Project of autonomous workstation feeding fledging birds

The article describes project of autonomous workstation capable of feeding fledging birds. During the breeding season animal rescue centers are experiencing huge overload of patients and up to 20% of patients are birds. Despite small size they demand as much care as other animals ? in case of fledging birds main need is frequent feeding which is impossible to cover by working staff. Designed workstation is meant to solve this problem and decrease mortality of sick or immature animals.

Prospective relations between maternal emotional eating, feeding to soothe, and infant appetitive behaviors

Background Infant obesogenic appetitive behaviors are associated with greater infant weight and child obesity, yet little is known about maternal influences on infant appetitive behaviors. This study examines the relations between maternal eating behaviors, feeding to soothe, and infant appetitive behaviors in a longitudinal sample of United States mothers. Methods Pregnant women were recruited in the first trimester (< 12 weeks) and followed through 1 year postpartum. Mothers reported their own eating behaviors (eating competence, restrained, emotional, and external eating) in pregnancy; feeding to soothe their infant at 2, 6, and 12 months postpartum; and their infants’ appetitive behaviors (enjoyment of food, food responsiveness, slowness in eating, and satiety responsiveness) at 6 months. Three path models were estimated to examine the direct relations of maternal eating behaviors with infant appetitive behaviors, the indirect relations of maternal eating behaviors with infant appetitive behaviors through feeding to soothe, and the longitudinal relations between feeding to soothe and infant appetitive behaviors. Results Maternal eating behaviors and infant appetitive behaviors were directly and indirectly related in all three models. Greater maternal eating competence was related to greater enjoyment of food but was not related to feeding to soothe. Greater maternal restrained and external eating were not directly related to infant appetitive behaviors but were indirectly related to greater infant responsiveness to food through more frequent feeding to soothe. Additionally, several longitudinal relations between feeding to soothe behaviors and infant appetitive behaviors were present. More frequent feeding to soothe at 2 months was related to greater responsiveness to food at 6 months, which was then related to more frequent feeding to soothe at 6 months. Furthermore, greater satiety responsiveness, faster eating speed, and greater responsiveness to food at 6 months were related to more frequent feeding to soothe at 12 months. Conclusions Maternal eating behaviors were related to infant appetitive behaviors directly and indirectly through feeding to soothe. Additionally, results suggest feeding to soothe and infant appetitive behaviors may be bidirectionally linked. These results underscore the need to examine how parental feeding behaviors are influenced both by parental eating behaviors and child appetitive behaviors throughout infancy. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov. Registration ID – NCT02217462. Date of registration – August 13, 2014.

Nutrient intake and influence on markers of oxidative stress in zoo managed male snow leopards (Uncia uncia)

Oxidative stress (OS) results from overproduction of reactive species. Nutrient intake can contribute positively or negatively to OS and lack of established nutrient requirements for most exotic species managed in zoos exacerbates possibilities for nutrient imbalances that potentially could lead to reactive species production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of nutrient intake and nutritional husbandry on markers of OS in male snow leopards (n = 14) maintained in U.S. facilities (n = 12). Diet samples and husbandry information were obtained and snow leopards were immobilized once for collection of blood. Samples were analyzed for chemical composition (diet and blood), antioxidant capacity (blood), and markers of OS (blood). Correlations between weekly nutrient intakes and markers of OS were analyzed by linear regression. Analyzed markers of OS included antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) that are protective against OS, and protein carbonyls (PC), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and DNA/RNA damage that are indicative of oxidative damage. Weekly copper intake (10.1 – 80.2 mg) was negatively correlated with DNA/RNA damage (R 2 = 0.44; P = 0.01). Weekly sodium intake (4.4 – 12.7 g) was positively correlated with GPx activity (R 2 = 0.43; P = 0.04). More frequent feeding of whole prey (0.3 – 3 times/wk) was correlated with increased blood SOD activity (R 2 = 0.55; P &lt; 0.01). In conclusion, greater dietary copper intake and more frequent feeding of whole prey may reduce OS in snow leopards. Dietary sodium intake and relationship with GPx activity should be further evaluated to determine benefit or detriment. No cause and effect can be inferred from our results, but our data suggest altering dietary form and nutrient concentrations may influence OS in snow leopards.

Complex ecological interactions across a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Eastern Colombia: novel description of Leishmania species, hosts and phlebotomine fauna

This study aimed to analyse the patterns of diversity, blood sources and Leishmania species of phlebotomines in a focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Arboledas, Eastern Colombia. In total, 1729 phlebotomines were captured in two localities (62.3% Siravita and 37.7% Cinera) and five environments of Norte de Santander. We identified 18 species of phlebotomines: Pintomyia ovallesi (29.8%), Psychodopygus davisi (20.3%), Pi. spinicrassa (18.5%) and Lutzomyia gomezi (15.8%) showed the highest abundance. Species diversities were compared between Cinera (15.00) and Siravita (20.00) and among five microenvironments: forest remnants (19.49), coffee plantations (12.5), grassland (12.99), cane plantations (11.66) and citrus plantations (12.22). Leishmania DNA was detected in 5.8% (80/1380) of females, corresponding mainly to Pi . ovallesi (22/80; 27.2%), Lu . gomezi (17/80; 21.3%) and Pi . spinicrassa (11/80; 13.8%). Leishmania species were 63.1% L. braziliensis , 18.5% L . panamensis , 13.2% L . infantum and 6.1% L . amazonensis . The most frequent feeding sources were Homo sapiens (50%), Bos taurus (13.8%) and Canis lupus familiaris (10.3%). This focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis has a high diversity of Leishmania -carrying phlebotomines that feed on domestic animals. The transmission of leishmaniasis to human hosts was mainly associated with Lu . gomezi , Pi . ovallesi and L . braziliensis .

The ecological significance of birds feeding from the hand of humans

Animals keep a safe distance to humans and thus humans rarely physically encounter wild animals. However, birds have been known to feed from the hand of humans. Such behaviour must reflect the trade-off between acquisition of food and the risk of being captured by a potential predator feeding from the hand. Relying on YouTube, an international video-sharing platform, we found 36 European bird species recorded feeding from the hand of humans. We compared ecological traits between these species and all other 490 European bird species, which were not recorded as feeding from a human hand. We found that species with a large number of innovative behaviours, a higher rate of introduction success, larger breeding range, larger population size, and urban tolerance have a higher probability of feeding from the hand of a human. These associations were also supported after control for the similarity among taxa due to common phylogenetic descent. In conclusion, these findings suggest that frequent feeding from the hand of a human results in the transition from natural environments to novel urbanized environments with consequences for population size increasing and range expansion.

Establishment of lactation at the early stages, risk factors and prevention of hypogalactia

According to the literature, hypogalactia is the most common cause of early termination of breast-feeding. The article describes the risk factors for the development of hypogalactia in the first days after birth, such as cesarean section, motherchild separation, and the low frequency of newborn feeding in the first day of life. In addition, the use of formulas without medical indications, especially in the first days after birth, when the success lactation is being established, is the most common cause of termination of breastfeeding due to hypogalactia. Medical indications for supplementary feeding, as well as ways of feeding with a formula that would not suppress the mother’s own lactation, are discussed in detail in the article on the basis of the guidelines of the American Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. Particular attention is paid to the main factors of the establishment of natural lactation: early application to the breast during the first hour of life, prolonged skin-toskin contact between mother and child, frequent feeding upon request of the child, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Carnitine Palmitoyl Tranferase Type 1 Deficiency in Fatty acid oxidation disorder: A Case report

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1(CPT-1) catalyzes the formation of acylcarnitine, which is the first step in the oxidation of long chain fatty acid in the mitochondria. CPT-1 deficiency is an inborn error of metabolism. Reported patient with CPT -1 deficiency was a 16 months old boy present with hypoketotic hypoglycaemia, hepatomegaly with raised liver transaminases, hyperamminaemia, convulsion and unconsciousness. Diagnosis was established by IMD panel study. Treatment was done by correction of hypoglycemia, avoidance of hypoglycemia by ensuring frequent feeding, avoidance of prolonged fasting, treatment of infection & other supportive measures.J Shaheed Suhrawardy Med Coll, June 2014, Vol.6(1); 38-40

Changing Feeding Regimes To Demonstrate Flexible Biogas Production: Effects on Process Performance, Microbial Community Structure, and Methanogenesis Pathways

ABSTRACTFlexible biogas production that adapts biogas output to energy demand can be regulated by changing feeding regimes. In this study, the effect of changes in feeding intervals on process performance, microbial community structure, and the methanogenesis pathway was investigated. Three different feeding regimes (once daily, every second day, and every 2 h) at the same organic loading rate were studied in continuously stirred tank reactors treating distiller's dried grains with solubles. A larger amount of biogas was produced after feeding in the reactors fed less frequently (once per day and every second day), whereas the amount remained constant in the reactor fed more frequently (every 2 h), indicating the suitability of the former for the flexible production of biogas. Compared to the conventional more frequent feeding regimes, a methane yield that was up to 14% higher and an improved stability of the process against organic overloading were achieved by employing less frequent feeding regimes. The community structures of bacteria and methanogenic archaea were monitored by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of 16S rRNA andmcrAgenes, respectively. The results showed that the composition of the bacterial community varied under the different feeding regimes, and the observed T-RFLP patterns were best explained by the differences in the total ammonia nitrogen concentrations, H2levels, and pH values. However, the methanogenic community remained stable under all feeding regimes, with the dominance of theMethanosarcinagenus followed by that of theMethanobacteriumgenus. Stable isotope analysis showed that the average amount of methane produced during each feeding event by acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was not influenced by the three different feeding regimes.