Glucocorticoid stress responses of reintroduced tigers in relation to anthropogenic disturbance in Sariska Tiger Reserve in India

Tiger (Panthera tigris), an endangered species, is under severe threat from poaching, habitat loss, prey depletion and habitat disturbance. Such factors have been reported causing local extermination of tiger populations including in one of the most important reserves in India, namely Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) in northwestern India. Consequently, tigers were reintroduced in STR between 2008 and 2010, but inadequate breeding success was observed over the years, thus invoking an investigation to ascertain physiological correlates. In the present study, we report glucocorticoid stress responses of the reintroduced tigers in relation to anthropogenic disturbance in the STR from 2011 to 2013. We found anthropogenic disturbance such as encounter rates of livestock and humans, distance to roads and efforts to kill domestic livestock associated with an elevation in fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations in the monitored tigers. In this regard, female tigers seem more sensitive to such disturbance than males. It was possible to discern that tiger’s fGCM levels were significantly positively related to the time spent in disturbed areas. Resulting management recommendations include relocation of villages from core areas and restriction of all anthropogenic activities in the entire STR.S1 Fig. Parallelism between pooled serial dilution of tiger’s fecal extract (square) and respective cortisol standard (circle).S2 Fig. Different levels of anthropogenic disturbance and ST2 tigress movements prior to scat deposition during the study period in Sariska Tiger Reserve (May 2011—January 2013).S3 Fig. Different levels of anthropogenic disturbance and ST3 tigress movements prior to scat deposition during the study period in Sariska Tiger Reserve (May 2011—January 2013).S4 Fig. Different levels of anthropogenic disturbance and ST4 tiger movements prior to scat deposition during the study period in Sariska Tiger Reserve (May 2011—January 2013).S5 Fig. Different levels of anthropogenic disturbance and ST5 tigress movements prior to scat deposition during the study period in Sariska Tiger Reserve (May 2011—January 2013).S6 Fig. Different levels of anthropogenic disturbance and ST6 tiger movements prior to scat deposition during the study period in Sariska Tiger Reserve (May 2011—January 2013).National Tiger Conservation Authority of India (NTCA), Central Zoo Authority of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Ministry of Science and Technology.http://www.plosone.orgam201

Effects of GnRH vaccination in wild and captive African Elephant bulls (Loxodonta africana) on reproductive organs and semen quality

OBJECTIVES: Although the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in some isolated habitats in southern Africa, contraception is of major interest due to local overpopulation. GnRH vaccination has been promoted as a non-invasive contraceptive measure for population management of overabundant wildlife. We tested the efficacy of this treatment for fertility control in elephant bulls. METHODS: In total, 17 male African elephants that were treated with a GnRH vaccine were examined in two groups. In the prospective study group 1 (n = 11 bulls, ages: 8±36 years), semen quality, the testes, seminal vesicles, ampullae and prostate, which were all measured by means of transrectal ultrasound, and faecal androgen metabolite concentrations were monitored over a three-year period. Each bull in the prospective study received 5 ml of Improvac® (1000 μg GnRH conjugate) intramuscularly after the first examination, followed by a booster six weeks later and thereafter every 5±7 months. In a retrospective study group (group 2, n = 6, ages: 19±33 years), one examination was performed on bulls which had been treated with GnRH vaccine for 5±11 years. RESULTS: In all bulls of group 1, testicular and accessory sex gland sizes decreased significantly after the third vaccination. In six males examined prior to vaccination and again after more than five vaccinations, the testis size was reduced by 57.5%. Mean testicular height and length decreased from 13.3 ± 2.6 cm x 15.2 ± 2.8 cm at the beginning to 7.6 ± 2.1 cm x 10.2 ± 1.8 cm at the end of the study. Post pubertal bulls (>9 years, n = 6) examined prior to vaccination produced ejaculates with viable spermatozoa (volume: 8±175 ml, sperm concentration: 410-4000x106/ml, total motility: 0±90%), while after 5±8 injections, only 50% of these bulls produced ejaculates with a small number of immotile spermatozoa. The ejaculates of group 2 bulls (vaccinated >8 times) were devoid of spermatozoa. Faecal androgen metabolite concentrations measured in captive males decreased significantly after the fourth vaccination. None of the males entered musth during the treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed a marked decrease in semen quality, testicle and secondary sex gland sizes following repeated GnRH vaccinations. After 2±4 years of continuous treatment every 5±7 months, the effects were similar to surgical castration.ISIScopu

A global catalog of whole-genome diversity from 233 primate species.

The rich diversity of morphology and behavior displayed across primate species provides an informative context in which to study the impact of genomic diversity on fundamental biological processes. Analysis of that diversity provides insight into long-standing questions in evolutionary and conservation biology and is urgent given severe threats these species are facing. Here, we present high-coverage whole-genome data from 233 primate species representing 86% of genera and all 16 families. This dataset was used, together with fossil calibration, to create a nuclear DNA phylogeny and to reassess evolutionary divergence times among primate clades. We found within-species genetic diversity across families and geographic regions to be associated with climate and sociality, but not with extinction risk. Furthermore, mutation rates differ across species, potentially influenced by effective population sizes. Lastly, we identified extensive recurrence of missense mutations previously thought to be human specific. This study will open a wide range of research avenues for future primate genomic research

The landscape of tolerated genetic variation in humans and primates.

Personalized genome sequencing has revealed millions of genetic differences between individuals, but our understanding of their clinical relevance remains largely incomplete. To systematically decipher the effects of human genetic variants, we obtained whole-genome sequencing data for 809 individuals from 233 primate species and identified 4.3 million common protein-altering variants with orthologs in humans. We show that these variants can be inferred to have nondeleterious effects in humans based on their presence at high allele frequencies in other primate populations. We use this resource to classify 6% of all possible human protein-altering variants as likely benign and impute the pathogenicity of the remaining 94% of variants with deep learning, achieving state-of-the-art accuracy for diagnosing pathogenic variants in patients with genetic diseases

Acompanhamento de pacientes submetidos à cirurgia bariátrica : aspectos laboratoriais nos períodos pré e pós-operatório

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmácia, Florianópolis, 2017A obesidade é uma doença crônica e endócrino-metabólica caracterizada pelo acúmulo excessivo de triacilgliceróis no tecido adiposo, capaz de ser revertida ou amenizada através de intervenção cirúrgica. Epidemiologicamente têm sido descritas associações entre o excesso de peso, resistência à insulina e processo inflamatório crônico. Além disso, nas últimas décadas o sistema complemento foi associado a doenças metabólicas e cardiovasculares e intimamente relacionado com a obesidade e resistência à insulina. Sendo assim, a melhora do estado metabólico e a remissão da inflamação em pacientes obesos submetidos à cirurgia bariátrica foram avaliadas, bem como a associação dos fatores 3 e 4 (C3 e C4) do sistema complemento com a sensibilidade à insulina e a perda de peso após a cirurgia bariátrica. Para isso, a presença de comorbidades e as concentrações séricas de leptina, adiponectina, resistina e grelina foram avaliados em pacientes obesos mórbidos antes, 1, 3 e 6 meses após a cirurgia bariátrica. Também foram medidas as concentrações de IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-a, proteína amiloide sérica A (SAA), proteína quimiotática de monócitos 1 (MCP-1), C3, C4, glicose, insulina, colesterol total, triacilglicerol, LDL- colesterol, HDL-colesterol e foi realizado o cálculo do modelo de avaliação da homeostase da resistência à insulina (HOMA-IR) durante o seguimento da cirurgia, bem como em comparação com um grupo de indivíduos não-obesos. Como resultado, observou-se uma redução significativa de peso acompanhada de melhora do perfil lipídico, da sensibilidade à insulina e das comorbidades. Ainda, houve diminuição de leptina e aumento de adiponectina no período pós-cirúrgico. IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-a, MCP-1 e SAA não mostraram diferença no acompanhamento da cirurgia, porém SAA correlacionou-se com o IMC e apresentou-se muito mais alto no grupo de pacientes obesos. Além disso, C3 e C4 foram significativamente maiores em indivíduos obesos quando comparados aos indivíduos não-obesos e C3 e C4 foram positivamente correlacionados com HOMA-IR e as concentrações de C3 foram significativamente diminuídas após a cirurgia. Com base nesses resultados, a cirurgia bariátrica mostrou melhorar o estado metabólico melhorando as comorbidades associadas à obesidade e os biomarcadores de adiposidade leptina e adiponectina, mas não os demais hormônios e citocinas inflamatórias e C3 e C4 foram fortemente associados à sensibilidade à insulina.Abstract: Obesity is a chronic and endocrine-metabolic disease characterized by triacylglycerol accumulation in the adipose tissue, which can be reversed or improved through surgical intervention. Epidemiologically, associations between overweight, insulin resistance and chronic inflammatory process have been described. Furthermore, in the last decades the complement system was associated with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and related to obesity and insulin resistance. Thus, metabolic status improvement and inflammation remission in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery were evaluated, as well as the association of complement system factors 3 and 4 (C3 and C4) with insulin sensitivity and weight loss after bariatric surgery. For this, comorbidities and leptin, adiponectin, resistin and ghrelin serum concentrations were evaluated in morbidly obese patients before, 1, 3 and 6 months after bariatric surgery. IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-a, serum amyloid A protein (SAA), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), C3, C4, glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol concentrations and the calculation of the homeostasis model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were performed during the surgery follow-up, as well in a group of non-obese individuals. As a result, significant weight loss followed by improvement in lipid profile, insulin sensitivity and comorbidities were observed. Still, there was a decrease in leptin and an increase in adiponectin in the postoperative period. IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-a, MCP-1 and SAA showed no difference after surgery, but SAA correlated with BMI and was much higher in obese patients. In addition, both C3 and C4 were significantly higher in obese individuals when compared to lean individuals and positively correlated with HOMA-IR. C3 concentrations were significantly decreased after surgery. Based on these results, bariatric surgery has been shown to improve metabolic status by improving obesity-associated comorbidities and adiposity biomarkers leptin and adiponectin but not the other hormones and inflammatory cytokines and C3 and C4 were strongly associated with insulin sensitivity

Development of an enzyme immunoassay to measure urinary and faecal 5α-androst-16-en-3-one in pigs

Androstenone, a volatile steroid that possesses pheromonal activity, is responsible for boar taint, sexual interactions, and reproduction in pigs. A wide range of analytical methods has been developed to quantify and detect androstenone in adipose tissue and blood, which are invasive procedures. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a non-invasive method to detect and quantify the androstenone. We produced group-specific polyclonal androstenone antibody to standardize and validate an enzyme immunoassay to measure faecal and urinary androstenone in Yorkshire boars and sows. Parallelism was performed to determine the immunoreactivity between faecal and urinary immunoreactive androstenone and respective antibody. In boars, urinary and faecal androstenone concentrations were higher on the day of mounting and copulation with sows. In sows, we also measured faecal progesterone metabolites to confirm the oestrus and mating. Faecal androstenone concentrations were peaked on the day of oestrus and mating in sows. Our results suggest that androstenone could be detected and quantified in faecal and urine samples of boars and sows. • Developed an enzyme immunoassay for measuring 5α-androst-16-en-3-one as a marker of boar taint and sex pheromone in urine and faeces of pigs • Detection of 5α-androst-16-en-3-one using a non-invasive metho

Non-invasive monitoring of steroid hormones in wildlife for conservation and management of endangered species — A review

307-314Global ecosystems and their constituent flora and fauna are experiencing a decline of biodiversity due to destruction of habitats, climate change, pollution, and invasive species. Of late, the number of species that have become critically endangered has increased extremely, and these species need to be protected from extinction in the wild. The conservation efforts should involve both in situ, and ex situ conservation and management of populations. Conservation physiology, an emerging multidisciplinary field, helps conservationists understand the physiological responses of endangered species due to the changes in the environment and thereby look for possible options of intervention to save them from extinction. This review summarizes various non-invasive hormone methods and endocrine studies involved in the conservation of endangered animals. The non-invasive hormone method has been successfully used in understanding basic reproductive biology, pregnancy diagnostics and welfare of a wide range of animals in captivity and in free-ranging habitats. This technique would directly or indirectly help in the conservation of endangered animals. This review also sheds light on non-invasive hormone monitoring in effective management and conservation of the endangered species

Deep sequencing of extracellular eDNA enables total biodiversity assessment of ecosystems

The global decline in biodiversity driven by anthropogenic factors necessitates biomonitoring of ecosystems. However, current approaches are limited to targeted detection of taxa and fail to capture the total biodiversity of ecosystems. We postulated that extracellular environmental DNA (eDNA) represents a genetic repertoire of all the life forms in an ecosystem, which can be retrieved by deep sequencing. The feasibility and effectiveness of this approach were tested through a spatiotemporal study in Chilika Lagoon, a large and biodiverse Ramsar wetland ecosystem in India. Extracellular eDNA was enriched from large-volume filtered water samples using lysis-free methods and over 10.96 billion extracellular eDNA fragments were sequenced from 16 PCR-free shotgun sequencing libraries. The taxonomic classification results show that organisms from all the domains of life, including the low-abundant non-microbial taxa, can be detected with high sensitivity for taxonomic families with representative genomes. Interestingly, despite Bacteria representing a large proportion (87%) of the taxonomically classified reads, Eukaryotes showed the highest taxonomic diversity (73%). Further, using incidence-based asymptotic richness analysis, the total taxonomic diversity of Chilika was estimated to be 1071 families across the tree of life, comprising approximately 799 families of Eukaryotes, 230 families of Bacteria, 27 families of Archaea, and 13 families of DNA Viruses. We also quantified the compositional changes using Bray-Curtis dissimilarity and showed that extracellular eDNA can resolve the broad-scale spatiotemporal variation of biodiversity across the tree of life. These results demonstrate that PCR-free deep sequencing of extracellular eDNA is an effective approach for taxonomic diversity assessment across the tree of life in large ecosystems. With the increasing genomic resources and decreasing sequencing costs, we foresee its widespread application to monitor future biodiversity loss and support conservation, restoration, and management efforts in the Anthropocene

Yohimbine antagonizes the anaesthetic effects of ketamine-xylazine in captive Indian wild felids

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of yohimbine as an antagonist of ketamine-xylazine anaesthesia in captive Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica), tigers (Panthera tigris) and leopards (Panthera pardus). Study design: Prospective clinical trial. Animals: Fifty-two healthy adult lions, 55 adult leopards and 16 adult male tigers. Methods: Captive wild felids in Indian zoos were anaesthetized with a combination of ketamine (2.2-2.6 mg kg−1) and xylazine (1.1-1.3 mg kg−1) using a dart propelled from a blowpipe. Time to onset of anaesthesia, lateral recumbency and induction time were measured, and physiological variables (respiration, heart rate and rectal temperature) were recorded once after the onset of complete anaesthesia. Anaesthesia was antagonized at various time periods with an intravenous administration of either 0.1 or 0.15 mg kg−1 yohimbine. Onset of arousal and time to complete anaesthetic recovery were recorded. Results: A total of 123 immobilizations were conducted between 2000 and 2005. Anaesthetic induction was achieved in 15-25 minutes in all animals. Incidents of sudden recovery or life-threatening effects associated with immobilizations were not observed. Yohimbine effectively antagonized anaesthesia in all animals within 10 minutes without any excitatory behaviour compared to control animals. No adverse reactions/side effects to yohimbine were recorded except that a few leopards exhibited seizure-like signs for a short period immediately after yohimbine administration. The duration of anaesthesia had no significant effect on the recovery time in any of the animals. Conclusion and clinical relevance: Yohimbine antagonized the xylazine portion of ketamine-xylazine anaesthesia and thereby hastened recovery from anaesthesia in Asiatic lions, tigers and leopards