The use of natural honey (NH) as a nutraceutical agent is associated with nutritional benefits and therapeutic promises. NH is widely accepted as food and medicine by all generations, traditions and civilizations, both ancient and modern. The nutritional profiles, including its use in infant and children feeding reported in different literatures as well as health indices and biomarkers observed by various researchers are illustrated in this manuscript. The review documents folk medicine, experimentation with animal models, and orthodox medical practices shown by clinical trials. This covers virtually all human organs and body systems extensively studied by different workers. The sources and adverse effects of NH contamination, as well as the preventive methods are identified. This could promote the availability of residue free honey and a wholesome natural product for domestic consumption and international market. This could also help to prevent health problems associated with NH poisoning. In addition, apicultural practices and the economic importance of honey are well documented. This report also includes information about a relatively unknown and uncommon South American stingless bee species. We concluded this review by identifying important roles for Ethno-entomologists, other Scientists and Apiculturists in the development of stingless bees to boost honey production, consumption and economic earnings.

The fat body in invertebrates was shown to participate in energy storage and homeostasis, apart from its other roles in immune mediation and protein synthesis to mention a few. Thus, sharing similar characteristics with the liver and adipose tissues in vertebrates. However, vertebrate adipose tissue or fat has been incriminated in the pathophysiology of metabolic disorders due to its role in production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This has not been reported in the insect fat body. The link between the fat body and adipose tissue was examined in this review with the aim of determining the principal factors responsible for resistance to inflammation in the insect fat body. This could be the missing link in the prevention of metabolic disorders in vertebrates, occasioned by obesity.

In this study we report measurements of the intracellular sodium concentration ([Na+]i) in cardiac myocytes isolated from sub-endocardial and sub-epicardial regions of the rabbit left ventricle. These measurements show that [Na+]i is significantly higher in sub-epicardial than in sub-endocardial myocytes both at rest and during steady-state stimulation at 0.5 Hz. During a 10-min rest the rate of fall of [Na+]i was identical in cells from the two regions but during post-rest recovery [Na+]i rose significantly faster in sub-endocardial cells. The effect that this difference in sodium regulation may have on the rate of recovery of the calcium transient post-rest is discussed. The steady-state differences in [Na+]i do not appear to have the effect on contraction we would expect i.e. steady-state contraction is larger in sub-endocardial cells where [Na+]i is lower. Changes in [Na+]i brought about by altering the frequency of stimulation are associated with the expected changes of contraction. Action potentials were found to be significantly longer in sub-endocardial cells and following rest action potential duration was shortened although regional differences were maintained. No regional differences in this effect of rest or in recovery of the action potential post-rest were found.

The rates of rest decay (for rest periods of between 0.5 min and 10 min) and recovery from the rested state (following 10 min of rest) of cell shortening and the amplitude of the intracellular calcium transient were compared in epicardial and endocardial ventricular myocytes isolated from rabbit hearts. The object of these experiments was to determine whether reported transmural differences in action potential duration, myosin type expression and metabolic enzyme content are able to influence the control of contraction. Cells isolated from these two regions of the ventricular wall displayed almost identical twitch shortening and calcium transient characteristics during steady-state electrical stimulation at 0.5 Hz. Despite this, rest decay of cell shortening was faster and recovery from the rested state slower in endocardial cells than in epicardial cells. Neither of these differences could be explained in terms of changes of calcium transient amplitude or time course. We tried to mimic the effect of prolonged rest by application of caffeine to empty the sarcoplasmic reticulum of calcium. The regional differences in recovery of contraction from the rested state were not reproduced in the recovery of contraction after caffeine application, suggesting that the effect is produced by something other than refilling of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. It is suggested that changes in factors that affect myofilament calcium sensitivity produce the regional differences in rest decay and post-rest recovery of contraction.

We have studied the factors responsible for the variation of the frequency of "waves" caused by spontaneous Ca2+ release in rat ventricular myocytes. The experiments were performed in isolated myocytes using the fluorescent indicators Indo-1 (to measure [Ca2+]i) and SBFI (to measure [Na+]i). After electrical stimulation (either with action potentials or voltage-clamp pulses), some cells showed spontaneous Ca2+ release. The frequency of this release, where present, was variable. The Ca2+ content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was measured by applying caffeine (10 mmol/L). The resulting increase of [Ca2+]i activated the electrogenic Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange, and the integral of this current was used to estimate the Ca2+ content of the SR. The SR Ca2+ content was significantly higher in cells that oscillated at high rates ( > 10 . min-1) than in those that were quiescent. The rate of removal of Ca2+ from the cytoplasm by non-SR mechanisms was measured by adding caffeine (10 mmol/L) and measuring the rate constant of decay of the resulting increase of [Ca2+]i. Cells that had a high rate constant of decay of [Ca2+]i had a low frequency of oscillations. Measurements of [Na+]i showed a positive correlation between the frequency of spontaneous SR Ca2+ release and [Na+]i. After cessation of stimulation, there was a gradual decrease of [Na+]i, which was correlated with a parallel decrease of the frequency of oscillation rate. We conclude that the variability of frequency of spontaneous SR Ca2+ release is due to variations of the rate of Ca2+ removal from the cell, which are probably due to Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange. The variability of Na(+)- Ca2+ exchange rate, in turn, is likely to result from variations of [Na+]i.

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Broiler chicken meat is a good source of protein consumed universally, and is one of the most commonly farmed species in world. In addition to providing food, poultry non-edible byproducts also have value. A major advantage of broiler chicken production is their short production cycle, which results in a greater rate of production in comparison to other species. However, as with any production system, there are constraints in broiler production with one of the most pressing being energy requirements to keep the birds warm as chicks and cool later in the growth cycle, as a result of the cost needing mechanical heating and cooling. While this is feasible in more advanced economies, this is not readily affordable in developing economies. As a result, farmers rely on natural ventilation to cool the rearing houses, which generally becoming excessively warm with the resultant heat stress on the birds. Since little can be done without resorting to mechanical ventilation and cooling, exploring the use of other means to reduce heat stress is needed. For this review, we cover the various factors that induce heat stress, the physiological and behavioral responses of broiler chickens to heat stress. We also look at mitigating the adverse effect of heat stress through the use of antioxidants which possess either an anti-stress and/or antioxidant effects.

1. Occurrence of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) in anionic form limits their diffusion across the absorptive membrane. The present study sought to establish the mechanism of SCFA absorption in the ostrich. 2. Epithelial tissues were taken from the sacculated part of the colon and mounted in Ussing chambers in a bathing solution. The tissues were voltage-clamped and allowed to equilibrate to obtain a baseline short circuit current (Isc). 3. Propionate (23 mM) on the mucosal side increased the Isc. The SCFA-induced Isc was completely inhibited by anoxia, ouabain (1 to 2 mM), acetazolamide (0.5 mM) and 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (0.1 mM) on the mucosal side. 4. These findings indicate that SCFA stimulate hydrogen ion secretion through an electrogenic H(+)-K(+)-ATPase, the source of hydrogen ions being carbonic anhydrase catalysed hydration of CO2. 5. Simultaneous activation of Cl(-)/HCO3(-) exchange prevents intracellular accumulation of bicarbonate ions. This system may provide hydrogen ions for protonation of SCFA anions and subsequent absorption by non-ionic diffusion.