Feeding behaviour Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Ticks and tick-borne diseases affect animal and human health worldwide and are the cause of significant economic losses. Approximately 10% of the currently known 867 tick species act as vectors of a broad range of pathogens of domestic... more

Ticks and tick-borne diseases affect animal and human health worldwide and are the cause of significant economic losses. Approximately 10% of the currently known 867 tick species act as vectors of a broad range of pathogens of domestic animals and humans and are also responsible for damage directly due to their feeding behaviour. The most important tick species and the effects they cause are listed. The impact on the global economy is considered to be high and although some estimates are given, there is a lack of reliable data. The impact of ticks and tick-borne diseases on animal production and public health and their control are discussed.

The hedonic valence of taste perception plays a crucial role in the control of responses related to feeding behaviour. Taste and olfaction perception can induce autonomic responses, such as heart rate variability (HRV), which are involved... more

The hedonic valence of taste perception plays a crucial role in the control of responses related to feeding behaviour. Taste and olfaction perception can induce autonomic responses, such as heart rate variability (HRV), which are involved in the evoked emotional reactions. Analysis of HRV can help distinguish sympathetic from parasympathetic regulation of the sinoatrial node. In this work, we analysed the HRV associated with oral flavour stimuli with opposite hedonic dimension and assessed their sympathovagal balance. ECGs were recorded continuously on 11 men and 12 women before and after stimulations. Experiments were performed in two sessions for comparison. ANOVA highlighted the decreases and increases of sinusal rhythm associated with pleasant and unpleasant flavour stimulations, respectively. Time and frequency domain analysis of HRV indicates that bradycardia induced by the pleasant stimulus can be attributed to an increase in the vagal tone, whilst tachycardia evoked by the unpleasant stimulus denotes a reduction of the vagal tone in women and an increase of the sympathetic tone in men. In conclusion, our data suggest that the HRV analysis may represent a valuable tool for autonomic nervous system response characterization associated to the hedonic dimension of the complex flavour sensations induced by food and/or beverages.

The inflorescences of 53 plant species in a variety of habitats were examined for the presence of adult hymenopteran parasitoids (‘Parasitica’ only), and the wasps observed for feeding behaviour. At inflorescences of 32 of the plant... more

The inflorescences of 53 plant species in a variety of habitats were examined for the presence of adult hymenopteran parasitoids (‘Parasitica’ only), and the wasps observed for feeding behaviour. At inflorescences of 32 of the plant species examined, over 1000 parasitoid individuals were observed displaying feeding behaviour (either feeding at nectaries or displaying behaviour associated with searching for food). Over 900 individuals were collected. Around 250 species belonging to 15 families of Hymenoptera were represented. The taxonomic, behavioural and ecological significance of known parasitoid-food plant associations are discussed, and the literature reviewed.

Leptin plays an important role in the control of food intake and body weight homeostasis. In humans, leptin is produced by adipocytes, placental cells and secretory cells of the mammary epithelium. Recently, it has been reported that... more

Leptin plays an important role in the control of food intake and body weight homeostasis. In humans, leptin is produced by adipocytes, placental cells and secretory cells of the mammary epithelium. Recently, it has been reported that stomach glands produce leptin in rats. To test the expression of leptin protein in human stomach and localize, by immunocytochemistry, the specific cell type producing leptin. Endoscopic stomach biopsies of six patients were used to investigate leptin production in the fundic epithelium using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of RNA. Leptin protein was detected by immunoblot analysis and localized by immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural immunocytochemistry (immunogold method). Human gastric epithelium expresses leptin mRNA and leptin protein. The cells in the lower half of the stomach glands were immunoreactive for leptin. Ultrastructural immunocytochemistry showed leptin immunoreactivity in the pepsinogen granules of chief ce...

Based on our assessment of human exploitation of animals in the New World, we propose that one criterion for domestication should be dependence on humans for food, a trait that we test through isotopic analysis of faunal remains. Stable... more

Based on our assessment of human exploitation of animals in the New World, we propose that one criterion for domestication should be dependence on humans for food, a trait that we test through isotopic analysis of faunal remains. Stable carbon- and nitrogen-isotope compositions of bone collagen have been analysed for 24 dogs and 16 deer found in well-dated contexts from the prehistoric Maya lithic manufacturing community of Colha, Belize. The sample spans the Early Middle Preclassic period beginning 1000–600 to the Terminal Late Preclassic period ending around 250. The majority of both dogs and deer come from middens, but three dogs come from cache contexts in buildings. The degree to which humans controlled the diets of these animals varies markedly by context and time period. The diets of midden dogs demonstrate a significant increase in the amount of C4(maize-based) foods and become more herbivorous over time. Because the midden dogs were probably dependent scavengers, this phenomenon might reflect the dynamics of human dietary change as the population at Colha expanded towards the end of the Preclassic period. An increase in the homogeneity of dog diets might also be indicative of either more restrictive human control over the animals or a reduction in the variability of resources used by humans. Alternatively, because the structure associated with the midden in which the dogs were found became more ceremonial in Late Preclassic times, the dogs from this period could be reflecting a general increase in purposeful feeding for ceremonial purposes. Dogs found in special (i.e. non-midden) contexts from both the Late Middle Preclassic and Late Late to Terminal Late Preclassic periods have distinctive isotopic signatures that strongly suggest a more specific occurrence of purposeful maize feeding. Evidence is provided from ethnohistory and Maya mythology that may explain their distinctive mortuary and feeding behaviour. We infer that all of the deer in the Preclassic period contexts at Colha were wild and procured by hunting because they consumed a herbivorous C3diet.

The pre-proglucagon derived peptides, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) are both involved in a wide variety of peripheral functions, such as glucose homeostasis, gastric emptying, intestinal growth,... more

The pre-proglucagon derived peptides, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) are both involved in a wide variety of peripheral functions, such as glucose homeostasis, gastric emptying, intestinal growth, insulin secretion as well as the regulation of food intake. Pre-proglucagon is also found in the brainstem in a small population of nerve cells in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) that process the pre-propeptide as in the gut to yield GLP-1 and GLP-2. GLP-1 containing nerve fibres and the GLP-1 receptor are found predominantly in hypothalamic midline nuclei. GLP-1 given centrally to naive rats results in a marked induction of c-Fos protein in the supraoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) and central nucleus of the amygdala, but only a moderate increase in the arcuate nucleus. The pattern of c-Fos activation is compatible with the appetite suppressing effects of GLP-1. This anorectic effect of GLP-1 appears to be mediate...

Regulation of somatolactin (SL) and the somatotropic axis was examined year-around at three different stocking times (spring, summer, and autumn) in a Mediterranean fish, the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). The overall timing of... more

Regulation of somatolactin (SL) and the somatotropic axis was examined year-around at three different stocking times (spring, summer, and autumn) in a Mediterranean fish, the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). The overall timing of plasma growth hormone (GH) increase was similar among trials (late spring–early summer), but the range of variation year-around was different and followed changes in food intake. Total plasma insulin-like growth factor-I primarily followed changes on growth rates, and a close positive correlation between IGF-I and thermal-unit growth coefficient (TGC) was found irrespective of fish stocking time. Thus, the activation of the somatotropic axis preceded always warm growth spurts, whereas the rise of SL in concurrence with low plasma cortisol levels was found at late autumn. This up-regulation of circulating SL titres preceded the winter inhibition of feeding, and it was more severe in big fish (spring and summer stocking times) than in small fish (autumn stocking time), growing with a relative high efficiency during the cold season despite of a severe hypertriglyceridemia and a high hepatosomatic index. These new insights provide good evidence for a different timing of GH and SL increases, and it is likely that the dominant role of SL in energy homeostasis is to be a mediator of the adaptation to fasting after replenishment of body fat stores, whereas GH and IGF-I are perceived as growth-promoting signals in times of food intake and increasing temperature and day-length.