Inclusão da camomila no desempenho, comportamento e estresse em codornas durante a fase de recria

Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da Matricaria chamomila sobre o estresse de codornas japonesas na fase de recria (28 a 42 dias de idade). Foram utilizadas 192 codornas com 28 dias de idades, distribuídas em blocos casualizados e submetidas às dietas com 0, 250, 500 e 750mg de camomila/kg de ração, totalizando quatro tratamentos, com oito repetições e seis aves por parcela. Foram avaliados os parâmetros de desempenho (consumo diário de ração, conversão alimentar e ganho de peso), comportamentais (tempo em imobilidade tônica, ferimentos corporais e agressividade) e fisiológicos (concentração plasmática de corticosterona e relação heterófilo:linfócito). Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que a camomila adicionada na dieta não foi capaz de alterar os parâmetros de desempenho, bem como os de comportamento e fisiológicos.

Passionflower supplementation in diets of Japanese qualis at rearing and laying periods

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

Antidepressivos modificam a extinção de uma memória aversiva em ratas

Treatment of major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder and other psychopathologies with antidepressants can be associated with improvement of the cognitive deficits related to these disorders. Although the mechanisms of these effects are not completely elucidated, alterations in extinction of aversive memories are believed to be present in these psychopathologies. Moreover, researches with laboratory animals usually focus on male subjects, and we have recently verified that extinction of an aversive task is reduced in female rats when compared to males. In the present study, female rats were long-term treated with clinically used antidepressants (fluoxetine, nortriptyline or mirtazapine) and tested in the plus-maze discriminative avoidance and forced swimming tests in order to evaluate learning, memory, extinction, anxiety and depression-related behaviors. All groups learned the task, but learning was somewhat faster in nortriptyline and mirtazapine-treated animals . Task retrieval was also showed by all experimental groups. Chronic treatment with fluoxetine, but not with the other antidepressants, increased extinction of the discriminative task. In the forced swimming test, animals treated with fluoxetine and mirtazapine showed decreased immobility duration. In conclusion, antidepressants interfere with learning and female rats treated with fluoxetine presented increased extinction of the aversive memory task. On the other hand, both fluoxetine and mirtazapine were effective in the forced swimming test, suggesting dissociation between the antidepressant effects and the extinction of aversive memories

Prevalência de incontinência urinária e fatores associados em idosos institucionalizados

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a geriatric syndrome that is especially prevalent in institutionalized individuals, and that causes economic and social impacts derived from treatment costs and overload of caregiver. UI also entails physical consequences to the health of the elderly, such as urinary tract infections or pressure ulcers, among other health problems. However, the existing national research on this condition is still scarce and comprises serious methodological biases. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence and associated factors in institutionalized elderly. A cross-sectional study is presented herein, conducted between October and December, 2013 and carried out in 10 nursing homes in the city of Natal (Northeast Brazil). UI was verified through the program Minimum Data Set version 3.0, which was also used to assess fecal incontinence, urinary devices and UI control programs. Data collection included sociodemographic information, UI characterization, as well as variables related to the institution itself and to health conditions (comorbidities, medication, pelvic floor surgery, Barthel Index for functional capacity and Pfeiffer test for cognitive status). Bivariate analysis was performed using the Chi-Square Test (or Fisher‟s Exact Test) and the Linear Chi-Square Test, calculating the prevalence ratio with 95% confidence interval. Variables with p value under 0.20 were included in the multivariate analysis, which was performed using the Stepwise Forward logistic regression. The inclusion of variables in the final model depended on the likelihood ratio test, absence of multicollinearity and on the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. A statistical significance level of 0.05 was considered. Six (1.8%) hospitalized elderly, one individual in palliative care (0.3%) and one (0.3%) individual under the age of 60 were excluded from the study. The final sample consisted of 321 elderly, mostly females, with a mean age of 81.5 years. The prevalence of UI was 59.43% and the final model revealed statistically a significant association between UI and white race, physical inactivity, stroke, mobility constraints and cognitive decline. The most frequent UI type was functional UI due to physical or cognitive disability, and incontinence control measures were applied only to a minority of residents (approximately 8%). It is concluded that UI is a health issue that affects more than half of the institutionalized elderly, and is associated with white race, physical inactivity, stroke and other geriatric syndromes such as immobility and cognitive disability. Most of these associated factors are modifiable and therefore the findings of this study highlight the importance of UI prevention and treatment in nursing homes, which include general measures, such as physical and psychosocial activities, and specific measures, such as prompted voiding

Effect of Artemisia annua L. leaves essential oil and ethanol extract on behavioral assays

Artemisia annua tem sido utilizada tradicionalmente para o tratamento de malária e febre na China devido à presença do princípio ativo, artemisinina. O presente trabalho avaliou a atividade central de do óleo essencial obtido por hidrodestilação e do extrato etanólico bruto de folhas frescas de A. annua em modelo in vivo como parte de um screening farmacológico dessa espécie. Sono induzido por pentobarbital, nado forçado e o ensaio de campo aberto são modelos de estudo conhecidos para o estudo de fármacos sobre depressão induzida. A administração do óleo essencial ou extrato bruto etanólico de A. annua aumentaram o tempo de imobilidade no teste do nado forçado. Por outro lado, diminuíram outros parâmetros no campo aberto, como ambulação, exploração, o ato de lamber as patas ou se lamber. Ambos produtos aumentaram o tempo de sono induzido por pentobarbital, com o óleo essencial apresentando um efeito superior ao do extrato. Pela análise dos resultados, é possível sugerir que tanto o extrato bem como o óleo essencial podem atuar como depressores do Sistema Nervoso Central (SNC).

Impact of maternal mild hyperglycemia on maternal care and offspring development and behavior of Wistar rats

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Planting of fungus onto hibernating workers of the fungus-growing ant Mycetosoritis clorindae (Attini, Formicidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Influence of gender and estrous cycle in the forced swim test in rats

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

SOLENOPSIS (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE) FIRE ANT REACTIONS TO ATTACKS OF PSEUDACTERON FLIES (DIPTERA, PHORIDAE) IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

We studied the responses of Solenopsis fire ants to Pseudacteon phorid fly attacks in southeastern Brazil. The presence of these phorid parasites triggered a suite of phorid-specific defense responses including reduced foraging, bait guarding, a curled defensive posture, and general colony immobility. The existence of these phorid-specific defenses indicates that Pseudacteon phorids exert substantial evolutionary pressure on South American fire ant populations.

Sedation and need-free salt intake in rats treated with clonidine

The effect of intraperitoneal injection of clonidine (9-72 mu g/kg) on need-free 1.5% NaCl intake and on performance (defined as percent of a complete trial) in the rotarod test, was studied in normovolemic adult male rats. Clonidine (18 and 36 mu g/kg) inhibited the 1.5% NaCl intake in a 2-h test at doses that did not alter the performance in the rotarod test. The dose of 36 mu g/kg did not inhibit 10% sucrose intake. Only the highest dose (72 mu g/kg) of clonidine inhibited the 1.5% NaCl intake and the performance in the rotarod test, and produced signs of sedation. Sedation was determined either by change in posture (immobility or lack of postural tonus) of the animals during the ingestive test or by their performance in the rotarod test. The results suggest that sedation is not a determinant effect on the inhibition of 1.5% NaCl intake induced by clonidine. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V.

EFFECTS OF 2,4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID (2,4-D) ON OPEN-FIELD BEHAVIOR AND NEUROCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF RATS

The effects of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on the central nervous system (CNS) were studied in rats. Behavioural and neurochemical studies were performed. Results show that acute and oral administration of dimethylamine 2,4-D was able to decrease locomotion and rearing frequencies and to increase immobility duration of rats observed in an open-field test. Treatment of rats with p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) was unable to change rat's open-field behaviour; 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) administration not only increased locomotion and rearing frequences but also decreased immobility duration. Pretreatment of the rats with PCPA and 5-HTP decreased and increased dimethylamine 2,4-D effects, respectively. The herbicide was not able to change the striatal levels of dopamine and homovanilic acid but decreased the striatal levels of serotonin (5-HT), as observed for the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg and increased those of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) as measured after the 200 mg/kg dose treatment. When the levels of serotonin and 5-HIAA were measured at the brain stem level, only those of 5-HIAA were modified, being increased by diethylamine 2,4-D (60; 100 and 200 mg/kg); this increment on 5-HIAA levels was observed even 1 hr after pesticide administration. Further analysis showed that 2,4-D concentrations chromatographycally detected both in serum and brain of the intoxicated animals were dose-dependent, being found as early as 1 hr after the smaller dose of the herbicide used (10 mg/kg). The results suggest that diethylamine 2,4-D modify 5-HT functional activity within the CNS. Thus, the effects of the herbicide on open-field behaviour of rats could be attributed to a direct or indirect pesticide action on serotoninergic systems.

Effects of prenatal exposure to deltamethrin on forced swimming behavior, motor activity, and striatal dopamine levels in male and female rats

The effects of prenatal exposure of rat pups to 0.08 mg/kg deltamethrin (DTM) on physical, reflex and behavioral developmental parameters, on forced swimming and open-field behaviors, and on striatal monoamine levels at 60 days of age were observed. Maternal and offspring body weight, physical and reflex development were unaffected by the exposure to the pesticide. At 21 days of age, open-field locomotion frequency and immobility duration of male and female offspring were not different between control and exposed animals. However, male rearing frequency was increased in experimental animals. A decreased immobility latency to float and in general activity after the swimming test in male offspring was observed at adult age; no interference was detected in the float duration during the swimming test. In addition, these animals presented higher striatal 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels without modification in dopamine (DA) levels and an increased DOPAC/DA ratio. These data indicate a higher activity of the dopaminergic system in these animals. Noradrenaline (NA) levels were increased, while MHPG levels were not detectable in the system studied. Serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels, as well as the homovanillic acid (HVA)/DA ratio, were not modified by the exposure to the pesticide. No changes were observed in swimming and open-field behaviors nor were there any changes in striatal monoamines or their metabolites in the female experimental group. In relation to the pesticide formula, the present data showing that prenatal exposure to DTM alters latency to float and the activity of striatal dopaminergic system might reflect a persistent effect of the pesticide on animal motor activity, mainly in males. on the other hand, the decrease in general activity observed in experimental male rats suggests higher levels of emotionality induced by previous exposure to the swimming behavior test in relation to control animals. Data gathered in the present study may be important for the assessment of the safety of pyrethroid insecticides. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developmental and behavioral effects of postnatal amitraz exposure in rats

The effects of postnatal amitraz exposure on physical and behavioral parameters were studied in Wistar rats, whose lactating dams received the pesticide (10 mg/Kg) orally on days 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19 of lactation; control dams received distilled water (1 ml/kg) on the same days. A total of 18 different litters (9 of them control and 9 experimental) born after a 21- day gestation were used. The results showed that the median effective time (ET50) for fur development, eye opening, testis descent and onset of the startle response were increased in rats postnatally exposed to amitraz (2.7, 15.1, 21.6 and 15.3 days, respectively) compared to those of the control pups (1.8, 14.0, 19.9 and 12.9 days, respectively). The ages of incisor eruption, total unfolding of the external ears, vaginal and ear opening and the time taken to perform the grasping hindlimb reflex were not affected by amitraz exposure. Pups from dams treated with amitraz during lactation took more time (in seconds) to perform the surface righting reflex on postnatal days (PND) 3 (25.0 ±2.0), 4 (12.3 ± 1.2) and 5 (8.7 ± 0.9) in relation to controls (10.6 ± 1.2; 4.5 ± 0.6 and 3.4 ± 0.4, respectively); the climbing response was not changed by amitraz. Postnatal amitraz exposure increased spontaneous motor activity of male and female pups in the open-field on PND 16 (140± 11)and 17(124± 12), and 16 (104±9), 17 (137 ± 9) and 18 (106 ± 8), respectively. Data on spontaneous motor activity of the control male and female pups were 59 ± 11 and 69 ± 10 for days 16 and 17 and 49 ± 9, 48 ± 7 and 56 ± 7 for days 16, 17 and 18, respectively. Some qualitative differences were also observed in spontaneous motor behavior; thus, raising the head, shoulder and pelvis matured one or two days later in the amitraz- treated offspring. Postnatal amitraz exposure did not change locomotion and rearing frequencies or immobility time in the open-field on PND 30, 60 and 90. The present findings indicate that postnatal exposure to amitraz caused transient developmental and behavioral changes in the exposed offspring and suggest that further investigation of the potential health risk of amitraz exposure to developing human and animal offsprings may be warranted.

Is it all death feigning? Case in anurans

Anurans are known to feign death as a way to avoid or minimize the risk of predation. However, information on this defensive strategy is scattered and we believe that there is more than one behaviour type referred to as thanatosis. Here we review the literature, add original data, and propose definitions and new names that complement the present knowledge on the subject. We collected information on 334 individuals of 99 species in 16 families and grouped the recorded displays into two categories of tonic immobility: (1) thanatosis, death-feigning, or playing possum, and (2) shrinking or contracting. These two categories are treated as different behaviour types because of the display pattern (position of fore- and hindlimbs, eye opening), presence of skin toxins (shrinking is mostly displayed by toxic species, whereas thanatosis is mostly displayed by non-toxic species), social context (interaction with predators), and their putative or actual functions. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.

Simbiótico e extratos naturais na dieta de codornas Japonesas na fase de postura

The objective of this study was to assess the performance, tonic immobility time (TIT), intensity of injuries (II) and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H:L) by the addition of the symbiotic and plant extract (Aloe vera and Symphytum officinale) to the diet of Japanese quails. Ninety quails were used, distributed in randomized blocks with 3 treatments (0-control; 250 and 750 mg symbiotic and plant extract/kg of diet), five repetitions and six birds per cage. Feed intake, feed conversion, production and weight of eggs, viability, TIT, II and H:L were evaluated. Results showed that the addition of the product to the diet did not affect the performance, however, it decreased the TIT, II and the H:L of quails which received the highest level of the product in the diet. Thus, the use of symbiotic and plant extract in the diet has been promising regarding the behavioral and physiological parameters, decreasing the stress of the animals, mainly for the level of 750 mg/kg diet.