Long-duration feedings and caste differentiation in Bombus terrestris larvae

The duration of feedings received by Bombus terrestris larvae was studied using video-recordings. In the last days of development all larvae received feedings mainly of long duration. Worker larvae of the third brood received significantly longer feedings than worker larvae reared in the other broods. Throughout the development queen larvae and worker larvae received feedings of similar duration. Male larvae received shorter feedings than both kinds of female larvae. Therefore, the duration of feedings seems to be associated to the sex and stage of development of the larvae. The causes of the long-duration feedings seem not to be related to the amount of food provided, workers age and size, to the workers abdominal contraction or to the amount of pollen in the larval food. Perhaps the feeding duration is caused by the viscosity of the food, which is a consequence of the presence of pollen grains, sugar and glandular material. Although the precise amount of pollen was not measured, the differences in colour showed clearly that the larval food samples contained variable quantities of pollen grains. Some of the samples did not contain any pollen at all. It is suggested that the duration of feedings may be related (among other factors) to the presence of glandular material (proteins and enzymes) which is added to the larval food. This could be especially important for queen larvae in the last phase of their development. Because they have a long development and are fed with a high frequency they might receive large amounts of these substances. This could help them to grow more efficiently using a relatively smaller amount of pollen than expected

Corn silage supplementation for dairy cows grazing annual ryegrass at two pasture allowances

Corn silage supplementation for dairy cows grazing in temperate annual pastures has rarely been investigated. The aim of this study is to compare two supplementation levels (0 and 4kg dry matter [DM]/day of a 7:1 mixture of corn silage and soybean meal) in dairy cows strip-grazing annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) at two pasture allowances (PA, low= 25 and high = 40kg DM/d at ground level). The study was carried out according to an incomplete 4 × 3 Latin square design, using 12 cows and three experimental periods of 12 days. The green leaves allowances were only 4.9 and 8.5kg DM/d at the low and high PA, respectively. The total DM intake and milk production increased in supplemented cows compared to un-supplemented cows at the low PA, but were similar between supplementation levels at the high PA. The PI was unaffected by the PA, whereas the substitution rate was 0.68 in cows at the low PA and 1.35 in cows at the high PA. Corn silage supplementation may improve the total DM intake and milk production of dairy cows grazing in temperate annual pastures, but only at a low PA

Globalization and Health in a Small Town in the Amazon Region

The chapter describes results of a study conducted in Ponta de Pedras, a small municipality (27,000 inhabitants) in the estuary of the Amazon River on Marajó Island, in the State of Pará. Close to 400 questionnaires were applied to the population to assess the impact of globalization on the municipality. The main revenue of the municipality comes from the export of açaí fruit, which became a global product after being discovered by two Californian surfers in around 1990. The city is three and half hours by boat from a large city, but it is connected to the world by Internet via mobile phones (95% of urban and 79% of rural population have a mobile phone), which is used for social media access, studies, açaí sales, and to buy products. Effects on cultural and eating habits have been observed, as processed foods are replacing fish and açaí among youngsters in the local diet. Hypertension was the main morbidity reported by the interviewees, particularly those living in the rural area. On the other hand, the urban area has poor sanitary infrastructure and public services. The chapter ends by discussing the complex role of globalization in the development of communities and how local governments and health policies could act to balance the effects of globalization on health

Working-class royalty: bees beat the caste system

The struggle among social classes or castes is well known in humans. Here, we show that caste inequality similarly affects societies of ants, bees and wasps, where castes are morphologically distinct and workers have greatly reduced reproductive potential compared with queens. In social insects, an individual normally has no control over its own fate, whether queen or worker, as this is socially determined during rearing. Here, for the first time, we quantify a strategy for overcoming social control. In the stingless bee Schwarziana quadripunctata, some individuals reared in worker cells avoid a worker fate by developing into fully functional dwarf queens

Tarragon extract as a functional ingredient for development of new pizza dough

Plants are used in various fields due their sensory, nutritional and medicinal properties, and aromatic plants can be used as functional food ingredients to enhance organoleptic properties and/or to replace the salt. Additionally, their large amount of bioactive compounds, namely phenolic compounds (PC), can contribute to food preservation, promote human health (Costa et al., 2015), and provide bioactive effects. Tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus L., usually known for its pleasant spicy aroma, is widely used in food preparations (Hassanzadeh et al., 2016). In this work, a lyophilized hydroethanolic tarragon extract was characterized in terms of PC and bioactive properties, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities and further used to develop functional foods namely by its incorporation in pizza dough.POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006984 (LA LSRE-LCM), funded by FEDER, through POCI-COMPETE2020 and FCT; Project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000006, funded by NORTE2020 under the PT2020, through ERDF; FCT and ERDF under PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013). Andreia Ribeiro acknowledges her PhD fellowship funded by Project NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000028, supported by N2020, under PT2020, through ESF.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tarragon extract as a functional ingredient for development of new pizza dough

Plants are used in various fields due their sensory, nutritional and medicinal properties, and aromatic plants can be used as functional food ingredients to enhance organoleptic properties and/or to replace the salt. Additionally, their large amount of bioactive compounds, namely phenolic compounds (PC), can contribute to food preservation, promote human health (Costa et al., 2015), and provide bioactive effects. Tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus L., usually known for its pleasant spicy aroma, is widely used in food preparations (Hassanzadeh et al., 2016). In this work, a lyophilized hydroethanolic tarragon extract was characterized in terms of PC and bioactive properties, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities and further used to develop functional foods namely by its incorporation in pizza dough.POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006984 (LA LSRE-LCM), funded by FEDER, through POCI-COMPETE2020 and FCT; Project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000006, funded by NORTE2020 under the PT2020, through ERDF; FCT and ERDF under PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013). Andreia Ribeiro acknowledges her PhD fellowship funded by Project NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000028, supported by N2020, under PT2020, through ESF.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Desenvolvimento de um processo de microencapsulação baseado em quitosano para proteção do α-tocoferol

Este trabalho foi realizado no âmbito da unidade curricular de Projeto da Licenciatura em Engenharia Biomédica do Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. Teve como principal objetivo desenvolver um processo de microencapsulação para proteção do α-tocoferol, a principal forma da vitamina E. O α-tocoferol é um antioxidante que possui um papel importante na proteção do organismo contra certos tipos de cancro e do envelhecimento da pele. Contudo, apresenta instabilidade à temperatura, oxigénio e luz, sendo importante a sua microencapsulação para garantir a sua proteção. Os estudos preliminares levados a cabo no âmbito da unidade curricular supramencionada consideram a utilização de duas matrizes poliméricas (quitosano e alginato), optando-se neste trabalho por apresentar os resultados obtidos com o quitosano e na perspetiva do desenvolvimento do processo de microencapsulação. Numa última etapa, o comportamento das microesferas produzidas foi testado para diferentes condições de pH

Feeding frequency and caste differentiation in Bombus terrestris larvae

The frequency with which bumble bee larvae are fed during their development was studied using video-recordings. The behaviour of the workers while feeding worker, male and queen larvae of Bombus terrestris was recorded. At the beginning of development, female larvae of both castes were fed at a similar frequency. However, during their last phase queen larvae were fed much more often than worker larvae. Despite the differences in frequency, both queen and worker larval feeding followed a similar pattern. Male larvae were fed more often than worker larvae, but less often than queen larvae. They also differed from the female larvae in the way their feeding frequency increased during development. This suggests that the process of feeding male larvae occurs in a different way. The time intervals between feedings were very variable for all larvae: from a few seconds up to 3 h. Although there was a general tendency for the intervals to decrease in duration with larval development, the irregularity was always present. The differences in feeding frequency found at the individual level for larvae of the same age and the irregularity of the feeding process can be explained by the variation in the amount of food per feeding. Finally, our data suggest that larvae play an active role in the regulation of the feeding process. This subject is discussed and compared to the situation in honey bees

Local environment and fragmentation by drought and damming shape different components of native and non-native fish beta diversity across pool refuges

Pool refuges are critical for maintaining stream fish diversity in increasingly intermittent streams. Yet, the patterns and drivers of beta diversity of native and non-native fish in pool refuges remain poorly known. Focusing on Mediterranean streams, we decomposed beta diversity of native and non-native fish into richness difference (RichDiff) and species replacement (Repl), and local (LCBD, LCBDRichDiff and LCBDRepl) and species (SCBD) contributions. We assessed the influence of environmental and spatial factors associated with drought and damming fragmentations on beta diversity components and LCBDs, and of local species richness and occupancy on LCBDs and SCBD, respectively. Overall, non-native species showed a more limited occupancy of pool refuges than native fish. RichDiff dominated beta diversity, though it was influenced by drought and damming fragmentations for native fish and local environment for non-native fish. Repl for native fish was slightly influenced by local environment, but for non-native fish was largely driven by drought and damming, albeit with a contribution of local environment as well. LCBD and LCBDRichDiff increased in pools in low order streams for native fish and at low elevations for non-native fish, and with high or low species richness. SCBD was higher for native species with intermediated pool occupancy, but for non-native species with low occupancy. Our results suggest that stream fragmentation may drive native species loss and non-native species replacement in pool refuges, and that environmental filtering may shape non-native species loss. Pools in lower order streams har bouring unique species-rich or species-poor assemblages should be prioritize for conservation and restoration, respectively, and pools at low elevation with unique non-native assemblages should deserve control efforts. We encourage the partitioning of beta diversity and individual analysis of native and non-native fish in intermittent streams, which may be key in stressing the importance of pool refuges in safeguarding native fish diversity.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologiainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Utilização de extratos de Rosmarinus oficinalis L. Como ingredientes bioativos para aumentos funcionais

Introdução: A procura por parte dos consumidores de alimentos promotores de saúde é hoje uma realidade, levando a indústria alimentar a apostar no setor dos alimentos funcionais que, para além das suas propriedades nutricionais, conferem benefícios adicionais, nomeadamente na prevenção de algumas doenças. Rosmarinus oficinalis L., vulgarmente conhecido por alecrim, possui vários fitoquímicos que lhe conferem propriedades bioativas tais como atívidade antioxidante, antiinflamatória, antimicrobiana, entre outras. Os compostos fenólicos são um exemplo importante desses fitoquímicos bioativos. Objetivos: Avaliar a atividade antioxidante de dois extratos de Rosmarinus oficinalis L., um aquoso e outro hidroetanólico, e utilizar o mais ativo para incorporação em requeijões. Após desenvolvimento do produto, confirmar as suas propriedades nutricionais e atividade antioxidante, esta avaliada para um tempo inicial (tO) e após sete dias (t7) de armazenamento. Materiais e Métodos: A atividade antioxidante foi avaliada através dos ensaiosefeito captador de radicais livres (DPPH), poder redutor (PR) e inibição da peroxidação lipídica fTBARS). A composição em macronutrientes foi avaliada de acordo com as normas oficias de análise de alimentos, tendo sido também determinada a sua composição em lactose e ácidos gordos utilizando técnicas cromatográficas. Resultados e Discussão: O extrato aquoso de alecrim revelou melhores propriedades antioxidantes comparativamente ao extraio hidroetanólico. Assim, foi utilizado para incorporação em requeijões, tendo-se comprovado que o extrato conferiu propriedades antioxidantes aos produtos funcionalizados (em tO e t7), uma vez que as amostras controlo (sem adição de extrato) não apresentavam nenhuma atividade. No entanto, houve um ligeiro decréscimo dessa atividade de tO para t7 devido a alguma degradação do extrato. Todos os requeijões aditivados com o extraio e após análise nos dois tempos (tO e t7) mantiveram o perfil nutricional das amostras controlo. Conclusão: A incorporação do extraio aquoso de alecrim conferiu propriedades antioxidantes ao requeijão, mantendo o seu valor nutricional ao longo do tempo de armazenamento (7 dias a 4°C). Contudo, para ultrapassar problemas de degradação do extrato o grupo de investigação recorreu à técnica de microencapsulação