Feeding ecology in the small neotropical amphisbaenid Amphisbaena munoai (Amphisbaenidae) in southern Brazil

We analyzed the alimentary tract of 66 specimens of Amphisbaena munoai Klappenbach, 1969 from the Serra do Sudeste, state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Forty specimens (60.6%) had prey items in their gut. The diet consisted mainly of small invertebrate prey, such as termites, insect larvae and ants. The most abundant prey item was termites, found in 62.5% of the non empty stomachs. The high number of individual prey items in the majority of stomachs, the small size of the regular prey items, and the absence of gut content in specimens of A. munoai kept alive for about two days, indicate that this species forages very frequently. The predominance of fossorial prey items and the occasional records of nomadic ants lead us to suggest that A. munoai usually feeds underground, and occasionally forages on the surface.

Feeding of Pellona flavipinnis (Clupeiformes, Pristigasteridae)in a Central Amazonian floodplain

The feeding habits of Pellona flavipinnis (Valenciennes, 1836) at Catalão, a floodplain area on the Brazilian Central Amazon was studied. Data was obtained during three hydrological cycles, between September 1999 and September 2003. Diet composition, daily and seasonal variation in the feeding activity and the relationship between predator's size and its prey were analyzed. Almost 80% of the food consumed has autochthonous origin and diet was composed basically by insects and fish. Juvenile fish predominated in the stomach contents of all size classes but there was no significant relationship between predator's size and its prey. Pellona flavipinnis may be considered a carnivorous species which feeds mainly on juvenile (young-of-the-year) specimens of other fish. More intense feeding activity occurred at night and in the high water period.

Feeding ecology of Ozotoceros bezoarticus: conservation implicationsin Uruguay

The pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus Linnaeus, 1758) was in the recent past one of the most characteristic species in the Uruguayan grasslands. However, today the species is very rare, with small relict populations inhabiting in few ranches. To improve our understanding of pampas deer habitat use in modified ecosystems and propose management guidelines we analyzed the pampas deer feeding ecology at Los Ajos ranch. We performed an annual vegetation survey with the purpose to identify the main components of pampas's deer diet and the spatial overlap with livestock. Vegetation offer was characterized by predominance of monocotyledon plants; in three of the four sample periods. The preference values for the crops were positive for ryegrass in winter (0.24) and spring (0.54), the moments of greatest productivity of this pasture; while the rice crops values were negative all year round. The spatial overlap indexes with sheep show a complete exclusion, whereas with cattle the indexes gave values of 0.95 in spring to 0.14 in summer. The niche amplitude was significantly correlated with the spatial overlap levels with cattle. Pampas deer foraging behaviour is opportunistic, typical of mixed feeders. Conservation efforts should focus on implementation of management guidelines of agriculture and cattle breeding activities.

Feeding ecology of Pterodoras granulosus (Siluriformes, Doradidae) in the Lajeado Reservoir, Tocantins, Brazil

The diet and feeding habits of armado catfish, Pterodoras granulosus (Valenciennes, 1821), were studied in the Lajeado Reservoir, Tocantins, Brazil, and the mouth of its tributaries. Stomach contents of 327 specimens were analyzed by the percentage composition and volumetric methods. The feeding of armado on a wide variety of foods, including both animal and plant items, leads to its classification as a euriphagic species with herbivorous tendency. However, it should be noted that armado showed a strong ontogenetic diet shift, with the gradual replacement of detritus and sediment by plant items, especially terrestrial ones. The environmental use pattern of P. granulosus corroborates the ontogenetic shift observed in its diet. Small fish predominated mainly in the benthic region and detritus and sediment represented an important resource, whereas large fish fed mainly on terrestrial plants, as they explore open water sites and the surface of the water column.

Freshwater sponges (Porifera, Demospongiae) in a benthic filter feeding community at the Guanacaste Dry Forest, Costa Rica

The freshwater sponges Trochospongilla variabilis Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago (1973), Radiospongilla crateriformis (Potts, 1882), Spongilla cenota Penney & Racek (1968) and Corvoheteromeyenia heterosclera (Ezcurra de Drago, 1974) compose with the sphaerid bivalve Eupera cubensis (Prime, 1865) and several Phylactolaemata bryozoans a benthic filter feeding community living in seasonal lentic and lotic habitats with high Particulate Organic Carbon (POC), low conductivity and acid pH within the Costa Rica Dry Forest biome. The sponge specimens gathered led to the re-description of the four species.

Reproduction and feeding ecology of Amphisbaena munoai and Anops kingi (Amphisbaenia, Amphisbaenidae) in the Escudo Sul-Rio-Grandense, southern Brazil

This study presents original data on the reproduction and feeding ecology of two syntopic amphisbaenians, Amphisbaena munoai Klappenbach, 1969 and Anops kingi Bell, 1833, from southern Brazil. Sampling was carried out from April 2004 to April 2006 at a highland area located in São Jerônimo and Barão do Triunfo municipalities, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A total of 647 amphisbaenians were collected, 510 specimens of A. munoai and 137 specimens of A. kingi, of which 130 and 93, respectively, had their gonads and gut content analyzed. Both species presented a unimodal pattern of seasonal distribution, sexually mature females with significantly larger snout vent length (SVL) than sexually mature males, and seasonal reproductive cycle. Adults of A. kingi had significantly larger (SVL) than those of Amphisbaena munoai. Both species had generalist diets, but termites (Isoptera) was a staple item in their diet. Greater predominance of insect larvae was observed in the diet of A. kingi, which may be due to its larger body in comparison to A. munoai. Insect larvae ingested by A. kingi were significantly larger than those ingested by A. munoai. Diets of adult males and females of both species were not significantly different. The ontogenetic diet comparison in both species revealed significant numerical differences, with adults consuming higher numbers of prey.

Diet and functional feeding groups of Chironomidae (Diptera) in the Middle Paraná River floodplain (Argentina)

The gut contents of nine genera of benthic Chironominae and Tanypodinae from the Middle Paraná River floodplain habitats (a lake and a secondary channel) were analyzed to determine their feeding patterns and functional feeding groups. Amorphous detritus, animal and vegetal tissues, and mineral materials (predominantly sand) were observed in the larval guts. Amorphous detritus were the main food item found for Polypedilum (Tripodura) sp., Chironomus gr. decorus sp., Endotribelos sp., Phaenopsectra sp., Cladopelma sp., and Pelomus sp. (Chironominae), while animal tissues (mainly oligochaetes) were the most important food item found for Ablabesmyia (Karelia) sp., Coelotanypus sp., and Procladius sp. (Tanypodinae). Dietary overlap was calculated for all pairs of genera. Within predators, the highest overlap was obtained between Coelotanypus sp. and Ablabesmyia (Karelia) sp., while within detritivores the highest niche overlap was obtained between Endotribelos sp. and Phaenopsectra sp.

Subsídio ao melhor conhecimento do tifo exantemático neotrópico no Brasil: presença do virus no leite

In articles, already published, we have proved that the strain V. B. of Brazilian virus, goes through the placenta (Macacus rhesus) (1) and the apparently normal gastro-intestinal tube (1934-1937) (Canis familiaris) (2). Today we present the idea that the Brazilian virus can reach the milk of an animal even when the latter has only the unapparent disease. In former articles (**), we have shown that the goat (Capra hircus) can be an excellent reservoir of Brazilian virus, having the strain V. B. in its blood and presenting a Weil Felix reaction high and in “group”, with the disease unapparent. When the goats are bred in the laboratory, and even in some foci of the disease, they give a negative Weil Felix, being zero for all the nine strains of Proteus. In the interior of Brazil, in many localities, goats substitute cows, in supplying milk for children and adults, and in some districts goat’s milk is considered superior to cow’s milk, possessing marvellous qualities for men, women an children. Having proved, now, that goat’s milk can contain the virus even when the animal presents nothing clinically, and having also shown that this virus goes through the digestive tube apparently sound, it is easy to understand how infants-in-arms, that is, only a few months old, living in strictly domestic surroundings, can contract the disease; we have many such cases on record. Protocol of the experiments: Goat nº 2, white, January 1948. This animal had been inoculated with the V. B. strain of the Brazilian virus in June 1947, via intra-peritoneal, presenting nothing then, not even a feverish reaction. On that occasion it was not possible to isolate the virus of the blood, although the Weil Felix reaction was positive, high and in “group”. Now January 17, 1948, seven months later, the same animal was reinoculated with a semple of virus V. B. in the same manner (intra-peritoneal) two days after bringing forth two sturdy kids. The virus V. B. was obtained from guinea-pig n. 7170 whose thermic graph was as follows: Temperatura – 38,8 – 39,1 – 39,5 – 39,4 –39,8 – 40,4 – 40,2 – 40,1 - + Necropsy – Typical lesions. The spleen weighed 5 grammes. With 3c.c. of emulsion from the nervous system of this guinea-pig, we inoculated not only the goat, as also two guineapigs, number 14 and number 5. The following is the thermic graph of one: - Guinea-pig n. 14 – 38,9 – 39,1 – 39,2 – 39.2 – 40,7 – 41,0 – 40,5 – 40,4 – 40,1 - + Typical lesions. Guinea-pig n. 2 presented the following thermic graph after the infective inoculation: - 39,5 – 39,7 – 39,7 – 39,7 – 39,5 – 39,3 – 39,5 – 39,5 – 39,5 – etc. Clinically, this animal presented nothing unusual, feeding well and suckling the kids normally. The Weil Felix reaction was positive, in “group” high very similar to the reaction obtained in June 1947, with the first infective inoculation. On the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh day after the infective inoculation, we took milk from the goat and inoculated male guinea-pigs via intra-celular and via intra-peritoneal, giving 5 c.c. to each animal. Guinea-pig n. 4663, inoculated with 5 c.c. of milk, via intra-muscular, taken on the third day of the infectaive inoculation, presented the following thermic graph: - 38.8 (*) – 39,1 – 39,0 – 39,1 – 40,1 – 40,1 – 40,8 (**) – 40,8 – Killed – Typical deisions (***). The virus V. B. of this goat, circulated naturally in the blood up to the third day, having passed into the milk, producing nothing in the kids, on account of the natural resistance of these animals to the disease. The Weil Felix reaction and that of Widal for the Burcellas suis, abortus and militensis were negative for the goat and the kids. It is remarkable that, even with inoculation of the living virus after a period of seven months we cannot get a real and absolute immunity of sensitive animals. We shall return to this subject later. The hart Mazama simplicicornis may be a carrier of the virus in Brasil. The experimental serum against the virus of Exanthematic neotropical typhus has not protected guinea-pigs.

Behavior of triatomines (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) vectors of Chagas' disease. II. Influence of feeding, lighting and time of day on the number of mating, mating speed and duration of copulation of Panstrongylus megistus (Burm, 1835) under laboratory conditions

To determine in influence of feeding, lighting and time of day on the copulating behavior of Panstrongylus megistus, 480 insect pairs were divided into four groups of 120 each and tested in the following respective situations: without food deprivation (F.D.), with five days of F.D., with ten days of F.D., and with 20 days of F. D. The tests were performed between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00a.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with light (700-1400 lux) and in the dark (1.4-2.8 lux) and behavior was recorded by the time sampling technique. Mating spped (MS) and duration of copulation (DC) were also calculated for each situation. The maximum frequency of copulation was observed after five days of F.D., at night, in the dark (n = 16), and the minimum was observed for recently-fed pairs, at night, with light (n = 4). Males approached females more often than females approached males. MS was lowest in pairs with twenty days of F.D., at night, with light (X = 23.0 ± 16.0 minutes), and highest in recently-fed pairs, during the day, with light (X = 2.9 ± 2.5 minutes). DC was shortest in recently-fed insects, during the day, in the dark (X = 23.5 ± 6.7 minutes), and longest in recently-fed animals, at night, in the dark (X = 38.3 ± 6.9 minutes).

The study of insect blood-feeding behaviour: 1. Feeding equipment, physical and endogenous factors, dose effect analysis, and diet destination

Experimental techniques that we have found useful during our studies of insect blood-feeding behaviour are reviewed. Some of the principal findings resulting from these techniques are discussed. Where directly applicable, the work of others is included, but no complete review of the subject has been attempted.

The study of insect blood-feeding behaviour: 2. Recording techniques and the use of flow charts

This paper continues a discussion of approaches and methodologies we have used in our studies of feeding in haematophagous insects. Described are techniques for directly monitoring behaviour: electrical recording of feeding behaviour via resistance changes in the food canal, optical methods for monitoring mouthpart activity, and a computer technique for behavioural event recording. Also described is the use of "flow charts" or "decision diagrams" to model interrelated sequences of behaviours.

Evaluation of Chagas' disease transmission through breast-feeding

On hundred milk or colostrum samples from 78 mothers with chronic Chagas' disease were parasitologically studied for Trypanosoma cruzi infection by means of direct examination and inoculation of mice. The mice were submitted to direct bllod examination three times a week. At the end of 45 days, xenodiagnosis and indirect immunofluorescent test (IFAT) for T. cruzi antibodies were carried out in the animals. No parasitized sample was observed even though five mothers had parasitemia at milk collection. In addition, 97 breast-fed children of chronic chagasic mothers, born free of infection, were tested for IgG antibodies to T. cruzi using IFAT. No case of T. cruzi infection was detected. The authors conclude that breast-feeding should not be avoided for children for chronic chagasic women. However, as these mothers had intermittent parasitemia, they should avoid nursing when there is nipple bleeding.

Development and current use of parenteral nutrition in critical care - an opinion paper.

Critically ill patients depend on artificial nutrition for the maintenance of their metabolic functions and lean body mass, as well as for limiting underfeeding-related complications. Current guidelines recommend enteral nutrition (EN), possibly within the first 48 hours, as the best way to provide the nutrients and prevent infections. EN may be difficult to realize or may be contraindicated in some patients, such as those presenting anatomic intestinal continuity problems or splanchnic ischemia. A series of contradictory trials regarding the best route and timing for feeding have left the medical community with great uncertainty regarding the place of parenteral nutrition (PN) in critically ill patients. Many of the deleterious effects attributed to PN result from inadequate indications, or from overfeeding. The latter is due firstly to the easier delivery of nutrients by PN compared with EN increasing the risk of overfeeding, and secondly to the use of approximate energy targets, generally based on predictive equations: these equations are static and inaccurate in about 70% of patients. Such high uncertainty about requirements compromises attempts at conducting nutrition trials without indirect calorimetry support because the results cannot be trusted; indeed, both underfeeding and overfeeding are equally deleterious. An individualized therapy is required. A pragmatic approach to feeding is proposed: at first to attempt EN whenever and as early as possible, then to use indirect calorimetry if available, and to monitor delivery and response to feeding, and finally to consider the option of combining EN with PN in case of insufficient EN from day 4 onwards.

BORN AT 27 WEEKS OF GESTATION WITH CLASSICAL PKU: CHALLENGES OF DIETETIC MANAGEMENT IN A VERY PRETERM INFANT

Only few cases of classical phenylketonuria (PKU) in premature infants have been reported. Treatment of these patients is challenging due to the lack of a phenylalanine-free amino acid solution for parenteral infusion. The boy was born at 27 weeks of gestation with a weight of 1000 g (P10). He received parenteral nutrition with a protein intake of 3 g/kg/day. On day 7 he was diagnosed with classical PKU (genotype IVS10-11G>A/IVS12+ 1G>A) due to highly elevated phenylalanine (Phe) level in newborn screening (2800 micromol/L). His maximum plasma Phe level reached 3696 micromol/L. Phe intake was stopped for 4 days. During this time the boy received intravenous glucose and lipids as well as little amounts of Phe-free formula by a nasogastric tube. Due to a deficit of essential amino acids and insufficient growth, a parenteral nutrition rich in branched-chain amino-acids and relatively poor in Phe was added, in order to promote protein synthesis without overloading in Phe. Under this regimen, Phe plasma levels normalized on day 19 when intake of natural protein was started. The boy has now a corrected age of 2 years. He shows normal growth parameters and psychomotor development. Despite a long period of highly elevated Phe levels in the postnatal period our patient shows good psychomotor development. The management of premature infants with PKU depends on the child's tolerance to enteral nutrition. It demands an intensive follow-up by an experienced team and dedicated dietician. Appropriate Phe-free parenteral nutrition would be necessary especially in case of gastro-intestinal complications of prematurity.