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Background: The reptile class could be considered one of the biggest vertebrate groups and are divided in orders andsuborders according to their characteristics. These animals maintenance in captivity, either at home, captive bred or atzoos, can generate risk to their health, if the required cares are not given for each respective species. The lack of individualcares could lead to bone and muscular diseases and to traumatic lesions in soft tissues, mainly in the coelomic cavity. Thereport that is being presented aims to describe the case of a green iguana (Iguana iguana) that presented an increase ofvolume in the coelomic cavity. The animal belongs to the squad of the Zoo “Dr. Fábio de Sá Barreto”.Case: A green iguana arrived at the Zoo in February 2019 coming from another establishment, with already an increaseof volume in the coelomic cavity. The animal was put in quarantine and later on, it was put in display at a terrarium in theZoo considered adequate to reptiles, with another seven green iguanas along with an argentine tegu (Salvator rufescens).Their feed was offered in the morning and was composed of fruits, vegetables and flowers like hibiscus. In the end of June2019, it was reported by the attendant that the animal was presented with anorexia and prostration, and these symptomsprogressed to neurologic signs, as it walked in circles. So, the animal was evaluated by the Zoo veterinarians and on examthey noticed lethargy, dehydration, absence of reflexes (pupillary, eyelid and painful), locomotion difficulty and when theiguana moves, it walks in circles. The increase in volume had the same size as reported in February and a soft consistency.After that, the animal was interned and treated according to the symptoms and the clinical evolution. Ten days after thehospitalization, the animal was still not eating, and locomotion stopped completely. It was performed in an...(AU)

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Background: The reptile class could be considered one of the biggest vertebrate groups and are divided in orders andsuborders according to their characteristics. These animals’ maintenance in captivity, either at home, captive bred or atzoos, can generate risk to their health, if the required cares are not given for each respective species. The lack of individualcares could lead to bone and muscular diseases and to traumatic lesions in soft tissues, mainly in the coelomic cavity. Thereport that is being presented aims to describe the case of a green iguana (Iguana iguana) that presented an increase ofvolume in the coelomic cavity. The animal belongs to the squad of the Zoo “Dr. Fábio de Sá Barreto”.Case: A green iguana arrived at the Zoo in February 2019 coming from another establishment, with already an increaseof volume in the coelomic cavity. The animal was put in quarantine and later on, it was put in display at a terrarium in theZoo considered adequate to reptiles, with another seven green iguanas along with an argentine tegu (Salvator rufescens).Their feed was offered in the morning and was composed of fruits, vegetables and flowers like hibiscus. In the end of June2019, it was reported by the attendant that the animal was presented with anorexia and prostration, and these symptomsprogressed to neurologic signs, as it walked in circles. So, the animal was evaluated by the Zoo veterinarians and on examthey noticed lethargy, dehydration, absence of reflexes (pupillary, eyelid and painful), locomotion difficulty and when theiguana moves, it walks in circles. The increase in volume had the same size as reported in February and a soft consistency.After that, the animal was interned and treated according to the symptoms and the clinical evolution. Ten days after thehospitalization, the animal was still not eating, and locomotion stopped completely. It was performed in an...

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The chronic metabolic acidosis induces increase in the urinary ammonium production (NH4+u) like equalizer, reflected in major or measured minor, if the process is chronic or acute. The objective of the present work was to study the capacity of urinary acidification in patients with Failure Renal Chronic (FRC), stage II and III measuring NH4+u and to compare results with GAP urinary (GAPu), GAP urinary modified (GAPu mod), GAP Osmolal (GAPosm) and GAP Osmolal modified (GAPosm modif.) like indirect indices of amoniuria. Samples Venous/arterial blood and a draft fresh urine of 34 patients were analyzed. Statistically significant correlation was obtained (p < 0,003) between NH4+u ug/min/1.73m2 versus GAPu mmol/l (r = -0,4979) and GAPu mod mmol/l (- 0.5032), improving when NH4+u normatizó by creatinine (r = - 0.6793 and 0.6087 respectively, p < 0,0001). The GAPosm and GAPosm modif did not show significance at the time of evaluating NH4+u, contrary GAPu and GAPu mod would offer an indirect measurement of excretion of NH4+u, having given this last protein nutritional information. A value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

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The objective of this study was to verify the protein turnover rates of healthy older persons under a usual protein-rich diet and to compare values to those described in the literature. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Metabolism Unit, Univ. Hospital of the School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, Univ. of Sao Paulo, Brazil. In this study, 7 healthy older persons aged 65.4 +/- 2.8 y, with BMI 22.7 +/- 2.4 kg/m(2) and a mean daily protein intake of 1.34 g of protein/kg were studied. A 9-h whole-body (15)N-glycine single-dose study was performed after an overnight fast. During the study, each subject received 6 isoenergetic, isonitrogenous meals at 2-h intervals based on their average intake. Ammonium, urea, and total nitrogen were quantified and analyzed by mass spectrometry, with the determination of total protein turnover rates by the (15)N-glycine method. The results show that total nitrogen output was 3.2 +/- 0.96 g/N and intake 7.7 +/- 1 g/N, (15)N nitrogen flux was 30.6 +/- 6.3 g/9 h. Endogenous nitrogen balance was positive (4.5 g +/- 1 g/N in 9 h). In conclusion, the protein turnover of healthy older persons under a usual protein-rich diet is positive during the fed state and has synthesis and degradation rates similar to those previously described in studies involving diet adaptation periods.

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We determined the effect of water and nitrogen intake on nitrogenous waste composition in the nectarivorous Pallas's long-tongued bat Glossophaga soricina (Phyllostomidae) to test the hypothesis that bats reduce excretion of urea nitrogen and increase the excretion of ammonia nitrogen as nitrogen intake decreases and water intake decreases. Because changes in urine nitrogen composition are expected only in animals whose natural diets are low in nitrogen and high in water content, we also measured maintenance nitrogen requirements (MNR). We hypothesized that, similar to other plant-eating vertebrates, nectarivorous bats have low MNR. Our nitrogen excretion hypothesis was partly proved correct. There was an increase in the proportion of N excreted as ammonia and a decrease in the proportion excreted as urea in low-nitrogen diets. The proportion of N excreted as ammonia and urea was independent of water intake. Most individuals were ureotelic (n = 28), and only a few were ureo-ammonotelic (n = 3) or ammonotelic (n = 2). According to our nitrogen requirement hypothesis, apparent MNR (60 mg kg(-0.75) d(-1)) and truly digestible MNR (54 mg N kg(-0.75) d(-1)) were low. A decrease in urea excretion in low-nitrogen diets may result from urea recycling from liver to the gut functioning as a nitrogen salvage system in nectarivorous bats. This mechanism probably contributes to the low MNR found in Pallas's long-tongued bats.

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We studied the physiological, biochemical and morphological responses of the omnivore sparrow Zonotrichia capensis, a small opportunistic passerine from Central Chile acclimated to high- and low-protein diets. After 4 weeks of acclimation to 30% (high-protein group) or 7% (low-protein group) dietary casein, we collected urine and plasma for nitrogen waste production and osmometry analysis, and measured gross renal morphology. Plasma osmolality and hematocrit were not significantly affected by dietary treatment, but urine osmolality was higher in the high-protein group than in the low-protein group. Kidney and heart masses were higher in animals acclimated to the high-protein diet. Mean total nitrogen waste was significantly higher in the high-protein group, but the proportions of nitrogen excreted as uric acid, urea and ammonia were unaffected by diet. Our data suggest that the response of Z. capensis to an increase in dietary protein content is through greater amounts of total nitrogen excretion and hypertrophy of kidney structures, without any modification of the proportion of excretory compounds.

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The quantification of oxygen consumption and ammonia-N excretion rates is essential in determining energy requirements for development of larval invertebrates. In larval energetics, there is a need for accurate and uncomplicated techniques to quantify metabolic rates. A method for simultaneous measurements of oxygen and ammonia-N concentrations is presented. It employs sealed respirometric chambers (ca. 30 ml) in which embryos and larvae are incubated. Analysis is carried out in end-point samples by Winkler's titration and indophenol-blue for oxygen and ammonia-N, respectively. Water is sampled into volume-calibrated glass syringes and oxygen consumption and ammonia-N excretion rates were determined by the difference between experimental and control (no animals) units. The method was successfully used to measure metabolic rates in embryo and larval stages of the shrimp Farfantepenaeus paulensis and in veliger of the mussel Perna perna. The accuracy denoted by the coefficient of variation is comparable to previous results on larval metabolic rates. A biomass: volume (microg ml(-1)) is proposed to extend its application to further species of marine invertebrates. The method is simple to operate, involves non-expensive material and is portable enough for field work. A substantial number of replicates can be analyzed at the same time and O:N ratio, an indicator of the catabolized substrate, can be calculated.

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The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of whole-body protein turnover in moderately and severely alcoholic, malnourished, cirrhotic patients fed with different amounts of protein or energy. Six male patients (Child classes B and C) and four age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were studied for 18 d in fasting and feeding states; a single oral dose of [(15)N]glycine was used as a tracer and urinary ammonia was the end product. The kinetic study showed that patients had higher protein catabolism while fasting (patients: 3.14 +/- 1.2 g of lean body mass/9 h; controls: 1.8 +/- 0.3 g of lean body mass/9 h; P < 0.02). Although not statistically significant, protein catabolism (grams of lean body mass/9 h) was lower with the hyperproteic/hyperenergetic diet when compared with fasting. Nitrogen retention was consistent with the lower protein-catabolism rate; a statistically significant increase in nitrogen balance was observed when patients were fed with the hyperproteic/hyperenergetic diet compared with fasting (4.3 +/- 3.2 g of nitrogen/d and -2.2 +/- 1.9 g of nitrogen/d, respectively; P < 0.01). These data indicate that Child class B and C cirrhotic patients are hypercatabolic and that long-term nutritional intervention with a hyperproteic/hyperenergetic diet is likely needed to improve their clinical and nutritional status.

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A influência do grau de insuficiência hepatocelular (na cirrose hepática) sobre a circulaçäo e excreçäo do ácido úrico foi investigada em 12 pacientes cirróticos, de etiologia alcoólica, classificados em Child A (n=5) e Child B+C (n=7), todos do sexo masculino de 27 a 59 anos de idade, comparativamente ao grupo controle saudável (n=5), pareado por sexo e idade. A excreçäo urinária do ácido úrico e dos demais metabólitos nitrogenados (uréia, amônia e creatinina) foi estudada nas condiçöes de dieta hipoprotéica-hipoenergética (0,4g-20kcal/kg/d) e normoprotéica-normoenergética (1,14g-38kcal/kg/d). Os níveis séricos de ácido úrico, de albumina e alfa-1 antitripsina (alfa 1AT) foram determinados em amostras de sangue obtidas após jejum. A presença da doença hepática resultou na elevaçäo dos níveis de alfa 1AT, e o agravamento hepatocelular, na queda de albuminemia, sem alteraçäo significativa do ácido úrico circulante. A excreçäo urinária do ácido úrico foi semelhante entre os grupos, em ambas as dietas, porém, na dieta hipoprotéica-hipoenergética, o ácido úrico näo acompanhou o padräo de excreçäo da uréia e da creatinina, o que pode ser atribuído às quedas da ureogênese e da massa muscular (creatinogênese), com o agravamento da doença ou a maior capacidade renal em reter ácido úrico, nestas condiçöes. Isto pode ser configurado matematicamente, relacionando-se metabólitos excretados na urina com seus níveis plasmáticos, mostrando hipoexcreçäo de 45 por cento dos hepatopatas, tanto para o ácido úrico como para a creatinina. Assim, a menor produçäo hepática do ácido úrico, pelos pacientes cirróticos, seria compensada pela menor excreçäo renal do metabólito, preservando os níveis plasmáticos. A importância fisiológica deste processo adaptativo estaria fundamentada na participaçäo do estresse oxidativo, na gênese e perpetuaçäo da cirrose pelo álcool, e nas propriedades anti-oxidantes do ácido úrico.

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