Diurnal variations and effects of fasting on blood constituents in minipigs.

We examined the diurnal variations and the effects of 48-hour fasting on hematological and serum biochemical values to obtain basic physiological data on ten male and seven female G?ttingen minipigs 6 to 16 months of age. For all hematological parameters examined (RBC, HCT, HGB, WBC and PLT), there was no diurnal variation in either sex, but red blood cell parameters were affected by fasting, with an increase in males and a decrease in females. Three serum biochemical parameters (GOT, UN and i.p.) for males and four (GOT, UN, Ca and i.p.) for females exhibited diurnal variation. These variations were eliminated by fasting. The BIL level in males was increased by fasting, and the color of serum was yellowish. Fe concentration in both sexes and CRE and Mg levels in males were decreased by fasting. These findings are basic data for various experiments on minipigs, and indicate that great care is required in establishing feeding times and fasting intervals and in the analysis of results of experiments on minipigs.     

Nutritional assessment by mid-upper arm circumference of santal adults of Purulia, West Bengal, India

The present community based cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of undernutrition using mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) among adult (> 18 years) Santals of Purulia District, West Bengal, India. It was undertaken at 10 villages of the district. A total of 520 (217 males and 303 females) subjects were measured. Commonly used indicator i.e., MUAC and BMI, were used to evaluate the nutritional status of the subjects. More women (64.7%) then men (54.4%) based on MUAC and women (59.4%) then men (34.6%) based on BMI were undernourished. Significant sex difference both in MUAC (t=2.378, p<0.05) and BMI (t=4.971, p<0.001) were observed. Significant age group difference for MUAC was observed (F=8.93***, df=3) for men and (F=9.52***, df=3) for women. For BMI, these values were F=10.10*** (df=3) F=6.17*** (df=3) respectively. In conclusion, we found that adult Santals of both sexes were under critical nutritional stress, women and the oldest among them were the most.     

Assessment of Under Nutrition of Bangladeshi Adults Using Anthropometry: Can Body Mass Index Be Replaced by Mid-Upper-Arm-Circumference?

Background and Objective

Body-mass-index (BMI) is widely accepted as an indicator of nutritional status in adults. Mid-upper-arm-circumference (MUAC) is another anthropometric-measure used primarily among children. The present study attempted to evaluate the use of MUAC as a simpler alternative to BMI cut-off <18.5 to detect adult undernutrition, and thus to suggest a suitable cut-off value.

Methods

A cross-sectional study in 650 adult attendants of the patients of Dhaka-Hospital, of the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) was conducted during 2012. Height, weight and MUAC of 260 male and 390 female aged 19–60 years were measured. Curve estimation was done to assess the linearity and correlation of BMI and MUAC. Sensitivity and specificity of MUAC against BMI<18.5 was determined. Separate Receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed for male and female. Area under ROC curve and Youden''s index were generated to aid selection of the most suitable cut-off value of MUAC for undernutrition. A value with highest Youden''s index was chosen for cut-off.

Results

Our data shows strong significant positive correlation (linear) between MUAC and BMI, for males r = 0.81, (p<0.001) and for females r = 0.828, (p<0.001). MUAC cut-off <25.1 cm in males (AUC 0.930) and <23.9 cm in females (AUC 0.930) were chosen separately based on highest corresponding Youden''s index. These values best correspond with BMI cut-off for under nutrition (BMI <18.5) in either gender.

Conclusion

MUAC correlates closely with BMI. For the simplicity and easy to remember MUAC <25 cm for male and <24 cm for female may be considered as a simpler alternative to BMI cut-off <18.5 to detect adult undernutrition.     

Age-specific differences in blood pressure among inbred and non-inbred north Indian children

Genetic and inbreeding influences on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial blood pressure (MBP) were examined among 3015 children (1527 males and 1488 females) from the Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh in north India. The subjects included offspring of first cousins, first cousins once removed, second cousins and unrelated spouses from the same population. The measurements of the inbred children were compared with those of their non-inbred relatives in at least 80% of the cases (matched controls). Two unique findings emerge from this study. First a consistent increase in mean values of SBP, DBP and MBP with increasing inbreeding coefficients have been observed among all age groups, including both the sexes. The results suggest that the hypothesis for a recessive gene or genes could be held responsible for higher BP. Secondly, the effects of inbreeding on mean blood pressure among children and adults may not necessarily be in the same direction. It can be said, therefore, that studies on inbreeding effects using matched controls may provide more direct information regarding the genetics of blood pressure, which has been considerably underestimated in earlier studies.     

Comparison of self-reported and measured height and weight: Implications for obesity research among young adults

BACKGROUND: The use of self-reported data in epidemiological surveys leads to misclassification of the prevalence of obesity as the participants overestimate or underestimate height, weight and/or both. Such misclassifications vary according to gender, age, status and ethnicity. OBJECTIVES: To estimate on a sample of youth of both sexes (1) the difference between self-reported data and measured height and weight and (2) the extent of misclassification of BMI deriving from such differences. METHODS: Self-reporting in questionnaires and subsequent measurements of height and weight conducted by trained personnel. The mean values and the BMIs were calculated. RESULTS: Both sexes overestimate height (2.1 and 2.8cm for males and females, respectively), and underestimate weight (1.5 and 1.9kg for males and females, respectively). Consequently the BMI is underestimated (1.1 and 1.5 points for males and females, respectively). The classification of BMI from self-reported data shows underestimation of overweight in both sexes (8 percentage points) and of obese males (3.3 percentage points), an overestimation of normal weight (12.2 and 4.3 percentage points for males and females, respectively) and an excessive underweight in the girls (4.3 percentage points). CONCLUSIONS: There is a difference between self-reported and measured data and self-reported biases are reflected in the classification of the participants in the 4 categories of BMI.     

Anthropometric variationin the Yanadi: Population structure and sex differences

Anthropometric variation and sex differences were investigated among the Yanadi tribe, who live in different regions and show differences in population structure variables and form regional breeding populations. In case of within population variation in anthropometric characters, both males and females show greater variation in a few specific characters (e.g., HB, LL) and almost no variation in FB, but least variation in HL and NB in males and in ZB, LB in females and show sex differences. Overall, females showed greater variation in more number of characters than males. In case of between population variation a few traits show clinal trend between male-female comparisons. Each character shows a specific pattern (e.g., HB, ZB, EL, GB) which vary according to the spatial distribution of the regional populations. The curves also indicate least average differences corresponding to within regional homogeneity among males and females (e.g., HB, ECD, EB) and increasing differences with males and females of other regions. A comparison of anthropometric profiles of the five populations show significant sex differences in IY subpopulation. The three mainland subpopulations show wide morphological differentiation with two coastal subpopulations, who also differ in subsistence pattern and geographically isolated. A comparison of anthropometric profiles between males and females across five populations show positive association between P1, HF and P₂ populations, whereas significant negative association with CY and HF. The correllelographs based on the male-female comparisons also indicate greater morphological similarity between sexes in cases of within regional population. They also show clinal changes of either decreasing or increasing trends of morphological variation between populations in association with spatial distribution and population structure differences. The results obtained are in agreement with the expectations from the population structure of the tribe.     

Numerical variation of the presacral vertebral column in three population groups in North America

A total of 1,239 skeletons from among Mongoloid, Caucasoid and Negroid population groups in North America was examined for variations in the number of presacral vertebrae. The overall incidence of variation was 11%; 6% with 23 and 5% with 25 presacral vertebrae. Differences in total variation among the three groups were not significant, but differences in the incidence of 23 and 25 presacral vertebrae among the groups were highly significant. Numerical vertebral variation occurred in 11% of both sexes, but with males having a higher frequency of 25 presacral vertebrae and females having a higher frequency of 23 presacral vertebrae. The incidence of the specific variation of 23 or 25 presacral vertebrae was not significantly different among the males of the three groups studied, whereas 23 presacral vertebrae were found significantly more often in the Negroid females. Numerical variation of vertebrae was not associated with age. The data strongly support the conclusion that the total frequency of variation in the number of presacral vertebrae is a specific characteristic of any particular population group and that there is a tendency in all population groups toward an increase in number in males and a decrease in number in females.     

Relationships between blood pressure, polymorphism of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), body composition and biochemical characteristics in elderly Slovaks

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that several specific environmental factors and candidate genes influence the human variation in blood pressure. The aim of this study was to investigate variables associated with blood pressure; with a particular emphasis on the differences in insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), the body composition and the recognized risk factors for atherosclerosis among elderly males and females. A total of 374 participants (174 males and 200 females) aged from 60 to 90 years were recruited from different parts of Slovakia. The elderly were not bed-ridden, nor mentally impaired, they were able to manage their daily activities by themselves. The ACE I/D polymorphism was determined by PCR amplification of the ACE gene sequence. Body composition variables were obtained by bioelectrical impedance analysis, using the BIA 101 soft tissue-body impedance analyzer (Akern, S.r.l.). The subjects were determined to be hypertensive (blood pressure > or = 140/90 mm Hg) or normotensive (blood pressure < or = 140/90 mm Hg ). These two subgroups of males and females did not differ significantly in their mean ages. As expected, the hypertensive subjects of both sexes showed significantly higher mean values in systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), in body mass index (BMI), and in the mean values of their plasma glucose and extracellular water (ECW). The genotype distribution and allele frequencies in the whole sample (D = 0.5474, I = 0.4526) fell within the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequency of the deleterious D allele in the normotensive (0.5532) and hypertensive (0.5516) subjects was not significantly different. The ACE I/D genotypes did not associate either with the systolic (p = 0.836) or diastolic BP (p = 0.629). From the other variables that may induce differences in blood pressure, a statistical effect was detected for glucose, Na/K, and Apo A1/ApoB ratios and physical activity on SBP, and for ApoA1, physical activity, BMI and total cholesterol on DBP.     

Tonic pain response in mice: effects of sex,season and time of day

Seasonal and diurnal variations in tonic pain reactions were examined in female and male CBA/J mice maintained in a 12/12 dark/light cycle, at controlled temperature and humidity conditions. Animals were injected into the dorsum of one hindpaw with a dilute (20 microl, 1%) formalin solution. Pain-related behaviors were quantified as the time spent licking the injected paw and the number of flinching episodes. The experiments were performed during the first part of the light phase (Light: from 7 to 10 a.m.) or during the first part of the dark phase of the diurnal cycle (Dark: from 7 to 10 p.m.), in two different periods of the year: Spring (March-June) and Winter (November-January). Considering all data, females showed a slightly enhanced licking response, as well as an increase in the time spent in self-grooming, in comparison with males. In Spring, the licking and flinching responses were higher during the Dark phase than during the Light phase. This held for both sexes and for both phases of the behavioral response to formalin injection. By contrast, no significant diurnal variation in pain reactions was found in Winter. These seasonal and diurnal differences were not due to nonspecific changes in motor behavior, inasmuch as locomotor activity and self-grooming showed a different pattern: during the second phase after formalin, self-grooming was higher in the Light period in the experiments performed in Spring, whereas locomotor activity showed no significant seasonal changes. These results show that the behavioral reactions to prolonged noxious input, integrated both at spinal and supraspinal sites, undergo similar seasonal and diurnal variations in both sexes, strengthening the importance of chronobiological factors in the modulation of nociception.     

Factors influencing back strength and the changes due to age of the oraon agricultural labourers of jalpaiguri district, west bengal

Muscle strength is a major component of successful performance in almost every activity of daily living and it is critical to health and well-being. Anthropometric, blood pressure and strength measurements were taken from Oraon agricultural labourers of Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal. The data were analyzed to find out the differences between high and low back strength groups of both sexes in different traits of the parameters mentioned above. Secondly, identifying the peak age of muscle strength in both sex and the declining ages. Thirdly, the influencing factors which, affect the back strength. The results show that high back strength groups have higher mean values of most of the anthropometric traits compared to low back strength groups and the differences are significant in case of males, but females show significant differences in few traits. Blood pressures are relatively low in high back strength groups compared to low back strength groups in both sexes. The peak age for higher back strength seems to be within the age of 24 years for males and 20 years for females. The predictive variables for males were found to be grip strength and subscapular skinfold thickness, but females show grip strength, BMI, biceps girth, bicondylar diameter of humerus. The differences in influencing factors between males and females have been sorted out from sociocultural practice of the population.     

Adiposity,central body fat distribution and blood pressure among young Bengalee adults of Kolkata,India: sexual dimorphism

A cross-sectional study of 174 men and 153 women of Bengalee ethnicity was undertaken to compare levels of adiposity, central body fat distribution and blood pressure. The mean age of both the sexes were similar (men = 20.1 years; women = 20.0 years). Significantly more women (n = 42, 27.5%) were overweight (body mass index, BMI > or = 25.0 kg/m2) as compared with men (19, 10.9%). Men were significantly taller and heavier. They also had significantly greater mean waist (WC) and mid upper arm (MUAC) circumferences compared with women. On the other hand, women had significantly (p < 0.001) greater mean BMI, biceps (BSF), triceps (TSF) and subscapular (SSF) skinfolds. The mean values of systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP) and mean arterial (MAP) blood pressure were significantly greater among men. These significant differences existed even after controlling for BMI. Regression analyses revealed that sex had significant effect on all these variables even after controlling for BMI. Correlation studies showed that WC was found to be much more strongly correlated than BMI with SBP, DBP and MAP, in both sexes. However, when the effect of WC (along with BMI) was also controlled for, there was no significant sex difference in blood pressure.     

赤腹松鼠血清性激素水平的季节差异

正季节性繁殖是动物适应环境的具体表现,也是动物维持其种群发展的重要策略。生殖激素和动物的繁殖活动关系密切,协调实现繁殖后代的机能(赖平等,2012),如配子的发生、成熟与排出及受精、妊娠、分娩与泌乳等性行为活动。例如雄性甘肃鼢鼠(Myospalax cansus)血清中睾酮(程志兴,2009)和黄山短尾猴(Macaca thibetana)血清中孕酮含量(夏东坡,2007)在交配期间显著升高,     

Non-invasive measurement of adrenocortical activity in male and female rats

Rats are widely used in biomedical research as animal models for human diseases. However, due to their small body size, blood sampling is complicated and invasive and thereby can seriously interfere with endocrine functions and possibly compromise the animals' welfare. Therefore, a non-invasive technique to monitor stress hormones in these animals is highly desired. Our study aimed to gain general information about corticosterone metabolism and excretion and to validate a 5alpha-pregnane-3beta,11beta,21-triol-20-one enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to reliably measure faecal corticosterone metabolites (CMs) in laboratory rats. In total, 18 rats were administered 2.3 MBq of (3)H-corticosterone intravenously and per os, respectively (intravenous: 6 males and 6 females; per os: 3 males and 3 females). Subsequently, all voided excreta were frequently collected for five days. About 75+/-9% of the recovered CMs were found in the faeces. Peak concentrations of radiolabelled steroids appeared in the urine after 1.7+/-0.6 h in males and after 6.0+/-3.5 h in females. In faeces, maxima were observed after 14.7+/-2.4 h in both sexes. In principle, the time course and delay for both routes of administration (intravenous or per os) were the same, except for a delay of peak concentrations in urine (4.5+/-2.1 h) in per os administered males. Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), faecal (3)H-CMs were characterized and differences were found between the sexes. In both sexes, corticosterone was extensively metabolized, but while males showed only minor variations in their CM patterns, those of females differed largely between individuals. To validate the mentioned EIA, we investigated the diurnal variation (DV) of glucocorticoids as well as effects of the injection procedure itself and conducted an adrenocorticotropic hormone challenge test and a dexamethasone suppression test, using six male and six female rats each. Our results demonstrated that pharmacological stimulation, suppression and DV of adrenocortical activity were accurately reflected by means of CM measurement in faeces. By successful physiological validation, we proved for the first time the suitability of an immunoassay to non-invasively monitor adrenocortical activity in rats of both sexes. This method opens up new perspectives for biomedical and pharmacological investigations as well as for animal welfare related issues.     

Dynamics in the length-weight parameters of the mudskipperPeriophthalmus barbarus (Gobiidae), in Imo River estuary, Nigeria

Seasonal and intersexual dynamics in parameters of the length-weight relationship of the mudskipperPeriophthalmus barbarus, from Imo River estuary, Nigeria, were studied. The proportionality constant or intercept (a) was aseasonal in males, but in females it was significantly higher in the dry season (November–April) than during the rains (May–October) due to heightened breeding activity. The length exponent (b) depicted seasonal isometry in males. In females, isometry was evident in the dry season while a positive allometry occurred during the wet season. The sizes of the smallest and largest specimens examined did not regulate variations in the magnitudes of (a) and (b) in both sexes. The insignificant intersexual variation in the length-weight parameters suggests the possibility of using a single predictive length-weight equation for the population. However, the sexes exhibited different monthly rank-orders of (a) and (b), thus making such composite estimates unreliable for a study spanning up to a year. Values of (a) and (b) were inversely correlated in both sexes. The population dynamics implications of the results are discussed.     

Endogamy and variation in blood pressure levels in Croatian island isolates

Blood pressure variation was investigated among populations inhabiting islands and peninsula of Middle Dalmatia, Croatia. The number of previous anthropological studies pointed to isolation and different genetic population structure in this environmentally fairly homogeneous area. Variation in blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) among the populations of the islands of Brac, Hvar, Korcula, and the Peljesac peninsula was assessed at three levels involving village populations, regional (western and eastern) populations and the entire island populations. The blood pressure data were collected from 3834 adult individuals inhabiting 37 rural communities and were adjusted for age and body mass index. Variation in blood pressure levels existed among regions and villages. Due to the history of differential settlement, small village sizes and high levels of reproductive isolation, the observed blood pressure variation could be attributed to founder effect, genetic drift and inbreeding. The involvement of genetic factors was tested by relating blood pressure variation among villages to degree of isolation among them. Blood pressure means and proportions of hypertensives increased with endogamy levels in males. In females, this effect could not be observed. However, in both sexes the highest proportions of hypertensives (more than 40%) were found in villages that are most reproductively closed (endogamy greater than 80%). These populations are considered particularly promising for further genetic epidemiological research.     

The evolution of sexual size dimorphism in the house finch. IV. Population divergence in ontogeny

Differences among taxa in sexual size dimorphism of adults can be produced by changes in distinct developmental processes and thus may reflect different evolutionary histories. Here we examine whether divergence in sexual dimorphism of adults between recently established Montana and Alabama populations of the house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) can be attributed to population differences in growth of males and females. In both populations, males and females were similar at hatching, but as a result of sex-specific growth attained sexual size dimorphism by the time of independence. Timing and extent of growth varied between the sexes: Females maintained maximum rates of growth for a longer time than males, whereas males had higher initial growth rates and achieved maximum growth earlier and at smaller sizes than females. Ontogeny of sexual dimorphism differed between populations, but in each population, sexual dimorphism in growth parameters and sexual dimorphism at the time of nest leaving were similar to sexual dimorphism of adults. Variation in growth of females contributed more to population divergence than did growth of males. In each population, we found close correspondence between patterns of sexual dimorphism in growth and population divergence in morphology of adults: Traits that were the most sexually dimorphic in growth in each population contributed the most to population divergence in both sexes. We suggest that sex-specific expression of phenotypic and genetic variation throughout the ontogeny of house finches can result in different responses to selection between males and females of the same age, and thus produce fast population divergence in the sexual size dimorphism.     

Geographical variation in body size and sexual size dimorphism of introduced American bullfrogs in southwestern China

Invasive species often exhibit geographical variations in life history traits that may allow them to successfully invade different environments. We investigated geographical variation in body size and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) of invasive bullfrogs in southwestern China, by sampling two breeding populations (descendants of a single source population) inhabiting sites at low (1,412 m, Shiping) and high (2,692 m, Luguhu) altitudes. Both populations exhibited significant SSD, with females larger than males. At high altitude, mean body size of both sexes and the degree of SSD were significantly reduced; the reduction in mean body size with increasing altitude was more pronounced in females, although not significantly so. Female bullfrogs also showed a significant decrease in average age at high altitude that may be a major factor related to this pattern; average age of male bullfrogs did not vary significantly with altitude. Growth rate of both sexes was also lower at high altitude. Our results provide the first evidence that introduced bullfrog’s exhibit geographical variation in morphology in invaded areas in response to different environments, likely due to changes in climate. Additional research is required to determine the mechanism of this variation (i.e., physiological or developmental plasticity, mortality rate, selective pressure) and most importantly, to evaluate the potential for variation in the impacts of introduced bullfrogs on native ecosystems in China.     

Some aspects of haematology of an Indian grass snake Natrix stolata in relation to sex and size.

Studies have been made on the erythrocyte counts per mm3 of blood, total differential leucocyte counts per mm3 of blood, concentration of haemoglobin per 100 ml of blood, haematocrit values and nucleocytoplasmic ratio in a common Indian grass snake, Natrix stolata, in relation to body weight of both the sexes in the same month of the year (during breeding phase). Logarithmic transformations have been used in case of erythrocyte counts and haemoglobin concentrations. From log/log calculation it seems that the correlation between body weight and erythrocyte is more prounounced in females than in males. The concentration of haemoglobin shows a very high degree of correlation in both the sexes. The haematocrit values show a clear trend of increase with increasing body weight in both the sexes. The nucleocytoplasmic ratio does not show much variation in different weight groups whereas in females the variation is well marked in different weight groups and the size of erythrocyte also becomes larger in higher weight groups. In both the sexes the leucocyte counts have been found that along with the increase in body weights, the number of leucocyte increases in juveniles but in adults the leucocyte number decreases with the increasing body weights.     

Clustering of hemodynamic and metabolic abnormalities and of anthropometric characteristics in men and women, aged 21-60 years.

The associations between fat pattern and metabolic profile were evaluated, using cluster analysis, in 214 males and 244 females (aged 21-60 years). The subjects were randomly selected from the patients of one general practice in Castel D'Azzano (Italy). The metabolic status was indexed by blood pressure, blood glucose, uric acid, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (both total and percentage). Fat pattern was evaluated using six skinfolds and three circumferences. The analyses were performed separately on anthropometric and metabolic variables for each sex. The analyses were repeated five times to evaluate the stability of the cluster solution. Anthropometric rather than metabolic variables provided a more stable solution for cluster analysis. Anthropometric clusters showed significantly different metabolic patterns. Most of the differences disappeared when a body mass index (BMI) effect was taken into account but not when an adjustment for waist to hip ratio (WHR) was made. On the other hand, neither BMI nor WHR was able to fully account for the differences in metabolic profiles of metabolic clusters. Cross-classification results of anthropometric and metabolic cluster membership showed a significant, although moderate, degree of association between the two classification sets. These results indicate that in both sexes anthropometric characteristics contribute to a limited degree to the metabolic profile and that the associations probably reflect a complex mechanism.     

Heritability of blood pressure increases during mental stress.

We studied the influence of mental stress on the contributions of genes and environment to individual variation in systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure by structural equation modelling in 320 adolescent male and female twins. Blood pressure data were collected during rest and during a reaction time and a mental arithmetic task. Univariate analyses of SBP and DBP showed familial aggregation for blood pressure. A genetic explanation for this resemblance was most likely, although during rest conditions a model that attributed familial resemblance to shared environmental factors, also fitted the data. There was no evidence for sex differences in heritabilities. Multivariate analyses showed significant heterogeneity between sexes for the intercorrelations of the blood pressure data measured under different rest and task conditions. Multivariate genetic analyses were therefore carried out separately in males and females. For SBP and DBP in females and for SBP in males an increase in heritabilities was seen for blood pressure measured during stress, as compared to rest measurements. The influence of shared environmental factors decreased during stress. For DBP in males no significant contributions of shared environment were found. The multivariate analyses indicated that the same genetic and environmental influences are expressed during rest and stress conditions.