Search

Trichomycterus bogotensis is one of the three species of fish that inhabit the Colombian Andes. However, several aspects of its basic biology, including its digestive system, are unknown. The morphology and histology of the digestive system are of great importance for understanding a species' feeding habits and food preferences. Thus, this study aimed to perform a morphological description of the digestive tract of T. bogotensis. The gastrointestinal tract of seven specimens was processed for paraffin histology, high-resolution optical microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Anatomically, T. bogotensis exhibits a terminal mouth with villiform teeth, a narrow esophagus, a large and muscular stomach, and a short intestine. Histology and ultrastructure revealed a tissue organization similar to that reported for other Silurids, composed of four layers: mucosal, submucosal, muscular, and serosa. The anatomical and histological characteristics suggest that T. bogotensis is a benthic species with a tendency to carnivory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing production of plastic products has raised concerns about environmental impacts related to microplastic formation, which harms ecosystems and human health. This systematic review aims to present the concentration of microplastics in commercially important bony fish and discuss the impacts on animal health and the possibility of these contaminants reaching the end consumer. The PICO methodology was used, and 517 articles were retrieved from four databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus); after selecting articles that complement the research objective, 70 articles were used to compose this review. According to the results, line-shaped microplastics, polypropylene, and polystyrene polymers were the most frequently identified in the articles. Additionally, the effects of microplastics on animal health, including false satiety and physical injuries, as well as risks to human health, such as epithelial inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell contamination, were discussed. Understanding the concentration of microplastics in commercially important bony fish is necessary for protecting human health and maintaining the health of marine ecosystems. It is necessary to adopt legislative measures for proper plastic disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lunar phase is known to influence the spawning activity of some Lutjanus snappers, however, information on its influence on feeding activity is limited. In the present study, diet, feeding habit, and lunar periodicity of feeding activity on two reef‐associated sympatric snappers, blackspot snapper Lutjanus fulviflamma (n = 339) and blacktail snapper L. fulvus (n = 172), were investigated by stomach content analyses in the Yaeyama region (24°N, 124°E), southern Japan. Diets of the two snappers were similar and mainly consumed fishes, crabs, and shrimps. Relative volume of the stomach contents to body weight was compared by season, lunar day, and predator size using a generalized linear model. Larger individuals fed on larger fish prey and tended to show higher stomach fullness for both snappers. Periodic regression revealed that the lunar periodicity of the feeding activity is different between the two Lutjanus snappers. The feeding activity of L. fulviflamma increased around the spring tides of both new and full moons during a single lunar cycle. On the other hand, the feeding activity of L. fulvus increased only before the new moon but decreased before the full moon. Spawning of L. fulvus is known to occur only around the full moon, and enlarged gonads are considered to suppress the feeding activity of the species. Individuals with much stomach contents did not have large gonads for both snappers, and this supports the above supposition. Spawning and feeding activities are closely linked and simultaneous temporal analysis will enable a clearer understanding of the ecological role of these predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zoophytophagous stink bug, Nesidiocoris tenuis , is a promising natural enemy of micro-pests such as whiteflies and thrips. This bug possesses both phytophagous and entomophagous food habits, enabling it to obtain nutrition from both plants and insects. This trait allows us to maintain its population density in agricultural fields by introducing insectary plants, even when the pest prey density is extremely low. However, if the bugs' population becomes too dense, they can sometimes damage crop plants. This dual character seems to arise from the food preferences and chemosensation of this predator. To understand the genomic landscape of N. tenuis , we examined the whole genome sequence of a commercially available Japanese strain. We used long-read sequencing and Hi-C analysis to assemble the genome at the chromosomal level. We then conducted a comparative analysis of the genome with previously reported genomes of phytophagous and hematophagous stink bugs to focus on the genetic factors contributing to this species' herbivorous and carnivorous tendencies. Our findings suggest that the gustatory gene set plays a pivotal role in adapting to food habits, making it a promising target for selective breeding. Furthermore, we identified the whole genomes of microorganisms symbiotic with this species through genomic analysis. We believe that our results shed light on the food habit adaptations of N. tenuis and will accelerate breeding efforts based on new breeding techniques for natural enemy insects, including genomics and genome editing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing production of plastic products has raised concerns about environmental impacts related to microplastic formation, which harms ecosystems and human health. This systematic review aims to present the concentration of microplastics in commercially important bony fish and discuss the impacts on animal health and the possibility of these contaminants reaching the end consumer. The PICO methodology was used, and 517 articles were retrieved from four databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus); after selecting articles that complement the research objective, 70 articles were used to compose this review. According to the results, line-shaped microplastics, polypropylene, and polystyrene polymers were the most frequently identified in the articles. Additionally, the effects of microplastics on animal health, including false satiety and physical injuries, as well as risks to human health, such as epithelial inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell contamination, were discussed. Understanding the concentration of microplastics in commercially important bony fish is necessary for protecting human health and maintaining the health of marine ecosystems. It is necessary to adopt legislative measures for proper plastic disposal.

This in-depth review research investigates the complex interactions between the consumption of junk food, obesity, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and menstrual health. Understanding how these elements interact is essential for healthcare professionals, researchers, and anyone else attempting to address and handle these complex challenges as they increasingly have an impact on the overall health of women around the world. The link between obesity and excessive junk food consumption. Junk food's excessive caloric density and subpar nutritional value contribute to weight gain, which creates the conditions for hormonal imbalances that have an impact on menstruation health. PCOS is described as a prevalent endocrine illness that has been linked to ovarian cyst development, hormonal abnormalities, and insulin resistance. The review highlights the intricate relationships among PCOS, obesity, and irregular menstruation. The discussion of clinical ramifications emphasises the necessity for a comprehensive strategy to deal with the related problems of junk food intake, overweight, women with PCOS, and irregular periods. The importance of customised therapies, such as dietary adjustments, weight control, and hormone modulation, in total care is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to assess the impact of food culture on food security, focusing on the Ekowe community, a coastal region located along the River Nun in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Being one of Nigeria's most severely affected communities during the ongoing floods, the Ekowe community is a critical food security research area. The study employs focus group discussions, personal interviews, and survey questionnaires for qualitative data collection. The questionnaire survey involves sixty respondents, of which fifty-six (56) responses are deemed appropriate, while descriptive statistics are used to analyze data. The results reveal plantain, cassava, sugar cane, cocoyam, rice, and beans as the major food categories prevalent in the study area. Moreover, the study identifies food price instability, limited food supply in the market, poverty, family size, and ignorance of basic nutritional requirements as the major factors affecting the food culture of the Ekowe community. Poor food culture and food insecurity lead to malnutrition, undernourishment, ill health, hunger, susceptibility to diseases, crime, low self-esteem, and death. The majority (73.2%) of the respondents cannot afford to feed consistently three times daily for one month, indicating poverty and low purchasing power among people in the study area. Furthermore, 71.4% of the respondents do not consume a balanced diet daily, suggesting that a significant proportion of the population may be malnourished and suffer from nutritional inequality, which indicates food insecurity. The study finds that young people between the ages of 20 and 40 years, males, and people earning less than 35,000 Naira per month are the main respondents who consume less than three meals daily. The researchers attempt to construct a food culture and security profile to illustrate the relationship between food culture and security. The study recommends improving local food production and nutritional awareness to enhance food culture and security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fireworks industries of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, are centuries-old, unorganized cottage industries. The goal of the current study was to evaluate how psychosocial stress of fireworks workers of Bengal had changed during the COVID-19 pre-pandemic and during pandemic period, and to determine the underlying causes of it. 152 male fireworks workers of varying ages were chosen for this purpose. To measure the psychosocial stress of fireworks employees, the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) based on Karasek's Demand-Control Model was used. A shortened Social Readjustment Rating Questionnaire (SRRQ- Holmes and Rahe, 1967) was followed to measure the life change value. The socioeconomic status related to psychosocial stress was also measured along with food habits. After analyzing psychosocial factors and outcomes, it was determined that financial condition and job stability of fireworks workers worsened notably during pandemic. There were prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and lack of health awareness among them. Though, they were benefitted by different government schemes, low income and job stress led to increased psychosocial stress during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Teotihuacan civilisation was the largest one in ancient Mesoamerica. The Teotihuacan city was born in the north-eastern Basin of Mexico around the second century BC, reached its peak in the fourth century AD, and had cultural influence throughout Mesoamerica. At its peak, the size of the city reached more than 20 km2, and the total population is estimated to have increased from 100,000 to 200,000. However, knowledge of the genetic background of the Teotihuacan people is still limited. Aim We aimed to determine the mitogenome sequences of the Teotihuacan human remains and compare the ancient and present Mesoamericans. In addition, we aimed to identify the food habits of ancient Teotihuacans. Subjects and methods We determined the mitogenome sequences of human remains dated to 250–636 cal AD using target enrichment-coupled next generation sequencing. We also performed stable isotope analysis. Results We successfully obtained nearly full-length sequences newly unearthed from a civilian dwelling in the Teotihuacan site. Teotihuacan mitochondrial DNA was classified into the haplogroups in present and ancient Mesoamericans. In addition, Teotihuacan individuals had a diet dependent on C4 plants such as maize. Conclusion Genetic diversity varied among the Teotihuacans.

Long-term field studies have provided evidence of worldwide declines in vertebrate populations, including amphibians and reptiles. However, studies investigating the decline in snake populations are scarce. As obligate predators, snakes play important roles in local ecosystems and are in turn affected by their food resources. In the present study we investigated the seasonal abundance of snakes and their food habits in a rice paddy field and compared the results of the present study with those of a previous study that was conducted at the same site approximately 30 years ago. Our results showed that Elaphe quadrivirgata, a dietary generalist snake that had been one of the dominant species at the site, has drastically declined and that Rhabdophis tigrinus and Gloydius blomhoffii have remained as dominant species. Furthermore, in the present study, most of the stomach contents of R. tigrinus consisted of the Japanese tree frog, Dryophytes japonicus, whereas three frog species, D. japonicus, Rana japonica, and Pelophylax porosus porosus, had been the main prey of R. tigrinus 30 years ago. In addition, fewer individuals of R. tigrinus and G. blomhoffii contained food in their stomachs than 30 years ago. Our findings imply that a change in prey availability may have affected the guild structure of snakes at this study site, although further investigation is necessary to verify the reasons for the decline of the dietary generalist, E. quadrivirgata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Teotihuacan civilisation was the largest one in ancient Mesoamerica. The Teotihuacan city was born in the north-eastern Basin of Mexico around the second century BC, reached its peak in the fourth century AD, and had cultural influence throughout Mesoamerica. At its peak, the size of the city reached more than 20 km2, and the total population is estimated to have increased from 100,000 to 200,000. However, knowledge of the genetic background of the Teotihuacan people is still limited. We aimed to determine the mitogenome sequences of the Teotihuacan human remains and compare the ancient and present Mesoamericans. In addition, we aimed to identify the food habits of ancient Teotihuacans. We determined the mitogenome sequences of human remains dated to 250–636 cal AD using target enrichment-coupled next generation sequencing. We also performed stable isotope analysis. We successfully obtained nearly full-length sequences newly unearthed from a civilian dwelling in the Teotihuacan site. Teotihuacan mitochondrial DNA was classified into the haplogroups in present and ancient Mesoamericans. In addition, Teotihuacan individuals had a diet dependent on C4 plants such as maize. Genetic diversity varied among the Teotihuacans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyse the eating habits of children under two in a municipality of Ceará. Cross-sectional study based on secondary data obtained in SISVAN through the answers to the Food Consumption Marker Form with 1197 children attended in the year 2021. It was found that 22.22% of children were younger than six months, and of these, 48.87% were in exclusive breastfeeding and 51.53% already consumed other foods. As for the children between six and 23 months and 29 days, 77.78% of the total, 37.93% continued with breastfeeding, 34.48% consumed some type of ultra-processed food, while 77.66% had a minimum dietary diversity and 51.13% had appropriate frequency and consistency of food. The identification of inadequate food consumption in a portion of children may compromise the health and development of children in short and/or long term. It is necessary to prioritize actions to promote and support adequate nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecoscience (Ecoscience) is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Simple Summary: Over the course of twenty years, 6389 bats were sent for rabies diagnosis in the northwest region of São Paulo state, Brazil, and the rabies-positive cases were analyzed according to their food habits, taxonomic classification, sex and season of the year to identify if any risk factors could be detected for rabies occurrence in these mammals. A higher number of cases was detected in the dry season, in bats belonging to the Vespertilionidae family. Frugivorous bats had a greater association with positivity for rabies, whereas the variable "sex" had no association. The number of rabies cases in bats has increased recently in Brazil and in the state of São Paulo, representing a new epidemiological scenario for this zoonosis. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of rabies in bats according to food habits, taxonomic classification, sex and season of the year to identify possible risk factors for rabies occurrence in bats. A retrospective analysis of 6389 records of bat samples, from different municipalities of São Paulo, submitted to rabies diagnosis and taxonomic identification was carried out at the Rabies Diagnostic and Chiroptera Laboratories of Unesp Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, from 1998 to 2017. Seventy-six (1.1%) positive rabies cases were detected in bats from ten species and seven genera of three families. The number of rabies-positive cases was higher in the dry season, with a significant association. The prevalence was higher in the Vespertilionidae family (37), especially Myotis nigricans (19) and Eptesicus furinalis (14). Frugivorous bats had a greater association with positivity for rabies, whereas the variable "sex" had no association. We recommend that the surveillance and control of rabies should be undertaken primarily during the dry season, especially in the Vespertilionidae family species and other species with a frugivorous food habit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food availability and utilization are among the most critical factors influencing the distribution of free-ranging animals. Little is known about the feeding habit of the tiger (Panther tigris) outside the tiger reserves. We collected data on food habits of tigers in Dabka Watershed Area (DWA) of Kumaon Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India. Scats analysis was used to determine the food habit of the tiger. A total of 55 scats were collected and analyzed. The overall diet diversity of tigers in DWA (Shannon-Wiener Index H') was 2.923. Scat contents were analyzed in terms of both the relative frequency of occurrence and the relative prey biomass consumed. A minimum of 13 different prey species were identified, of which chital constituted 30.91% of the diet followed by sambar (21.82%). The wild prey constituted 77.36% of the diet, whereas domestic prey constituted 23.64% of the diet. Prey selectivity analysis indicated that selective predation by tigers was directed towards prey species with large body mass. This highlights the importance of adjacent forests around protected areas that helps large carnivores to disperse spatially and temporally during resource crunch, competition, and dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tiger (Panthera tigris) is an endangered felid on the IUCN list. Habitat loss, landscape fragmentation, prey depletion, and poaching have contributed to the decline of the tiger in its entire range in Asia. In India also, it survives only in well-protected tiger reserves and gone or decreased drastically in less-protected areas. The same situation is seen in the terai arc landscape. Thus, accurate knowledge of a species' diet is essential for effective conservation and is vital for conservation initiatives like habitat prioritization, protection, and restoration. Scats analysis was used to determine the food habit of tigers in the tropical moist-evergreen forest of Dudhwa National Park, northern India. A total of 116 scats were collected and analyzed. Scat contents were analyzed in terms of the relative frequency of occurrence and the relative prey biomass consumed. A minimum of 14 prey species were identified. In terms of frequency of occurrence and biomass, the most important prey species were barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii) and spotted deer (Axis axis), making up to 55% of biomass consumed. Domestic livestock contributed almost 10% to the diet of the tiger. The study revealed that tiger and leopard (Panthera pardus), the two main predators in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve differentiate their niches by segregating the available resources as 55% of the tiger diet comprises barasingha and spotted deer. On the other side, leopard mainly feeds on spotted deer and rodents and may avoid direct competition from the tiger by shifting the space and diet, as revealed by another study in the same area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) is important for skeletal health. Several factors such as age, gender, dietary habits, exposure to sunlight, lifestyle, and bodyweight influence BMD directly or indirectly. People living in metropolitan cities are at risk of low BMD due to low Vitamin D status and less physical activity. This study aimed to evaluate BMD status of office workers and also establish a correlation between body composition and BMD with different age groups and dietary habits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was carried out on 175 participants with 124 males and 51 females. Body composition was determined using bioelectrical impedance and BMD measurements were made using peripheral dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: A strong and positive correlation was observed between body composition and BMD. Fat-free mass (FFM) has a more significant correlation than fat Mass with BMD. Handgrip strength was significantly higher in the right forearm (RF) of nonvegetarians. When compared with the Indian reference range, 20% of males and 23.5% of females had low BMD at the measurement site, ultradistal forearm. Both male and female participants below 30 years of age had higher BMD compared to participants above 30 years of age. CONCLUSION: It was observed that there were no statistically significant differences in BMD of vegetarians and nonvegetarians. It was also seen that the bone density decreases while the age increases. It may be due to inadequate nutrition, poor lifestyle, physical inactivity, and many more. Bone health is a major public concern and should be taken seriously where osteoporosis and fracture risks are considered.

This study examined the influence of lifestyle changes made during the COVID -19 lockdown on sleep quality in a Brazilian population. We conducted an online cross-sectional study with 589 Brazilians that completed an online questionnaire about sociodemographic variables (age/status/cohabitation/education), general habits (exercise/work), and sleep quality (Mini Sleep Questionnaire). Poisson regression (log-linear) was used to examine sleep quality risk factors. 41.93% of the population reported impaired sleep quality during lockdown. Increased alcohol consumption, worsened diet quality, and use of bed for work during lockdown were risk factors for worsening sleep quality. Increased or beginning physical activity during lockdown was protective against poor sleep quality, as was male sex. Our results suggest that habit change during COVID -19 affected sleep quality in a general Brazilian population. However, it is important to be aware of whether these positive/negative habits acquired during the interdiction persist after the pandemic.

A healthy diet is vital to sustaining tourist mobility. In cross-cultural mobility, tourists must face strange local eating environments in tourism place and the complex health problems that these environments may cause. Existing research on tourist food consumption and health mainly addresses health from a biomedical perspective by emphasizing food nutrition and hygiene. We adopt an assemblage approach to understanding health as a relational outcome determined by multiple material, psychological, and cultural dimensions. Using Chinese outbound travel to Spain as a case, we explore how psychology, dietary habits, and cultural beliefs interconnect with the foods in novel cross-cultural environments to generate healthiness. A semi-structured interview method was used to collect data in Barcelona and Madrid. We construct three formulas to illustrate the health assemblages in tourists' food consumption. In the food-psychology assemblage, tourists believe that low-risk foods are healthy. Neophobic tourists avoid tasting novel local foods due to unknown health risks, whereas neophiliac tourists show fewer similar health concerns. In the food-dietary habits assemblage, healthy dieting is the habitual and comfortable diet. Tourists with Chinese dietary habits are uncomfortable eating novel local foods. Cosmopolitan tourists, who incorporate various food habits in their diet, switch freely between different foods to obtain health. In the food-cultural beliefs assemblage, traditional Chinese cultural beliefs of yin-yang balance affect tourists' health experience through diet. Tourists carefully choose local foods to achieve a cold-hot balance to keep health. These three health assemblages indicate that food health in tourism is a relational result of multiple dimensions. 健康饮食对于旅游流动至关重要。在跨文化旅游流动中, 游客在旅游地会面对陌生的饮食环境, 以及这些环境可能引起的复杂健康问题。既有关于旅游食物消费与健康的研究主要是从生物医学的角度来理解食物的健康, 强调食物的营养与卫生。我们采用组装视角, 将健康理解为由物质、心理和文化等多种维度决定的关系性结果。以中国游客赴西班牙的出境游为例, 我们探讨了饮食心理、饮食习惯和文化信仰如何在新奇的跨文化环境中与食品相互联系, 从而生产饮食健康。我们采用半结构式访谈法在巴塞罗那和马德里收集数据。我们构建了三个公式来说明旅游食物消费中的健康组装。在食物-心理组装中, 低风险食物被认为是健康的。具有恐新心理的游客会避免品尝新奇的当地食物, 担心其有未知的健康风险。喜新的游客则较少具有类似的健康担忧。在食物-饮食习惯组装中, 健康饮食被认为是令人舒适的习惯性饮食。根植中国饮食习惯的游客因不习惯于消费当地新奇食物会出现身体不适。世界主义游客因已融入多种饮食文化习惯, 他们可以自由地在不同食物之间切换以保持健康。在食物-文化信仰组装中, 中国传统阴阳平衡的文化观念影响游客对食物健康的体验。游客精心选择当地食物, 以搭配食物的冷热均衡, 从而获得健康。这三个健康组装证明旅游饮食健康是多维度的关系性结果。 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to assess dietary pattern and unhealthy dietary factors and to determine the prevalence of physical inactivity among obese Bengali women in rural and urban areas of West Bengal. This study was conducted in Hooghly district of West Bengal, India and 150 female subjects of 20-50 years age group were recruited for the study considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. Different physical, anthropometric and socio-demographic variables were documented and dietary information was collected using questionnaire. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to collect information about physical activities. Daily energy comes mainly from carbohydrate in the diet of both groups. Consumption of animal protein and dairy products, fruits, visible fat and sugar were significantly higher in urban group whereas dietary fibre, green leafy and other vegetables, pulses and nuts intake was significantly high in rural group. Physical inactivity prevalence was 64.0% in rural and 78.7% in urban and there was significant differences between rural and urban group regard to all the anthropometric indices. In summary, the behavioural risk factors are undoubtedly apprehensive and anthropometric indices are pointing out towards associated possible metabolic risks which were poorer in urban group than rural. Further clinical investigation along with proper intervention measure is indispensible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good health depends on moderate and proper nutritional food. There is a noticeable difference in eating patterns between individuals living in rural and urban regions. The central aspect of this study is to make a comparative analysis of the health of rural and urban people with their eating habits. In February 2022, data were collected from 1,400 people in Bangladesh's major cities through offline and online surveys and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 and Microsoft Excel. Three types of correlation are brought out among the selected parameters, such as local people will be able to protect themselves from heart disease by consuming vegetables. The paper highlights the staple food of people of all ages in Bangladesh as well as their daily food intake time and quantity through a comprehensive survey. People will be able to adjust their health depending on the type and amount of food they consume, and they will also be able to know whether urban people are ahead of rural people and vice versa. This research can bring good health to the people by reviewing the food habits of the people of the village and the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the rate of cancer deaths in less-developed countries such as Bangladesh has significantly increased day by day, making it a major health issue. The most predominant types of cancers among the populations of less-developed countries (especially Bangladesh) are lung, throat, colon, gastric, ovarian, breast, and skin cancers. The mortality rate is increasing for both males and females. The main common factors are smoking, use of tobacco leaves, bacterial or viral infection, hereditary disorders, food adulterations, and environmental factors, which are highly responsible for the development of carcinoma in the young to adult population in this region. Raising consciousness among people regarding early diagnosis, decreasing the use of chemicals such as formalin for food preservation, and reducing environmental pollution such as arsenic as well as air pollution might help to reduce the number of deaths. Education and public campaigns can also reduce the intensity of cancer occurrence. Breast, esophagus, and cervical cancer are common diseases in less-developed countries such as Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Food choice may change depending on sex, age, and physiological condition due to nutritional requirements or because of mechanisms that promote food recognition. Among dung beetles, some species are attracted to both carrion and dung, but why males and females are more attracted to either resource remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether body size, physiological condition (body dry mass, lipid mass, muscle mass) and age (young, mature, old) affect resource attraction in males and females of two species of dung beetles, Dichotomius iannuzziae and D. gilletti. 2. This study was carried out in remnants of Atlantic Forest in Brazil. To evaluate resource attraction, pitfall traps baited with feces or carrion were installed in the remnants, and the beetles were categorized according to sex and age. Furthermore, beetles' physiological condition and body size were measured. 3. Population structure of D. iannuzziae differed according to bait type. Males of D. iannuzziae were more attracted to feces than carrion across all age classes. The same occurred among conspecific mature females, suggesting a sex‐specific reproductive preference for feces. Contrastingly, D. gilletti resource attraction did not vary with sex or age. For both species, neither body size nor physiological condition defined resource attraction, indicating that compensatory feeding due to nutrient requirements is unlikely. 4. Due to the changes in food quality and quantity as a consequence of forest loss, mammal extinction and landscape transformation, it is critical to understand how wild species respond to different scenarios of food availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical isolation can often lead to speciation, and two disconnected populations of the same species living in drastically different bioclimatic regions provide an opportunity to understand the process of speciation. The Woolly wolf is found in the cold-arid, Trans-Himalayan landscape, while the Indian wolf inhabits the semi-arid grasslands of Central India. Both the lineages of wolves from India have generated scientific debate on their taxonomic status in recent years. In this study, we collected data and reviewed published literature to document the ecological and behavioral differences between the Woolly wolf and the Indian wolf. Most studies have used genetic data; hence we discuss variation in spatial ecology, habitat preferences, vocalization, diet diversity and cranial measurements of these two subspecies. The spatial ecology of two lineages was compared from the data on three Woolly and ten Indian wolves tagged with GPS collars. The telemetry data shows that there has been no difference in the day-night movement of Woolly wolves, whereas Indian wolves show significant high displacement during the night. The BBMM method indicated that Woolly wolf home ranges were three times larger than the Indian wolf. The Woolly wolf diet is comprised of 20 different types of food items, whereas the Indian wolf diet consists of 17 types. The Woolly and Indian wolf largely depend upon domestic prey base, i.e., 48.44 and 40.34%, respectively. We found no differences in the howling parameters of these subspecies. Moreover, the Woolly wolf skull was significantly longer and broader than the Indian wolf. Wolves of India are ancient and diverged from the main clade about 200,000–1,000,000 years ago. Their genetic and ecological evolution in different bioclimatic zones has resulted in considerable differences as distinct subspecies. The present study is a step in understanding ecological differences between two important, genetically unique subspecies of wolves.

Objective: The objective of this work was to qualitatively analyze the school feeding menus offered to Youth and Adult Education during the years 2017 to 2019 of a city located in western of Bahia. Methods: For data analysis, the Qualitative Assessment Method for School Menu Preparations was used as recommended by Veiros and Martinelli. In this method, foods are classified into two categories: recommended and controlled. For each year, the number of days on which preparations each food group was offered was counted and then the frequencies of days offered were calculated in relation to the total number of school days. Thereby, it was considered adequate the year in which there was less than 20% of the controlled foods and greater presence of the recommended foods. Results: Our analysis shows that the feed offered in the period presented inadequacies, as excessive supply of products with added sugar and low supply of fresh fruits and salads. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the feed offered may represent a risk to the health of students, by offering a large amount of processed foods, rich in sugars, chemical additives, fats and with low nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study was conducted on the forest dependency nature of the Bangru community of Arunachal Pradesh by highlighting their indigenous knowledge of housing patterns and food habits. A numerically weak community, Bangru is sited in about 15 villages of Sarli circle in Kurung Kumey district, a northernmost frontier district bordering Tibet (China) in the north-east Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. According to the Electoral Rolls conducted in 2011, the total population of Bangru was numbering about 1,023 (39.35%) out of approximately 2,600 persons in the Sarli circle. Although there is no separate Census record on this community, however, according to the data gathered, the Bangru account for about 1.14% of the total population of Kurung Kumey district. The study was carried out concerning three income groups. A total of 60 households (20 from each income group) were assessed using different participatory appraisals through semi-structured questionnaires. A special type of indigenous knowledge on housing pattern and food habit was explored in the Bangru community, which correspond to the severe dependence on forest resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild prey base is a potential regulatory parameter that supports successful propagation and secured long term survival of large predators in their natural habitats. Therefore, low wild prey availability with higher available livestock in or around forest areas often catalyzes livestock depredation by predators that eventually leads to adverse situations to conservation initiatives. Thus understanding the diet ecology of large predators is significant for their conservation in the areas with low prey base. The present study reports the diet ecology of tiger and leopard in Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve and Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary, in central India to know the effect of wild prey availability on prey predator relationship. We walked line transects to estimate prey abundance in the study areas where we found langur and rhesus macaque to be the most abundant species. Scat analysis showed that despite the scarcity of large and medium ungulates, tiger used wild ungulates including chital and wild pig along with high livestock utilization (39%). Leopards highly used langur (43–50 %) as a prime prey species but were observed to exploit livestock as prey (7–9 %) in both the study areas. Scarcity of wild ungulates and continuous livestock predation by tiger and leopard eventually indicated that the study areas were unable to sustain healthy large predator populations. Developing some strong protection framework and careful implementation of the ungulate augmentation can bring a fruitful result to hold viable populations of tiger and leopard and secure their long term survival in the present study areas in central India, Chhattisgarh.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected human life significantly. In spite of significant advancement of medical technology, management is still focused on preventive strategies due to non availability of vaccine or any definitive treatment. The preventive strategies include hand hygiene, social distancing, isolation/quarantine along with the methods for boosting immunity. The ancient literature and several traditional practices of our country guide a hygienic life style and address several preventive aspects of transmission of infection across the society. Furthermore, healthy eating habits and use of various herbs and spices as regular food ingredients has been proven for boosting the immunity. In this review, we have tried to correlate the traditional practices with the available scientific evidences.

The woolly wolf Canis lupus chanco is increasingly being accepted as a unique taxon that needs immediate protection and management; however, information on its ecology remains limited across its range. We used camera trapping data set of 4 years (2015–2019) to investigate seasonal activity patterns and space use and assessed woolly wolf food habits in the Gangotri National Park, western Himalaya, India. We used generalized linear mixed models to assess the distribution of the wolf about prey, seasonal livestock grazing, human presence, habitat, and seasons. We observed a positive association with elevation and a negative response to an increase in ruggedness. The capture of wolves increased in winters, indicating a possible effect of snow on the ranging pattern. Spatial avoidance to anthropogenic pressure was not evident in our study; however, temporal avoidance was observed. The activity pattern of the wolf varied among seasons. Wolves were mostly active in the morning and late evening hours in summer and showed a diurnal activity pattern in winter. A less diverse diet was observed where the mean percentage frequency of occurrence and relative biomass was highest for bharal, followed by livestock. Himalayan marmot Marmota himalayana, birds, and rodents also form minor constituents to the diet. Synthesizing all three factors (space, diet, and activity), it may be stated that the wolf presence in the region is influenced by both wild prey availability and seasonality. Therefore, conservation of woolly wolves would require securing a vast landscape with optimal wild prey.

The number of rabies cases in bats has increased recently in Brazil and in the state of São Paulo, representing a new epidemiological scenario for this zoonosis. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of rabies in bats according to food habits, taxonomic classification, sex and season of the year to identify possible risk factors for rabies occurrence in bats. A retrospective analysis of 6389 records of bat samples, from different municipalities of São Paulo, submitted to rabies diagnosis and taxonomic identification was carried out at the Rabies Diagnostic and Chiroptera Laboratories of Unesp Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, from 1998 to 2017. Seventy-six (1.1%) positive rabies cases were detected in bats from ten species and seven genera of three families. The number of rabies-positive cases was higher in the dry season, with a significant association. The prevalence was higher in the Vespertilionidae family (37), especially Myotis nigricans (19) and Eptesicus furinalis (14). Frugivorous bats had a greater association with positivity for rabies, whereas the variable “sex” had no association. We recommend that the surveillance and control of rabies should be undertaken primarily during the dry season, especially in the Vespertilionidae family species and other species with a frugivorous food habit.

Competition between Kuril harbor seals (Phoca vitulina stejnegeri) and salmon set-net fishing industries has become a serious problem with the recent increase in the number of seals in Erimo, Hokkaido, Japan. We aimed to understand the detailed dietary structure of Kuril harbor seals focusing on intraspecific differences and verify whether "problem seals" who habitually use salmon set-nets could be characterized by intrinsic factors such as sex and maturity. We estimated the diet of Kuril harbor seals in two fishing seasons using DNA barcoding diet analysis on colon contents and verified intraspecific differences in their diet. In spring, their diets showed different tendencies between maturity stage; each adult seal fed on different prey items, suggesting that they avoid the intraspecies competition over food during the breeding season. Additionally, it was implied that some adult females habitually stole from salmon set-nets. Our dietary analysis showed dietary changes of Kuril harbor seals with different tendencies depending on maturity or sex, suggesting that problem individuals who habitually use set-nets can be characterized by intrinsic factors. This detailed dietary information can offer an accurate assessment of seal predation effects on fishing targets and the selective management of Kuril harbor seals, especially in mitigating seal–commercial fishery conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study attempts at examining the impact of controlled food habit and regular physical exercise on type II diabetic hypertensive patients who were on medications for hyperglycemia and hypertension. A cross-sectional study was demonstrated, and 244 participants were selected from Khulna city of Bangladesh to meet the objective of the study. All the biochemical parameters such as blood sugar, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were taken from the blood test reports tested by the hospital. Among all the participants 46.7% were male, 53.3% were female and 61.1% were from urban community whilst 38.9% were from rural community, 29.92% were on medications with regular physical exercise and restricted diet jointly (M+E+F), 45.90% were dependent only on medications (M) and rest 24.18% were on medications with either regular exercise or food habit (M+E/F) for controlling diabetes. Chi-square and logistic regression analysis were used to portray the necessary associations. Chi-square values show significant association for fasting blood sugar (FBS) (p<0.001), blood sugar 2hr after breakfast (p<0.001), HbA1c (p<0.001), TG (p<0.02), TC (p<0.01) but insignificant for diastolic blood pressure (p=0.522), systolic blood pressure (p=0.598), HDL (p=0.764) and LDL (p=0.213) in respect of regular physical exercise and controlled food habit of the respondents. Logistic regression shows physical exercise and food habit are important determinants to control diabetes. Females are more prone to uncontrolled diabetes. Obesity and with increase in age, diabetes is hard to control. However, uncontrolled diabetes indulges dyslipidemia. This may be concluded from the conducted study that beside medication, regular physical exercise and controlled food habit help to control diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]