scholarly journals Determining the Effect of Age on the Reproductive and Stress Physiology of Octopus Bimaculoides Using Dermal Hormones

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Chancellor ◽  
Bret Grasse ◽  
Taylor Sakmar ◽  
David Scheel ◽  
Joel S. Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Test ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Reproductive Hormones ◽  
Stress Physiology ◽  
Reproductive State ◽  
Hormone Production ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Reproductive Females ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Effect Of Age

Abstract Our goal was to validate the use of dermal swabs to evaluate both reproductive and stress physiology in the California two-spot octopus, Octopus bimaculoides. Our objectives were to: 1. use a biological stressor to validate glucocorticoid analysis; 2. compare the concentration of reproductive hormones (estrogen and progesterone in females; testosterone in males) of reproductive (N = 4) and senescent (N = 8) individuals to determine the effect of age on hormonal patterns; and 3. determine the relationship between glucocorticoid and reproductive hormone production. For the stress test, individuals were first swabbed and then chased around the aquarium with a net for five minutes. Afterwards, individuals were swabbed for 2 hours at 15-minute intervals to compare to a pre-stress test swab. Reproductive individuals responded to the stressor with a 2-fold peak of cortisol at 15 and 90 minutes. Six of eight senescent individuals did not produce a 2-fold increase in cortisol. Reproductive females had significantly higher sex hormone concentrations (progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone) compared to senescent females. Reproductive males also had significantly higher levels of testosterone compared to their senescent counterparts. After the stressor, only reproductive males produced a 2-fold increase in testosterone concentrations, while sex hormones in females showed no change. Dermal swabs provide an effective and non-invasive means for evaluating octopus hormones, which can provide indicators of both reproductive state and perceptions of acute stressors.

Sex- and state-dependent attraction of round gobies, Neogobius melanostomus, to conspecific calls

Behaviour ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 150 (13) ◽  
pp. 1509-1530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Isabella-Valenzi ◽  
Dennis M. Higgs
Keyword(s):  
Round Goby ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Reproductive State ◽  
State Dependent ◽  
Round Gobies ◽  
Reproductive Females ◽  
Female Responses ◽  
The Relationship

Acoustic communication is of fundamental importance in many fish species but it is often unclear what information is present in different calls and how responsiveness varies with reproductive state and the sex of the receiver. The current study investigates reproductive flexibility in acoustic responsiveness through differential attraction between reproductive morphs of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) to conspecific calls. Parental male (PM) round gobies emit calls and females respond to these calls with high specificity. We used playback experiments to determine the response of gobies to recordings of two conspecific calls, a grunt and a drum. For the grunt, reproductive females (RF) displayed a significantly higher response for first approach than non-reproductive males (NRM), but RFs never responded to the drum call. Upon examining within-morph responses for time spent at a playing speaker, RFs were found to spend the longest time at the grunt call compared to other sound types. In contrast to the female responses, NRMs and sneaker males (SM) displayed a strong preference to the drum call. Overall these results support that the grunt could be for mate attraction while NRMs and SMs may be eavesdropping on the drum call. By determining the relationship between reproductive state and responses to conspecific calls, we show that reproductive state is a critical factor in understanding behavioural responses in fish.

scholarly journals EFFECT OF AGE, AND SPLEEN AND TREATMENT STATUS ON MALE REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES AND SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETER LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH BETA-THALASSEMIA MAJOR

2019 ◽  
pp. 213-216
Author(s):  
JAMELA JOUDA ◽  
RAJWAN ABDULJABBAR GHAZZAY ◽  
WAFAA F AL-MOSAWY
Keyword(s):  
Thalassemia Major ◽  
Reproductive Hormones ◽  
Beta Thalassemia ◽  
Physiological Parameter ◽  
Abo Blood Groups ◽  
Sexual Hormones ◽  
Treatment Status ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Effect Of Age

Objective: This research was conducted to study the relationship between spleen status and chelation treatment status with the male reproductive hormones and some physiological parameter levels. Methods: A total of 35 males with thalassemia major (TM) patients are recruited. Patients are grouped according to (1) their age into two groups; ˂18 years and ≥18 years, (2) their spleen status into two groups; splenectomize and non-splenectomize, and (3) their chelation treatment status into two groups; regulation and irregulation. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated and blood was collected from all patients just before blood transfusion session. Hb, ABO blood groups, ferritin, and hormone (luteinizing hormone [LH], follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], testosterone, prolactin, and cortisone) levels were determined. Results: The highest frequency of thalassemia was in Group O and the lowest was in AB. BMI was higher in TM patients aged ≥18 years, TM patients with splenectomize, and TM patient who take the treatment irregularly. TM patients aged ≥18 years have high level of LH, FSH, and testosterone. TM patients without splenectomize have higher FSH, prolactin, and testosterone. TM patients take the treatment regularly have significantly higher testosterone levels and non-significantly lower FSH level. Conclusion: The levels of cortisol and prolactin hormones are not disturbed in TM patients and not associated with the rate of transfusion, but the level of Hb and ferritin leads to underweight in BMI and may lead to endocrine dysfunction, especially sexual hormones (FSH, LH, and testosterone). These BMI and sex hormones are related to age, spleen, and treatment status.

Monitoring Anticoagulant Therapy by Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time: Hirudin Assessment

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (05) ◽  
pp. 685-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T Nurmohamed ◽  
René J Berckmans ◽  
Willy M Morriën-Salomons ◽  
Fenny Berends ◽  
Daan W Hommes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whole Blood ◽  
Partial Thromboplastin Time ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Heparin Therapy ◽  
Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time ◽  
Recombinant Hirudin ◽  
Interindividual Differences ◽  
The Relationship

SummaryBackground. Recombinant hirudin (RH) is a new anticoagulant for prophylaxis and treatment of venous and arterial thrombosis. To which extent the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) is suitable for monitoring of RH has not been properly evaluated. Recently, a capillary whole blood device was developed for bed-side monitoring of the APTT and it was demonstrated that this device was suitable to monitor heparin therapy. However, monitoring of RH was not evaluated.Study Objectives. To evaluate in vitro and ex vivo the responsiveness and reproducibility for hirudin monitoring of the whole blood monitor and of plasma APTT assays, which were performed with several reagents and two conventional coagulometers.Results. Large interindividual differences in hirudin responsiveness were noted in both the in vitro and the ex vivo experiments. The relationship between the APTT, expressed as clotting time or ratio of initial and prolonged APTT, and the hirudin concentration was nonlinear. A 1.5-fold increase of the clotting times was obtained at 150-200 ng/ml plasma. However, only a 2-fold increase was obtained at hirudin levels varying from 300 ng to more than 750 ng RH/ml plasma regardless of the assays. The relationship linearized upon logarithmic conversion of the ratio and the hirudin concentration. Disregarding the interindividual differences, and presuming full linearity of the relationship, all combinations were equally responsive to hirudin.Conclusions. All assays were equally responsive to hirudin. Levels up to 300 ng/ml plasma can be reliably estimated with each assay. The manual device may be preferable in situations where rapid availability of test results is necessary.

Endothelial Dysfunction and Inflammatory Markers of Vascular Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sevket Balta
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Dysfunction ◽  
Vascular Disease ◽  
Inflammatory Markers ◽  
Vascular Diseases ◽  
Intima Media Thickness ◽  
Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Von Willebrand ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Willebrand Factor

: Vascular diseases are the main reason for morbidity and mortality worldwide. As we know, the earlier phase of vascular diseases is endothelial dysfunction in humans, the endothelial tissues play an important role in inflammation, coagulation, and angiogenesis, via organizing ligand-receptor associations and the various mediators’ secretion. We can use many inflammatory non-invasive tests (flowmediated dilatation, epicedial fat thickness, carotid-intima media thickness, arterial stiffness and anklebrachial index) for assessing the endothelial function. In addition, many biomarkers (ischemia modified albumin, pentraxin-3, E-selectin, angiopoietin, endothelial cell specific molecule 1, asymmetrical dimethylarginine, von Willebrand factor, endothelial microparticles and endothelial progenitor cells) can be used to evaluate endothelial dysfunction. We have focused on the relationship between endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory markers of vascular disease in this review.

The Impact of Financial Literacy on Financial Preparedness for Retirement in the Small and Medium Enterprises Sector in Uganda

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 26-41
Author(s):  
Colin Agabalinda ◽  
Alain Vilard Ndi Isoh
Keyword(s):  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Retirement Preparedness ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Effect Of Age

The study investigated the direct effects of financial literacy (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) on financial preparedness for retirement and the moderating effect of age among the small and medium enterprises in Uganda. Primary data was collected from a sample of n = 380 selected from the SME workforce. Descriptive analysis was run on SPSS, while validity and reliability of the measurement items yielded satisfactory composite reliability scores and average variance explained (AVE) scores for all items. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses and multi-group analysis conducted to test for the moderating effect of age on the relationship between financial literacy and retirement preparedness. The results revealed that knowledge and skills were significant predictors of retirement preparedness. However, ‘attitude' was not a significant predictor, and age had no moderating effect on the relationship between the study variables. These findings present practical implications for policymakers and financial educators in a developing country context.

scholarly journals The Relationship Between the Home Environment and Falls for Older Adults With Visual Impairments

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 770-770
Author(s):  
Bonnielin Swenor ◽  
Aleksandra Mihailovic ◽  
Pradeep Ramulu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Home Environment ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Engineering Society ◽  
Environment Assessment ◽  
Risk Factors For Falls ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The home environment and features of the home have been identified as important risk factors for falls, and may pose particular risk for older adults with visual impairments given difficulty with hazard perception. We used data from 245 participants in the Falls in Glaucoma Study [mean age: 71 years, mean follow-up: 31 months] with homes graded using our previously validated Home Environment Assessment for the Visually Impaired (HEAVI), which quantifies the number of in-home fall-related hazards and found that neither the number of hazards nor the percentage of hazardous items were associated falls/year. However, each 10-fold increase in lighting was associated with a 35% lower rate of falls/year (RR=0.65, 95%CI=0.46 to 0.92) and there was a 50% reduction in falls/year when lighting was at or above 30 footcandles (minimum lighting level recommended by the Engineering Society of North America) compared to lighting <30 footcandles (RR=0.50, 95%CI=0.26 to 0.96).

scholarly journals The Effect of Sex and Age on Bone Morphology and Strength in the Metacarpus and Humerus in Beef-Cross-Dairy Cattle

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 694
Author(s):  
Michaela Gibson ◽  
Rebecca Hickson ◽  
Penny Back ◽  
Keren Dittmer ◽  
Nicola Schreurs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Quantitative Computed Tomography ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography ◽  
Bone Size ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Bone Morphology ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Effect Of Age

In cattle, limited data have been reported about the relationship between live weight, bone size, and strength and how this relationship can be altered by factors such as sex and age. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship of peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT)-derived parameters of bone strength and morphology with live weight, age and sex in beef-cross-dairy cattle. All animals were weighed the day before slaughter. The metacarpus and humerus were collected at slaughter and scanned at the mid-diaphysis using pQCT. Live weight was the primary explanatory variable for bone size and strength in all cohorts. However, the effect of age was significant, such that magnitude of response to liveweight was less in the 24-month-old cohort. Sex was significant within cohorts in that bulls had a shorter metacarpus than steers and heifers had a shorter metacarpus than steers at age of slaughter.

Diagnostic accuracy of Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio (iFR) for the assessment of myocardial ischaemia: a comparison with non-invasive stress imaging

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Stazzoni ◽  
L Tessandori ◽  
P Spontoni ◽  
M Angelillis ◽  
C Giannini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Myocardial Ischaemia ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Coronary Revascularization ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Invasive Coronary Angiography ◽  
Coronary Syndrome ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Coronary Stenoses ◽  
Epicardial Stenosis

Abstract Background Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio (iFR) allows for the assessment of the haemodynamic effects of epicardial coronary stenoses without the need for hyperaemia; iFR is currently recommended as a means to evaluate myocardial ischaemia. Purpose To assess the diagnostic accuracy of iFR with respect to the identification of coronary epicardial stenoses causing ischemia. Therefore, we combined anatomical (% stenosis at invasive coronary angiography, ICA) and functional (non-invasive imaging stress test, NIST) information to obtain a “gold standard” for the identification of stenoses causing ischaemia. Methods We enrolled 71 patients (52 male, 19 female; age mean 68.4±8.1 years) with chronic coronary syndrome or low-risk acute coronary syndrome without ST segment elevation who had at least a NIST and who had at least one vessel with a 50%-85% stenosis at ICA. iFR was measured in all coronary arteries with stenosis >50% and categorised according to the 0.89 threshold for ischaemia. Results iFR was assessed in 122 vessels. In a per-vessel analysis, in 56.7% ischaemia was present both at iFR and NIST, in 21.3% ischaemia was absent in both, while in 23.0% ischaemia was found at NIST but not confirmed by iFR. The overall accuracy of iFR with respect to NIST was 90.1%. However, when considering as the “gold standard” for coronary disease causing ischaemia the contemporary presence of an epicardial stenosis >70% at ICA and a positive NIST, the diagnostic accuracy of iFR greatly improved. The sensibility, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy were 96.5%, 75.0%, 73.3%, 96.7% and 84.4%, respectively. In case of discordance between NIST and iFR, revascularization was based on iFR. At a mean follow-up of 23±18 months, the composite endpoint of MACE (major adverse cardiac events, defined as the composite of all-cause death, nonfatal MI and unplanned coronary revascularization) occurred in 16.4%, while death/MI occurred in 11.9%. Stratification according to the per-patient concordance between iFR and NIST showed no significant differences in rates of MACE (p=0.50) and death/MI (p=0.20). Stratification based on iFR showed a higher death/MI rate in iFR-positive patients (11.9% vs. 0%, p=0.047) and a trend to higher MACE rate (11.9% vs. 4.47% p=0.14), Conclusions The diagnostic accuracy of iFR is low when compared with NIST as the reference for myocardial ischaemia, but it is very high when compared with the combined presence of epicardial stenosis and positive NIST. Therefore, iFR can accurately guide the decision to treat or defer revascularization of intermediate coronary stenoses, being most useful in patients with multivessel CAD and when non-invasive functional data are lacking or discordant with anatomy. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

scholarly journals The relationship between complement C3 expression and the MUC5B genotype in pulmonary fibrosis

2018 ◽  
Vol 315 (1) ◽  
pp. L1-L10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsukasa Okamoto ◽  
Susan K. Mathai ◽  
Corinne E. Hennessy ◽  
Laura A. Hancock ◽  
Avram D. Walts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽  
Lung Injury ◽  
Lung Tissue ◽  
Complement System ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Complement C3 ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
C3 Gene ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Complement System

The common gain-of-function MUC5B promoter variant ( rs35705950 ) is the strongest risk factor for the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). While the role of complement in IPF is controversial, both MUC5B and the complement system play a role in lung host defense. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between complement component 3 (C3) and MUC5B in patients with IPF and in bleomycin-induced lung injury in mice. To do this, we evaluated C3 gene expression in whole lung tissue from 300 subjects with IPF and 175 healthy controls. Expression of C3 was higher in IPF than healthy controls {1.40-fold increase [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31–1.50]; P < 0.0001} and even greater among IPF subjects with the highest-risk IPF MUC5B promoter genotype [TT vs. GG = 1.59-fold (95% CI 1.15–2.20); P < 0.05; TT vs. GT = 1.66-fold (95% CI 1.20–2.30); P < 0.05]. Among subjects with IPF, C3 expression was significantly higher in the lung tissue without microscopic honeycombing than in the lung tissue with microscopic honeycombing [1.40-fold increase (95% CI 1.23– 1.59); P < 0.01]. In mice, while bleomycin exposure increased Muc5b protein expression, C3-deficient mice were protected from bleomycin-induced lung injury. In aggregate, our findings indicate that the MUC5B promoter variant is associated with higher C3 expression and suggest that the complement system may contribute to the pathogenesis of IPF.

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