Reproductive performance and weaning success in fur-chewing chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera)

In captive chinchillas, one of the most challenging behavioral problems is the development of a stress-related abnormal repetitive behavior (ARB) known as “fur-chewing”. We investigated whether there is a relationship between the severity of fur-chewing behavior and reproductive function in male and female chinchillas. Regardless of the severity of abnormal behavior, fur-chewing males did not show significant differences in seminal quality (sperm concentration, motility and viability; integrity of sperm membrane and acrosome) and the response to the process of semen collection (the number of stimuli needed to achieve ejaculation) when compared to those with normal behavior. Also, females showing normal or fur-chewing behavior presented similar reproductive performance in terms of number of litters per female per year and litter size. However, pup survival rate was lower (p = 0.05) in fur-chewing females than in normal females. These results seem to be consistent with data suggesting non-significant effects of ARBs on reproductive performance.     

Olfactory conditioned same-sex partner preference in female rats: Role of ovarian hormones

The dopamine D2-type receptor agonist quinpirole (QNP) facilitates the development of conditioned same-sex partner preference in males during cohabitation, but not in ovariectomized (OVX) females, primed with estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P). Herein we tested the effects of QNP on OVX, EB-only primed females. Females received a systemic injection (every four days) of either saline (Saline-conditioned) or QNP (QNP-conditioned) and then cohabited for 24 h with lemon-scented stimulus females (CS +), during three trials. In test 1 (female-female) preference was QNP-free, and females chose between the CS + female and a novel female. In test 2 (male-female) they chose between the CS + female and a sexually experienced male. In test 1 Saline-conditioned females displayed more hops & darts towards the novel female, but QNP-conditioned females displayed more sexual solicitations towards the CS + female. In test 2 Saline-conditioned females displayed a clear preference for the male, whereas QNP-conditioned females displayed what we considered a bisexual preference. We discuss the effect of dopamine and ovarian hormones on the development of olfactory conditioned same-sex preference in females.     

Male irradiation affects female remating behavior in Anastrepha serpentina (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Female remating in target pest species can affect the efficacy of control methods such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) but very little is known about the postcopulatory mating behavior of these pests. In this study, we investigated the remating behavior of female Anastrepha serpentina (Diptera: Tephritidae), an oligophagous pest of Sapotaceae. First, we tested how long the sexual refractory period of females lasted after an initial mating. Second, we tested the effect of male and female sterility, female ovipositing opportunities and male density on female propensity to remate. Lastly, we tested if the amount of sperm stored by females was correlated to the likelihood of females to remate. We found that receptivity of mass-reared A. serpentina females had a bimodal response, with up to 16% of mass-reared A. serpentina females remating five days after the initial copulation, decreasing to 2% at 10 and 15 days and increasing to 13% after 20 days. Compared to fertile males, sterile males were less likely to mate and less likely to inhibit females from remating. Copula duration of sterile males was shorter compared to fertile males. Remating females were less likely to mate with a sterile male as a second mate. Sterile females were less likely to mate or remate compared to fertile females. Opportunity to oviposit and male density had no effect on female remating probability. Sperm numbers were not correlated with female likelihood to remate. Information on the post-copulatory behavior of mass-reared A. serpentina will aid fruit fly managers in improving the quality of sterile males. We discuss our results in terms of the differences this species presents in female remating behavior compared to other tephritids.     

Ranging behaviour,activity, habitat use,and morphology of the Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga) on Peninsular Malaysia and comparison with studies on Borneo and Sulawesi

The Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga) is found throughout Southeast Asia, but there have been very few studies on its natural history and ecology. We present here the results from the first radio telemetry study of this species on Peninsular Malaysia and compared our findings to similar studies on Borneo and Sulawesi. From August 2004 to August 2006, we captured 11 Malay civets in Krau Wildlife Reserve and radio-tracked seven adults (four males and three females). The mean weight of males (6.6 kg) was significantly higher than females (5.8 kg). Both sexes on Peninsular Malaysia were larger than their counterparts on Borneo and Sulawesi. There was no significant difference between the mean sizes of male and female home ranges on Peninsular Malaysia; the mean home range size for both sexes was 143 ha (95% MCP), which was larger than the mean range size recorded on Borneo and Sulawesi. We found that the Malay civet is a solitary, territorial species on Peninsular Malaysia: mean range overlap was 15% for males and 0% for females, and the home range of each male overlapped one or two females. Malay civets were mainly nocturnal, with some periods of rest during the night; daytime rest sites were within dense ground cover. Lowland forest is an essential habitat for this species; although Malay civets were sometimes found in plantations, they did not venture far from forested habitat.     

Developmental temperature responses of Chrysoperla agilis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), a member of the European carnea cryptic species group

Chrysoperla agilis Henry et al. is one of the five cryptic species of the carnea group found in Europe. Identification of these species is mainly based on the distinct mating signals produced by both females and males prior to copulation, although there are also morphological traits that can be used to distinguish among different cryptic species. Ecological and physiological cryptic species-specific differences may affect their potential as important biological agents in certain agroecosystems. To understand the effects of temperature on the life-history traits of C. agilis preimaginal development, adult longevity and reproduction were studied at seven temperatures. Temperature affected the development, survival and reproduction of C. agilis. Developmental time ranged from approximately 62 days at 15 °C to 15 days at 30 °C. Survival percentages ranged from 42% at 15 °C to 76% at 27 °C. One linear and five nonlinear models (Briere I, II, Logan 6, Lactin and Taylor) used to model preimaginal development were tested to describe the relationship between temperature and developmental rate. Logan 6 model fitted the data of egg to adult development best according to the criteria adopted for the model evaluation. The predicted lower developmental threshold temperatures were 11.4 °C and 11.8 °C (linear model), whereas the predicted upper threshold temperatures (Logan 6 model) were 36.6 and 36.9 °C for females and males, respectively. Adult life span, preoviposition period and lifetime cumulative oviposition were significantly affected by temperature. The effect of rearing temperature on the demographic parameters is well summarized with the estimated values of the intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) which ranged from 0.0269 at 15 °C to 0.0890 at 32 °C and the highest value recorded at 27 °C (0.1530). These results could be useful in mass rearing C. agilis and predicting its population dynamics in the field.     

Embryo production in superstimulated llamas pre-treated to inhibit follicular growth

Llamas are monotocous and the length of their gestation period varies between 342 and 350 days. Thus the average number of offspring any female can produce throughout her reproductive life is very limited to spread a desired genome. The multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) technique allows an alternative to this limitation and reduces the generation interval. The objective of this study was to evaluate embryo recovery in superstimulated llamas which had previously been hormone-treated to inhibit follicular growth. A total of 50 female llamas were monitored daily via rectal palpation and ultrasound and divided according to their ovarian follicular growth into four phases. The females in each phase were then randomly divided into two groups: A (n = 20) received a single dose of 1 mg of estradiol benzoate (EB) on the first day of the treatment + 100 mg of progesterone (P4) i.m. for 5 days with 5 animals per phase and B (n = 20) received 1 mg EB at onset + 150 mg P4 i.m. for a period of 5 days with 5 animals per phase. Group C (n = 10) or control did not receive any prior hormonal treatment and the females were in follicular phase I. All groups were monitored daily and, in the presence of ovarian follicles smaller than the dominant size at the end of treatment, all were superstimulated with 1000 IU eCG. For plasma progesterone concentration recording, daily blood samples were collected from days ?1 to 5 in the treated females in Group A and B. No significant differences were observed regarding the inhibition of follicle growth and in the plasma progesterone concentrations between Group A and B. The ovarian response to superstimulation was 56.2%, 71.4% and 90%, with the average number of dominant follicles produced per female being 4.4 ± 0.9; 4.8 ± 0.7 and 4.6 ± 0.6 in Groups A, B and C, respectively. The embryo recovery rate was 77.7%; 90% and 66.7% and the average number of embryos recovered per female was 2.9 ± 0.9; 2.6 ± 0.9 and 2.4 ± 0.8 for Groups A, B and C, respectively. In Groups A and B, the static follicular phase (III) seemed to be ideal for initiating the assisted reproductive technique of MOET. Although prior administration of P4 + EB seems to have no effect on the number of females that responded to the superstimulation treatments, the number of embryos recovered showed a tendency to be higher when ovarian follicle growth inhibition was performed beforehand.     

Cryopreservation of sperm of an indigenous endangered fish species Nandus nandus (Hamilton, 1822) for ex-situ conservation

This study dealt with the development of cryopreservation protocol for Nandus nandus, which entailed a number of experiments. Sperm was collected by sacrificing males. The collected sperm was suspended in extenders. Activation of sperm motility was evaluated in different osmolalities of NaCl. Motility of sperm decreased as the osmolality of the extender increased and was completely inhibited at almost 319 mOsmol/kg. To evaluate the toxicity of cryoprotectant, sperm was incubated with DMSO, methanol and ethanol at 5%, 10% and 15% concentrations, respectively, for 5–35 min. Five and ten percent of cryoprotectants produced better motility during 5 and 10 min incubation. Sperm incubated with 15% cryoprotectant seemed to be toxic and this concentration was excluded in the subsequent trials. Three extenders, namely, Alsever’s solution, egg-yolk citrate and urea egg-yolk and three cryoprotectants, DMSO, methanol and ethanol were employed to preserve the sperm. Alsever’s solution with 10% DMSO showed best performance producing 90.0 ± 1.8% and 75.0 ± 2.5% equilibration and post-thaw motility followed by that of 82.5 ± 4.2% and 62.5 ± 5.5% with Alsever’s solution plus methanol, respectively. Between two diluents, sperm preserved with Alsever’s solution plus DMSO produced highest fertilization (76.7 ± 3.3%) and hatching (43.8 ± 7.9%) while fresh sperm yielded 83.3 ± 6.7% and 64.0 ± 10.4% fertilization and hatching, respectively. The protocol developed through the study can be applied for long-term conservation of genetic materials of the endangered fish N. nandus and the cryopreserved sperm can be used in artificial breeding for generating new individuals.     

Flow cytometric sexing of X- and Y-chromosome-bearing sperm in Sika deer (Cervus nippon)

The objectives of the study were to determine a practical method of using predetermined sexed semen in Sika deer (Cervus nippon). Semen was collected by electro-ejaculation from two Sika stags and transported to the laboratory and separated into X- and Y-chromosome-bearing sperm after analysis and re-analysis (using a modified high-speed cell sorter), or control (unsorted) semen. Eighty-four Sika hinds were inseminated with 2.8 × 10⁷ unsorted (control) or 2.3 × 10⁶ sorted (X or Y) frozen-thawed semen via intra-uterine laparoscopy 58–66 h after removal of intra-vaginal progesterone-impregnated CIDR devices and the administration of 330 IU PMSG at the time of CIDR removal. No significant differences in the post-thaw motility of control (43.4 ± 4.4%), X- (45.3 ± 4.5%) and Y-sorted (43.5 ± 3.2%) samples were recorded. The sorted frozen-thawed sperm (X, 72.5 ± 6.4%: Y, 75.2 ± 5.5%) recorded significantly (P < 0.05) more intact acrosomes following thawing than the unsorted frozen-thawed (68.2 ± 10.2%) sperm. The individual Sika stags had no effect on the post-thaw sperm motility. Sorted frozen-thawed sperm demonstrated a significantly shorter survival time after thawing than the control sperm (P < 0.05). The number of Sika hinds pregnant following insemination with unsorted or control thawed sperm was significantly higher (33/42; 78.6%) than for hinds inseminated with either X- (5/11; 45.5%) or Y-sorted sperm (15/31; 48.4%). Ultimately 14 out of the 15 calves produced by Sika hinds inseminated with Y-sorted sperm were male (92.9%) and 5/5 calves (100%) from Sika hinds inseminated with X-sorted sperm were female. The sex ratio of the calves born to hinds inseminated with sex-sorted sperm significantly (P < 0.05) deviated for the 48.5% (female, 16/33) and 51.5% (male, 17/33) in the control group. All calves were born between 230 d and 243 d of gestation. Male and female calves in the control group had similar birth and weaning weights as calves from hinds inseminated with X- or Y-sorted sperm. In conclusion it can be said that normal calves of the predicted sex may be produced after intra-uterine insemination conducted by laparoscopy with low numbers of sex-sorted cryopreserved Sika sperm.     

Temperature-dependent development of overwintering Sericinus montela Gray (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) pupae and its validation

The developmental time and survival of overwintering Sericinus montela Gray pupae were studied at four constant temperatures (15.0, 20.0, 25.0, and 30.0 °C), 40 ± 10% relative humidity, and 10:14 h light:dark cycle. The developmental time of both sexes decreased with increasing temperature between 15.0 °C (70.18 days for females and 55.28 days for males) and 30.0 °C (19.60 days for females and 13.78 days for males). The development periods of females were longer than those of males at each constant temperature. The relationship between the developmental rate and temperature was fitted by a linear model and a nonlinear developmental rate model (Lactin 1). The mortality of overwintered S. montela pupae was lowest at 25.0 °C (16.7%) and highest at 15.0 °C (36.7%). The lower developmental thresholds were 12.38 and 12.16 °C for females and males, respectively. The distribution of development completion for females and males was described by the two-parameter Weibull distribution equation (r² = 0.87 for females and r² = 0.94 for males). The date for the cumulative 50% adult emergence was within one or two days of that predicted using the Lactin 1 model. The temperature-dependent developmental model for S. montela could be applied to predict the timing of spring emergence in different geographical locations and will be helpful in developing a full-cycle phenology model for S. montela.     

Parental effects on fertilization and hatching success and development of Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus L.) embryos and larvae

The parental effects on fertilization and early life history traits were studied in Atlantic halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus L. Sperm from 12 different males were used to fertilize eggs of two females in separate crosses. The fertilization success were generally high, above 80% of developing embryos at 16-cell stage in 20 of 24 crosses with an average of 85.9 ± 17.6% and 87.2 ± 16.5% for female A and female B, respectively. Corresponding hatching success was 74.8 ± 17.7% and 41.6 ± 20.1%, respectively. The relationship between fertilization success and hatching success was positive. The parental influence on hatching was dominated by a strong and significant (p < 0.001) maternal effect; however, the paternal effect was also significant (p < 0.001). Furthermore, there was no relationship between fertilization success, hatching success and larvae viability as a high number of larvae developed locked jaws (i.e., were not functional). There was a significant (p < 0.01) difference in yield of functional larvae of female A (43%) and female B (56%), and also between crosses sired by different males. The standard length of offspring of female A (12.4 ± 0.5 mm) and B (12.6 ± 0.6 mm) were significantly (p < 0.001) different, and also significantly influenced by both the female (p < 0.001) and the male (p < 0.001). The present paper provides strong indications that not only the female, but also the male parent influences quantitative features of early development of their offspring.     

The breeding management affects fresh and cryopreserved semen characteristics in Melopsittacus undulatus

Melopsittacus undulatus is a companion parrot worldwide diffused. Many parrots are considered endangered or vulnerable. The preservation of semen is crucial in endangered species, thus, M. undulatus could be a good model to study sperm characteristics and semen cryopreservation in these other endangered parrots. In this study the effect of the breeding management (males bred in promiscuous aviary or in couple) on sperm characteristics (motility, membrane integrity and morphometry) of fresh and cryopreserved semen was evaluated. The computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) revealed a significant effect of the husbandry method on semen characteristics in budgerigars: male housed in couple with the female in individual cages allowed the higher results in term of both semen quantity and sperm quality. Total and progressive motility were significantly higher in males bred in couple (68.7 ± 8.9% and 54 ± 15.9%, respectively) than in promiscuous aviary (48.3 ± 15.1% and 24.4 ± 12.4%, respectively), such as sperm velocity (average path velocity, straight line velocity, and curvilinear velocity). The type of sperm movement (amplitude of lateral head displacement, beat cross frequency, straightness, and linearity), sperm membrane integrity and morphometry parameters seemed not affected by the husbandry method. The standardization of a CASA procedure for the semen analysis in M. undulatus allow further studies on parrot semen manipulation and cryopreservation, but the method used for the breeding of the male could have a significant effect on the semen quality.     

Contraction intensity and sex differences in knee-extensor fatigability

Females are less fatigable than males during isometric contractions across various muscles and intensities. However, sex differences in knee-extensor fatigability remain relatively unexplored. Purpose: To determine the sex difference in performance fatigability for intermittent, isometric contractions of the knee-extensor muscles. Methods: Eighteen participants (10 males, 8 females) performed intermittent, isometric, knee-extensor contractions at 30% of their maximal voluntary force (MVC) for 30 min and in a separate session at 50% MVC until task-failure. During both fatiguing protocols a MVC was performed every 60 s and electromyography (EMG) was recorded during all contractions. Results: At task completion males had a larger reduction in MVC force for the 30% MVC task (−32 ± 15% vs. −15 ± 16%, P = 0.042) and the 50% MVC task (−34 ± 8% vs. −24 ± 1%, P = 0.045). Furthermore, for the 50% MVC task, females had a longer task duration (937 ± 525 s vs. 397 ± 153 s, P = 0.007). The rise in EMG activity and force fluctuations were more rapid for the males than females (P < 0.05). When participants were matched for strength post hoc (n = 10), a sex difference in fatigability for both tasks was still evident. Conclusions: Females were less fatigable than males during intermittent, isometric, knee-extensor contractions at moderate relative forces and this difference was independent of strength.     

Resolving mechanisms of short-term competitive fertilization success in the red flour beetle

Postcopulatory sexual selection occurs when sperm from multiple males occupy a female’s reproductive tract at the same time and is expected to generate strong selection pressures on traits related to competitive fertilization success. However, knowledge of competitive fertilization success mechanisms and characters targeted by resulting selection is limited, partially due to the difficulty of discriminating among sperm from different males within the female reproductive tract. Here, we resolved mechanisms of competitive fertilization success in the promiscuous flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. Through creation of transgenic lines with fluorescent-tagged sperm heads, we followed the fate of focal male sperm in female reproductive tracts while tracking paternity across numerous rematings. Our results indicate that a given male’s sperm persist and fertilize eggs through at least seven rematings. Additionally, the proportion of a male’s sperm in the bursa (the site of spermatophore deposition), which is influenced by both timing of female’s ejecting excess sperm and male size, significantly predicted paternity share in the 24 h following a mating. Contrary to expectation, proportional representation of sperm within the female’s specialized sperm-storage organ did not significantly predict paternity, though spermathecal sperm may play a role in fertilization when females do not have access to mates for longer time periods. We address the adaptive significance of the identified reproductive mechanisms in the context of T. castaneum’s unique mating system and ecology.     

Parkinson’s disease and sex-related differences in electromyography during daily life

Scope: Daily bilateral electromyography (EMG) recordings reveal muscle activation patterns implicated in asymmetric Parkinson’s disease (PD)-related functional decline. Also, daily EMG recordings reveal sex-differences in muscle activity that give rise to unique PD presentation in males and females. Purpose: Quantify handgrip strength and daily muscle quiescence through analysis of gaps in the EMG signal in males and females with PD. Bilateral daily EMG was recorded and normalized to maximal voluntary exertions (MVE). EMG gap was defined as <1% amplitude of MVE for >0.1 s and characterized as number, duration and time occupied by gaps. A dynamometer evaluated maximal grip-strength. Three-way repeated measures ANOVA examined differences in gap characteristics and strength. Gap duration was shorter (p = 0.04) and occupied less time (p = 0.02) in PD than controls. Females had fewer gaps with shorter duration (p = 0.004), occupying less time (p = 0.004) compared with males. Gaps were fewer (p = 0.04) and occupied less time (p = 0.01) on more-affected than less-affected side. PD was weaker than controls (p = 0.04), females were weaker than males (p = 0.00), and the more-affected PD side was weaker than less-affected (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Quantification of muscle quiescence through gaps in the EMG signal recorded during daily life provides insight into mechanisms underlying differential change in functional performance in males and females with PD.     

Sperm cryopreservation in guppies and black mollies—A generalized freezing protocol for livebearers in Poeciliidae

In this study, we evaluated various parameters of sperm cryopreservation in two livebearers, guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and black mollies (P. latipinna). Our results suggested a common freezing protocol for the guppies and mollies: suspend sperm in Hanks’ balanced salt solution (HBSS) at 300 mOsm/kg, use 14% glycerol as cryoprotectant, cool at 25 °C/min, and thaw at 40 °C in a water bath for 7 s. Live young were produced from females inseminated with frozen-thawed sperm in both species. In guppies, percent fertilization (F) and the number of embryos (N) produced with cryopreserved sperm (F = 50%, N = 74, from 26 females) were similar to those of fresh controls (F = 54%, N = 61, from 22 females). Interestingly, this same freezing protocol has been used successfully for sperm cryopreservation in green swordtails Xiphophorus helleri, and platyfish of X. couchianus with post-thaw motility as high as 80%. All these species belong to the family of Poeciliidae, and their sperm are similar in morphology exhibiting the absence of acrosome, elongate sperm head, and the long mitochondrial sheaths. Besides their internal fertilization reproduction mode, these fish are also small in size (2–4 cm) and live in a freshwater environment. Sperm cryopreservation in fish has been generally recognized as species specific, and new protocols are required for new species. However, results presented in this study suggested otherwise. Thus, sperm cryopreservation methods optimized for one species may be applicable to others if they are taxonomical closely related species with similar sperm morphology and reproduction mode. Considering the enormous number of fish species on the planet, development of generalized sperm freezing protocols for species in groups could have additional advantages for genetic conservation.     

Reproductive biology of the Suez Canal spider crab Schizophrys aspera (H. Milne Edwards, 1834: Crustacea: Brachyura: Majidae)

A reproductive biology study of the spider crab Schizophrys aspera (H. Milne Edwards, 1834) was conducted in the Suez Canal from July 2012 to June 2013. The annual sex ratio (Male:Female) of S. aspera was female biased with values of 1:1.25. Out of the four ovarian development stages of this crab, two stages were observed in the Suez Canal throughout the whole year. The ovigerous crab’s carapace width varied from 28 to 52 mm. This crab species can spawn during most of the year in the canal water, with a peak during late spring and early winter. The fecundity of ovigerous females ranged between 2349 and 13600 eggs with a mean of 5494 ± 1486 eggs. Female crabs that reached sexual maturity exhibited a minimum carapace width varying between 22 and 46 mm, and fifty percentage of all ovigerous females showed a carapace width of 36 mm.     

Differences in the proportion of collagen and muscle in the canine lower urinary tract with regard to gonadal status and gender

Gonadectomy not only affects hormonal homeostasis but also alters the turnover of different components of the extracellular matrix in urogenital tissues. Collagen is an important component of the bladder and urethral walls and thus crucial for the mechanical properties of normal lower urinary tract (LUT) functions. This study aimed at investigating the possibility of differences in the proportion of collagen and muscle tissues in the LUT of intact and gonadectomised male and female dogs. Twenty clinically healthy dogs were used including 10 sexually intact dogs (5 males, 5 anoestrus females) and 10 gonadectomised dogs (4 males and 6 females). Four regions of the LUT, i.e. body and neck of the bladder as well as proximal and distal urethra were collected. The tissue sections were stained with Masson's Trichrome. Quantitative evaluation of the blue-stained area for collagen and red-counterstained area for muscle was performed using colour image analysis. The relative proportion of collagen and muscle significantly differed with the gonadal status, the gender and the region. Overall, gonadectomised dogs had a higher (P < 0.001) proportion of collagen and consequently a lower (P < 0.001) proportion of muscle than intact dogs. Regardless of gonadal statuses, females had a higher (P < 0.05) proportion of collagen and a lower (P < 0.05) proportion of muscle tissues than males. Gender differences were found in all four regions of the LUT in intact dogs but only in proximal urethra in gonadectomised dogs where spayed females had a higher (P < 0.05) proportion of collagen and less muscle (P < 0.05). Regional differences were observed in females; a higher proportion of collagen and therefore less muscle were found in the urethra compared with the bladder. Proportional differences in collagen and muscle between intact and gonadectomised animals suggest a relation of different hormonal statuses to structural changes in the canine LUT. Excessive collagen deposits and less muscular volume may impair structural and functional integrity of the LUT which may associate with the development of post-neutering urinary incontinence in the dog.     

How Short is Too Short According to Parents of Primary Care Patients

ObjectiveHeight is a physical trait on a continuum. The threshold between normal and abnormal is arbitrarily set but can potentially influence medical decision-making. We sought to examine parents’ perceptions of adult heights and associated demographic factors.MethodsParents of pediatric primary care patients of various heights completed a one-time survey. Parents answered the question “How short is too short?” for adult males and females. The results were summarized as median [interquartile range]. Factors significantly associated with height threshold by simple linear regression were included in a multivariable mixed effects analysis of covariance model.ResultsA total of 1,820 surveys were completed (83% response rate, 1,587 females, 231 males). The median threshold height deemed too short for adult females was 56 inches [48, 59] among male respondents and 57 inches [50, 60] among females (P < .05). The median threshold height for adult males was 61 inches among males [60, 64] and females [59, 66] (P < .05). The median of male minus female heights per respondent (delta heights) was 5 [2, 7] inches. Factors found to be significant main effects in a parsimonious model were sex of the adult considered, height of respondent, sex of respondent, respondent race, primary care practice, income, and having concerns about their child’s height.ConclusionTaller acceptable height thresholds were perceived by respondents who were taller, wealthier, white, female, from nonurban practices, or who had a personal concern about their child’s height. Male heights were expected to be taller than female heights. Such traits may influence who is concerned and more likely to seek medical treatment for their children. (Endocr Pract. 2014;20: 1113-1121)     

Plasma gossypol dynamics in white-tailed deer: Implications for whole cottonseed as a supplemental feed

Whole cottonseed (WCS) is a potential supplemental feed for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in rangeland conditions because of its high digestible energy and protein content, moderate fiber content, and resistance to degradation in moist conditions. WCS also contains the polyphenolic secondary metabolite gossypol, which reduces palatability to non-target monogastric species but may be of concern for deer nutrition. Plasma gossypol stabilization when fed a constant dry matter intake, plasma gossypol depletion after WCS was removed from the diet, and the relationship between WCS consumption and plasma gossypol concentration was studied in 10 mature male (N = 5) and female (N = 5) captive white-tailed deer. Consumption of WCS by 73 free-ranging white-tailed deer (59 males, 14 females) was estimated using results of the captive study. Plasma gossypol concentrations declined exponentially and averaged 0.74 μg/mL 35 days after WCS was removed from the diet. Plasma gossypol concentration was linearly related to WCS consumption (P < 0.001), with females having 0.35 μg/mL greater (P = 0.04) plasma gossypol than males for a given rate of dry matter consumption. All female and 93% of male white-tailed deer captured in WCS supplemented pastures had detectable plasma gossypol. Female averaged 1.88 μg/mL of plasma gossypol and males averaged 4.84 μg/mL of plasma gossypol. Based on the captive deer data, these plasma values suggest an average WCS consumption of ∼2.6 g/kg BW/day for female free-ranging deer and ∼5.6 g/kg BW/day for male free-ranging deer. Inferentially, a large proportion of free-ranging white-tailed deer in rangeland conditions will consume WCS, with females consuming 125 g WCS/day and males consuming 428 g WCS/day. That plasma gossypol levels decrease rapidly after cottonseed is removed from the diet suggests that the long withdrawal periods often used prior to breeding season may not be needed. However, although 93% of gossypol was eliminated from the animals after a five-week withdrawal period, a small amount of gossypol can still be detected. While our preliminary data on these animals suggests that these levels are not detriment to animal health or reproduction, ranch managers may want to take a conservative approach to the feeding of WCS until these questions are answered.     

The influence of maternal thermal environments on reproductive traits and hatchling traits in a Lacertid lizard,Takydromus septentrionalis

The thermal environment can induce substantial variation in important life-history traits. Experimental manipulation of the thermal environment can help researchers determine the contribution of this factor to phenotypic variation in life-history traits. During the reproductive season, we kept female northern grass lizards, Takydromus septentrionalis (Lacertidae), in three temperature-controlled rooms (25, 28 and 32 °C) to measure the effect of the maternal thermal environment on reproductive traits. Maternal thermal environment remarkably affected reproductive frequency and thereby seasonal reproductive output, but had little effect on reproductive traits per clutch or hatchling traits. Females kept at 32 °C produced more clutches and thus had shorter clutch intervals than females from 28 to 25 °C. Clutch size, clutch mass, relative clutch mass, egg size and hatchling traits did not vary among the three treatments. The eggs produced by the females were incubated at 27 °C and the traits of hatchlings were measured. The result that egg (offspring) size was independent of maternal thermal environments is consistent with the prediction of the optimal egg size (offspring) theory. The eggs produced by low temperature females (28 and 25 °C) took longer time to complete their post-oviposition development than did eggs produced by high temperature females (32 °C). This suggests that the eggs from low temperatures might have been laid when the embryos were at relatively early stages. Therefore, maternal thermal environment prior to oviposition could affect post-oviposition development in T. septentrionalis.