Contested dominance modifies the anovulatory consequences of social subordination in female marmosets

Dominance status among female marmosets is reflected in agonistic behavior and ovarian function. Socially dominant females receive submissive behavior from subordinates, while exhibiting normal ovulatory function. Subordinate females, however, receive agonistic behavior from dominants, while exhibiting reduced or absent ovulatory function. Such disparity in female fertility is not absolute, and groups with two breeding females have been described. The data reported here were obtained from 8 female-female pairs of captive female marmosets, each housed with a single unrelated male. Pairs were classified into two groups: “uncontested” dominance (UD) and “contested” dominance (CD), with 4 pairs each. Dominant females in UD pairs showed significantly higher frequencies (4.1) of agonism (piloerection, attack and chasing) than their subordinates (0.36), and agonistic behaviors were overall more frequently displayed by CD than by UD pairs. Subordinates in CD pairs exhibited more agonistic behavior (2.9) than subordinates in UD pairs (0.36), which displayed significantly more submissive (6.97) behaviors than their dominants (0.35). The data suggest that there is more than one kind of dominance relationship between female common marmosets. Assessment of progesterone levels showed that while subordinates in UD pairs appeared to be anovulatory, the degree of ovulatory disruption in subordinates of CD pairs was more varied and less complete. We suggest that such variation in female-female social dominance relationships and the associated variation in the degree and reliability of fertility suppression may explain variations of the reproductive condition of free-living groups of common marmosets

Metabolic and hematologic consequences of colectomy associated to hepatectomy in rats

To investigate the influence of partial colectomy associated with hepatectomy on the biodistribution of the 99mTc-phytate, on metabolic parameters, as well as labeling and morphology of red blood cells. METHODS: Wistar rats were distributed into three groups (each with six), nominated as colectomy, colectomy+hepatectomy and sham. In the 30th postoperative day all rats were injected with 99mTc-phytate 0.1mL i.v. (radioactivity 0.66 MBq). After 15 minutes, liver sample was harvested and weighed. Percentage radioactivity per gram of tissue (%ATI/g) was determined using an automatic gammacounter. Serum AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase and red blood cells labeling were determined. RESULTS: The liver %ATI/g and red blood cells labeling were lower in colectomy and colectomy+hepatectomy rats than in sham rats (p <0.05), and no difference was detected comparing the colectomy and colectomy+hepatectomy groups. Red blood cells morphology did not differ among groups. Serum levels of AST, ALT and alkaline fosfatase were significantly higher in colectomy+hepatectomy than in colectomy rats (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Hepatectomy associated with colectomy lowered the uptake of radiopharmaceutical in liver and in red blood cells in rats, coinciding with changes in liver enzymatic activity.

Contested dominance modifies the anovulatory consequences of social subordination in female marmosets

Dominance status among female marmosets is reflected in agonistic behavior and ovarian function. Socially dominant females receive submissive behavior from subordinates, while exhibiting normal ovulatory function. Subordinate females, however, receive agonistic behavior from dominants, while exhibiting reduced or absent ovulatory function. Such disparity in female fertility is not absolute, and groups with two breeding females have been described. The data reported here were obtained from 8 female-female pairs of captive female marmosets, each housed with a single unrelated male. Pairs were classified into two groups: “uncontested” dominance (UD) and “contested” dominance (CD), with 4 pairs each. Dominant females in UD pairs showed significantly higher frequencies (4.1) of agonism (piloerection, attack and chasing) than their subordinates (0.36), and agonistic behaviors were overall more frequently displayed by CD than by UD pairs. Subordinates in CD pairs exhibited more agonistic behavior (2.9) than subordinates in UD pairs (0.36), which displayed significantly more submissive (6.97) behaviors than their dominants (0.35). The data suggest that there is more than one kind of dominance relationship between female common marmosets. Assessment of progesterone levels showed that while subordinates in UD pairs appeared to be anovulatory, the degree of ovulatory disruption in subordinates of CD pairs was more varied and less complete. We suggest that such variation in female-female social dominance relationships and the associated variation in the degree and reliability of fertility suppression may explain variations of the reproductive condition of free-living groups of common marmosets

Metabolic and hematologic consequences of colectomy associated to hepatectomy in rats

To investigate the influence of partial colectomy associated with hepatectomy on the biodistribution of the 99mTc-phytate, on metabolic parameters, as well as labeling and morphology of red blood cells. METHODS: Wistar rats were distributed into three groups (each with six), nominated as colectomy, colectomy+hepatectomy and sham. In the 30th postoperative day all rats were injected with 99mTc-phytate 0.1mL i.v. (radioactivity 0.66 MBq). After 15 minutes, liver sample was harvested and weighed. Percentage radioactivity per gram of tissue (%ATI/g) was determined using an automatic gammacounter. Serum AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase and red blood cells labeling were determined. RESULTS: The liver %ATI/g and red blood cells labeling were lower in colectomy and colectomy+hepatectomy rats than in sham rats (p <0.05), and no difference was detected comparing the colectomy and colectomy+hepatectomy groups. Red blood cells morphology did not differ among groups. Serum levels of AST, ALT and alkaline fosfatase were significantly higher in colectomy+hepatectomy than in colectomy rats (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Hepatectomy associated with colectomy lowered the uptake of radiopharmaceutical in liver and in red blood cells in rats, coinciding with changes in liver enzymatic activity.