engleski

Characteristics of the bone mineral density of humerus and antebrachial bones of the females bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) of the different ages

Cilj rada bio je istražiti i opisati smanjenje mineralne gustoće kostiju starijih ženki dupina kakvo je opisano u žena i ženki nekih životinja. Istraženo je 27 desnih prsnih peraja ženki dobrih dupina DEXA metodom mjerenja mineralne gustoće kosti. U skupini istraženih ženki dobrog dupina jaka je povezanost dobi životinja sa sadržajem minerala i miineralnom gustoćom nadlaktične kosti i podlaktičnih kostiju, što je izraženo visokim koeficijentima korelacije testiranih varijabli. Uočen je porast sadržaja minerala u nadlaktičnoj kosti i podlaktičnim kostima do dobi od 17 godina, a zatim je do dobi od 21 godine uočen blagi pad navedene vrijednosti. Vrijednost mineralne gustoće nadlaktične kosti i podlaktičnih kostiju u istraženih ženki dupina, raste do dobi od 15 godina, a do dobi od 21 godine, lagano opada. Uočena su odstupanja od linije rasta izmjerenih vrijednosti u pojedinih jedinki što je najvjerojatnije povezano s biološkim ciklusima koje prati privremeni pad minerala u kostima tijekom života (gravidnost, razne bolesti) ili su povezani s nepreciznošću metode određivanja dobi životinja. Trend smanjenja mineralne gustoće kosti u starijih ženki dobrog dupina odgovara sličnom stanju opisanom u žena postmenopauzalne dobi, starijih ženki majmuna i nekih drugih životinja.

bottlenose dolphin; flipper; bone mineral density; DEXA

The aim of this study was to examine and describe the decrease of bone mineral density that happens in older female bottlenose dolphins which has been found in researches on humans and some other mammals. The reseach was done on 27 right pectoral flippers of female bottlenose dolphins using DEXA method which measures the bone mineral density. There is strong correlation in age in the controlled animals with the bone mineral content and bone mineral density, which is expressed in high correlation coefficients of the tested variables. There is an increase in bone mineral content of the humeral and antibrachial bones in dolphins until the age of 17 years and after that there is a mild decrease in the mentioned values in dolphins older than 21 years. The values of bone mineral density of the humerus and antibrachial bones in the age of 15 year old dolphins and up to 21 years of age mildy decreases. There are deviations detected in the line of growth of measured values in some individuals which is most likely associated with the biological cycles by the temporarily decrease in bone mineral density (pregnancy, some diseases) or they are associated with the inaccurate method of age determ