Feeding preference of the South American endemic anomuran Aegla platensis (Decapoda, Anomura, Aeglidae)

In order to determine the feeding preference of Aegla platensis in streams and the importance of microorganisms in its detritivore diet, we carried out two experiments designed to evaluate the food preferences of A. platensis (1) among leaves with different levels of microbial colonization and (2) among insect larvae (Chironomidae, Simuliidae, Hydropsychidae) and microbially conditioned leaves. A. platensis preferred animal over plant food items; when only leaves were offered, this aeglid preferred the leaves with higher levels of microorganism conditioning.

Free diet selection by broilers as influenced by dietary macronutrient ratio and corticosterone supplementation. 1. Diet selection, organ weights, and plasma metabolites

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A ictiofauna e a atividade pesqueira na Ilha das Onças, Barcarena - Pará

A Ilha das Onças é uma das numerosas ilhas que se encontram na margem esquerda da Baía do Guajará, sendo conhecida principalmente pela presença da palmeira que produz o açaí como fruto (Euterpe oleracea,) e pela importância que seus canais representam para a navegação regional. Entre os principais canais que compõem a ilha, destaca-se o Canal do Piramanha, que atravessa a Ilha das Onças. A composição e a distribuição da ictiofauna presente na Ilha é pouco conhecida, com base nisso, esse trabalho teve como objetivo descrever as espécies da região, bem como do seu uso pelo ambiente, e a importância que possuem para a população local. Foram feitas entrevistas com os pescadores onde foram obtidas informações básicas sobre a pesca no local. Foram realizadas pescarias trimestrais de acordo com os períodos climáticos com rede de tapagem no igarapé e de emalhe no canal. No momento da despesca foram registrados in situ os dados abióticos (pH, salinidade, temperatura), que não apresentaram diferenças entre os períodos. Foram capturados 1200 indivíduos de 20 famílias de maioria Aspredinidae, Sciaenidae e Pimelodidae, distribuídos em 39 espécies identificadas (27 no canal e 26 no igarapé). As espécies foram em sua maioria constantes (FO>75%), e a diversidade foi similar ao longo do tempo, não havendo espécies dominantes em nenhum período de coleta. A estatística W mostra ambientes perturbados, nos meses mais chuvosos de março e dezembro, onde também foram registrados as maiores abundâncias (CPUEn e CPUEb), indicando a análise pode não ser adequada a ambientes onde há dominância de indivíduos de pequeno porte, fazendo com que o método confunda a existência natural de grande quantidade de indivíduos pequenos com uma troca de dominância. As análises multivariadas mostraram que os ambientes são significativamente diferentes, principalmente pela grande abundância numérica de A. aspredo no canal, e da P. squamosissimus no igarapé, que juntamente com o L. dorsalis, o H. marginatus, o A. aff. ucayalensis formam as principais espécies capturadas na Ilha. No canal houve maioria de espécies estuarinas, que se alimentam principalmente de zoobentos e peixes, e no igarapé, houve dominância de espécies dulcícolas, cujas preferências alimentares mudam ao longo do ano, aparentemente de acordo com o regime de chuvas. De maneira geral as espécies são de pequeno e médio porte (CT < 30 cm), imaturas (maioria em estádio A) e alimentando-se em pelo menos um período do ano. Apesar do ambiente favorável a pesca, 90% dos entrevistados tem no açaí sua principal fonte de renda, sendo a pesca colocada como fonte secundária, baseada nos períodos de safra e entre safra do açaí. A principal arte de pesca é o matapi que tem como alvo o camarão da Amazônia (Macrobachium amazonicum), seguida das malhadeiras e tapagens, cujas espécies alvo são na sua maioria as mesmas capturadas em abundancia nesse estudo. Pelo pequeno porte e baixo valor econômico, a pesca na ilha é realizada principalmente como fonte suplementar de proteínas, visto que a intensa atividade pesqueira e a perturbação causada pelas embarcações diminuem ainda mais esse número.

Substituição de refeições por lanches em adolescentes

OBJETIVO: Verificar a prevalência da substituição do almoço e do jantar por lanches em adolescentes e a associação com estado nutricional e sexo, assim como avaliar os alimentos que substituem as refeições. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com 106 adolescentes do ensino médio de uma escola técnica localizada no município de São Paulo, que responderam a um questionário sobre atitudes alimentares a partir do qual foi avaliada a frequência de substituição do almoço e do jantar por lanche e os alimentos substitutos. Foram aferidos o peso e a altura para o cálculo do índice de massa corpórea por idade, e a classificação do estado nutricional de acordo com o critério da Organização Mundial da Saúde. Foi realizada análise descritiva com nível de significância de 5%. RESULTADOS: Um terço dos adolescentes substituiu o almoço e metade deles substituiu o jantar por lanches. Verificou-se que mais meninas costumavam substituir refeições. Observou-se maior prevalência de substituição do almoço (40%) e do jantar (70%) por lanche entre adolescentes obesos. Sanduíches, salgados, pizzas e hambúrgueres foram os principais substitutos das refeições. CONCLUSÕES: Verificou-se prevalência elevada de substituição de refeições principais, principalmente do jantar, por lanches. Os substitutos do almoço e do jantar apresentavam, em sua maioria, alta densidade energética e baixo valor nutritivo.

Preferencia de alimento del erizo cachero "Arbacia lixula" (Echinodermata: Arbacidae) ante una dieta basada en dos macroalgas.

Se estudió la preferencia de alimento del erizo cachero (Arbacia lixula) al administrarle una dieta basada en dos macroalgas (Ulva sp. y Cystoceira humilis). Los erizos muestran una tendencia clara a consumir mayor cantidad del alga verde frente al alga parda.ABSTRACT The food preferences of the black sea urchin (Arbacia lixula) was studied giving it a diet based on two macroalgae (Ulva sp. and Cystoceira humilis). The sea urchins showed a clear tendency to consume a higher quantity of green algae against brown algae.

Rats Acquire Stronger Preference for Flavors Consumed Towards the End of a High-fat Meal

Rats learn to prefer flavors associated with postingestive effects of nutrients. The physiological signals underlying this postingestive reward are unknown. We have previously shown that rats readily learn to prefer a flavor that was consumed early in a multi-flavored meal when glucose is infused intragastrically (IG), suggesting rapid postingestive reward onset. The present experiments investigate the timing of postingestive fat reward, by providing distinctive flavors in the first and second halves of meals accompanied by IG fat infusion. Learning stronger preference for the earlier or later flavor would indicate when the rewarding postingestive effects are sensed. Rats consumed sweetened, calorically-dilute flavored solutions accompanied by IG high-fat infusion (+ sessions) or water (− sessions). Each session included an “Early” flavor for 8 min followed by a “Late” flavor for 8 min. Learned preferences were then assessed in two-bottle tests (no IG infusion) between Early(+) vs. Early(−), Late(+) vs. Late(−), Early(+) vs. Late(+), and Early(−) vs. Late(−). Rats only preferred Late(+), not Early(+), relative to their respective (−) flavors. In a second experiment rats trained with a higher fat concentration learned to prefer Early(+) but more strongly preferred Late(+). Learned preferences were evident when rats were tested deprived or recently satiated. Unlike with glucose, ingested fat appears to produce a slower-onset rewarding signal, detected later in a meal or after its termination, becoming more strongly associated with flavors towards the end of the meal. This potentially contributes to enhanced liking for dessert foods, which persists even when satiated.

Properties of water masses, taxa abundance, and isotopic ratios of samples obtained around Svalbard archipelago

The feeding strategies of Calanus hyperboreus, C. glacialis, and C. finmarchicus were investigated in the high-Arctic Svalbard region (77-81 °N) in May, August, and December, including seasons with algal blooms, late- to post-bloom situations, and unproductive winter periods. Stable isotope and fatty acid trophic marker (FATM) techniques were employed together to assess trophic level (TL), carbon sources (phytoplankton vs. ice algae), and diet of the three Calanus species. In addition, population development, distribution, and nutritional state (i.e. storage lipids) were examined to estimate their population status at the time of sampling. In May and August, the vertical distribution of the three Calanus species usually coincided with the maximum algal biomass. Their stable isotope and fatty acid (FA) composition indicated that they all were essentially herbivores in May, when the algal biomass was highest. Their FA composition, however, revealed different food preferences. C. hyperboreus had high proportions of 18:4n3, suggesting that it fed mainly on Phaeocystis, whereas C. glacialis and C. finmarchicus had high proportions of 16:4n1, 16:1n7, and 20:5n3, suggesting diatoms as their major food source. Carbon sources (i.e. phytoplankton vs. ice algae) were not possible to determine solely from FATM techniques since ice-diatoms and pelagic-diatoms were characterised by the same FA. However, the enriched d13C values of C. glacialis and C. finmarchicus in May indicated that they fed both on pelagic- and ice-diatoms. Patterns in absolute FA and fatty alcohol composition revealed that diatoms were the most important food for C. hyperboreus and C. glacialis, followed by Phaeocystis, whereas diatoms, Phaeocystis and other small autotrophic flagellates were equally important food for C. finmarchicus. During periods of lower algal biomass, only C. glacialis exhibited evidence of significant dietary switch, with a TL indicative of omnivory (mean TL=2.4). Large spatial variability was observed in population development, distribution, and lipid store sizes in August. At the northernmost station at the southern margin of the Arctic Ocean, the three Calanus species had similarly low lipid stores as they had in May, suggesting that they ascended later in the year. In December, relatively lipid-rich specimens had TL similar to those during the peak productive season (TL~2.0), suggesting that they were hibernating and not feeding on the available refractory material available at that time of the year. In contrast, lipid-poor specimens in December had substantially high TL (TL=2.5), suggesting that they were active and possibly were feeding.

Station characteristics and copepod fatty alcohol, fatty acid and lipid composition during MSM02/4 in Fram Strait

The biodiversity of pelagic deep-sea ecosystems has received growing scientific interest in the last decade, especially in the framework of international marine biodiversity initiatives, such as Census of Marine Life (CoML). While a growing number of deep-sea zooplankton species has been identified and genetically characterized, little information is available on the mechanisms minimizing inter-specific competition and thus allowing closely related species to co-occur in the deep-sea pelagic realm. Focussing on the two dominant calanoid copepod families Euchaetidae and Aetideidae in Fram Strait, Arctic Ocean, the present study strives to characterize ecological niches of co-occurring species, with regard to vertical distribution, dietary composition as derived from lipid biomarkers, and trophic level on the basis of stable isotope signatures. Closely related species were usually restricted to different depth layers, resulting in a multi-layered vertical distribution pattern. Thus, vertical partitioning was an important mechanism to avoid inter-specific competition. Species occurring in the same depth strata usually belonged to different genera. They differed in fatty acid composition and trophic level, indicating different food preferences. Herbivorous Calanus represent major prey items for many omnivorous and carnivorous species throughout the water column. The seasonal and ontogenetic vertical migration of Calanus acts as a short-cut in food supply for pelagic deep-sea ecosystems in the Arctic.

Família à mesa: com a palavra, mães e filhos

Introdução O comportamento alimentar do indivíduo resulta de decisões, conscientes ou não, relacionadas à cultura alimentar de sua região, à tradição alimentar de seu convívio social e às transformações decorridas do acesso à informação científica e popular. Objetivo Analisar a alimentação de adolescentes, residentes na região Norte do município de São José dos Campos (SP), na perspectiva da família. Materiais e métodos Estudo qualitativo, realizado em 2014 e 2015, com mães e adolescentes do 6o ano do ensino fundamental municipal. Dados sobre percepção, conhecimento, comportamento e barreiras para uma alimentação saudável dos adolescentes foram produzidos por meio de grupos focais. Entrevistas semiestruturadas foram realizadas com as mães dos estudantes para investigar aspectos sobre alimentação da família e relação com formação de práticas e comportamentos alimentares dos filhos. Os discursos foram registrados com auxílio de um gravador de voz, e transcritos posteriormente para análise, por meio da técnica de análise de conteúdo temática. Foram realizados 4 grupos focais com 6 estudantes cada, e 15 entrevistas com mães. Resultados e discussão Os discursos foram classificados em temas: comportamento alimentar, preferências alimentares e conhecimentos e crenças. Verificou-se que a alimentação dos adolescentes pode ser influenciada pelo comportamento alimentar dos pais. Mães e adolescentes percebemse conscientes e julgam sobre o que comem. Entretanto, a fala muitas vezes está distante da prática, seja por negligencia, dificuldade em perceber possibilidades de ação, questões emotivas ou pelo hábito formado, considerado a maior dificuldade para mudanças relacionadas à alimentação, tanto das mães quanto adolescentes. Possibilidades de soluções, quando referidas, eram por vezes permeadas por conflitos, causando insatisfação em mães e filhos. O contexto no qual esses individuos estão inseridos deve ser considerado, como o bairro e a escola, os quais contribuem para a determinação das escolhas alimentares. Conclusão a família exerce importante papel no comportamento alimentar de adolescentes, entretanto, a compreensão sobre o tema deve considerar, sobretudo, a cultura e o meio social em que a dinâmica familiar está contextualizada.

Evidence of different thermoregulatory mechanisms between two sympatric Scarabaeus species using infrared thermography and micro-computer tomography

In endotherms insects, the thermoregulatory mechanisms modulate heat transfer from the thorax to the abdomen to avoid overheating or cooling in order to obtain a prolonged flight performance. Scarabaeus sacer and S. cicatricosus, two sympatric species with the same habitat and food preferences, showed daily temporal segregation with S. cicatricosus being more active during warmer hours of the day in opposition to S. sacer who avoid it. In the case of S. sacer, their endothermy pattern suggested an adaptive capacity for thorax heat retention. In S. cicatricosus, an active ‘heat exchanger’ mechanism was suggested. However, no empirical evidence had been documented until now. Thermographic sequences recorded during flight performance showed evidence of the existence of both thermoregulatory mechanisms. In S. sacer, infrared sequences showed a possible heat insulator (passive thermal window), which prevents heat transfer from meso- and metathorax to the abdomen during flight. In S. cicatricosus, infrared sequences revealed clear and effective heat flow between the thorax and abdomen (abdominal heat transfer) that should be considered the main mechanism of thermoregulation. This was related to a subsequent increase in abdominal pumping (as a cooling mechanism) during flight. Computer microtomography scanning, anatomical dissections and internal air volume measurements showed two possible heat retention mechanisms for S. sacer; the abdominal air sacs and the development of the internal abdominal sternites that could explain the thermoregulation between thorax and abdomen. Our results suggest that interspecific interactions between sympatric species are regulated by very different mechanisms. These mechanisms create unique thermal niches for the different species, thereby preventing competition and modulating spatio-temporal distribution and the composition of dung beetle assemblages.

Ko shi sho shi /

On double leaves, oriental style.

Barriers and facilitators to cooking from 'scratch' using basic or raw ingredients: A qualitative interview study

Background: Previous research has highlighted an ambiguity in understanding cooking related terminology and a number of barriers and facilitators to home meal preparation. However, meals prepared in the home still include convenience products (typically high in sugars, fats and sodium) which can have negative effects on health. Therefore, this study aimed to qualitatively explore: (1) how individuals define cooking from ‘scratch’, and (2) their barriers and facilitators to cooking with basic ingredients.
Methods: 27 semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants (aged 18-58 years) living on the island of Ireland, eliciting definitions of ‘cooking from scratch’ and exploring the reasons participants cook in a particular way. The interviews were professionally transcribed verbatim and Nvivo 10 was used for an inductive thematic analysis.
Results: Our results highlighted that although cooking from ‘scratch’ lacks a single definition, participants viewed it as optimal cooking. Barriers to cooking with raw ingredients included: 1) time pressures; (2) desire to save money; (3) desire for effortless meals; (4) family food preferences; and (5) effect of kitchen disasters. Facilitators included: 1) desire to eat for health and well-being; (2) creative inspiration; (3) ability to plan and prepare meals ahead of time; and (4) greater self-efficacy in one’s cooking ability.
Conclusions: Our findings contribute to understanding how individuals define cooking from ‘scratch’, and barriers and facilitators to cooking with raw ingredients. Interventions should focus on practical sessions to increase cooking self-efficacy; highlight the importance of planning ahead and teach methods such as batch cooking and freezing to facilitate cooking from scratch.

Choosing foods for infants: a qualitative study of the factors that influence mothers

BACKGROUND: Examining the experiences of parents making food choices for infants is important because ultimately this influences what infants eat. Infancy is a critical period when food preferences and eating behaviour begin to develop, shaping dietary patterns, growth and health outcomes. There is limited evidence regarding what or why foods are chosen for infants. OBJECTIVE: To describe the experiences of mothers making food choices for their infant children. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 32 Australian mothers of infants aged four to 15 months from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. An inductive thematic analysis through a process of constant comparison was conducted on transcribed interviews. RESULTS: Mothers described many ideas and circumstances which influenced food choices they made for infants. Themes were developed which encapsulate how the wider environment and individual circumstances combine to result in the food choices made for infants. Beliefs, values, norms and knowledge were a central influence on choices. Cost, quality and availabilities of various foods were also key factors. Related to this, and combined with inherent factors such as perishability and infant acceptability, fresh fruits and vegetables were often singled out as an easy or difficult choice. Influences of time, parents' capacities, social connections and different information sources were clearly apparent. Finally infants' own preferences and how parents helped infants with learning to eat were also key influences on food choices. CONCLUSIONS: Choosing foods for infants is a complex social practice. An ecological framework depicting the multiple influences on what people eat and sociological theory on food choice regarding the role of 'social structure' and 'human agency' are both applicable to the process of choosing foods for infants. Equity issues may be key regarding the degree to which mothers can choose particular foods for infants (e.g. choosing foods which promote health).

Effect of flour processing on the quality characteristics of a soy-based beverage

Four treatments (roasting, germination, autoclaving and an application of 0.5% EDTA+0.5% sodium hydroxide) were used to reduce the beany flavour of soya beans to produce a soy-based beverage. While germination significantly increased the protein level as compared to the other treatments, the maximum reduction of the beany flavour was achieved by the 0.5% EDTA+0.5% sodium hydroxide application. The soya beans that underwent this treatment were used during the second phase for optimized beverage formulation. During the second phase, a beverage was prepared according to different formulations and analysed for chemical composition and total viable count during a two-month storage period. During storage, the beverage samples exhibited variations in several parameters. The acidity, reducing sugars and total sugars increased, while the ascorbic acid, total soluble solids and pH decreased. Overall, chemical and microbial analyses showed the stability of the product during the storage period.