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Copyright of Climacteric is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Luiz Francisco Baccaro,1 Délio Marques Conde,2 Lúcia Costa-Paiva,1 Aarão Mendes Pinto-Neto11Department of Gynecology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; 2Breast Clinic, Hospital for Maternal and Child Healthcare, Goiânia, Goiás, BrazilAbstract: Brazil has an aging population, with an associated increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is of particular concern because it leads to an increased risk of fractures, with subsequent negative impacts on health in older women. In recent years, efforts have been made to better understand the epidemiology of osteoporosis in Brazil, and to manage both direct and indirect costs to the Brazilian health care system. The reported prevalence of osteoporosis among postmenopausal women in Brazil varies from 15% to 33%, depending on the study methodology and the use of bone densitometry data or self-reporting by participants. A diagnosis of osteoporosis can be made on the basis of fractures occurring without significant trauma or on the basis of low bone mineral density measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. To reduce the risk of osteoporosis, all postmenopausal women should be encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes physical activity and a balanced diet. Smoking and alcohol use should also be addressed. Special attention should be given to interventions to reduce the risk of falls, especially among older women. Calcium intake should be encouraged, preferably through diet. The decision to recommend calcium supplementation should be made individually because there is concern about a possible increased risk of cardiovascular disease associated with this treatment. Brazilian women obtain a minimal amount of vitamin D from their diet, and supplementation is warranted in women with little exposure to solar ultraviolet-B radiation. For women diagnosed with osteoporosis, some form of pharmacologic therapy should be initiated. Compliance with treatment should be monitored, and the treatment period should be individualized for each patient. The Brazilian government provides medication for osteoporosis through the public health system free of charge, but without proper epidemiological knowledge, the implementation of public health programs is impaired.Keywords: menopause, public health, preventive medicine, risk factors, disease management

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) is the most used forage for beef cattle (Bos sp.) in Florida; however, damage to bahiagrass pastures by mole cricket (Scapteriscus spp.) stimulated a search for other adapted grasses. The objective of this study was to test the effect of different stocking rates (SRs) on animal performance and herbage characteristics of 'Mulato' (Brachiaria sp.) and bahiagrass pastures. The experiment was conducted in Ona, FL, from May to September, 2007 and 2008. Treatments were three SRs (4, 8, and 12 heifers [ha.sup.-1]) and two forage species (Mulato and 'Pensacola' bahiagrass). There was a linear decrease in herbage mass (from 5.9 to 3.2 Mg [ha.sup.-1]) and herbage allowance (from 2.8 to 0.6 kg dry matter [kg.sup.-1] liveweight) with increasing SR. Mulato had greater in vitro digestible organic matter concentration than bahiagrass (675 vs. 534 g [kg.sup.-1]) but similar crude protein concentration (130 g [kg.sup.-1]). There was a linear decrease in average daily gain (from 0.49 to 0.22 kg [d.sup.-1]) and a quadratic response of live-weight gain [ha.sup.-1] as SR increased (190, 353, and 217 kg [ha.sup.-1] for SRs of 4, 8, and 12 heifers [ha.sup.-1] respectively). Mulato has potential to be an alternative forage to bahiagrass for beef cattle producers in Florida. doi: 10.2135/cropsci2009.05.0267

Summary: This contribution presents a brief morphometric description of adult females and embryos of the ray Gymnura altavela. Two females, pregnant with a total of five embryos, were captured in Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil, and their morphometry was compared to their respective embryos. The embryos showed higher body proportions (%DW) than adults, regardless of sex, which may be an effect of ontogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale propagation of oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis, Jacq.) is difficult due to its single apical meristem. Thus, obtaining plants is mainly through seed germination, and a long growing period is required before oil production is possible. An alternative to large-scale seedling production is indirect somatic embryogenesis. The aim of this study was to analyze the somatic embryogenesis process in oil palm ( E. guineensis Jacq.) with amino acids and low concentrations of auxins. The Tenera hybrid was analyzed by cytochemical and ultrastructural methods and was used to regenerate oil palm plants. First, calli were induced in MS culture media supplemented with 2,4-D and picloram. Two types of calli were obtained, characterized by beige or translucent color. Beige calli had embryogenic characteristics, such as large nuclei with prominent nucleoli, and they were multiplied for 8 months in MM culture (half strength MS, 1 mg L 2,4-D, 2 mg L 2iP, 1 mg L IBA, 250 mg L citric acid, 10 mg L cysteine, 100 mg L inositol, 1 mg L thiamine, 1 mg L pyridoxine, 1 mg L nicotinic acid, 1 mg L glycine, 200 mg L malt extract, and 100 mg L casein hydrolysate). After multiplication, the MCB culture medium (half strength MS, supplemented with 0.25 mg L NAA, 2 mg L BAP, MM vitamins and 200 mg L malt extract, and 100 mg L casein hydrolysate) was the most efficient for embryo formation, showing meristematic centers with totipotent cells in histochemical analyses. The somatic embryos were developed and germinated in MG medium (half strength MS, 0.45 mg L IAA, 0.25 mg L BAP, and MM vitamins), transplanted into polyethylene tubes containing pine bark substrates, and acclimatized in a greenhouse, achieving a 97% survival rate. The use of picloram for callus induction and somatic embryogenesis is advantageous and multiplication in MM medium is an important step for increasing cell mass. The calli with light beige color and nodular structures have meristematic cells with dense cytoplasm and totipotential features that later give rise to protoderm, procambium, and ground meristem during the globular, cordiform, and torpedo embryogenesis phases. In MCB medium, the concentration of vitamins and amino acids are crucial for somatic embryogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the accuracy of ovarian volume, antral follicle count and age in predicting menopausal status in healthy women.Methods: The cross-sectional study was set in the Gynecology Division at the Leonor Mendes de Barros Maternity Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil. The subjects of this study were premenopausal (n = 121) and postmenopausal (n = 71) healthy women aged between 40 and 55 years. They were submitted to a medical interview and transvaginal ultrasound examination. The ovarian volume (cm3), antral follicle count and chronological age were recorded in both groups and the accuracies of these parameters in predicting menopausal status were compared.Results: Premenopausal women presented larger ovaries than postmenopausal women (p < 0.01). Premenopausal women had a higher number of antral follicles than postmenopausal women (p < 0.01). The receiver operating characteristic curves showed that ovarian volume, age and antral follicle count had similar sensitivities and specificities in predicting menopausal status. The best cut-off points were observed when ovarian volume was <4 cm3, age was > or =48 years and antral follicle count was < or = two follicles.Conclusions: Ovarian volume, antral follicle count and chronological age are all individually predictive of menopausal status, with similar accuracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to evaluate the expression of genes related to the regulation of muscle protein turnover in the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle of Angus and Nellore bulls and to estimate the within-breed correlations of gene expression and performance traits. Thirteen genes related to the IGF-1 and myostatin pathways were studied. Thirteen animals, with an initial average BW of 381.2 ± 11.8 kg, from each breed were used in a completely randomized 2 × 2 factorial design (2 breeds and 2 feeding levels). The diet consisted of corn silage and a corn–soybean meal concentrate in a roughage-to-concentrate ratio of 30:70. Cattle were fed ad libitum (with 9 animals from each breed) or feed restricted (a 55% restriction of total DMI of ad libitum–fed animals, calculated as percentage of metabolic BW, with 4 animals of each breed). The experimental period lasted for 82 d and it was preceded by a 28-d adaptation period. The performance traits evaluated were slaughter body weight, total ADG (from d 1 to 82 of the trial), initial ADG (from d 1 to 41 of the trial), final ADG (from d 42 to 82 of the trial), total DMI (from d 1 to 82 of the trial), initial DMI (from d 1 to 41 of the trial), final DMI (from d 42 to 82 of the trial), HCW, LD weight (LDW), and rib eye area (REA). After slaughter, samples were taken from the LD muscle between the 12th and 13th ribs for gene expression analysis by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in the expression of any of the genes studied between ad libitum–fed Angus and ad libitum–fed Nellore, whereas feed restriction increased the expression of IGF-1 receptor (IGF1R; P < 0.001), muscle ring finger 1 (MuRF1; P = 0.05), and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (Smad3; P = 0.04) and decreased the expression of IGFBP5 (P < 0.01). The REA was negatively correlated to glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β; P = 0.01), myostatin (MSTN; P = 0.02), and MuRF1 (P = 0.05). The HCW was negatively correlated to GSK3β (P = 0.01) and MSTN (P = 0.01) and tended to be negatively correlated to IGFBP5 (P = 0.07), whereas the LDW tended to be negatively correlated to GSK3β (P = 0.08). The genes MuRF1, Smad3, and IGFBP5 seem to be important for muscle growth and may be worthy of further investigation as future strategies for increasing muscle in livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degree of unsaturation of fatty acids, which is influenced by lipid source and level of metabolism in the rumen, is a major determinant in how dietary lipids affect genes that regulate beef marbling. A total of 28 Red Norte bulls with an initial live weight of 361 ± 32 kg (P > 0.05) were used in a completely randomized experimental design to analyze the expression of genes that are involved in lipid metabolism in the longissimus dorsi (LD) when diets contained soybean grain or rumenprotected fat, with or without monensin. Treatments were arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial, with 4 treatments and 7 replicates per treatment. Half of the animals that received soybean or rumen-protected fat were supplemented with 230 mg head-1 d-1 of monensin. Gene expression was analyzed by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RTqPCR). Expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-lc (SREBP-lc) in the LD muscle was not affected by lipid source or monensin (P > 0.05). There was an interaction effect (P < 0.05) between lipid source and monensin for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor a {PPAR-α) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) expression, where greater gene expression was found in animals fed soybean plus monensin and the lower gene expression was found in animals fed mmen-protected fat plus monensin. Expression of lipoprotein lipase {LPL) and fatty acid-binding protein 4 {FABP4) were greater (P < 0.05) in the LD muscle of animals fed soybean. Monensin had no effect on LPL and FABP4 expression when soybean without monensin was fed, but when mmen-protected fat was fed, monensin increased LPL expression and decreased FABP4 expression {P < 0.05). Linoleic and arachidonic acids had negative correlations (P < 0.05) with the expression of PPAR-α, SCD, FABP4, and LPL genes. PPAR-α gene expression was not correlated with SREBPlc but was positively correlated with SCD, FABP4, LPL, and glutathione peroxidase {GPX1) gene expression (P < 0.001). Lipid sources and monensin interact and alter the expression of PPAR-α, SCD, acetyl CoA carboxylase a {A CA CA), LPL, FABP4, and GPX1. These changes in gene expression were most associated with arachidonic and a-linolenic acids and the ability of lipid sources and monensin to increase these fatty acids in tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, genetic differentiation between karyomorphs A (2n = 42) and D (2n = 39/40) of the wolf fish Hoplias malabaricus, which is comprised of several cryptic species that present a wide variety of diploid chromosome numbers and sex chromosome systems, resulting in the identification of seven distinct karyomorphs (A-G), was investigated using a combination of molecular and cytogenetic tools. Deep sequence divergences for both karyomorphs were observed and indicate a long period of reproductive isolation between karyomorphs A and D. Additionally, one individual with 61 chromosomes was identified, which, as far as is known, is the first case of natural triploidy resulting from the hybridization between these highly differentiated karyomorphs of H. malabaricus. Molecular and cytogenetic analyses revealed that this allotriploid specimen carries two sets of maternal chromosomes from karyomorph D (2n = 40) and one set of chromosomes from karyomorph A (n = 21). Moreover, ribosomal sites and active nucleolus organizer regions from both parental contributors were found in the triploid hybrid. Considering the significant genetic distances between karyomorphs A and D, one of the primary reasons for the lack of recurrent reports of hybridization in the H. malabaricus species complex may be due to post-zygotic barriers, such as hybrid sterility or unviability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]