Rhodnius prolixus, the vector of human Chagas disease, is a hemipteran insect that undergoes rapid post-feeding diuresis following ingestion of a blood meal that can be up to 10 times its initial body weight. Corticotropin-releasing factor-related diuretic hormone (Rhopr-CRF/DH) and serotonin are neurohormones that are synergistic in increasing rates of fluid secretion by Malpighian tubules dur...

PURPOSE The aim of this study is to show that the differences among eating behaviours are related to the emotional dysregulation connected to the mental dimensions being part of the obese psychopathology. Eating behaviours can be considered a diagnostic feature at the initial screening for determining the obesity treatment: nutritional or bariatric surgery. METHODS 1828 Obese subjects underwe...

Introduction: Obesity is now considered as pandemic. 40% of Italian population is overweight or obese. Many studies emphasize the association of obesity with mental disorders specifically depressive and anxiety disorders, substance use disorder, personality disorder. It has to be distinguished from the mental dimensions: impulsivity, mood, anxiety and body image connected to the emotional regul...

1 Based in part on papers given at the Mona Academic Conference “Health Issues in the Caribbean,” 31 August – 2 September 2001, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica, and at a Caribbean/Ministry of Health, Barbados/International Obesity Task Force Obesity Workshop, November 2000, Bridgetown, Barbados. 2 University of the West Indies, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Chroni...

Diuresis following blood-gorging in Rhodnius prolixus is the major process leading to the transmission of Chagas' disease. We have cloned the cDNA of the first receptor known to be involved in an antidiuretic strategy in insects, a strategy that prevents diuresis. This receptor belongs to the insect CAPA receptor family known in other insects to be activated by peptides encoded within the capab...

Diuresis in the blood-gorging hemipteran Rhodnius prolixus is under neurohormonal control and involves a variety of processes and tissues. These include ion and water movement across the epithelium of the crop and the Malpighian tubules, and muscle contractions of the crop, hindgut and dorsal vessel, which facilitate mixing of the blood-meal, mixing of the haemolymph, as well as the expulsion o...

The identification of micro-organisms carried by ticks is an important issue for human and animal health. In addition to their role as pathogen vectors, ticks are also the hosts for symbiotic bacteria whose impact on tick biology is poorly known. Among these, the bacterium Wolbachia pipientis has already been reported associated with Ixodes ricinus and other tick species. However, the origins o...

It is popularly said that ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the ~ . i y ’ ; however, like many apparently simple statements this raises questions that turn out to be rather difficult to answer. An obvious question is: important for what? It seems that the phrase usually implies some short-term benefit, such as the avoidance of hunger later in the morning, or the optimization of performan...

Objective To examine whether eating until full or eating quickly or combinations of these eating behaviours are associated with being overweight. Design and participants Cross sectional survey. Setting Two communities in Japan. Participants 3287 adults (1122 men, 2165 women) aged 30-69 who participated in surveys on cardiovascular risk from 2003 to 2006. Main outcome measures Body mass index (o...