Non-consumptive effects of predators in coral reef communities and the indirect consequences of marine protected areas

Predators exert strong direct and indirect effects on ecological communities by intimidating their prey. Non-consumptive effects (NCEs) of predators are important features of many ecosystems and have changed the way we understand predator-prey interactions, but are not well understood in some systems. For my dissertation research I combined a variety of approaches to examine the effect of predation risk on herbivore foraging and reproductive behaviors in a coral reef ecosystem. In the first part of my dissertation, I investigated how diet and territoriality of herbivorous fish varied across multiple reefs with different levels of predator biomass in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. I show that both predator and damselfish abundance impacted diet diversity within populations for two herbivores in different ways. Additionally, reef protection and the associated recovery of large predators appeared to shape the trade-off reef herbivores made between territory size and quality. In the second part of my dissertation, I investigated context-dependent causal linkages between predation risk, herbivore foraging behavior and resource consumption in multiple field experiments. I found that reef complexity, predator hunting mode, light availability and prey hunger influenced prey perception of threat and their willingness to feed. This research argues for more emphasis on the role of predation risk in affecting individual herbivore foraging behavior in order to understand the implications of human-mediated predator removal and recovery in coral reef ecosystems.^

MARCAS ORGANIZACIONAIS E A AGREGAÇÃO DE VALOR INSTITUCIONAL POR MEIO DO INVESTIMENTO EM AÇÕES SOCIAIS ALTERNATIVAS

Em um cenário de mercado com alta competitividade e saturação, marcas e seus valores podem ter um papel decisivo na diferenciação e decisão de compra por parte dos consumidores. As marcas devem entender a necessidade da responsabilidade social e se preocuparem com questões sociais e ambientais, caso contrário, podem ser vistas com negatividade, isto é, como corporações que só desejam lucrar. Para compreender o espaço das marcas organizacionais na sociedade contemporânea, esta pesquisa apresenta um resgate de evoluções históricas, sobretudo nas últimas décadas, para mostrar os consideráveis progressos no modo de pensar em relação aos valores das marcas, ao relacionamento com públicos interessados e à sociedade em geral. É a partir destas análises que se apresenta a importância do investimento em causas sociais não como obrigação ou autopromoção, mas como abordagem que deve se tornar premissa básica e parte da cultura das organizações. O recorte desta pesquisa volta-se ao estudo de causas sociais menos difundidas ou de menor reper- cussão midiática, procurando verificar se o investimento nessas causas podem se refletir em valores para marcas, assim como se espera do apoio a causas mais conhe- cidas, como por exemplo, o câncer, a pobreza ou a fome. O estudo se complementa a partir de entrevistas em profundidade com executivos do Grupo Abril e da Volkswagen do Brasil para avaliar como estas organizações se posicionam frente à possibilidade de investir em causas menos conhecidas, como o daltonismo

US-Based Food and Agricultural Value Chains and Their Relevance to Healthy Diets.

This article examines the structure and health implications of two industries, chicken and tomatoes, that play prominent roles in US food and agricultural competitiveness. Both industries have become more concentrated over time, with powerful "lead firms" driving geographical, technological, and marketing changes. Overall, a processed food revolution has taken place in agricultural products that transforms the types of food and dietary options available to consumers. The nature of contemporary food and agricultural value chains affects the strategies and policies that can be effectively employed to address major health goals such as improved nutrition, food safety, and food security.

Non-Consumptive Effects of Predators in Coral Reef Communities and the Indirect Consequences of Marine Protected Areas

Predators exert strong direct and indirect effects on ecological communities by intimidating their prey. Non-consumptive effects (NCEs) of predators are important features of many ecosystems and have changed the way we understand predator-prey interactions, but are not well understood in some systems. For my dissertation research I combined a variety of approaches to examine the effect of predation risk on herbivore foraging and reproductive behaviors in a coral reef ecosystem. In the first part of my dissertation, I investigated how diet and territoriality of herbivorous fish varied across multiple reefs with different levels of predator biomass in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. I show that both predator and damselfish abundance impacted diet diversity within populations for two herbivores in different ways. Additionally, reef protection and the associated recovery of large predators appeared to shape the trade-off reef herbivores made between territory size and quality. In the second part of my dissertation, I investigated context-dependent causal linkages between predation risk, herbivore foraging behavior and resource consumption in multiple field experiments. I found that reef complexity, predator hunting mode, light availability and prey hunger influenced prey perception of threat and their willingness to feed. This research argues for more emphasis on the role of predation risk in affecting individual herbivore foraging behavior in order to understand the implications of human-mediated predator removal and recovery in coral reef ecosystems.

Complete and Voluntary Starvation of 50 days

A 34-year-old obese male (96.8 kg; BMI, 30.2 kg m⁻¹) volitionally undertook a 50-day fast with the stated goal of losing body mass. During this time, only tea, coffee, water, and a daily multivitamin were consumed. Severe and linear loss of body mass is recorded during these 50 days (final 75.4 kg; BMI, 23.5 kg m⁻¹). A surprising resilience to effects of fasting on activity levels and physical function is noted. Plasma samples are suggestive of early impairment of liver function, and perturbations to cardiovascular dynamics are also noted. One month following resumption of feeding behavior, body weight was maintained (75.0 kg; BMI, 23.4 kg m⁻¹). Evidence-based decision-making with the fasting or hunger striking patient is limited by a lack of evidence. This case report suggests that total body mass, not mass lost, may be a key observation in clinical decision-making during fasting and starvation.

The cost of a minimum essential food basket in Northern Ireland : Pilot study for two household types

A good diet and adequate food supply is central to promoting health and wellbeing. A poor quality diet is associated with higher rates of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Social and economic conditions impact on diet quality which in turn contributes to health inequalities. This relationship is recognised and addressed at a policy level in NI through the Fitter Future for all framework(1). Access to a healthy diet requires transport, money and skills such as budgeting and food preparation. Food is the most flexible aspect of the household budget due to the fact the consumers can meet hunger and calorie needs on cheaper, nutritionally-poor foods.

Handmade Education : Interactive Food for Children`s Learning

Back to the early age of human history, Human thought of food as any substance that provides nutrition for the body. Man needed to hunt animals for food. Nowadays, Food is consumed not just to stop hunger of the body, but it also feeds the souls. Food has already been used for many other objectives apart from eating such as for artistic creations and creative marketing campaigns. Likewise, this research will also show a new perspective of food – Food as an educational material for children.

Programa de aquisição de alimentos (2003-2010): avaliação da implementação pela CONAB no Rio Grande do Norte

This thesis aimed to evaluate the implementation of the Food Acquisition Program(PAA) through CONAB RN in the period of 2003-2010 with the perception of all agents involved in the implementation of the government program.For the methodological trajectory it was adopted a descriptive bibliographical and documentary approach with triangular qualitative and quantitative, also called evaluative research.The theoretical model was supported by the authors Draibe (2001), Aguilar and Ander-Egg (1994) and Silva(2001), among others, that focused on family farming and evaluation of implementation of public policy having as a category of analysis the size implementation of policy and the latter divided into 10 theoretical dimensions.The universe consisted of three groups: the first were the managers and technicians from CONAB(RN and Brasilia), totaling 15 subjects. The second group was of associations/cooperatives that participated in the programin 2010, totaling a sample in each access of 15 representatives. The third group of subjects totaled with 309 representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations that received donations of food for the same period. Semi-structured interviews and forms were adopted as instruments of data collection.The data were processed qualitatively by the analysis of content (interviews and documents) and quantitatively by means of statistical tests that allowed inferences and adoption of frequencies. Among the key find ingests that the program is not standing as a structure supported by planning. The interests of the performers do not necessarily converge with the objectives of the Food Acquisition Program (PAA). A shockof goals was identified (within the same program) when comparingthe financial agent (Ministry of Rural Development and of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger Ministry r) and the executor, CONAB/RN. Within the assessed dimensions, the most fragileis the sub-managerial decision-making and Organizational Environment and internal assessment, still deserves attention the sizeof logistical and operational Subsystem, as this also proved weak.The focusin the quest toexpand thequantificationof the resultsof theFood Acquisition Program (PAA)by CONAB/RN does forget a quality management focused on what really should be:the compliance with the institutional objectives of the government program.Finally, the perspective for the traded implementation should be re-examined because excessive discretion by managers along with technical staff has characterized there al role of the Food Acquisition Program (PAA) as public policy. We conclude that the implementation model, which apparently aggregates values to the benefitted citizens, has weakened the context of work on family farms having the management model of the implementation process be reviewed by the Federal Government and point too ther paths, which have as a guide line the emancipation and developmentof the field or in the field andat the same time enables the reduction of nutritional deficiency of beneficiaries in a balanced and coherent way

Différences liées à la récompense alimentaire, au statut pondéral et aux comportements alimentaires chez la femme

Ce mémoire présente mon projet de maîtrise dont l’objectif était d’étudier les associations entre la récompense alimentaire à l’égard des aliments riches en gras et en sucres, le statut pondéral et les comportements alimentaires. Cent cinquante femmes de poids normal ou obèses ont été invitées à compléter deux questionnaires : un sur la récompense alimentaire (plaisir explicite, motivation explicite et motivation implicite) et l’autre sur les comportements alimentaires [restriction cognitive (totale, flexible et rigide), désinhibition (totale, habituelle, émotionnelle et situationnelle) et susceptibilité à la faim (totale, interne et externe)]. Aucune association n’a été observée entre la récompense alimentaire et le statut pondéral. Toutefois, un plaisir et une motivation explicites plus importants pour les aliments en général ont été notés chez les femmes avec un score plus élevé de restriction flexible. De plus, une motivation implicite plus importante pour les aliments riches en gras tendait à être associée avec un score plus élevé de susceptibilité émotionnelle à la désinhibition et a été associée significativement avec un score plus élevé de faim externe. Ces résultats suggèrent que les comportements alimentaires ont une plus grande influence sur la récompense alimentaire que le statut pondéral.

Modification of aftertaste with a menthol mouthwash reduces food wanting, liking, and ad libitum intake of potato crisps

This research investigated the effect of modifying the aftertaste of potato crisps on (1) temporal sensory perception and (2) appetite using three mouthwash conditions (no mouthwash, a water mouthwash, and a menthol mouthwash). For the sensory study, 17 screened female subjects were trained on the Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) methodology. Subjects undertook TDS to monitor all sensory attributes during the mastication of a 2 g crisp until swallowing (at 20s), then conducted the mouthwash, and then continued the TDS task to monitor aftertaste until 90s. For the appetite study, 36 subjects (18 male, 18 female) completed 100 mm Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) for desire, liking, hunger, and thirst, followed by an ad libitum eating task. For the VAS scales testing, subjects chewed and swallowed a 2 g crisp, and then immediately conducted the mouthwash before completing the VAS scales. For the ad libitum task, subjects were given 12 min to consume as many crisps as they desired on a plate (up to 50 g). Every three minutes they were required to conduct a mouthwash. TDS results showed that in comparison with no mouthwash, the water mouthwash significantly reduced aftertaste attributes such as savoury, salty, and fatty mouthcoating, and the menthol mouthwash significantly increased aftertaste attributes of cooling, minty, and tingly. The water mouthwash did not influence desire and liking of crisps, or hunger and thirst. The water mouthwash did not influence ad libitum intake of the crisps over a 12 min period. The menthol mouthwash significantly reduced desire and liking of the crisps, as well as hunger and thirst. Furthermore, the menthol mouthwash significantly reduced ad libitum crisp intake by 29% over the 12 min period.

Revitalização dos saberes e práticas Kaingang sobre as plantas tradicionais como proposta de educação ambiental na terra indígena Ligeiro

O presente trabalho objetiva investigar a Revitalização dos Saberes e Práticas Kaingang Sobre as Plantas Tradicionais como Proposta de Educação Ambiental na comunidade Terra Indígena de Ligeiro no município de Charrua - RS. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de campo que busca melhor compreender o que provocou o abandono e esquecimento desses saberes, bem como possíveis alternativas teóricas e práticas para que a revitalização dos saberes culturais ancestrais seja realizada. Justifica-se pelo fato da utilização de plantas medicinais para o tratamento de enfermidades estar enraizada nas culturas indígenas e poder assim suprir, em parte, a deficiente atenção à saúde e as realidades da fome em muitas T.I. Foram realizadas visitas a campo para análise da situação atual e coleta de informações, com aplicação de entrevistas com vários indígenas, bem como com kujà e curandeiras; se implantou um horto medicinal com várias plantas, ervas e se distribuíram mudas de plantas frutíferas nativas. Para este projeto, dois alunos indígenas do IFRS - Campus Sertão atuaram na implantação deste Horto, assim como outros alunos indígenas da Escola Estadual Indígena de Ensino Médio Fág Mág (Pinheiro Grande) trabalharam e apoiaram na execução dessa ação. Através da realização de fotos e vídeos, foram analisadas também as expressões atuais da cultura Kaingang na conjuntura, os elementos significativos que estão guardados ao longo das gerações e apontamos os desafios de permanecer na comunidade e revitalizar com sustentabilidade os saberes e práticas Kaingang, sempre com um olhar incondicional pela natureza. Foram sistematizadas as denominações específicas da cada planta, em correspondência com seu nome científico e com o seu nome tradicional da cosmologia dual Kaingang (kam e kanhru). Conclui-se a partir dessa investigação que houve efetivamente o abandono e a falta de valorização de saberes e práticas relacionadas com a educação ambiental, pelas pressões da sociedade branca, o desejo de alguns indígenas de ser moderno e aceito na sociedade branca e pela ausência de trabalho de um educador ambiental. As iniciativas de revitalização são possíveis; o uso de plantas e alimentos tradicionais estão relacionadas com atividades que precisam ser vivenciadas primordialmente na escola, na relação com os kujà tradicionais e no desenvolvimento de projetos específicos e na motivação permanente para a responsabilidade ambiental, preservando a cultura e os costumes Kaingang que ainda são preciosos, especialmente na promoção da saúde da comunidade

Síntese de amidas graxas: uma nova família de lipídios biologicamente ativos

Amidas graxas são compostos orgânicos nitrogenados derivados de ácidos carboxílicos, as quais contém em sua estrutura uma longa cadeia carbônica (C16- C24), possuindo ou não insaturações. Estes compostos podem ser encontrados em vegetais terrestres ou aquáticos, microorganismos e animais. Já em meados do século passado, a identificação de duas amidas graxas: a N-araquidonoiletanolamina (AEA, 5) e a cis-oleamida (cOA, 6), membros mais conhecidos e estudados desta família, devido as suas propriedades como indutora do sono fisiológico e canabinomimética respectivamente; levantou o interesse para a investigação das propriedades, identificação, síntese e isolamento de novas amidas graxas. Atualmente as pesquisas acerca das amidas graxas se devem as suas atividades biológicas tais como: aumento da libido sexual, analgesia, inseticida ou agente redutor da fome. Neste contexto, objetivo desse trabalho foi desenvolver metodologias para a síntese de novas amidas graxas. As amidas foram produzidas a partir de ácidos graxos, via cloreto de ácido ou via ésteres metílicos graxos, em rendimentos compreendidos entre 44% e 88%. Todos os compostos sintetizados foram caracterizados por espectroscopia de Infravermelho e RMN de 1H e 13C. Ensaios citotóxicos em células eritroleucêmicas K562 para a série das pirrolidil amidas demonstraram atividade citotóxica e capacidade de inibir proliferação celular em menos de 72 horas na concentração máxima de 1000µg/mL.

Retratos da Guerra Civil Espanhola na obra de Juan Marsé

O conflito civil espanhol (1936-1939) teve consequências desastrosas para o país. No entanto, o período do pós-guerra foi igualmente difícil pela falta de valores, fragmentação de famílias, fome e miséria generalizada. Juan Marsé, escritor catalão, aborda invariavelmente o mesmo tema nas suas obras – a Barcelona do pós-guerra –, recuperando a memória desta fratura na História de Espanha. Deste modo, este artigo pretende analisar obras como Últimas tardes con Teresa, Si te dicen que caí ou Rabos de Lagartija e identificar paisagens físicas e humanas dessa época.

Learning from the lagoon: Research in development in Solomon Islands

A major challenge for international agricultural research is to find ways to improve the nutrition and incomes of people left behind by the Green Revolution. To better address the needs of the most marginal and vulnerable people, the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) developed the research-in-development (RinD) approach. In 2012, WorldFish started to implement RinD in Solomon Islands. By building people’s capacity to analyze and address development problems, actively engaging relevant stakeholders, and linking research to these processes, RinD aims to develop an alternative approach to addressing hunger and poverty. This report describes the key principles and implementation process, and assesses the emergent outcomes of this participatory, systems-oriented and transformative research approach in Solomon Islands.