# TWI Journal Club



## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

If you are a TWI member, you may have noticed that there is a subforum on the TWI Member Area titled "Journal Club". It is a place where we hope that all members, regardless of their background, will get together and talk about a recent publication that addresses some aspect of amphibian husbandry, conservation, ecology, health, etc.

The format of the discussion is still up in the air - but the ultimate goals of the TWI Journal Club are to: 

- generate discussion regarding the paper
- provide opinions on the nature of the findings
- speculate on the application of the paper's conclusions.
- potentially stir up interesting related topics
I really want to stress that this is open to everyone - not just people who have scientific/academic backgrounds.

The first paper will be the following:



> Szymanski, D.C.; Gist, D.H.; Roth, T.L.; 2006; Anuran gender identification by fecal steroid analysis; Zoo Biology 25: 35-46
> 
> Abstract: This study tested the hypothesis that steroid hormone metabolites can be measured in anuran feces and their concentrations used to identify the sex of adults. Fecal samples from American toads, Bufo americanus, and boreal toads, B. boreas boreas, were extracted using ethyl acetate, and the concentrations of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone metabolites were measured by enzyme immunoassays with antibodies commonly used to evaluate steroid hormone concentrations in mammalian species. In American toads, mean testosterone metabolite concentrations (Po0.05) between males (224.3715.5 ng/g feces) and
> females (80.7710.6 ng/g), but estradiol and progesterone metabolite concentrations did not. In contrast, estradiol immunoreactivity differed (Po0.05) between male (19.071.8 ng/g) and female (48.376.3 ng/g) boreal toads. Progesterone and testosterone metabolite concentrations did not differ. Fecal hormone metabolite analysis offers a promising noninvasive approach to gender identification in anuran amphibians. However, the group of metabolites differentiating gender may not be consistent among species.
> ...


If anyone has trouble getting a copy - drop me a PM with your email address.

Lastly, if you aren't already a member of TWI - this is just more incentive to join. http://www.treewalkers.org/membership/

Oz


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## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

When will this paper be up for reading?


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

Hey Jason - 

Unfortunately, the paper can't be publicly posted for reading due to copyright issues. So, you will need to download a copy (from the journal webpage or scientific database). The citation is given in the above abstract. 

But, for most journals - to get a copy of the paper you need to either be a personal subscriber to the journal, or access the paper through an institution subscription - if you are at a college or university - or know someone who is - they may have access to it.

If you have trouble accessing the article - let me know.

Oz


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