Integrated dataset of anatomical, morphological, and architectural traits for plant species in Madagascar.

In this work, we present a dataset, which provides information on the structural diversity of some endemic tropical species in Madagascar. The data were from CIRAD xylotheque (since 1937), and were also collected during various fieldworks (since 1964). The field notes and photographs were provided by French botanists; particularly by Francis Hallé. The dataset covers 250 plant species with anatomical, morphological, and architectural traits indexed from digitized wood slides and fieldwork documents. The digitized wood slides were constituted by the transverse, tangential, and radial sections with three optical magnifications. The main specific anatomical traits can be found within the digitized area. Information on morphological and architectural traits were indexed from digitized field drawings including notes and photographs. The data are hosted in the website ArchiWood (http://archiwood.cirad.fr).

Dieting and food choice in grocery shopping.

As obesity becomes increasingly prevalent, many people are trying to control their body weight through dieting, with mitigated results. We analyzed the impact of weight loss on food choice by recording the grocery basket composition of 100 participants, using their grocery receipts. Participants also anonymously completed a questionnaire about age, sex, diet, recent body weight change, reasons for recent body weight changes, and perceived difficulties in losing weight. Participants who had deliberately lost weight chose more dairy products, meat, and sweets and fewer fruits and vegetables than did controls. Passive weight-losers were similar to controls in their food choices. Active weight-losers show a stronger desire for high-caloric intake, probably because of a behavioral mechanism that seeks to maintain their original body weight set-point.

Body weight and satiation after duodenal switch: 2 years later.

BACKGROUND: The authors investigated body weight, satiation, and gustative pleasure of obese patients 2 years after a bariatric operation: the biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (DS). METHODS: 9 operated patients, 10 unoperated non-obese and 10 unoperated obese persons participated in the "alliesthesia (food distaste) test". This test is a psychometric assessment of satiation resulting from the pleasure or displeasure following the repeated ingestion of a sweet stimulus. Operated patients also participated in the test before the DS operation. RESULTS: 2 years after DS, patients had lost 50% of their body weight and their BMI was rendered similar to that of the non-obese control group. Their satiation was faster than in control and unoperated obese patients. The responses of control and unoperated obese patients were identical to those of pre-surgery operated patients. CONCLUSION: This indicates that at the time of the experiment, patients' actual body weight was higher than their body weight set-point and that they would be likely to continue to lose weight, at least beyond 2 years.

Does intestinal absorption participate in the ponderostat?

Body weight regulation is known to achieve energy balance through several responses: appetite, satiety, thermogenesis, feeding behavior. Absorption efficiency might be, also, another response. In this paper, we hypothesized that the intestinal absorption efficiency of the rat might be lowered in response to a high energy content of the diet. Thirty-one rats were assigned to a specific diet (restricted, control, and cafeteria) during three weeks. Rats' body mass, BMI, and body fat were measured and absorption efficiency was calculated through the ratio of energy ingested/energy defecated. Intestinal histology was examined post-mortem. Absorption efficiency was not lower in cafeteria groups but was higher than in control and restricted rats. No histological difference was seen after the various diets. Such results indicate that intestinal absorption is working at full efficiency whatever the diet, and is not a regulatory response contributing to the ponderostat.

Flavor aversion learning induced by lithium chloride in reptiles but not in amphibians.

Flavor aversion learning occurs when digestive illness follows ingestion of a novel food. Such learning has been shown to exist in mammals and birds. In this experiment, we looked for flavor aversion learning in amphibians (Bufo paracnemis, Pachytriton breviceps) and reptiles (Basiliscus vitattus, B. basiliscus, Eumeces schneideri, Mabuya multifasciata). After intake of the novel food, the animals received i.p. injection of either lithium chloride (LiCl), an effective illness inducer, or a saline solution. A week later, the LiCl injection had not affected the food intake of the amphibians whereas in the lizards it had produced a strong aversion to the flavor of the novel food. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that specific mental capacities emerged with reptiles.