Changes in the fecal concentrations of cortisol and androgen metabolites in captive male jaguars (Panthera onca) in response to stress

In the present study we determined the efficacy of the measurement of fecal cortisol and androgen metabolite concentrations to monitor adrenal and testicular activity in the jaguar (Panthera onca). Three captive male jaguars were chemically restrained and electroejaculated once or twice within a period of two months. Fecal samples were collected daily for 5 days before and 5 days after the procedure and stored at -20ºC until extraction. Variations in the concentrations of cortisol and androgen metabolites before and after the procedure were determined by solid phase cortisol and testosterone radioimmunoassay and feces dry weight was determined by drying at 37ºC for 24 h under vacuum. On four occasions, fecal cortisol metabolite levels were elevated above baseline (307.8 ± 17.5 ng/g dry feces) in the first fecal sample collected after the procedure (100 to 350 percent above baseline). On one occasion, we did not detect any variation. Mean (± SEM) fecal androgen concentration did not change after chemical restraint and electroejaculation (before: 131.1 ± 26.7, after: 213.7 ± 43.6 ng/g dry feces). These data show that determination of fecal cortisol and androgen metabolites can be very useful for a noninvasive assessment of animal well-being and as a complement to behavioral, physiological, and pathological studies. It can also be useful for the study of the relationship between adrenal activity and reproductive performance in the jaguar.

Development according to pubertal stage in Brazilian children and adolescents with short-term diabetes

The anthropometric status and metabolic control of 51 recently diagnosed Brazilian schoolchildren with type 1 diabetes (DM1), during the first 5 years of the disease, were compared with those of normal children (60 girls and 132 boys) belonging to the same environmental condition and pubertal stage. Metabolic control was evaluated on the basis of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1c levels. The criteria of the National Center for Health Statistics were used for anthropometric evaluation. FPG (205 + or - 51 mg/dl for girls vs 200 + or - 34 mg/dl for boys) and percent above upper normal limit of median HbA1c (1.8 percent for girls vs 2.5 percent for boys with diabetes) were not significantly different during follow-up. The Z-score of the last height evaluation was lower in the girls' group (-0.14 vs -0.53, P<0.05). By forward stepwise analysis, the Z-score of the initial height was statistically significant as a determinant factor for height at the end of the study in both girls and boys with DM1. The Z-score of weight at last evaluation was not different from that at diagnosis in either sex. However, analysis according to pubertal stage showed a tendency to a weight increase in the girls. The weight recovery and height loss in girls with DM1 follows the trend of the normal Brazilian population

Influência das condições socioeconômicas nas alterações nutricionais e na taxa de metabolismo de repouso em crianças escolares moradoras em favelas no município de São Paulo / Influence of socioeconomic conditions in the nutritional changes and rest metabolic rate in school children living in shantytowns of the city of São Paulo, Brazil

OBJETIVOS: Realizou-se um estudo transversal para avaliar a taxa de metabolismo de repouso (TMR) e condições socioeconômicas em 15 crianças escolares do sexo feminino; eutróficas (EU= estatura/idade > ou = 95 por cento e peso/idade entre 90-110por cento) e 15 com desnutrição pregressa (DP= estatura/idade < 95 por cento e peso/estatura entre 90-110 por cento) moradoras em favelas no município de São Paulo. MÉTODOS: Avaliou-se a TMR por calorimetria indireta, e a situação socioeconômica por entrevista domiciliar. RESULTADOS: O grupo DP apresentou TMR mais alta quando expressa por unidade de peso corpóreo (EU= 40,5 Kcal/kg/dia; DP=44,4 Kcal/kg/dia, p<0,05) e por quilograma de massa magra (EU= 49,2 Kcal/kg/dia; DP=52,5 Kcal/kg/dia, p<0,05); e diferenças significantes para renda per capita, analfabetismo materno, número de parasitas por criança, número de ordem entre os filhos e número de irmãos. Em análise multivariada as variáveis associadas à desnutrição foram renda per capita e analfabetismo materno. CONCLUSÕES: Embora os dois grupos tenham peso/estatura normais, a presença de baixa estatura leve foi acompanhada por alterações metabólicas e socioeconômicas típicas de um quadro de desnutrição.

Efeito de diferentes gonadotrofinas sobre o crescimento folicular e a ovulaçäo na cobaia (Cavia porcellus) / Effect of different gonadotrophins on the follicular development and ovulation in guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)

Para estudar a resposta superovulatória em cobaias, frente a vários esquemas de tratamentos com diferentes gonadotrofinas, foram utilizadas 60 fêmeas, divididas em 10 grupos de 6 animais cada um. Em uma 1§ fase, formada por 6 grupos, cada grupo recebeu um dos seguintes tratamentos: PMSG; FSH-p em dose única; FSH-p em 3 doses; FSH-h; HMG e soluçäo de NaCl 0,9 por cento (grupo controle), respectivamente. Numa 2§ fase, constituída por 4 grupos, cada um recebeu 22 UI de FSH-h, 15 UI de FSH-h; HMG e soluçäo de NaCl 0,9 por cento (grupo controle), respectivamente. Nos 3 grupos experimentais da 2§ fase foi aplicada também PGF2alfa. Todos os grupos, com exceçäo dos 2 controles, receberam também HCG. Os 3 primeiros grupos da 1§ fase tiveram ovulaçäo bloqueada, sendo que a PMSG causou luteinizaçäo generalizada dos folículos e as demais gonadotrofinas induziram luteinizaçäo folicular precoce com aprisionamento dos óvulos. Na 2§ fase, obteve-se um número médio de ovulaçöes em um grupo e a superovulaçäo de 2 animais. Concluiu-se que a PGF2alfa participa dos mecanismos de ovulaçäo na cobaia e que é possível obter aumento do crescimento folicular múltiplo com o emprego de FSH-h + HCG e HMG + HCG, associados ou näo à PGF2alfa

Diagnostic difficulties in a case of true precocious puberty

A case of true precocious puberty of cerebral origin is reported in a girl with hydrocephaly, calcification of the pineal region and previous pulmonary tuberculosis

Effects of intrahippocampal injection of kainic acid on estrous cycle in rats

Kainic acid (KA) is a powerful convulsant and neurotoxic agent. In the present paper the acute and long term effects of intrahippocampal KA administration on estrous cycle and on serum concentrations of progesterone were studied in adult female rats. Following KA injection, 3 distinct periods were observed: 1) acute period (24-48 h), 2) silent period (21-30 days), and 3) chronic period, characterized by the appearance of spontaneous of spontaneous recurrent seizures (30-45 days). KA administration did not affect progesterone levels during the acute period. In contrast, during the sislent period, KA treated animals exhibited irregular estrous cycling and decreased progesterone levels. These results are of interest in view of a possible link between epileptic phenomena and hormone secretion