Anatomia e histologia do trato urinário do macaco-prego (Sapajus apella)

Resumo: Sapajus apella é um primata do Novo Mundo de porte médio e com distribuição geográfica desde a América do Sul até a Argentina. São bons modelos para estudo e nos últimos anos vêm sendo amplamente utilizados para este fim. A destruição progressiva do habitat natural desses animais os tem levado a migrarem para outras regiões, tornando-os, assim, mais susceptíveis à caça predatória. A necessidade de preservação das espécies silvestres desperta interesse por um maior conhecimento anatômico e clínico para estes animais. O presente estudo teve como objetivo examinar e descrever os aspectos morfológicos, quanto a anatomia macroscópica e microscópica dos órgãos do sistema urinário de fêmeas da espécie Sapajus apella visando estender o conhecimento anatômico para esta espécie. Foram utilizadas quatro fêmeas, oriundas do Centro Nacional de Primatas de Ananindeua/PA. istema urinário de S. apella apresenta características similares a outros primatas tanto humanos quanto não humanos e aos animais domésticos. Os rins apresentaram aspectos macroscópicos semelhantes aos rins de humanos, mas com a mesma classificação de outros primatas não humanos e alguns animais domésticos. A bexiga assemelhou-se aos animais domésticos e aos primatas de maneira geral, humano e não humano. O mesmo ocorreu quando analisamos estes órgãos histologicamente.

Bondade, Altruísmo e Cooperação. Considerações evolutivas para a educação e a ética ambiental

A origem biológica da bondade humana e a sua relação com o altruísmo social e a cooperação são discutidas no contexto da biologia evolutiva. Os seus fundamentos naturais são apresentados a partir de precursores animais como a empatia social e a teoria da mente, nos primatas. Apresentam-se algumas das condições para a emergência da ética humana. Num mundo globalizado, discutem-se as condições etológicas e psicológicas para a experiência da bondade em contextos expandidos. Significadas pela linguagem, a bondade e a compaixão são vitais tanto para a definição de princípios éticos em ambiente, como para a educação para os valores ambientais.

Interação sexual: perspectiva etológica do dimorfismo sexual humano

A interação sexual no sentido de ação conjunta ou recíproca supõe a existência de parceiros dimorficamente caracterizados a partir da estrutura cromossomial X-X ou X-Y. A diferenciação do sexo, entretanto, não depende apenas da condição cromossomial, podendo mesmo ser invertida quando a ação hormonal for alterada. Os dados disponíveis apontam os andrógenos como um dos principais agentes de diferenciação, afetando o organismo "básico" feminino num sentido masculinizante. A medida que se progride na escala animal, contudo, os aspectos estritamente biológicos perdem em importância e as condições ambientais aos poucos se impõem . Nos primatas superiores, caso não se estabeleçam condições adequadas de aprendizagem, o desenvolvimento sexual não se completa e a cópula se torna inviável. No ser humano, além dessa aprendizagem, fatores socio-culturais respondem pelo comportamento considerado masculino ou feminino que supostamente será exibido por cada parceiro da interação. Também as noções de estética são seriamente determinadas pela tradição cultural, com cada povo tendendo a valorizar os próprios traços raciais como ideal de beleza. Do ponto de vista físico, entretanto, pode-se tentar estabelecer algumas constantes, como as formas arredondadas para a mulher e o porte atl6tico ou capacidades gerais , para o homem. Uma vez estabelecida a atração e encontrado local e momento adequado, a interação sexual tende a uma progressiva intensificação e genitalização, que, nas sociedades de tradição judaico-cristã se reflete numa sequência, mais ou menos previsível, envolvendo carícias gerais, beijos, acariciamento de seios e genitais até a união genito-genital o significado e a forma como cada cultura desenvolve os contatos físicos de intercambio erógeno revelam tão grande variedade que já se apontou essa polimorfismo corno aquisição típica do ser humano. Assim, ao contrário do que faz supor o ideal de abstinência, é na capacidade de buscar e estender o prazer além da s1mples atividade orgânico-sexual que o homem, em sexo, se liberta da limitação animal.

Início da função gonadal no sagui comum (Callithrix jacchus): diferenças entre gêneros

Os primatas não humanos, como Callithrix jacchus vêm sendo utilizados com maior frequência em pesquisa biomédica e, recentemente, nosso laboratório propôs uma nova classificação para monitorar com mais detalhes as modificações comportamentais e hormonais relacionadas ao desenvolvimento. O presente trabalho monitorou os níveis de hormônios gonadais de 4 machos e 6 fêmeas de C. jacchus durante as fases juvenil I e II e subadulta (dos 5 aos 15 meses). Os resultados apontaram que os níveis de progesterona nas fêmeas e andrógenas nos machos foram estatisticamente mais elevados nos estágios juvenil II e subadulto, respectivamente, em relação ao estágio juvenil I. Estes achados indicam que, de acordo com a nova classificação, foi possível observar que o funcionamento gonadal se instala mais cedo nas fêmeas

Histopathology findings in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus Linnaeus, 1758) with chronic weight loss associated with bile tract obstruction by infestation with Platynosomum (Loos, 1907)

Chronic weight loss in marmosets is often associated with wasting marmoset syndrome (WMS), an important disease that occurs in callitrichid colonies around the world. Even though its etiology is very difficult to determine, particular variables, such as weight loss, diarrhea and alopecia, associated or not with infestation in the pancreatic ducts with Trichospirura leptossoma (Nematoda: Thelazioidea), seem to be linked with the syndrome. This study investigated the histopathology of the lungs, duodenum, liver, gallbladder, extrahepatic bile ducts and pancreatic ducts of six common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) suffering from severe non-diarrheic weight loss. Three individuals died naturally and the other three were euthanized. Microscopic findings showed the presence of adult flukes (Platynosomum) in the liver. These flukes, which provoke common infection in cats, were also observed inside the gallbladder as well as in the intra and extrahepatic bile ducts in common marmosets. Portal fibrosis was observed in two animals, which developed chronic fibrosing hepatopathy (biliary pattern, grade 3). The disease progresses without diarrhea and without pancreatic lesions or infestation. With the rogression, the animals presented with ascending cholangitis, cholestasis and portal fibrosis, sometimes culminating in secondary biliary cirrhosis. Therefore, this nfirmity, associated with chronic weight loss in common marmosets, could be another tiological factor linked with WMS

Testicular volume and reproductive status of Wild Callithrix jacchus

ARAÚJO, Arrilton ; SOUSA, Maria Bernardete Cordeiro . Testicular volume and reproductive status of Wild Callithrix jacchus. International Journal of Primatology, v.29, p.1355–1364, 2008. DOI 10.1007/s10764-008-9291-4

Efeito do parceiro social sobre a resposta comportamental ao ambiente novo em sagüi comum (Callithrix jacchus)

Algumas pesquisas demonstram que a presença de um parceiro social durante uma situação de risco modula a resposta ao estresse, atenuando seus efeitos negativos. Neste estudo, 8 díades de machos e 8 de fêmeas de sagüi comum (Callithrix jacchus) foram expostos a um ambiente novo, sozinhos e acompanhados de um parceiro de mesmo sexo e idade. Quando submetidos a um ambiente novo em companhia de um animal de mesmo sexo, os machos apresentaram um perfil mais filiativo enquanto as fêmeas foram mais competitivas entre si. Os resultados mostram que a resposta comportamental é sexualmente dimórfica, e que machos e fêmeas utilizam diferentes estratégias quando confrontados com situações desafiadoras no ambiente natural Abstract Some researches demonstrate that the presence of a social partner during a challenging situation modulates the stress response, decreasing its negative effects. In this study common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) males and females were exposed to a new environment, alone or in companion of a social partner of the same sex and age. When submitted to new environment in companion of a same-sex social partner males showed more affiliation whereas females performed agonistic behaviors. The results show that behavioral response is sexually dimorphic and that males and females used different strategies when facing challenging situations in natural conditions

Circadian variation with a diurnal bimodal profile on scent-marking behavior in captive common marmosets (callitrhix jacchus)

Scent-marking behavior is associated with different behavioral contexts in callitrichids, including signalizing a territory, location of feeding resources, and social rank. In marmosets and tamarins it is also associated with intersexual communication. Though it appears very important for the daily routine of the individuals, very few researchers have investigated distribution through the 24-h cycle. In a preliminary report, we described a preferential incidence of this behavior 2 h before nocturnal rest in families of common marmosets. We expand the data using 8 family groups (28 subjects), 8 fathers, 6 mothers, 8 nonreproductive adults (4 sons and 4 daughters), and 6 juvenile (3 sons and 3 daughters) offspring that we kept in outdoor cages under natural environmental conditions. We recorded the frequency of anogenital scent marking for each group during the light phase, twice a wk, for 4 consecutive wks, from March 1998 to September 1999. Cosinor test detected 24- and 8-h variations in 89.3% and 85.7% of the subjects, respectively, regardless of sex or reproductive status. The 8-h component is a consequence of the 2 peaks for the behavior, at the beginning and end of the light phase. Daily distribution of scent marking is similar to that others described previously for motor activity in marmosets. The coincident rhythmical patterns for both behaviors seem to be associated with feeding behavior, as described for callitrichids in free-ranging conditions, involving an increase in foraging activities early in the morning and shortly before nocturnal rest

Hormonal changes related to paternal and alloparental care in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

The physiological mechanisms of parental and alloparental care in cooperatively breeding nonhuman primate species such as the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) are poorly known. In this study, we examined prolactin and cortisol plasma levels of fathers and older offspring of both sexes, with and without previous experience in infant carrying, around parturition and during infant carrying. Blood samples were collected from fathers and older offspring and prolactin and cortisol were measured by RIA and EIA, respectively. Prolactin levels of both caretakers were not influenced by infant’s birth, previous experience or proximity to parturition. However, prolactin levels increased in both caretakers while in physical contact with infants and also with the number of infants being carried in older offspring. These findings suggest that increased prolactin seems to be mainly due to physical effort rather than a physiological trigger of paternal and alloparental care in common marmosets. Cortisol levels were higher for experienced fathers shortly before parturition which could act to reinforce affiliative bonds between breeding males and females at this time or in the ability of males to detect the proximity of the parturition or both

Animais não humanos: a construção da titularidade jurídica como novos sujeitos de direito

This work has the main goal on the recognition of the inherent value of nonhuman animals, under the constitutional framework. It is presented the main philosophical formulations of the current pattern of behavior that rules the relationship between man and animals: first those that have excluded animals from moral consideration and then the thinkers which do have included, in some way, in order to elucidate the origin of the anthropocentric thought over the natural world. In this way, the analysis these thinkers that have included animals in moral consideration will contribute to a paradigm change from the anthropocentric view, initiating legal debates. It will be made a simplified analysis of different philosophical and legal points of view that have been demonstrating the posture in which the human beings have been dealing with the environment, with the replacement of the anthropocentric thinking for the biocentric view, in which life becomes the center of existence. Life is life, no matter whether it is human or not, has a value in itself, and must be protected and respected by the legal system. Then, it will be analized the constitutionalization of the nonhuman animal dignity in comparative law; the infraconstitutional legislation which concerning the intrinsic value of all life forms and, finally, the 1988 Constitution. It will be advocated for non-human animals the condition of subjects, presenting some cases that the Habeas Corpus was used in animal defense. In this new Brazilian Habeas Corpus theory of for apes the argument of genetic proximity was used in order to overcome the literal meaning of natural person to achieve hominids in order to assure the fundamental right of physical freedom. It is realized that the fact that the great apes being recognized as a person does not preclude the possibility of other living beings be recognized as subjects of law. In this way, animals can be considered non-human subjects of law, according to the theory of depersonalized entities and may enjoy a legal category that allows a respect for existential minimum, and can hold constitutional fundamental rights

Ingestão alimentar e nutricional de callithrix jacchus: relaçao com hierarquia social e disponibilidade de alimento

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

Detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in experimentally and naturally infected non-human primates by Indirect Fluorescence Assay (IFA) and indirect ELISA

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Estudo comportamental, hormonal e histopatológico de animais com perda de peso progressina (SEP) e da variável peso associada a uma nova classificação ontogenética em Callithrix jacchus

The use of non-human primates in scientific research has contributed significantly to the biomedical area and, in the case of Callithrix jacchus, has provided important evidence on physiological mechanisms that help explain its biology, making the species a valuable experimental model in different pathologies. However, raising non-human primates in captivity for long periods of time is accompanied by behavioral disorders and chronic diseases, as well as progressive weight loss in most of the animals. The Primatology Center of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) has housed a colony of C. jacchus for nearly 30 years and during this period these animals have been weighed systematically to detect possible alterations in their clinical conditions. This procedure has generated a volume of data on the weight of animals at different age ranges. These data are of great importance in the study of this variable from different perspectives. Accordingly, this paper presents three studies using weight data collected over 15 years (1985-2000) as a way of verifying the health status and development of the animals. The first study produced the first article, which describes the histopathological findings of animals with probable diagnosis of permanent wasting marmoset syndrome (WMS). All the animals were carriers of trematode parasites (Platynosomum spp) and had obstruction in the hepatobiliary system; it is suggested that this agent is one of the etiological factors of the syndrome. In the second article, the analysis focused on comparing environmental profile and cortisol levels between the animals with normal weight curve evolution and those with WMS. We observed a marked decrease in locomotion, increased use of lower cage extracts and hypocortisolemia. The latter is likely associated to an adaptation of the mechanisms that make up the hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal axis, as observed in other mammals under conditions of chronic malnutrition. Finally, in the third study, the animals with weight alterations were excluded from the sample and, using computational tools (K-means and SOM) in a non-supervised way, we suggest found new ontogenetic development classes for C. jacchus. These were redimensioned from five to eight classes: infant I, infant II, infant III, juvenile I, juvenile II, sub-adult, young adult and elderly adult, in order to provide a more suitable classification for more detailed studies that require better control over the animal development

Influência de fatores individuais e sociais sobre as respostas endócrina e comportamental de callithrix jacchus a desafios ambientais físicos e sociais

Regarding the growing number of human beings with physical and mental pathologies associated to different stressor agents, attempts are being made to validate animal models with a close phylogenetic resemblance to man, to study stress response. Callithrix jacchus has been widely used in biomedical research, including on stress, but there is scarce information in the literature about how individual and social factors modulate stressor response in this species. This study uses 4 approaches to investigate the response of male and female adult C. jacchus, under situations of stress, and in the first we show evidence of the importance of this animal as an experimental model in research involving the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. And we investigate if sex and baseline cortisol levels modulate the behavioral and hormonal response to separation. In two additional approaches investigate if type of social support (co-specific parent or non-parent) and social rank interfere in behavioral and hormonal when the animal are exposure to a new environment, paired with a co-specific (F2), exposure of the animal to a new environment, isolated (F3) or during reunion (F4). Finally, we also investigated the androgen levels in the males, with a focus on the challenge hypothesis, referring to environmental responsiveness and male-male exposure to relatives and non-relatives of C. jacchus. It was observed that: (1) the baseline cortisol of the animal is predictive of cortisol reactivity at separation; (2) males and females do not show dimorphism in the response of cortisol to stressors, although the females have higher baseline levels of this hormone and exhibit higher frequencies of anxiety-related behaviors; (3) only social support provided by relatives proved to be effective in buffering the cortisol response. In behavioral terms this response was dimorphic, showing that only the male dyads displayed an attenuated response to stress; (4) the males showed differences in cortisol levels as a function of social rank and study phases, whereas in the females no such alterations were observed. The males with indefinite dominance hierarchy (IDH) had reduced cortisol in F2 and F4, while the IDH females showed an increase in F3 and F4; (5) the males of relative and non-relative dyads did not exhibit variations in androgen levels as a function of a new environment. These results, taken together, (a) corroborate the use of C. jacchus as a good animal model for stress-related studies, given that they exhibit similar behavioral and physiological alterations to those of human beings in response to stressor agents; (b) point to the importance of considering individual and social modulating factors during experiments with stressors; (c) provide more reliable comparison parameters in studies where these primates are used as animal models, and (d) show that androgens vary as a function of genetic proximity (relative or non-relative) when the animals are faced with physical and social environmental challenges, thus providing important information for studying the challenge hypothesis in this species

Uso de ferramentas por macacos-prego em manguezais

The present study discusses the geographical distribution and the context on the occupation of mangrove swamp areas by capuchin monkeys. In addition, we assess how the dispersion to the mangrove allowed the exploration of different food items, permitting the development of predation by ambush and the use of cracking tools. From 2004 to 2008 we surveyed the main estuaries of Brazilian Amazon coast, from northeastern state of Pará to the eastern boundary of the state of Maranhão, and recorded the presence of two species of capuchin monkeys in the mangrove forest areas. Cebus apella has been widely distributed in the mangrove at the estuaries examined (excluding C. libidinosus areas). Its presence is often related to Amazon forest remnants in the neighbourhood of the mangrove swamps and thus it is possible that some groups live in both kinds of habitats. However, we recorded some populations restricted only to mangrove swamp surrounded by open areas. On the other hand, Cebus libidinosus had a distribution more restricted and isolated in mangroves. Its pattern of habitat use is consistent with geographic distribution in mangrove patches. It seems that the possible contact zone previously proposed in the literature for that two species has no evident barriers in the mangrove. Furthermore, we record cracking sites and systematic observations on the tool use, carnivory and predation by ambush in Cebus libidinosus from 2006 to 2008. Cebus libidinosus is the only Neotropical primate species in which the tool use has been systematically recorded in nature. However all previous studies had been obtained is open areas (Cerrado and Caatinga). Thus, the present study is first one to report that behaviour in forested habitats in which the tool use to cracking by capuchin monkeys is associated with the consumption of meat. In the Caatinga and Cerrado, food shortages and terrestriality has been proposed by different authors to explain the evolution of tool use in primates. Here, we analyzed the relative contribution of these two variables as selective pressures for the tool use by capuchin monkeys in the mangrove forests, an ecological scenario in which food resources is available around the year and terrestriality is limited by structural habitat features, as the presence of stilt roots and muddy soil