Anti-Cortisol-BSA monoclonal antibody, clone ZO322

Obstetric complications (OC) may have implications for later health outcomes. However, there is a lack of research examining the association between OC and behavior problems or quality of life (HRQoL). We aimed to close this gap and further investigate functioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis as a potential physiological vulnerability moderating the association between OC and behavior problems and HRQoL. We investigated 232 mothers and their five to 12-year-old children. Presence of OC during the pre-, peri-, and postnatal phases was determined by interviewing mothers. Children's behavior problems (CBCL, TRF) and HRQoL (Kidscreen rated by mothers and children) were assessed. Children gave 3 cm strands of hair for analysis of hair cortisol (HC). Structural equation modeling analyses with a latent variable of child outcome ("distress"), OC as predictor and HC as a potential moderator were conducted. OC significantly predicted distress (beta = .33, p < .01). The model showed a good fit to the data: chi 2(14)=15.66, p < .33, CFI=.99, TLI=.99, RMSEA=.02, 90 %CI [.00, .06], SRMR=.04. In addition, HC moderated the association between OC and distress (beta=-.32, p < .01). The moderation model also showed a good fit: chi 2(14) = 7.13, p = .93, CFI=1.00, TLI=1.06, RMSEA=.00, 90 %CI [.00, .02], SRMR=.03. Results indicated that the association between OC and distress was significant only when children had low HC-levels. This was also the case for both externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Our results underline the notion of OC as a risk factor for child behavior problems and wellbeing and point to an important role of the children's physiological set-up such as HPA-functioning.

A 60-day experiment was conducted to evaluate the best stocking density (SD) and net cage (NC) size for rearing tambaqui juveniles (Colossoma macropomu) in a continental neotropical reservoir. 57,688 tambaqui juveniles (50.10 +/- 1.39 g, mean +/- S.E.M.) had been randomly stocked in 16 NC. The experiment was run with a 2 x 2 factorial scheme at two SD (15 kg/m(3); 24 kg/m(3)) and two NC sizes (22.5 m(3); 40 m(3)), with four replications: T1: 15 kg/m(3) x 22.5 m(3); T2: 24 kg/m(3) x 22.5 m(3); T3: 15 kg/m(3) x 40 m(3); T4: 24 kg/m(3) x 40 m(3). After 60 days, growth performance, biochemical parameters and body composition of fish were evaluated. Individual weight gain, feed conversion ratio, feed efficiency rate, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio were better at SD 24 kg/m(3) . For body composition, the crude protein and lower crude fat values in NC 24 kg/m(3) and NC 40 m(3) were higher. The biochemical parameters showed no significant difference for total proteins and plasma cholesterol. Triglycerides had higher rates for the fish stored in NC 40 m(3). An SD-NC interaction appeared for glucose and cortisol, with higher values for SD 15 kg/m(3) in NC 40 m(3); the highest values were observed in SD 24 kg/m(3) for NC 22.5m(3). Therefore, the production of the fish stocked in SD 24 kg/m(3) was more efficient as the biochemical parameters had better indices for the fish raised in 40m(3). The findings in this study suggest using SD 24 kg/m(3) in NC 40 m(3) to maximise fish productivity and welfare.