Food intake of Macrobrachium rosenbergii during larval development

This work investigates the acceptance of different food types and sizes by Macrobrachium rosenbergii during each larval stage. Food intake of dry and wet formulated diets of four different size classes (250-425, 425-710, 710-1000 and 1000-1190 mum), as well as Artemia nauplii, was determined. Larvae of each zoeal stage were stocked in beakers and fed ad libitum. After 30-45 min, the digestive tract of each larva was observed under a stereomicroscope. Acceptance was evaluated by food intake frequency (FFI). There was no significant interaction (P<0.05) between inert diet size and FFI for each larval stage. Therefore, food intake during larval development is independent of food particle size. The ingestion of Artemia nauplii, was significantly higher by larvae between stages II and VI. Between stages VII and XI, FFI for Artemia nauplii and wet diet was similar, while the FFI of the dry diet was similar to live food between stages IX and XI. The wet diet was ingested by more than 50% of the larvae only from stage VII onwards, while the dry diet from stage VIII onwards. These results indicate that larvae could be fed Artemia nauplii only until stage VI. Diet supplementation should start from stage VII onwards, using food particles varying from 250 to 1190 mum. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Food intake in women two years or more after bariatric surgery meets adequate intake requirements

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TNF-alpha acts in the hypothalamus inhibiting food intake and increasing the respiratory quotient - Effects on leptin and insulin signaling pathways

Acting in the hypothalamus, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) produces a potent anorexigenic effect. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in this phenomenon are poorly characterized. In this study, we investigate the capacity of TNF-alpha to activate signal transduction in the hypothalamus through elements of the pathways employed by the anorexigenic hormones insulin and leptin. High dose TNF-a promotes a reduction of 25% in 12 h food intake, which is an inhibitory effect that is marginally inferior to that produced by insulin and leptin. In addition, high dose TNF-a increases body temperature and respiratory quotient, effects not reproduced by insulin or leptin. TNF-alpha, predominantly at the high dose, is also capable of activating canonical pro-inflammatory signal transduction in the hypothalamus, inducing JNK, p38, and NF kappa B, which results in the transcription of early responsive genes and expression of proteins of the SOCS family. Also, TNF-a activates signal transduction through JAK-2 and STAT-3, but does not activate signal transduction. through early and intermediary elements of the insulin/leptin signaling pathways such as IRS-2, Akt, ERK and FOXO1. When co-injected with insulin or leptin, TNF-a, at both high and low doses, partially impairs signal transduction through IRS-2, Akt, ERK and FOXO1 but not through JAK-2 and STAT-3. This effect is accompanied by the partial inhibition of the anorexigenic effects of insulin and leptin, when the low, but not the high dose of TNF-alpha is employed. In conclusion, TNF-alpha, on a dose-dependent way, modulates insulin and leptin signaling and action in the hypothalamus. (c) Published by Elsevier B.V.

2-DEOXYGLUCOSE-INDUCED FOOD-INTAKE BY NILE TILAPIA, OREOCHROMIS-NILOTICUS (L)

The alimentary and glycemic responses to cytoglycopenia were studied in thirty-one Nile tilapia alevins of indeterminate sex and age, measuring on average 10.67 +/- 0.82 cm. The cytoglycopenia was provoked by ip injection of 60 mg/kg 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG, N = 16). The control group (N = 15) was submitted to ip injection of 0.2 ml saline. Blood samples for glucose determination were obtained before and three hours after drug administration by cardiac puncture. Food was then offered ad libitum. One hour later the animals were sacrificed and their stomachs removed. The difference in wet weight between full and empty stomach was utilized to quantify the food intake. Median food intake was 0.3877 g for the fish treated with 2-DG and 0.107 g for the animals injected with saline. This difference was statistically significant by the Mann-Whitney test (P<0.05). The median values of blood glucose levels before drug injection were 46.19 mg/100 ml in the 2-DG-treated fish and 44.54 mg/100 ml in the control group. Three hours after drug administration, the values were 48.64 mg/100 ml in the experimental group and 56.90 mg/100 ml in the control group. The difference between the values of blood glucose before and after the drug was not significant for either group. We conclude that glucoprivation provokes food intake in fish and that the same glucoprivation was not sufficient to provoke hyperglycemia.

Effect of chronic treatment with Clomipramine on food intake, macronutrient selection and body weight gain in rats

Long-term treatment with clomipramine (CMI), a tricyclic antidepressant, induces food craving and body weight gain in patients. The present study investigated the effects of chronic treatment with CMI on total food intake, macronutrient selection, and body weight gain in rats. Male Wistar rats were maintained on a dietary self-selection regime with separate sources of protein, fat and carbohydrate. Animals received i.p. injections of CMI (0, 3, 10, 30 mg/kg) during 27 consecutive days. Food consumption and body weight were recorded daily and results were calculated as average of three consecutive days, namely during pre-treatment (3 d before pharmacological treatment), treatment (7th-9th; l6th-l8th and 25th-27th days), and post-treatment (28th-33rd days). Results showed that CMI (30 mg/kg) significantly decreased energy intake during all treatment period, an effect that was related to a decrease in both carbohydrate-rich diet intake and body weight gain. At dose of 3 mg/kg CMI increased the total energy intake in the 16th-18th days, suggesting an apparent biphasic effect of chronic treatment with CMI on caloric intake. Chronic administration with CMI (27 d) did not alter protein-rich or fat-rich diet consumption. The main result of this study indicated that chronic treatment with CMI decreases rather than increase food consumption and body weight gain in rats exposed to a macronutrient self-selection procedure.

Food intake and digestive efficiency in temperate wool and tropic semi-arid hair lambs fed different concentrate: forage ratio diets

This work was conducted to evaluate food intake and digestive efficiency of temperate wool and tropic semi-arid hair lambs, according to different concentrate: forage ratios in diet. Twenty-four lambs, averaging 90 +/- 1.8 days old and a mean body weight of 20 +/- 0.69 kg, 12 of them wool lambs, F, from Ideal x Ile de France crossing, and 12 others pure Santa Ines hair lambs, were distributed into a four replication 3 x 2 factorial arrangement consisting of three diets and two genotypes. Experimental diets consisted of: D1 = 60% concentrate mix (C) and 40% Cynodon sp. cv. Tifton-85 hay (F), D2 = 40% C and 60% F, and D3 = 20% C and 80% F. D1 was formulated for a daily gain of 300g per animal. Increasing forage levels in diets resulted in linear reductions (P < 0.01) in DM, OM, CP, TCH and metabolizable energy (ME) intake, and a linear increase (P < 0.01) in NDF ingestion. Tropic semi-arid hair lambs had higher DM, OM, NDF, CP, and TCH intake than temperate wool lambs. Although there were no genotype effects in OM and GE coefficient of digestibility, hair lambs showed more efficient (P < 0.05) digestibility of DM, CP, NDF and TCH. Increases in forage levels of diets corresponded to a negative linear effect (P < 0.01) in the apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, TCH and GE, while apparent digestibility of NDF increased linearly (P < 0.01). Total endogenous nitrogen (fecal plus urinary N) for F(1) Ideal x Ilede France wool and Santa Ines hair lambs were, respectively, 182 and 312 mg/kg(0.75) per day. Thus, Santa Ines tropic semi-arid hair lambs showed to be more responsive than F(1) Ideal x Ile de France temperate wool lambs to low quality fibrous diets. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Food intake and thermic effect of feeding in thyroid-deficient pigs

Short and long-term thyroidectomy and Methimazole treatment reduced food intake in young growing pigs. The thermic effect of feeding assessed by the increment in rectal temperature after the beginning of food ingestion was reduced in thyroidectomized animals, but no effect could be observed in Methimazole-treated pigs. Propranolol injection after short-term treatment decreased food intake in sham-operated and treated animals, but reduced the thermic effect of feeding only in the thyroidectomized and Methimazole-treated pigs. Long-term treatment inhibited the effect of propranolol in reducing food intake and the thermic effect of feeding. On the basis of these data, it was suggested that the interaction between thyroid hormones and catecholamines (noradrenaline) plays an important role in the regulation of food intake and in the thermic effect of feeding in thyroid-deficient pigs.

Effect of ambient temperature and thyroid hormones on food intake by pigs

Food intake and plasma thyroid hormone levels (T4 and T3) were higher in pigs acclimated to cold (12°) than hot (32°) environments. The exposure of cold pigs to hot ambient temperature decreased food intake and plasma T4 and T3, whereas for hot acclimated animals the change in ambient temperature (from 32 to 12° C) increased food intake and plasma thyroid hormone levels, but the new steady state level of food intake was reached only after 96 hr of temperature transfer despite the rapid change in plasma levels of thyroid hormones. Cold-acclimated pigs, when transferred to a hot environment after thyroidectomy, also reduced food intake, but hot pigs shifted to cold ambient temperature after thyroidectomy did not significantly increase food ingestion. The results of this experiment suggest that food intake adjustment depends on the previous living temperature and that thyroid hormones seem to play an important role in increasing the metabolically active mass that probably sustains the new steady state level of food intake, particularly in a cold environment.

Commissural nucleus of the solitary tract lesions reduce food intake and body weight gain in rats

This study investigated the effects of an electrolytic lesion of the commissural subnucleus of the nucleus of the solitary tract (commNTS) on bodyweight, daily food and water intake, and plasma glucose and insulin in rats. In the first 6 days following brain surgery, commNTS lesioned rats reduced daily food intake by 80% compared to rats with sham lesions. After this period rats with lesions of commNTS started recovering food intake, but intake remained significantly reduced until the 12th day after surgery. A reduction in body weight was observed 4 days after surgery and reached a maximum on the 12th day. After this, a partial recovery of body weight was observed, but weight remained significantly reduced compared to weights of rats with sham lesions through the conclusion of the study. Food intake and body weight gain in other rats with partial lesions of the commNTS or with lesions outside the commNTS did not differ from rats with sham lesions with regard to those variables. Daily water intake and plasma glucose and insulin were not changed by the commNTS lesions. These results suggest that commNTS is involved with mechanisms that control food intake and body weight in rats.

Food intake and nutritional status of hospitalised older people

Background and aims. Disease is influenced by the nutritional status of the individual. We have assessed the relationship between nutritional status and food intake among recently hospitalised older people. Methods. A cross-sectional study was undertaken with 240 older people in a hospital that provides care for the public and private healthcare systems. Nutritional status was classified by the MNA (Mini Nutritional Assessment) into: malnourished, risk of malnutrition and without malnutrition. Food intake was estimated by the reported food intake during a typical day. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the medians and the correlation coefficient of Spearman to verify the relationship between the consumption of energy, protein and vitamin C and MNA scores. Results. 33.8% were classified as adequate regarding nutritional status; 37.1% were classified as being at risk of malnutrition and 29.1% were classified as malnourished. The malnourished individuals reported significantly less energy and nutrient intake than those at risk of malnutrition or those without malnutrition (P=0.001). Not all nutrient intake, just some (iron, cholesterol and fibre), were lower in malnourished people. Conclusions and implications for practice. Deterioration of the nutritional status of older people is accompanied by a reduction in energy and some nutrient intake. The investigation of food intake in older people could provide important information about nutritional risk. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Prospective Evaluation of Dietary Treatment in Childhood Constipation: High Dietary Fiber and Wheat Bran Intake Are Associated With Constipation Amelioration

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate, over 24 months, the intake of dietary fiber (DF) and the bowel habit (BH) of constipated children advised a DF-rich diet containing wheat bran.Patients and Methods: BH and dietary data of 28 children with functional constipation defined by the Boston criteria were obtained at visit 1 (V1, n = 28) and at 4 follow-up visits (V2-V5, n = 80). At each visit the BH was rated BAD (worse/unaltered; improved but still complications) or RECOVERY (REC) (improved, no complications; asymptomatic), and a food intake questionnaire was applied. DF intake was calculated according to age (year)+5 to 10 g/day and bran intake according to international tables. Nonparametric statistics were used.Results: Median age (range) was 7.25 years (0.25-15.6 years); 21 children underwent bowel washout (most before V1/V2), and 14 had the last visit at V3/V4. DF intake, bran intake, and the BH rate significantly increased at V2 and remained higher than at V1 through V2 to V5. At V1, median DF intake was 29.9% below the minimum recommended and at the last visit 49.9% above it. Twenty-four children accepted bran at 60 visits, at which median bran intake was 20 g/day and median proportion of DF due to bran 26.9%. Children had significantly higher DF and higher bran intake at V2 to V5 at which they had REC than at those at which they presented BAD BH. DF intake > age+10 g/day was associated with bran acceptance and REC. At the last visit 21 children presented REC (75%); 20 of them were asymptomatic and 18 were off washout/laxatives.Conclusions: High DF and bran intake are feasible in constipated children and contribute to amelioration of constipation.

Urinary lithiasis and idiopathic hypercalciuria: the importance of dietary intake evaluation

PUSPOSE: To evaluate food intake of patients with urinary lithiasis and idiopathic hypercalciuria (IH). MATERIALS and METHODS: Between August 2007 and June 2008, 105 patients with lithiasis were distributed into 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 55) - patients with IH (urinary calcium excretion > 250 mg in women and 300 mg in men with normal serum calcium); Group 2 (n = 50) - normocalciuria (NC) patients . Inclusion criteria were: age over 18, normal renal function (creatinine clearance = 60 mL/min), absent proteinuria and negative urinary culture. Pregnant women, patients with some intestinal pathology, chronic diarrhea or using corticoids were excluded. The protocol of metabolic investigation was based on non-consecutive collection of two 24-hour samples for dosages of: calcium, sodium, uric acid, citrate, oxalate, magnesium and urinary volume. Food intake was evaluated through the quantitative method of Dietary Register of three days. RESULTS: Urinary excretion of calcium (433.33 ± 141.92 vs. 188.93 ± 53.09), sodium (280.08 ± 100.94 vs. 200.44.93 ± 65.81), uric acid (880.63 ± 281.50 vs. 646.74 ± 182.76) and magnesium (88.78 ± 37.53 vs. 64.34 ± 31.84) was significantly higher in the IH group in comparison to the NC group (p < 0.05). As regards the nutritional composition of food intake of IH and NC groups, there was no statistical significant difference in any nutrient evaluated. CONCLUSION: In our study, no difference was observed in the food intake of patients with urinary lithiasis and IH or NC.

GABA(A) receptor activation in the lateral parabrachial nucleus induces water and hypertonic NaCl intake

Inhibitory serotonergic and cholecystokinergic mechanisms in the lateral parabrachial nucleus and central GABAergic mechanisms are involved in the regulation of water and NaCl intake. In the present study we investigated if the GABA(A) receptors in the lateral parabrachial nucleus are involved in the control of water, NaCl and food intake in rats. Male Holtzman rats with stainless steel cannulas implanted bilaterally into the lateral parabrachial nucleus were used. Bilateral injections of muscimol (0.2 nmol/0.2 mu l) into the lateral parabrachial nucleus strongly increased 0.3 M NaCl (20.3 +/- 7.2 vs. saline: 2.6 +/- 0.9 ml/180 min) without changing water intake induced by the treatment with the diuretic furosemide combined with low dose of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril s.c. In euhydrated and satiated rats, bilateral lateral parabrachial nucleus injections of muscimol (0.2 and 0.5 nmol/0.2 0) induced 0.3 M NaCl intake (12.1 +/- 6.5 and 32.5 +/- 7.3 ml/180 min, respectively, vs. saline: 0.4 +/- 0.2 ml/180 min) and water intake (5.2 +/- 2.0 and 7.6 +/- 2.8 ml/ 180 min, respectively, vs. saline: 0.8 +/- 0.4 ml/180 min), but no food intake (2 +/- 0.4 g/240 min vs. saline: 1 +/- 0.3 g/240 min). Bilateral lateral parabrachial nucleus injections of the GABAA antagonist bicuculline (1.6 nmol/0.2 mu l) abolished the effects of muscimol (0.5 nmol/0.2 mu l) on 0.3 M NaCl and water intake. Muscimol (0.5 nmol/0.2 mu l) into the lateral parabrachial nucleus also induced a slight ingestion of water (4.2 +/- 1.6 ml/240 min vs. saline: 1.1 +/- 0.3 ml/240 min) when only water was available, a long lasting (for at least 2 h) increase on mean arterial pressure (14 +/- 4 mm Hg, vs. saline: -1 +/- 1 mm Hg) and only a tendency to increase urinary volume and Na+ and K+ renal excretion. Therefore the activation of GABAA receptors in the lateral parabrachial nucleus induces strong NaCl intake, a small ingestion of water and pressor responses, without changes on food intake. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of IBRO.

Baclofen into the lateral parabrachial nucleus induces hypertonic sodium chloride and sucrose intake in rats

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