Accurately examining animal endocrine profiles pose unique challenges due to possible human interaction influencing basal values. Standard methods of gathering information about an animal’s endocrine status are often dependent upon restraint and use of invasive methodologies. However to accurately monitor the influence management practices, blood sampling sometimes requires that hormone measurements be observed from animals in a relaxed state. To this end, methods for non-invasive monitoring (NIM) are greatly needed to obtain basal endocrine measurements. Such methods include fecal collections followed by hormone extraction, and remote sampling technologies for obtaining blood samples without handling. The overall objective of this study was to use NIM techniques to effectively collect and monitor hormone profiles from domestic and non-domestic species in an effort to more completely understand stress responses and reproductive cyclicity in animals in which handling may not be possible or desired.

Neurologically related injuries cause a similar number of deaths ascancer, and brain damage is the second commonest cause of death in theworld and probably the leading cause of permanent disability. Thedevastating effects of most cases of brain damage could be avoided if itwere detected and medical treatment initiated in time. The passiveelectrical properties of biological tissue have been investigated for almost acentury and electrical bioimpedance studies in neurology have beenperformed for more than 50 years. Even considering the extensive effortsdedicated to investigating potential applications of electrical bioimpedancefor brain monitoring, especially in the last 20 years, and the specificallyacute need for such non-invasive and efficient diagnosis support tools,Electrical Bioimpedance technology has not made the expectedbreakthrough into clinical application yet. In order to reach this stage inthe age of evidence-based medicine, the first essential step is todemonstrate the biophysical basis of the method under study. The presentresearch work confirms that the cell swelling accompanying thehypoxic/ischemic injury mechanism modifies the electrical properties ofbrain tissue, and shows that by measuring the complex electricalbioimpedance it is possible to detect the changes resulting from braindamage. For the development of a successful monitoring method, after thevital biophysical validation it is critical to have available the properelectrical bioimpedance technology and to implement an efficient protocolof use. Electronic instrumentation is needed for broadband spectroscopymeasurements of complex electrical bioimpedance; the selection of theelectrode setup is crucial to obtain clinically relevant measurements, andthe proper biosignal analysis and processing is the core of the diagnosissupport system. This work has focused on all these aspects since they arefundamental for providing the solid medico-technological backgroundnecessary to enable the clinical usage of Electrical Bioimpedance forcerebral monitoring.

Information on the reproductive biology and behavioural ecology of southern hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus latifrons) is limited. Field reproductive and behavioural studies have been hindered by the difficulties associated with the routine recapturing and direct observation of wombats in the wild. Additionally, due to their extremely poor breeding success within captivity and the intrinsic complications associated with the monitoring of nocturnal and semi-fossorial activity, little formal research has been conducted on captive-held individuals. The overarching objectives of this research were to gain a better understanding of (1) both male and female L. latifrons reproductive physiology/behaviour that will lead to improved captive breeding program outcomes and (2) captive L. latifrons activity rhythms and behavioural time budgets in order to identify the impacts of captivity on wombat behaviour and wellbeing. The primary experiments of this research were centred around the development of ‘non-invasive methodologies’ for the collection of biological samples (Chapter 2), direct observation of behaviour and activity (Chapter 3), assessment of male reproductive function (Chapter 4), detection of female oestrus and cyclicity (Chapter 5), characterisation of activity patterns (Chapter 6) and monitoring of stress (Chapter 7). The last two experiments also tested the efficacy of gentling (Chapter 7) and enrichment (Chapter 8) to improve the wellbeing of the captive wombats. Faecal steroid analysis is a non-invasive tool that allows the stress-free monitoring of steroid hormones and has been used on a wide range of animal species to examine their reproductive physiology and adrenal function. The usefulness of faecal hormone analysis, however, is directly related to the reliable collection and identification of individual faecal samples. In group-housed animals, the identification of faecal samples can be difficult and time consuming and is generally only accurate if a marker is incorporated into the animal’s diets. Hence, Chapter 2 examined the usefulness of non-toxic plastic glitter as a faecal marker in group-housed L. latifrons. Forty-two food treats were tested as vehicles for the oral delivery of glitter; of these, vehicle palatability (> 75% consumed) and consistency of intake (eaten > 80% of times offered) was high for six treats: (1) golden syrup with horse pellets, (2) golden syrup with weetbix, (3) pitted-dates, (4) honey with kangaroo pellets, (5) nutrigel with rolled-oats and (6) strawberry sauce with rolled-oats. Marker mean rate of passage was 2.9 ± 0.5 d, with maximal output occurring 4.2 ± 0.3 d after oral administration. A minimum marker dose of 1.6 g was necessary to achieve high labelling consistency (> 2 flecks of glitter were defaecated in > 90% of pellets) and this dosage was required every 3 days to maintain a steady and detectable state of marker output. Twelve glitter colours were tested and optimum labelling results were obtained with gold, metallic red, metallic green and metallic blue. Once established, this technique was then used to facilitate the long-term collection of faecal samples in order to characterize patterns of reproduction (Chapter 4), monitor ovarian events (Chapter 5) and to quantify stress-responses (Chapter 7) via faecal steroid analysis. The direct observation of wombats is difficult; individuals are not easily identified and the animals are often out-of-view (residing in burrows) or obscured (low-light conditions) during sampling. Published behavioural data available on L. latifrons is largely restricted to visual observations made during dawn and dusk only, whilst published activity data pertains to time spent in or out of the burrows rather than actual physical activity. Hence, Chapter 3 tested the effectiveness of two electronic monitoring systems to remotely observe wombat behaviour and physical activity. Digital video-surveillance proved to be an effective technique for the recording and monitoring of captive wombat behaviour. Animal visibility was good, behavioural events unambiguous and the system enabled the long-term, concurrent recording of behaviour with no direct human presence. Similarly, radio-telemetry proved to be an effective way of recording captive wombat physical activity. The system was reliable, removed observer error and enabled the continuous and concurrent recording of wombat activity. Once established, these two remote monitoring systems were then used to describe wombat behaviour elements and activity patterns (Chapters 3 and 6). After a year of continuous monitoring it was established that the wombats spent, on average, 69.9% sleeping, 8.8% lying resting, 5.2% feeding, 5.2% exploring, 4.3% stereotyping, 2.5% sitting-at-rest, 1.7% digging, 1.4% foraging, 0.4% being handled, 0.3% sun-basking, 0.2% grooming and 0.1% courtship/mating. Temporal patterns were bimodal for 8/12 of the wombat behaviours and unimodal for the remaining four. The mean proportion of total daily time spent active was 18.2 ± 1.8%. Daily activity patterns were characterized by a strong circadian cycle, with high nocturnal activity and low diurnal activity. Daily onset (18:19 h) and cessation (04:34 h) of activity was seasonally constant and strongly associated (P < 0.01) with sunrise/set, but not influenced by either temperature or humidity (P ≥ 0.09). At night there was an alternating rhythm of active and rest periods, with activity peaking at the beginning (19:00 h) and end (03:00 h) of each night. Activity was seasonal with annual changes in temperature, humidity and night-time length being the triggers of variation. Mean daily activity was greater during winter (19.7%) and spring (18.9%), than during summer (16.3%) and autumn (17.2%), with the degree of activity being largely governed by ambient temperature. Feeding, sleeping and stereotyping varied significantly with season. Feeding and stereotyping were negatively associated with ambient temperature and humidity, whilst being positively associated with night-time length; the inverse relationship was true for sleeping. Ambient temperature exerted its largest effect on time spent feeding; feeding times decreased by 3.1 min / 1ºC above 13ºC and compared to spring, feeding times were reduced by 41% during summer. There is, at present, very little data published on male and female wombat reproduction. The reticence of wombats to breed in captivity makes it difficult to study reproduction in captive animals and their cautious, nocturnal nature makes field studies challenging. Non-invasive techniques to monitor reproductive status/function will assist in improving the general knowledge of wombat reproduction and the development of new captive breeding management strategies, by allowing the easy monitoring of captive animals. Thus, the series of experiments in Chapters 4 and 5 explored the efficacy of a number of non-invasive methodologies to assess male reproductive function, monitor female cyclicity and predict the timing of oestrus. To address the pulsatile nature of testosterone, a GnRH agonist stimulation test was developed in the male. IM injection of 4 μg of buserelin (a GnRH agonist) resulted in an increase (P < 0.05) in plasma testosterone concentrations, with maximum secretion occurring at 90 min. Thereafter, plasma testosterone concentrations remained near maximum for 150 min. There was a strong, positive correlation (r = 0.73, P < 0.01), between pre-stimulation testosterone concentrations and the maximal concentrations achieved post-stimulation with post-stimulation concentrations varying between individuals (P < 0.01). These findings indicate that individual male wombats can show large fluctuations in plasma testosterone concentrations over time and that a GnRH agonist can be used to obtain a diagnostic index of the prevailing testosterone biosynthetic capacity of the testes. This technique was then used as part of a larger experiment (Chapter 4) to investigate seasonal changes in male wombat reproduction. To date, the effects of breeding season on captive male wombat fertility have yet to be examined and a better understanding of this phenomenon will pinpoint the most favourable times for mating. Seasonal changes in a series of male reproductive parameters were non-invasively examined over a 18 month period: (1) testosterone concentration, both plasmic and faecal, was monitored using enzyme-immunoassays (EIA), (2) testicular volume was measured manually using digital vernier callipers, (3) sperm production was evaluated by way of spermatorrhoea, whilst (4) prostate and bulbourethral gland cross-sectional areas were assessed by ultrasonography. Plasma testosterone secretion increased in early-winter, peaked late-winter and declined in early-spring (P < 0.01). No seasonal variation (P = 0.22) in faecal testosterone metabolite concentrations was apparent. Testicular volume showed no significant variation (P = 0.29) over the sampling period and spermatozoa were found in the urine throughout the year; these two observations suggest that the captive male wombats remain spermatogenically active year round. While there was no significant seasonal change (P = 0.20) in prostate size, bulbourethral gland size increased in late-autumn, peaked in mid-winter and declined in early-summer (P < 0.01). Ultimately, captive male reproductive function was influenced by seasonality, with a peak in plasma testosterone and bulbourethral gland size occurring in winter (Jun-Aug). In an attempt to characterize oestrus-specific behaviour and develop a reliable method of oestrus detection in L. latifrons, the reproductive physiology and behaviour of eight adult females was monitored for a period of 12 months (Chapter 5). The reproductive behaviour of both sexes (4♂: 8♀) was monitored using 24-h video surveillance, whilst female physical activity was remotely measured using radio-telemetry. A faecal sample was collected every three days, from each female to assess changes in faecal progesterone and oestradiol-17β metabolite concentrations. Each female also received an injection of 0.01, 0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg of oestradiol benzoate (OB) in one of two hormone trials. Video surveillance revealed that the courtship (n = 426) and mating (n = 46) ritual of L. latifrons consisted of 13 distinctive behaviours expressed over six obvious phases: investigation, attraction, chase, restraint, copulation and recovery. Reproductive behaviour was observed in five (2♂, 3♀) wombats, with female receptivity occurring at night and lasting for only 13-h. Faecal progesterone metabolite analysis proved to be a reliable method for mapping oestrous cycle activity, but was not useful for the prediction of oestrus. Six out of the eight female wombats displayed periods of elevated progesterone secretion. From these six individuals, 23 luteal phases, 12 follicular phases and 12 oestrous cycles were recorded, with a mean (± SE) length of 20.9 ± 1.1 d, 11.6 ± 0.6 d and 31.8 ± 1.1 d, respectively. In contrast, changes in the secretion of faecal oestradiol-17β metabolites provided little instructive information on oestrous cycle activity and were not associated with oestrus. Administration of OB resulted in a spike of oestradiol-17β metabolites in the faeces 3-4 d later, but was not dose dependent nor did it elicit oestrus-behaviour. Activity monitoring does not appear to be a useful method for detecting oestrus in L. latifrons, as changes were not associated with key events in the oestrous cycle. However, 24-h video surveillance proved to be a reliable method for oestrus detection in the captive L. latifrons. Threatening or aversive stimulation is experienced in wild and captive conditions alike and evokes similar physiological responses. If an animal, wild or captive, cannot cope with this stimulation it may experience stress. An uncontrollable source of stress for all captive animals lies in their interactions with their human caretakers. A high or persistent fear of people can be a source of psychological stress for animals in captivity. Positive handling is a potent method of reducing the specific fear of human beings through desensitisation. The response of animals to handling by humans has been extensively evaluated in domesticated species, but rarely assessed in wild animals. Hence, Chapter 7 examined the usefulness of a regular handling program to lower the behavioural fear and physiological stress responses of L. latifrons to human interaction. Adult L. latifrons (n = 12) were exposed to two different treatments in a replicated design: (1) daily handling: 15 min of tactile contact from a human handling 5 d/wk for 12 wk and (2) no-handling: no contact apart from that received during routine husbandry. The effect of handling was assessed using overt response, human approach, stressor and novel stimulus tests. Synthetic ACTH was used to validate a method for monitoring faecal cortisol in L. latifrons by EIA. IM injection of 250 μg of Synacthen resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) increase in plasma and faecal cortisol concentration 30 min and 2 d after administration, respectively. Handling positively affected the behavioural responses of the wombats to human approach and contact in two ways: (1) a significant reduction (P < 0.01) in the wombat’s mean flight distances to human approach and (2) a significant (P < 0.01) decline in the strength of the wombat’s behaviour-based fear reactions (i.e. fear scores) to human proximity and contact. Handling had no discernable effect on the wombat’s physiological stress responses to human contact or on their reactions to novelty. While faecal cortisol secretion increased in response to a stressor test involving human contact, it was not alleviated by regular handling (P = 0.84). Similarly, the wombat’s reactions to unfamiliar objects during novel stimulus testing were also unaffected (P = 0.17) by the handling treatment. Therefore, handling exerted its main effect on the behavioural responses of the wombats, representing fear responses to human handlers, rather than reducing their anxiety. The main difference between wild and captive environments lies in the differential ability of control, i.e. a free-living animal is able to control its amount of incoming stimulation whereas a captive animal has a limited capacity to alter the external stimulation to which it is exposed. Without natural behaviour outlets, captive animals have to rely on abnormal behaviour patterns to modify their expectations of the captive environment and exert some control over incoming stimulation. A ‘stereotypy’, defined as a repetitive movement pattern with no apparent goal or function, is a common abnormal behavioural pattern expressed by zoo animals. Stereotypies are of concern because of their association with poor welfare. A previous behavioural study revealed that common wombats (Vombatus ursinus) in captivity are very susceptible to the development of stereotypic behaviour. For that reason, the final experiment (Chapter 8) was designed to further examine stereotypic behaviour in wombats and tested whether environmental enrichment could be used to reduce its prevalence. Adult L. latifrons (n = 12) were subjected to two different treatments in a replicated design with 12 week periods: (1) Enrichment – animals received feed and olfactory enrichment, 5 d/wk and (2) No-enrichment - animals received the standard captive diet only. Wombat behaviour was remotely observed via 24-h video surveillance. Eight out of the 12 wombats displayed one of four stereotyped movements (straight-line pacing, boundary pacing, figure-8 pacing or wall-climbing), with time spent stereotyping ranging from 61-129 min/d (mean 87 ± 7 min/d); time devoted to stereotyping took up 4-9% of the daily budget. There was a significant increase in foraging (333%) and exploration (13%) in response to enrichment. Enrichment also encouraged the expression of a wider range of naturalistic foraging behaviours. Despite these positive effects, enrichment had no discernable effect on the time spent stereotyping (P = 0.87) or inactive (P = 0.13). Despite the fact that stereotypies and inactivity were not reduced by enrichment, animal welfare was still enhanced as there was a notable improvement in natural wombat-specific behavioural expression and diversity.

A pressão intracraniana (PIC) é um dos principais parâmetros neurológicos em animais e humanos. A PIC é uma função da relação entre o conteúdo da caixa craniana (parênquima cerebral, líquido cefalorraquiano e sangue) e o volume do crânio. O aumento da PIC (hipertensão intracraniana) pode acarretar graves efeitos fisiológicos ou até mesmo o óbito em pacientes que não receberem rapidamente os devidos cuidados, os quais incluem o monitoramento em tempo real da PIC. Todos os métodos de monitoramento da PIC atualmente utilizados são invasivos, ou seja, é necessário introduzir um sensor de pressão no sistema nervoso central, acarretando aos pacientes riscos de infecções e traumas decorrentes do método. Neste trabalho desenvolvemos um método minimamente invasivo de monitoramento da pressão intracraniana, que consiste na utilização de sensores de deformação do tipo strain gauge fixados sobre a calota craniana. Os sinais oriundos deste sensor foram amplificados, filtrados e enviados para um computador com software apropriado para análise e armazenamento dos dados. O trabalho aqui apresentado objetivou os testes &quot;in vivo&quot; do sistema, onde foi utilizada mais de uma centena de animais em diversos testes, sendo que em todos os casos os resultados foram satisfatórios, apontando a eficácia do método. / The intracranial pressure (ICP) is one of the most important neurological parameter in animals and humans. The ICP is a function of the relation between the contents of the skull (brain parenchyma, cerebrospinal fluid and blood) and the volume of the skull. The increase in ICP (intracranial hypertension) may cause serious physiological effects and death in patients that do not receive appropriate care quickly, which includes real-time monitoring of ICP. All monitoring methods currently used in ICP are invasive, ie requiring invasion of the central nervous system by a pressure sensor, causing infections and traumas risks to patients. In this work we present a new minimally invasive method to monitor the intracranial pressure. This uses strain gauge deformation sensors, externally glued on the skull. The signal from this sensor is amplified, filtered and sent to a computer with appropriate software for analysis and data storage. &quot;In vitro&quot; and &quot;in vivo&quot; experiments let to the following results: (1) Our minimally invasive system is capable of adequately monitoring the ICP. (2) The measurements are in real and online time providing excellent signal and stability. (3) Simultaneous comparison with invasive methods not only validated our results but showed increased performance. The equipment cost effective will allow the use of our system in the Public Health System, with a important social aspect of our contribution.

The use of Computerised microtomography (CμT) in biomedical research is well established, with most applications developed at synchrotron facilities. The possibility to non-invasively monitor morphological changes in biological samples, makes it an attractive technique in biomedicine. However, high absorbed doses and long examination times are a disadvantage that limits the possibilities of performing longitudinal examinations. The aim of this work was to optimise CmT using conventional X-ray tubes for applications in non-destructive material testing and for skeleton research in small animals (rat). A calculational model of the imaging system was developed and used to optimise the relation between image quality, expressed as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in detecting a contrasting detail, and imaging time in material testing. The model was modified to optimise the relation between the SNR in detecting a trabecular detail in cancelleous bone and the mean absorbed dose in spongiosa and skin for (rat) tibia and femur. Gastrectomized Sprague-Dawley rats were used to initiate osteoporotic changes. In order to detect differences in between gastrectomized rats and controls, spatial resolutions of 150 mm or better were needed. The minimum absorbed doses in femur spongiosa at SNR = 5 were 1mGy - 700 mGy at spatial resolutions from 100 mm to10 mm. In femur skin, the corresponding minimum absorbed doses were 2 mGy - 2000 mGy. Corresponding values for tibia were 0.3 mGy - 300 mGy for both spongiosa and skin (spatial resolution of 100 mm to10 mm). Taking 0.5 Gy as the tolerance limit for the spongiosa dose, longitudinal studies with six repeated examinations will be possible at a spatial resolution of 25 mm in femur and 17 examinations in tibia.

A pressão intracraniana (PIC) é um dos principais parâmetros neurológicos em animais e humanos. A PIC é uma função da relação entre o conteúdo da caixa craniana (parênquima cerebral, líquido cefalorraquiano e sangue) e o volume do crânio. O aumento da PIC (hipertensão intracraniana) pode acarretar graves efeitos fisiológicos ou até mesmo o óbito em pacientes que não receberem rapidamente os devidos cuidados, os quais incluem o monitoramento em tempo real da PIC. Todos os métodos de monitoramento da PIC atualmente utilizados são invasivos, ou seja, é necessário introduzir um sensor de pressão no sistema nervoso central, acarretando aos pacientes riscos de infecções e traumas decorrentes do método. Neste trabalho desenvolvemos um método minimamente invasivo de monitoramento da pressão intracraniana, que consiste na utilização de sensores de deformação do tipo strain gauge fixados sobre a calota craniana. Os sinais oriundos deste sensor foram amplificados, filtrados e enviados para um computador com software apropriado para análise e armazenamento dos dados. O trabalho aqui apresentado objetivou os testes &quot;in vivo&quot; do sistema, onde foi utilizada mais de uma centena de animais em diversos testes, sendo que em todos os casos os resultados foram satisfatórios, apontando a eficácia do método. / The intracranial pressure (ICP) is one of the most important neurological parameter in animals and humans. The ICP is a function of the relation between the contents of the skull (brain parenchyma, cerebrospinal fluid and blood) and the volume of the skull. The increase in ICP (intracranial hypertension) may cause serious physiological effects and death in patients that do not receive appropriate care quickly, which includes real-time monitoring of ICP. All monitoring methods currently used in ICP are invasive, ie requiring invasion of the central nervous system by a pressure sensor, causing infections and traumas risks to patients. In this work we present a new minimally invasive method to monitor the intracranial pressure. This uses strain gauge deformation sensors, externally glued on the skull. The signal from this sensor is amplified, filtered and sent to a computer with appropriate software for analysis and data storage. &quot;In vitro&quot; and &quot;in vivo&quot; experiments let to the following results: (1) Our minimally invasive system is capable of adequately monitoring the ICP. (2) The measurements are in real and online time providing excellent signal and stability. (3) Simultaneous comparison with invasive methods not only validated our results but showed increased performance. The equipment cost effective will allow the use of our system in the Public Health System, with a important social aspect of our contribution.

Newly created software is presented in magister degree thesis. The software was created for the innovative non–invasive cerebral blood flow autoregulation monitor which has no analogy in the global high tech market. It will be possible at first time to get diagnostic information about the cerebral blood flow autoregulation status of patient with severe brain injuries using such non–invasive monitoring technology in clinical practice. That will help with the individual treatment decision making. Clinical studies were conducted in neurosurgical intensive care units using created software. It has been shown that non–invasive and invasive cerebrovascular blood flow autoregulation monitoring technologies provide the same diagnostic information about the patient status. That conclusion is statistically significant and evidence based. Some R & D projects were performed using non–invasive cerebrovascular blood flow autoregulation monitor with implemented new software. The results of such projects were used in order to formulate the metrological – technological requirements for the final design and development of the innovative non–invasive blood flow autoregulation monitor. Such device is under creation in Telematics Scientific Laboratory which works together with Vittamed Technologijos Ltd and conducts 6.015 million Lt project (BPD04-ERPF-3.1.7-03-05/0020).

Os perfis longitudinais dos metabólitos dos esteróides sexuais, progesterona e estrógenos, e dos glicocorticóides foram analisados para 22 eventos (gestação, parto e lactação) de 8 jaguatiricas mantidas em cativeiro. Três eventos foram oriundos da Transferência de Embrião (TE) e foram comparados àquelas que gestaram por fertilização natural. As análises estatísticas demonstraram haver diferenças altamente significativas para metabólitos de progesterona na fase inicial (P<0001) e média (P< 0,007) da gestação, bem como, no período da lactação (P<0,0015). As análises descritivas sugeriram uma atividade ovariana para a espécie no período de lactação, uma vez detectado picos de metabólitos de estrógenos para alguns eventos. Foi realizado ainda, um estudo do comportamento materno de 3 fêmeas através do sistema de vídeo-monitoramento dos primeiros meses da lactação (n=3989,5 horas observadas). A espécie em cativeiro despendeu mais tempo cuidando do seu filhote e descansando durante o dia, entrando na caixa de abrigo entre 5:00h e 8:00h (61,3%) e nela permanecendo por um tempo médio de 8 horas seguidas. Outras análises comportamentais sugerem que o estresse é um fator preponderante na determinação do sucesso da criação do filhote. A variável comportamental executada pela fêmea de entrar e sair da caixa por repetidas vezes foi associada ao estresse, sendo possível avaliar a resposta da adrenal pela secreção dos glicocorticóides e realizar sua validação fisiologicamente. Espera-se desta forma, contribuir para uma mudança no quadro bastante crítico da população em cativeiro, considerando a baixa taxa de natalidade e a alta taxa de mortalidade dos filhotes, principalmente, no seu primeiro mês de vida. / The longitudinal profiles of the sexual steroid\'s metabolites, progesterone and estrogen, and glucocorticoids were analyzed for 22 events (pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding) of 8 ocelots kept in captivity. Three events came from the Embryo Transfer (TE) and were compared against the ones that were gestated by natural fertilization. The statistical analysis demonstrated that the differences were highly significative during the initial (P<0001) and middle stages (P< 0,007) of pregnancy and lactation (P<0,0015) periods for the progesterone metabolites. The descriptive analysis suggests a ovarian activity for the species during the lactation period, once detected the estrogen metabolites peaks during some events. A study was also performed, concerning the maternal behavior of 3 female through video-monitoring of the first months of lactation (n=3989,5 hours observed). The species that were kept in captivity spent more time resting and caring the puppy, entering it\'s shelter between 5:00h and 8:00h (61,3%) and there staying during 8 hours average. Other behavior analysis suggests that the stress level is a predominant fact in the success of the establishment of the puppy. A behavior variable performed by the female, by entering the shelter for a repeated number of times was linked to the stress level, being possible to assess the adrenal response by the secretion of glucorticoids and perform it\'s phisiological validation. It is expected by this means, a contribution for a change in the critical scene of the population that is kept in captivity, considering the puppies\' low birth rate and high mortality rate, specially during it\'s first months.

Os perfis longitudinais dos metabólitos dos esteróides sexuais, progesterona e estrógenos, e dos glicocorticóides foram analisados para 22 eventos (gestação, parto e lactação) de 8 jaguatiricas mantidas em cativeiro. Três eventos foram oriundos da Transferência de Embrião (TE) e foram comparados àquelas que gestaram por fertilização natural. As análises estatísticas demonstraram haver diferenças altamente significativas para metabólitos de progesterona na fase inicial (P<0001) e média (P< 0,007) da gestação, bem como, no período da lactação (P<0,0015). As análises descritivas sugeriram uma atividade ovariana para a espécie no período de lactação, uma vez detectado picos de metabólitos de estrógenos para alguns eventos. Foi realizado ainda, um estudo do comportamento materno de 3 fêmeas através do sistema de vídeo-monitoramento dos primeiros meses da lactação (n=3989,5 horas observadas). A espécie em cativeiro despendeu mais tempo cuidando do seu filhote e descansando durante o dia, entrando na caixa de abrigo entre 5:00h e 8:00h (61,3%) e nela permanecendo por um tempo médio de 8 horas seguidas. Outras análises comportamentais sugerem que o estresse é um fator preponderante na determinação do sucesso da criação do filhote. A variável comportamental executada pela fêmea de entrar e sair da caixa por repetidas vezes foi associada ao estresse, sendo possível avaliar a resposta da adrenal pela secreção dos glicocorticóides e realizar sua validação fisiologicamente. Espera-se desta forma, contribuir para uma mudança no quadro bastante crítico da população em cativeiro, considerando a baixa taxa de natalidade e a alta taxa de mortalidade dos filhotes, principalmente, no seu primeiro mês de vida. / The longitudinal profiles of the sexual steroid\'s metabolites, progesterone and estrogen, and glucocorticoids were analyzed for 22 events (pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding) of 8 ocelots kept in captivity. Three events came from the Embryo Transfer (TE) and were compared against the ones that were gestated by natural fertilization. The statistical analysis demonstrated that the differences were highly significative during the initial (P<0001) and middle stages (P< 0,007) of pregnancy and lactation (P<0,0015) periods for the progesterone metabolites. The descriptive analysis suggests a ovarian activity for the species during the lactation period, once detected the estrogen metabolites peaks during some events. A study was also performed, concerning the maternal behavior of 3 female through video-monitoring of the first months of lactation (n=3989,5 hours observed). The species that were kept in captivity spent more time resting and caring the puppy, entering it\'s shelter between 5:00h and 8:00h (61,3%) and there staying during 8 hours average. Other behavior analysis suggests that the stress level is a predominant fact in the success of the establishment of the puppy. A behavior variable performed by the female, by entering the shelter for a repeated number of times was linked to the stress level, being possible to assess the adrenal response by the secretion of glucorticoids and perform it\'s phisiological validation. It is expected by this means, a contribution for a change in the critical scene of the population that is kept in captivity, considering the puppies\' low birth rate and high mortality rate, specially during it\'s first months.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2019-03-25T11:56:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Jeferson Cardoso do Rosario_.pdf: 3523684 bytes, checksum: 6d033c623e7ef74a93692efd6ca37e8e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2019-03-25T11:56:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jeferson Cardoso do Rosario_.pdf: 3523684 bytes, checksum: 6d033c623e7ef74a93692efd6ca37e8e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-01-18 / Nenhuma / O traumatismo cranioencefálico (TCE) é atualmente a terceira maior causa de óbitos no âmbito mundial. Estudos recentes têm demonstrado que a monitorização de pressão intracraniana (PIC), como forma de cálculo da pressão de perfusão cerebral (PPC) é uma ferramenta importante para avaliação do fluxo sanguíneo cerebral (FSC), provocando sensível redução nas taxas de mortalidade. Além do TCE, outras patologias ou situações neurocirúrgicas tem utilizado a técnica de monitorização de PIC. A monitorização desse parâmetro foi proposta já na década de 50, onde um tubo com fluido em contato com o líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR) era introduzido no espaço intracraniano e conectado a um transdutor de pressão externo. Com a evolução da indústria microeletrônica e dos sistemas microeletromecânicos, foi possível colocar os transdutores na ponta do cateter, permitindo uma monitorização menos invasiva, com menos riscos de infecções. Os cateteres atuais com micro transdutor na ponta podem ser divididos em três grupo: straingauge, fibra óptica e pneumático. Cada grupo possui suas características, entretanto o primeiro tem se demonstrado como solução mais robusta e confiável, com boa relação custo benefício. No presente trabalho foi proposto o desenvolvimento de um cateter implantável de monitorização de pressão intracraniana do tipo micro transdutor strain-gauge. Foram construídos protótipos funcionais e submetidos a ensaios de desempenho, especificados em norma técnica para monitorização de pressão sanguínea, a influência da temperatura na medição de pressão, bem como a exatidão das medições. Os processos empregados no trabalho são utilizados comumente na indústria de encapsulamento de semicondutores, porém foram levadas em consideração as especificidades da aplicação, adequando as técnicas disponíveis às geometrias e materiais empregados, considerando a necessidade de utilização de materiais biocompatíveis. / The traumatic brain injury (TBI) is nowadays the third cause of death in the world. Recent studies have shown the intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring as an important tool for cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) calculation and cerebral blood flow (CBF) assestment, reducing significantly the mortality statistics. Besides TBI, several others pathologies and neurosurgery conditions have been using the ICP monitoring technique. The proposal of ICP monitoring first appeared on the 50’s, where a tube fulfilled with fluid in contact with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was introduced into the intracranial space and connected to an external pressure transducer. With the waves of the microelectronics and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) industry evolution, it was possible to put the transducer and all the electronics inside the catheter tip, allowing a less invasive monitoring, decreasing the risk of infection. The state of art catheters with micro transducer on the tip can be divided into three groups: strain-gauge, optical fiber and pneumatic. Each group has it’s own characteristics, however the first has been demonstrated as the rugged solution, being reliable, cost effective and with good accuracy. In the present work, it was proposed the development of an strain-gauge micro transducer implantable catheter for intracranial pressure monitoring. Functional prototypes were built and submitted to performance tests, according to the technical standards in the medical equipment area, the temperature influence over the pressure measurements was evaluated, as well as the accuracy. The adopted processes are commonly used in the semiconductor packaging industry, however it was considered the application special requirements, adapting the processes to the geometry and materials used, considering the needs of biocompatible materials.