The measurement of glucocorticoid concentrations in the serum and faeces of captive African elephants (Loxodonta africana) after ACTH stimulation : research communication

2000 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
S.K. Stead ◽  
D.G.A. Meltzer ◽  
R. Palme
Keyword(s):  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Serum Cortisol ◽  
Blood Collection ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
African Elephants ◽  
Acth Stimulation ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
Cortisol Metabolites

Conventionally, the assessment of adrenal responses to stress relies on blood sample collection. However, blood collection from animals is impossible without restraint or immobilisation that influences results. This study was undertaken to validate recently established enzyme immunoassays that measure faecal glucocorticoid metabolites in elephants, and to perform a preliminary investigation into the biological relevance of this non-invasive method for use in assessing the degree of stress in this species. Four juvenile African elephants were injected i.m. with 2.15 mg synthetic adrenocorticotrophic hormone (Synacthén, Novartis, Switzerland). Blood and faecal samples were collected over 4 h and 7 d respectively. Concentrations of serum cortisol and faecal cortisol metabolites were determined using immunoassay. Variability of basal and peak values in blood and faeces was observed among the elephants. After ACTH injection, serum cortisol concentrations increased by 400-700 %. An 11-oxoaetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay (EIA) proved best suited to measure cortisol metabolites (11,17-dioxoandrostanes) when compared to a cortisol and corticosterone EIA in faecal samples. Concentrations of faecal 11,17-dioxoandrostanes increased by 570-1070 %, reaching peak levels after 20.0-25.5 h. Greater levels of glucocorticoid metabolites were measured in faecal samples from elephants kept in small enclosures compared to levels in the faeces of animals ranging over a larger area. The results of this preliminary study suggest that non-invasive faecal monitoring of glucocorticoid metabolites is useful in investigating adrenal activity in African elephants.

Non-invasive monitoring of adrenocortical activity in European badgers (Meles meles) and effects of sample collection and storage on faecal cortisol metabolite concentrations

2012 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Barja ◽  
Gema Escribano-Ávila ◽  
Carlos Lara-Romero ◽  
Emilio Virgós ◽  
Javier Benito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Lapse ◽  
Meles Meles ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Acth Stimulation ◽  
Adrenocortical Activity ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
European Badgers ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Cortisol Metabolites

Due to the increasing demand for methods to quantify adrenal activity in response to stressors in wild animals, we evaluated whether stimulation with adrenocorticopic hormone (ACTH) increases faecal cortisol metabolite levels in European badgers. We also conducted several experiments to evaluate the effect of storage time and collection methods on cortisol metabolite levels of faecal samples. Faecal samples were collected from five captive European badgers (Meles meles) and cortisol metabolites were quantified by an enzyme immunoassay. Faecal cortisol metabolite levels increased 1-2 days after ACTH injection and dropped to pre-treatment levels 3 days after ACTH stimulation. We found that cortisol metabolite levels were not affected by the 8-hour time lapse from collection in the field until freezing of faecal samples, environmental exposure (temperature 25.66 ± 2.55°C; range 21.20-32.20) or mean relative humidity 62.77 ± 9.90% (range 42.00-79.00). Cortisol metabolites were not homogenously distributed in the scats. Cortisol metabolite levels were significantly lower when faecal extracts and samples were frozen for long periods of time (14 weeks or more). Thus, the measurement of faecal cortisol metabolites is a suitable method for the non-invasive evaluation of adrenocortical activity in European badgers. However, some aspects related to the collection and storage of faecal samples should be considered in future studies conducted with this species.

scholarly journals Factors influencing genotyping success and genotyping error rate of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) faeces collected in temperate Central Europe

2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcia Sittenthaler ◽  
Eva Maria Schöll ◽  
Christoph Leeb ◽  
Elisabeth Haring ◽  
Rosemarie Parz-Gollner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influential Factors ◽  
Lutra Lutra ◽  
Sample Treatment ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Allelic Dropout ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Eurasian Otter ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
Elusive Species

AbstractThe use of non-invasively collected DNA source material for genetic and genomic applications is usually characterized by low target DNA concentration and quality, genotyping errors and cost-intensive lab procedures. However, for otters (Lutrinae) as elusive species of conservation concern, genetic non-invasive sampling has become an important tool to study their ecology and demography. To increase cost-efficiency of monitoring programmes and to promote the expansion of genomic approaches to non-invasive samples, we aimed to refine sample collection and preparation. Therefore, we examined the effects of intrinsic sample characteristics (including diet), environmental conditions in the field and sample treatment in the molecular laboratory on the success of genotyping and allelic dropout (ADO) rates using microsatellite markers in 1970 fresh Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) scats. Using fresh samples only, we probably eliminated one of the most important impediments of genotyping DNA from otter faecal samples beforehand. But, we observed higher genotyping success and lower ADO rates for anal glad secretions and faecal samples containing high proportions of mucus. Moist conditions during sample collection may promote DNA degradation and PCR inhibition, leading to decreased genotyping success rates. ADO was further affected by the type of extraction kit. However, a high proportion of variance remaining unexplained by our models implied that additional parameters were acting (amount of PCR inhibitors, non-uniform distribution of intestinal cells, efficiency of PCRs, specific microclimate at marking sites). We summarized influential factors maximizing genotyping quality of otter scats and give recommendations for sample collection, storage and DNA extraction based on our results and current literature.

Effect of Dietary Inclusion of Live Microbial Cultures on Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Safari Asian Elephants

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Chharang ◽  
S. Choudhary ◽  
V. Kumar ◽  
S. Sharma ◽  
P. C. Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Asian Elephants ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Microbial Cultures ◽  
Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
Conservation Of Endangered Species

Background: Wildlife tourism has been shown to increase stress in a variety of species and can negatively affect the survival, reproduction, welfare, and behaviour of individuals. The use of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites has favoured the development of non-invasive methods to study physiological conditions and could aid in successful and effective strategies for the management and conservation of endangered species. Methods: An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary inclusion of live microbial cultures to find patterns of physiological stress hormone in faeces of 18 safari Asian elephants of 30-62 years age and body weight (3495 ± 133.34 Kg) for two months. They were randomly divided into three groups, with six elephants in each, i.e. control with no probiotic (T1) and the other two with probiotics, which contained 1 × 109 CFU/g concentrate of Lactobacillus acidophilus (T2) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (T3) @ every 50 kg body weight per day. Faecal samples were taken on 0, 30th, 40th and 50th day of the experiment. Result: It was observed that the mean faecal glucocorticoid metabolites, demonstrated by the elephants of T2, and T3 groups were not significantly (P > 0.05) different from the control group (T1) and remained unaffected on the supplementation of live microbial cultures.

scholarly journals Measuring Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites to Assess Adrenocortical Activity in Reindeer

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 987
Author(s):  
Şeyda Özkan Gülzari ◽  
Grete Helen Meisfjord Jørgensen ◽  
Svein Morten Eilertsen ◽  
Inger Hansen ◽  
Snorre Bekkevold Hagen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Invasive Technique ◽  
Animal Conservation ◽  
Adrenocortical Activity ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
Species Specific

Several non-invasive methods for assessing stress responses have been developed and validated for many animal species. Due to species-specific differences in metabolism and excretion of stress hormones, methods should be validated for each species. The aim of this study was to conduct a physiological validation of an 11-oxoaetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for measuring faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) in male reindeer by administration of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH; intramuscular, 0.25 mg per animal). A total of 317 samples were collected from eight male reindeer over a 44 h period at Tverrvatnet in Norway in mid-winter. In addition, 114 samples were collected from a group of reindeer during normal handling and calf marking at Stjernevatn in Norway. Following ACTH injection, FCM levels (median and range) were 568 (268–2415) ng/g after two hours, 2718 (414–8550) ng/g after seven hours and 918 (500–6931) ng/g after 24 h. Levels were significantly higher from seven hours onwards compared to earlier hours (p < 0.001). The FCM levels at Stjernevatn were significantly (p < 0.001) different before (samples collected zero to two hours; median: 479 ng/g) and after calf marking (eight to ten hours; median: 1469 ng/g). Identification of the faecal samples belonging to individual animals was conducted using DNA analysis across time. This study reports a successful validation of a non-invasive technique for measuring stress in reindeer, which can be applied in future studies in the fields of biology, ethology, ecology, animal conservation and welfare.

scholarly journals Salivary Cortisol: A Better Measure of Adrenal Cortical Function than Serum Cortisol

1983 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 329-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross F Vining ◽  
Robynne A McGinley ◽  
Joseph J Maksvytis ◽  
Kian Y Ho
Keyword(s):  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Circadian Variation ◽  
Serum Cortisol ◽  
Normal Pregnancy ◽  
Cortisol Concentration ◽  
Adrenocortical Function ◽  
Cortical Function ◽  
Acth Stimulation ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Normal Men

Salivary Cortisol concentration was found to be directly proportional to the serum unbound Cortisol concentration both in normal men and women and in women with elevated cortisol-binding globulin (CBG). The correlation was excellent in dynamic tests of adrenal function (dexamethasone suppression, ACTH stimulation), in normals and patients with adrenal insufficiency, in tests of circadian variation and randomly collected samples. Women in the third trimester of normal pregnancy exhibited elevated salivary Cortisol throughout the day. The relationship between salivary and serum total Cortisol concentration was markedly non-linear with a more rapid increase in salivary concentration once the serum CBG was saturated. The rate of equilibrium of Cortisol between blood and saliva was very fast, being much less than 5 minutes. These data, combined with a simple, stress-free, non-invasive collection procedure, lead us to suggest that salivary Cortisol is a more appropriate measure for the clinical assessment of adrenocortical function than is serum Cortisol.

scholarly journals The Distinctive Serum Metabolomes of Gastric, Esophageal and Colorectal Cancers

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 720
Author(s):  
Zhenxing Ren ◽  
Cynthia Rajani ◽  
Wei Jia
Keyword(s):  
Aerobic Glycolysis ◽  
Invasive Procedure ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Blood Collection ◽  
Gastrointestinal Cancers ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Metabolite Profiles ◽  
Serum Metabolomics ◽  
The Warburg Effect

Three of the most lethal cancers in the world are the gastrointestinal cancers—gastric (GC), esophageal (EC) and colorectal cancer (CRC)—which are ranked as third, sixth and fourth in cancer deaths globally. Early detection of these cancers is difficult, and a quest is currently on to find non-invasive screening tests to detect these cancers. The reprogramming of energy metabolism is a hallmark of cancer, notably, an increased dependence on aerobic glycolysis which is often referred to as the Warburg effect. This metabolic change results in a unique metabolic profile that distinguishes cancer cells from normal cells. Serum metabolomics analyses allow one to measure the end products of both host and microbiota metabolism present at the time of sample collection. It is a non-invasive procedure requiring only blood collection which encourages greater patient compliance to have more frequent screenings for cancer. In the following review we will examine some of the most current serum metabolomics studies in order to compare their results and test a hypothesis that different tumors, notably, from EC, GC and CRC, have distinguishing serum metabolite profiles.

scholarly journals Examination the stresseffect of litter’s let-together system (“kindergarten”) by measuring faecal cortisol metabolites of sows and piglets

2016 ◽  
pp. 87-90
Author(s):  
Zsolt Győri ◽  
Margit Kulcsár ◽  
Péter Balogh ◽  
László Huzsvai ◽  
Gabriella Novotniné Dankó
Keyword(s):  
Stress Effect ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Adrenocortical Activity ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Invasive Method ◽  
Corticosterone Metabolites ◽  
Pig Husbandry ◽  
Cortisol Metabolites

Piglets in commercial intensive pig husbandry are often abruptly weaned between 3 and 4 weeks for economic reasons. The process of weaning is a multifactorial stressor, in which nutritional, social, physical and psychologic stressors are combined. Piglets are often exposed to unfamiliar piglets around weaning which results in a period of vigorous fighting. Stress plays an important part in welfare research. Traditionally glucocorticoids are measured in blood samples but their use is often limited as the act of sample collection may stress an animal. Measurement of faecal cortisol/corticosterone metabolites is a non-invasive method for evaluation adrenocortical activity. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of litter’s let-together system (“kindergarten”) in the farrowing house by measuring faecal cortisol metabolites. According to our results the “kindergarten” system has no stress effect on sows and piglets, respectively.

scholarly journals Clinical Evaluation of the Torq Zero Delay Centrifuge System for Decentralized Blood Collection and Stabilization

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1019
Author(s):  
Kyungjin Hong ◽  
Gabriella Iacovetti ◽  
Ali Rahimian ◽  
Sean Hong ◽  
Jon Epperson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Chemistry ◽  
Blood Collection ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Rapid Separation ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Collection Device ◽  
Precision Study ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Blood Specimens

Blood sample collection and rapid separation—critical preanalytical steps in clinical chemistry—can be challenging in decentralized collection settings. To address this gap, the Torq™ zero delay centrifuge system includes a lightweight, hand-portable centrifuge (ZDrive™) and a disc-shaped blood collection device (ZDisc™) enabling immediate sample centrifugation at the point of collection. Here, we report results from clinical validation studies comparing performance of the Torq System with a conventional plasma separation tube (PST). Blood specimens from 134 subjects were collected and processed across three independent sites to compare ZDisc and PST performance in the assessment of 14 analytes (K, Na, Cl, Ca, BUN, creatinine, AST, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin, albumin, total protein, cholesterol, and triglycerides). A 31-subject precision study was performed to evaluate reproducibility of plasma test results from ZDiscs, and plasma quality was assessed by measuring hemolysis and blood cells from 10 subject specimens. The ZDisc successfully collected and processed samples from 134 subjects. ZDisc results agreed with reference PSTs for all 14 analytes with mean % biases well below clinically significant levels. Results were reproducible across different operators and ZDisc production lots, and plasma blood cell counts and hemolysis levels fell well below clinical acceptance thresholds. ZDiscs produce plasma samples equivalent to reference PSTs. Results support the suitability of the Torq System for remotely collecting and processing blood samples in decentralized settings.

scholarly journals Non-Invasive Molecular Survey of Sarcoptic Mange in Wildlife: Diagnostic Performance in Wolf Faecal Samples Evaluated by Multi-Event Capture–Recapture Models

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 243
Author(s):  
Julieta Rousseau ◽  
Mónia Nakamura ◽  
Helena Rio-Maior ◽  
Francisco Álvares ◽  
Rémi Choquet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Detection ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Sarcoptes Scabiei ◽  
Sarcoptic Mange ◽  
Diagnostic Specificity ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
Capture Recapture ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Event Capture

Sarcoptic mange is globally enzootic, and non-invasive methods with high diagnostic specificity for its surveillance in wildlife are lacking. We describe the molecular detection of Sarcoptes scabiei in non-invasively collected faecal samples, targeting the 16S rDNA gene. We applied this method to 843 Iberian wolf Canis lupus signatus faecal samples collected in north-western Portugal (2006–2018). We further integrated this with serological data (61 samples from wolf and 20 from red fox Vulpes vulpes, 1997–2019) in multi-event capture–recapture models. The mean predicted prevalence by the molecular analysis of wolf faecal samples from 2006–2018 was 7.2% (CI95 5.0–9.4%; range: 2.6–11.7%), highest in 2009. The mean predicted seroprevalence in wolves was 24.5% (CI95 18.5–30.6%; range: 13.0–55.0%), peaking in 2006–2009. Multi-event capture–recapture models estimated 100% diagnostic specificity and moderate diagnostic sensitivity (30.0%, CI95 14.0–53.0%) for the molecular method. Mange-infected individually identified wolves showed a tendency for higher mortality versus uninfected wolves (ΔMortality 0.150, CI95 −0.165–0.458). Long-term serology data highlights the endemicity of sarcoptic mange in wild canids but uncovers multi-year epidemics. This study developed and evaluated a novel method for surveying sarcoptic mange in wildlife populations by the molecular detection of S. scabiei in faecal samples, which stands out for its high specificity and non-invasive character.

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