Well-Being

The current study examined age differences in affective well-being and reactivity to daily stressors among people varying in health status. Participants (N = 3,493), aged 25 to 74 years, reported global affective well-being in the Midlife Development in the United States survey, and a subset (n = 983) reported their affective reactivity to stressors across eight consecutive evenings in the National Study of Daily Experiences. Across groups of people varying in number of chronic conditions, older adults reported higher levels of global affective well-being and lower levels of affective reactivity than did younger adults, with one exception. Among people reporting four or more chronic conditions, older adults were just as reactive to daily stressors as were younger adults.

Reproductive behavior of the halfmoon grouper, Epinephelus rivulatus, at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

Behaviors associated with spawning by the halfmoon grouper, Epinephelus rivulatus, at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, are described from in situ observations made each evening throughout most of a lunar cycle. Spawning occurred after sunset on six consecutive evenings during the full moon period. During this time males were particularly aggressive toward one another and maintained high levels of activity among the gravid females that rested within each of their territories. Spawning occurred when a male swam alongside a responsive female and the pair rose in a tight spiral 1–1.5 m into the water column before releasing gametes and returning to the seabed. Spawning activity was followed by a longer nonspawning period (ca. 20 days), when fewer intraspecific interactions were observed and gamete reserves were replenished. Histological and behavioral evidence suggests that this cycle of spawning and replenishment may occur on a monthly basis. Although individual fish, particularly females, moved into certain areas to spawn, E. rivulatus did not form spawning aggregations as do larger species of grouper.

Why would social networks be linked to affect and health practices?

To examine the relation among social integration (SI), affect, and smoking and alcohol consumption. The authors administered social network and psychological questionnaires to 193 adults and then interviewed them on 14 consecutive evenings about their daily social interactions, affect, and smoking and alcohol consumption. The main outcome measures were positive and negative affect, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Between-subjects analyses found that those with more diverse social networks (high in SI) interacted with more people and smoked and drank less. SI was not, however, associated with affect. In contrast, within-subject analyses found that the more people participants interacted with during a day, the greater their positive affect, drinking, and smoking on that day. However, this occurred primarily for persons low in SI. High-SI persons reported high positive affect irrespective of the number of people with whom they interacted, and their smoking and drinking behaviors were less influenced by number of interactants. SI may alter health because it affects responsiveness to the social influences of others.

Genetic and environmental effects on daily life stressors: More evidence for greater variation in later life.

People vary in the occurrence and perceived severity of stressors experienced in their daily lives. In the current study, the authors examined the extent to which individual differences in these relatively minor occurrences are determined by genetic endowment as well as environmental influences and how these effects vary by age. Identical (n-sub(pairs) = 111) and fraternal (n-sub(pairs) = 99) twin adults ranging from 25 to 73 years old reported the occurrence and severity of their daily stressors on 8 consecutive evenings. Both genetic and unique environmental effects accounted for the variance in stressor occurrence, whereas shared family and unique environmental effects accounted for the variance in the perceived severity of these stressors. In addition, the influence of unique environment on perceived stress exerted a stronger influence among the older adults than the younger adults.

Effect of pre-stimulation on milk flow pattern and distribution of milk constituents at a quarter level

The aim of this study was to investigate milk flow patterns and milk composition in relation to pre-milking udder stimulation. The milk of one quarter of each of the sixteen cows was removed separately and in the course of milking it was divided into six fractions (P – cisternal milk during milking without stimulation and the first 300 ml during milking with pre-stimulation, 0&amp;minus;25%, 25&amp;minus;50%, 50&amp;minus;75%, 75&amp;minus;100%, 75&amp;minus;100%, MS-machine stripping) and into five portions (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 100% + MS). Two milkings were performed during two consecutive evening milkings with or without manual stimulation. Pre-stimulation resulted in a reduction of milking time, duration of the increase and decline phase of milk flow, stripping yield, but it increased the peak flow rate as compared to milking without pre-stimulation (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05). In both fractions and portions the content of fat increased steadily during milking and reached a maximum at MS. Lactose increased from P to 50&amp;minus;75% and then it decreased to MS. Significantly higher fat contents at 25% and 50% portions and in both protein and dry matter at 25% portions were found during milking with pre-stimulation as compared to no stimulation (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05). The content of fat, protein and dry matter were also higher in both P and 0&amp;minus;25% fractions for milking with pre-stimulation (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05). Pre-stimulation positively influenced the parameters of milk flow and therefore the efficiency of milk removal and contributed to better distribution of components in milk fractions during milking.