Data base on pelagic ciliates grazing and growth rate as a function of size, prey size and type compiled from the literature

Microzooplankton (the 20 to 200 µm size class of zooplankton) is recognised as an important part of marine pelagic ecosystems. In terms of biomass and abundance pelagic ciliates are one of the important groups of organism in microzooplankton. However, their rates - grazing and growth - , feeding behaviour and prey preferences are poorly known and understood. A set of data was assembled in order to derive a better understanding of pelagic ciliates rates, in response to parameters such as prey concentration, prey type (size and species), temperature and their own size. With these objectives, literature was searched for laboratory experiments with information on one or more of these parameters effect studied. The criteria for selection and inclusion in the database included: (i) controlled laboratory experiment with a known ciliates feeding on a known prey; (ii) presence of ancillary information about experimental conditions, used organisms - cell volume, cell dimensions, and carbon content. Rates and ancillary information were measured in units that meet the experimenter need, creating a need to harmonize the data units after collection. In addition different units can link to different mechanisms (carbon to nutritive quality of the prey, volume to size limits). As a result, grazing rates are thus available as pg C/(ciliate*h), µm**3/(ciliate*h) and prey cell/(ciliate*h); clearance rate was calculated if not given and growth rate is expressed as the growth rate per day.

Compromised disease resistance in saponin-deficient plants

Saponins are glycosylated plant secondary metabolites found in many major food crops [Price, K. R., Johnson, I. T. & Fenwick, G. R. (1987) CRC Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 26, 27–133]. Because many saponins have potent antifungal properties and are present in healthy plants in high concentrations, these molecules may act as preformed chemical barriers to fungal attack. The isolation of plant mutants defective in saponin biosynthesis represents a powerful strategy for evaluating the importance of these compounds in plant defense. The oat root saponin avenacin A-1 fluoresces under ultraviolet illumination [Crombie, L., Crombie, W. M. L. & Whiting, D. A. (1986) J. Chem. Soc. Perkins 1, 1917–1922], a property that is extremely rare among saponins. Here we have exploited this fluorescence to isolate saponin-deficient (sad) mutants of a diploid oat species, Avena strigosa. These sad mutants are compromised in their resistance to a variety of fungal pathogens, and a number of lines of evidence suggest that this compromised disease resistance is a direct consequence of saponin deficiency. Because saponins are widespread throughout the plant kingdom, this group of secondary metabolites may have general significance as antimicrobial phytoprotectants.

Antecedentes históricos de la actividad dietética en España: los trabajos del Laboratorio de Higiene de la Alimentación de la Escuela Nacional de Sanidad (1932-1936)

Se analiza la actividad dietética desarrollada por la Escuela Nacional de Sanidad entre 1932 y 1936. Como principal fuente de información se han utilizado los trabajos publicados por el personal adscrito a su Laboratorio de Higiene de la Alimentación. Con el objeto de poder confeccionar regímenes dietéticos adaptados a la realidad española, se pretendía investigar la composición química (agua, fécula, proteínas, grasa y sales minerales) de los alimentos españoles y su contenido vitamínico. Se estudiaron, siguiendo las recomendaciones y los criterios de los organismos internacionales, algunos de los productos de consumo más frecuente, como aceite de oliva, patatas, tomates frescos y en lata, fresa, fresón, peras, ciruelas e higo chumbo, además de algunas conservas. Los resultados obtenidos ponían de manifiesto las diferencias que existían con los datos ofrecidos por autores extranjeros, entre las que destacaba la mayor riqueza vitamínica de productos como el aceite de oliva andaluz o el tomate fresco valenciano. Estas diferencias se atribuían al factor geoclimático. También se estudiaron, en el caso del cocido, la paella y la yema de huevo, las modificaciones que podían producir los procesos culinarios en la composición de los alimentos empleados.

Physical Health Problems and Environmental Challenges Influence Balancing Behaviour in Laying Hens

With rising public concern for animal welfare, many major food chains and restaurants are changing their policies, strictly buying their eggs from non-cage producers. However, with the additional space in these cage-free systems to perform natural behaviours and movements comes the risk of injury. We evaluated the ability to maintain balance in adult laying hens with health problems (footpad dermatitis, keel damage, poor wing feather cover; n = 15) using a series of environmental challenges and compared such abilities with those of healthy birds (n = 5). Environmental challenges consisted of visual and spatial constraints, created using a head mask, perch obstacles, and static and swaying perch states. We hypothesized that perch movement, environmental challenges, and diminished physical health would negatively impact perching performance demonstrated as balance (as measured by time spent on perch and by number of falls of the perch) and would require more exaggerated correctional movements.We measured perching stability whereby each bird underwent eight 30-second trials on a static and swaying perch: with and without disrupted vision (head mask), with and without space limitations (obstacles) and combinations thereof. Video recordings (600 Hz) and a three-axis accelerometer/gyroscope (100 Hz) were used to measure the number of jumps/falls, latencies to leave the perch, as well as magnitude and direction of both linear and rotational balance-correcting movements. Laying hens with and without physical health problems, in both challenged and unchallenged environments, managed to perch and remain off the ground. We attribute this capacity to our training of the birds. Environmental challenges and physical state had an effect on the use of accelerations and rotations to stabilize themselves on a perch. Birds with physical health problems performed a higher frequency of rotational corrections to keep the body centered over the perch, whereas, for both health categories, environmental challenges required more intense and variable movement corrections. Collectively, these results provide novel empirical support for the effectiveness of training, and highlight that overcrowding, visual constraints, and poor physical health all reduce perching performance.

Gut filling, gut content and fatty acid composition of demersal fish species sampled during POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXIV/2

The gut contents and fatty acid composition of 49 fish belonging to five Antarctic demersal families (Nototheniidae, Macrouridae, Channichtyidae, Bathydraconidae and Artedidraconidae) sampled at two stations at the Southern Ocean shelf and deep sea (600 and 2150 m) were analysed in order to identify their main food resource by linking trophic biomarkers with the dietary items found in the fish guts. Main food items of most fish analysed were amphipod crustaceans (e.g. in 63% of Trematomus bernachii guts) and polychaetes (e.g. in 80% of Bathydraco sp. guts), but other food items including fish, other crustaceans and gastropods were also ingested. The most prominent fatty acids found were 20:5(n-3), 16:0, 22:6(n-3) and 18:1(n-9). The results of gut content and fatty acid analyses indicate that all fish except the Channichthyidae share similar food resources irrespective of their depth distribution, i.e. benthic amphipods and polychaetes. A difference of the dietary spectrum can be observed with ontogenetic phases rather than between species, as high values of typical calanoid copepod marker fatty acids as 22:1(n-11) indicate that younger (smaller) specimens include more zooplankton in their diet.

American cookery.

Issues for Sept. 1944-Feb. 1945 called v. 49, no. 1-6; Mar.-June 1945 called v. 50, no. 7-10.

Area trends in employment and unemployment.

Supplements issued bimonthly, April 1961-June 1963.

Dietary ecology of the Australian freshwater turtle (Elseya sp.: Chelonia : Chelidae) in the Burnett River, Queensland

The Burnett River snapping turtle (Elseya sp.) from the Burnett, Mary and Fitzroy river systems is an undescribed Australian freshwater turtle, of which very little ecological information is known. This paper describes the dietary ecology of the species in the Burnett River catchment. Stomach and faecal samples were collected from turtles and an index of relative importance was used to rank food items found in stomach samples. This index indicated that algae and aquatic ribbon weed (Vallisneria) were the dominant food items consumed. No difference in diet was found between males and females. Although the sample size was small, diet appeared to vary slightly seasonally, with Elseya sp. selectively feeding on the flower buds of the Chinese elm tree (Celtis chinensis) and the seeds of the blackbean tree (Castanospermum australe) when these food items were seasonally available. Faecal samples suggest that the most ingested foods ( algae and aquatic ribbon weed) were also the most digestible. Although predominantly herbivorous, Elseya sp. was seen to eat carrion once in the wild.

Aspects of the feeding behaviour of intensively reared trout

Feeding behaviour of trained rainbow trout was investigated by the use of demand feeders, under different light conditions. The effects of the energy content of diet, and the size, colour and texture of feed pellets, on the feeding behaviour, were studied. An attempt was made to locate the assumed centres for feeding and satiety in the hypothalamus of brain by the intraperitoneal injections of goldthioglucose. Feeding under nine different constant photoperiods at 160 lux, at a temperature of 13.5°C, showed that trout exhibit a rhythmic pattern of feeding behaviour in all photoperiods except in continuous darkness.Feeding rhythms of trout attributable to the degree of gut distension were formed every eight to ten hours. Further studies by varying levels of light intensity revealed the interaction of light intensity and photoperiod. At shorter photoperiods lower levels of light intensity decreased the feeding activity in terms of food intake but by increasing the photoperiod the same feeding activity was accomplished as by the fish subject to a short photoperiod but under higher light intensity.Simulated effect of increasing and decreasing daylengths did not affect the overall food intake and growth performance. Trout are quite efficient in adjusting their food intake in terms of energy content. Colour, size and texture of feed pellets affect the feeding responses and elicit preferential food selection behaviour in trout. Goldthioglucose induced some reversable toxic effects upon general physiology of trout and did not produce any lesions in the assumed areas of feeding and satiety centres in the brain.  It was concluded that the feeding behaviour of trout exhibited selective preferences according to the physical nature of food items and those preferences could be further influenced by the biotic and abiotic factors, light being one of the most important abiotic factors.

Leveraged Buyouts: Opportunities and Risks

This article presents a general overview of leveraged buyouts, relating their feasibility as an option for hospitality management. Specifically, the author explores the background and main features of leveraged buyouts, focusing attention on their risks and rewards, management's opportunities, tax ramifications, planning, and future outlook. Denny's leveraged buyout is examined in order to provide an insight into the structuring of a buyout for a major food service firm.

Restructuring In The Hospitality Industry

In her dialogue entitled - Restructuring in the Hospitality Industry - Elisa S. Moncarz, Associate Professor, the School of Hospitality Management at Florida International University, intends for you to know the following: “Recent years have seen a proliferation of restructurings of major American corporations creating an extremely important issue that has affected U.S. business. This article discusses restructuring issues in the hospitality industry, focusing attention on its causes and motivations, as well as on its benefits and perils. The author considers the impact of restructuring on investors and management while examining recent restructurings involving hospitality firms.” In defining the concept of restructuring, Associate Professor Moncarz informs you, “Restructuring entails the implementation of fundamental and comprehensive modification of a company's operational and/or financial structure.” “It has, indeed, become fashionable to take a company apart and put it back together in a different form,” the author says. Additionally, Moncarz refers to a Wall Street Journal study, dated August 1985, which reveals that nearly half the large American corporations were, or were soon to be restructured in the 1984/85 time frame. There are several distinct types of restructurings and the author wants you to be aware of some of them. “…threats of takeover attempts, the larger part of all restructuring have been initiated willingly in order to expand or divest a company's line of business (i.e., operational restructurings) or redirect its finances (i.e., financial restructurings),” the author reveals. “Two principal types of operational restructurings are mergers and acquisitions [M&A], and divestitures [disposing of unwanted units or assets],” Moncarz further defines the concepts of expansion and divestiture. The author explains several types of financial restructuring sketches used in the hospitality industry, including stock re-purchasing, debt issuances and redemptions, swapping debt for equity, and effective theories of realigning debt through extending loans and/or revising terms. To expand their businesses, Moncarz makes anecdotal reference to several major food and beverage corporations that have successfully employed operational restructuring principles. The author wades into the shallow end of the hostile takeover pool by explaining some of the corporate restructuring concepts used to repel that aggressive technique. Walt Disney Company completely redesigned their entire upper level management structure in a successful effort to thwart a hostile takeover bid by corporate raider Saul P. Steinberg, Moncarz informs. To close, the author touches on leveraged buyouts [LBOs], and stock repurchases to divest unwanted divisions and immobilize hostile takeover attempts. A lengthy table of - Selected Restructurings in the Hospitality Industry [1982 to date of article] – is also included.

The Use of Thermal Capacity in Measuring the Effectiveness of Meals on Wheels Transport Containers

The Meals on Wheels (MOW) program is designed to help combat hunger in persons needing assistance. MOW has a duty not only to provide food but also to ensure that it reaches eligible clients safely. Given the population that MOW serves, transporting food safely takes on increased importance. This experiment focused on the major food safety issue of maintaining temperature integrity through the use of transport containers. For containers that did not contain electric heating elements, several factors influenced how fast the food temperature fell. Those factors included the U-value and size of the container as well as how many meals were in the container. As predicted, the smaller the U-value, the longer it took the temperature to fall. Larger containers did better at maintaining food temperatures, provided they were fully loaded. In general, fully loaded small and medium containers were better at maintaining food temperatures than larger containers loaded with the same number of meals.

Development and assessment of a method to estimate meal intake of nursing home residents

The objective was to develop and validate a method for estimating food intake of nursing home residents. The study was conducted with certified nursing assistants (CNAs) at a 180-bed nursing facility. CNAs assisted in the development of the new method by providing feedback on existing estimation methods. Four simulated resident trays were used to estimate both food intake and overall meal intake. Twelve CNAs' intake estimates for 34 simulated food items (n=384 estimates) were compared to weighed values. Eightyfive percent of the 384 intake estimates for the simulated food items were correct; Cohen's kappa was 0.80, p

Ecologia e história natural de população Hemidactylus agrius (Squamata: Gekkonidae) em área de Caatinga, com avaliação da distribuição das espécies nativas do gênero no nordeste do Brasil

The genus Hemidactylus Oken, 1817 has cosmopolite distribution, with three species occurring in Brazil, two of them native, H. brasilianus and H. agrius, and one exotic, H. mabouia. Considering the studies about ecology of lizards conducted in the Ecological Station of the Seridó, from 2001 to 2011, this study aimed (1) to re-evaluate the occurrence of the species of Hemidactylus in this ESEC; (2) to analyze ecological and biological aspects of the H. agrius population; and (3) to investigate the current and potential distribution of the native species of the genus in northeastern Brazil, analyzing the suitability of ESEC to this taxon. For the first two objectives, a sampling area consisting of five transects of 200 x 20 m, was inspected in alternating daily shifts for three consecutive days, from August 2012 to August 2013. For the latter objective, occurrence points of H. agrius and H. brasilianus from literature and from the database of Herpetological Collections of the UFRN and the UNICAMP were consulted to build predictive maps via the Maximum Entropy algorithm (MaxEnt). In ESEC Seridó, 62 H. agrius individuals were collected (25 females, 18 males and 19 juveniles), and two neonates were obtained from a communal nest incubated in the laboratory. No record was made for the other two species of the genus. Hemidactylus agrius demonstrated to be a nocturnal species specialized in habitats with rocky outcrops; but this species is generalist regarding microhabitat use. In the population studied, females had an average body length greater than males, and showed higher frequencies of caudal autotomy. Regarding diet, H. agrius is a moderately generalist species that consumes arthropods, especially insect larvae, Isoptera and Araneae; and vertebrates, with a case of cannibalism registered in the population. With respect to seasonal differences, only the number of food items ingested differed between seasons. The diet was similar between sexes, but ontogenetic differences were recorded for the total volume and maximum length of the food items. Significant relationships were found between lizard body/head size measurements and the maximum length of prey consumed. Cases of polydactyly and tail bifurcation were recorded in the population, with frequencies of 1.6% and 3.1%, respectively. In relation xv to the occurrence points of the native species, 27 were identified, 14 for H. agrius and 13 for H. brasilianus. The first species presented restricted distribution, while the second showed a wide distribution. In both models generated, the ESEC Seridó area showed medium to high suitability. The results of this study confirm the absence of H. brasilianus and H. mabouia this ESEC, and reveal H. agrius as a dietary opportunist and cannibal species. Further, the results confirm the distribution patterns shown by native species of Hemidactylus, and point ESEC Seridó as an area of probable occurrence for the species of the genus, the establishing of H. brasilianus and H. mabouia are probably limited by biotic factors, a fact yet little understood

Determinação da composição química de quatro variedades de feijão caupi (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) cultivadas em solo potiguar

The cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is a major food crops in northeastern Brazil. In Rio Grande do Norte, the cowpea, vigna beans or cowpea, as it is known, has great socioeconomic importance as a source of nutrients in food, with great emphasis among agricultural products. To improve productivity and resistance to pests, two cultivars were developed exclusively by EMPARN (Agricultural Research Corporation of Rio Grande do Norte), for breeding. The samples were provided by EMPARN, two improved (Potiguar and Laugh year) and two landraces (Rib of beef and Canapu). The seeds were ground and made into flour samples and the determination of moisture and ash by graviméticos methods, lipids by Soxhlet extraction, fibers with determiner fiber, carbohydrates by difference and minerals by ICP-OES were performed except the match analyzed by UVvis. The results showed a high fiber content (55.55% and 55.32% and 50.04% improved samples and 50.32% creole samples) and protein (25.52% and 25.27% improved and 27 samples, 23% and 24.99% creole samples). Comparing the results of the mineral content, the improved cultivars stood out in relation to Ca, Co, P, Mg, Mo and Na. Creole cultivars showed better results for Cu, Cr (low), Fe, Mn, Ni, K and Zn. The results will be important in future nutritional research and to build a table of Brazilian chemical composition of foods.