Meal Duration (meal + duration)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Short-term responses by the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, to insecticidal baits: behavioural observations

ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA, Issue 1 2002
Stephen A. Jones
Abstract Toxicants may cause insects to avoid a bait, and yet bait efficacy is dependent upon insects ingesting it in adequate quantities. Amounts ingested are, in turn, determined by meal frequency, meal durations and ingestion rate within meals, but to date no report has been made of these variables for domestic cockroaches. We report an experiment in which sixth instar German cockroach, Blattella germanica, nymphs were initially able to self-select their protein and carbohydrate intake independently, then daily at the start of the scotophase some insects had their choice of foods replaced by a single treatment food, which varied through the presence or absence of protein, carbohydrate, and insecticide. Insect behaviour was recorded for the following 5 h, and the data were subsequently subjected to bout analysis in order to identify discrete meals. The age of insects in days on first exposure to a treatment food (,age') and the amount of food eaten in the observation period were both recorded and included in the analysis. Amounts eaten were affected by insect age and food nutrient content, but not by the presence of insecticide. Toxicant effects were, however, seen on average meal duration and meal frequency, in interactions with age and food nutrient effects. These results suggest ways in which direct observations of behaviours may lead to improved bait design. [source]


Mealtime energy intake and feeding behaviour in children who fail to thrive: a population-based case-control study

THE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 5 2004
Kathryn N. Parkinson
Background:, The essential link between energy needs and energy intake is feeding behaviour, yet few studies have directly observed feeding behaviour in children who have failed to thrive. A cohort of 961 term infants was screened to identify children with first year weight gain below the 5th centile in order to examine their feeding behaviour and food intake. Methods:, A nested case-control study was used with direct observation at 13,21 months over two lunchtime meals, one consisting of finger foods and the other of ,spoon foods'. Thirty children who failed to thrive and 57 controls were studied. The video-tapes were coded for feeding behaviour using a behavioural coding inventory which distinguishes between children feeding themselves and responding to being fed by their mother. The main outcome measures were counts of five feeding actions (give, accept, feedself, refuse, reject) and measures of energy intake, the weight of food eaten and meal duration. Results:, There were systematic differences in feeding behaviour between meal types, with mothers feeding their child more often at meals comprising spoon foods and children feeding themselves more often at meals comprising finger foods. By weight, more food was consumed at the spoon food meals, but energy intake was no higher, showing that the children compensated for the differing energy yields of the foods. Children who failed to thrive took in less energy than controls, and were less likely to sit in a highchair throughout the meal, but there were no clear differences in other aspects of feeding behaviour. Conclusions:, Food type is an important variable when studying childhood feeding behaviour. Children who fail to thrive take in less energy than controls of the same age, despite there being no major differences in mealtime feeding behaviour. [source]


Eating and rumination behaviour in Brahman grade cattle and crossbred water buffalo fed on high roughage diet

ANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 5 2010
Renato S. A. VEGA
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to compare feeding and other behavior and nutrient digestibility of tropical grade Brahman (body weight (BW) = 231 kg ± 12.4; n = 3) and crossbred water buffalo (BW = 300 kg ± 13.9; n = 3). This experiment on digestibility and measures of muscles of mastication utilized one-way, and animal behavior two-way, analysis of variance, respectively. Two video camcorders were installed in each pair of buffalo and Brahman for 24 h period programmed on the 107th, 109th and 111th days of the digestion trials. Frequency and duration of feeding, meal intake, rumination, bolus, chews, drinking, defecating, standing and lying were recorded daily. Muscle diameter of Digastricus, Masseter and Pterygoid and different regions of the tongue were sampled and measured under light microscope using a standard micrometer. Buffalo obtained significantly higher intake of dry matter, roughage, crude protein, total digestible nutrient and metabolized energy than Brahman. This was supported by longer meal duration (P , 0.05), and shorter meal breaks (P , 0.05) of buffalo than Brahman. The diameter of the muscles for mastication was bigger (P , 0.05) in buffalo than in Brahman, which is indicative of stronger chewing ability. Briefly, lesser and slower chewing action; higher intake of roughage and crude protein; and longer resting behavior of crossbred water buffalo than Brahman are all indicative of better digestive and metabolic performance of the buffalo under high roughage feeding conditions. [source]


Knockdown of Fc, receptor III in an arthritic temporomandibular joint reduces the nociceptive response in rats

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 10 2010
Phillip R. Kramer
Objective Fc, receptor III (Fc,RIII; CD16) is a receptor expressed on immune cells that selectively binds IgG molecules. IgG binding results in cellular activation and cytokine release. IgG is an important factor in arthritis and can be found in the arthritic temporomandibular joint (TMJ). We undertook this study to test the hypothesis that a reduction in Fc,RIII expression in TMJ tissues would reduce the nociceptive and inflammatory responses in an inflamed joint. Methods Small interfering RNA (siRNA), either naked or complexed with linear polyethyleneimine, was injected into the superior joint space of the TMJ in rats. After administration of siRNA the joint was injected with saline or with Freund's complete adjuvant to induce arthritis. Nociceptive responses were quantitated in the rat by measuring the animal's meal duration. Fc,RIII expression in the TMJ tissue was assayed by immunocytochemistry or Western blotting. Cleavage of Fc,RIII transcript was then assayed by 5, rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends. Interleukin-1, (IL-1,) and IgG content was measured in the TMJ tissue by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Injection of Fc,RIII siRNA reduced the amount of Fc,RIII in the TMJ tissues, and the transcript was cleaved in a manner consistent with an RNA interference mechanism. Moreover, injection of Fc,RIII siRNA reduced the nociceptive response of rats with an arthritic TMJ and reduced the amount of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1,. Conclusion Fc,RIII contributes to the pain resulting from inflammatory arthritis of the TMJ, and siRNA has the potential to be an effective treatment for this disorder. [source]


Short-term responses by the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, to insecticidal baits: behavioural observations

ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA, Issue 1 2002
Stephen A. Jones
Abstract Toxicants may cause insects to avoid a bait, and yet bait efficacy is dependent upon insects ingesting it in adequate quantities. Amounts ingested are, in turn, determined by meal frequency, meal durations and ingestion rate within meals, but to date no report has been made of these variables for domestic cockroaches. We report an experiment in which sixth instar German cockroach, Blattella germanica, nymphs were initially able to self-select their protein and carbohydrate intake independently, then daily at the start of the scotophase some insects had their choice of foods replaced by a single treatment food, which varied through the presence or absence of protein, carbohydrate, and insecticide. Insect behaviour was recorded for the following 5 h, and the data were subsequently subjected to bout analysis in order to identify discrete meals. The age of insects in days on first exposure to a treatment food (,age') and the amount of food eaten in the observation period were both recorded and included in the analysis. Amounts eaten were affected by insect age and food nutrient content, but not by the presence of insecticide. Toxicant effects were, however, seen on average meal duration and meal frequency, in interactions with age and food nutrient effects. These results suggest ways in which direct observations of behaviours may lead to improved bait design. [source]


Developmental changes in the patterns of feeding in fourth- and fifth-instar Helicoverpa armigera caterpillars

PHYSIOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2000
D. Raubenheimer
Summary Data are presented for developmental changes in feeding behaviour within and across the fourth and fifth stadium of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) caterpillars fed nutritionally homogeneous semi-synthetic foods. We recorded the microstructure of feeding over continuous 12-h periods on consecutive days throughout the two stadia, and in one experiment recorded continuously for 21 h. Larvae in the two stadia showed the same general pattern of macro-events in feeding, including a similar duration of post-ecdysis fast, which was usually broken by consumption of the exuviae, and then a sustained period in which discrete meals on the experimental food were taken regularly. There were, however, some distinct differences in the patterns of meal-taking both between stadia and across different one-third time segments within stadia. Considering between-stadium differences, the proportion of time spent feeding differed significantly only in the last segment of the feeding period of the two stadia, with the value for the fourth-instar larvae being substantially greater than for fifth-instar larvae. As regards within stadium changes, the proportion of time feeding increased from the first to the second segment of both stadia. However, whereas the proportion of time feeding increased from the second to the final segment of the fourth stadium, it decreased across the same period in the fifth stadium. These patterns of changes in the proportion of time feeding within and between stadia, and their behavioural mechanisms (combination of meal durations and meal frequencies), can be explained only partially with reference to increasing food requirements with development. Three areas are identified where further study might help elucidate the reasons for the observed developmental changes in the microstructure of feeding: allometric constraint, the dynamic links between ingestion and post-ingestive processing, and ecological factors such as predation. [source]