Water content, water turnover, and water half-life during cold acclimation in the rhesus monkey

1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
IB R. Oddershede ◽  
Reynaldo S. Elizondo

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cold acclimation on the dynamics of body water in primates. Six male rhesus monkeys were acclimated for 35 days at 6 °C. Water turnover rate (WTR), biological half-life (t1/23H2O), and total body water (TBW) were estimated by the tritium dilution method. A reduced water intake during the 1st week of cold acclimation was associated with a decrease in water balance (total water input minus WTR). Both drinking and total water input were decreased throughout the cold exposure. WTR was significantly decreased during the last 3 weeks of cold exposure in spite of an increased caloric consumption, which, in a thermoneutral environment, generally is associated with an increased WTR. Biological half-life for tritium showed a significant average increase during the cold stress. TBW in relation to body weight was increased during the first 2 weeks of cold exposure and had decreased to its lowest level by day 22. Calculations of TBW were independent of whether the radioactive decay curve was obtained over short (minutes) or long (days) time intervals and independent of the degree of acclimation. The major adjustments in water content and water metabolism occurred within 2 weeks of continuous cold exposure at 6 °C. The data suggest that the rhesus monkey may be an adequate primate model for studies of body fluid adjustments induced by chronic cold exposure in primates in general, including man.

1968 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
PH Springell

Twenty-four steers, comprising British (Hereford and Hereford x Shorthorn), Zebu (Africander), and Zebu cross (British x Brahman or Africander) breeds, were either maintained on pasture, or yarded and fed on diets of a low and a high nutritional value. Tritiated water was injected into the animals on five occasions at intervals of 3 months. The body water content and the water turnover rate were calculated, and some of the sources of variation defined. Observed differences in the water content are attributable to nutritional factors rather than to breed differences. The mean body water content ranged from 615 to 809 ml/kg fasting body weight, where the higher values were associated with a poor diet. The mean half-life of tritiated water was lower in summer (as low as 58 hr) than in winter (up to 128 hr) in grazing and well-fed yarded steers. On a poor diet, however, the half-life in yarded cattle remained high and almost constant throughout the year, dropping to below 100 hr on only a single occasion. Occasionally the half-life was breed dependent, but generally no significant differences between breeds could be found. While mean turnover rates of up to 7.1 ml kg-1 hr-1 were found in better-fed cattle in summer, the value in poorly fed animals was almost constant throughout the year at about 3.3 ml kg-1 hr-1. There was, however, a winter minimum in the well-fed yarded and grazing groups. The turnover rate was also influenced by breed only to a limited extent. The results are interpreted in the light of their possible significance in the adaptation to a tropical environment, and in relation to their value in predicting the body composition.


1968 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
PH Springell

Twenty-four steers, comprising British (Hereford and Hereford x Shorthorn), Zebu (Africander), and Zebu cross (British x Brahman or Africander) breeds, were either maintained on pasture, or yarded and fed on diets of a low and a high nutritional value. Tritiated water was injected into the animals on five occasions at intervals of 3 months. The body water content and the water turnover rate were calculated, and some of the sources of variation defined. Observed differences in the water content are attributable to nutritional factors rather than to breed differences. The mean body water content ranged from 615 to 809 ml/kg fasting body weight, where the higher values were associated with a poor diet. The mean half-life of tritiated water was lower in summer (as low as 58 hr) than in winter (up to 128 hr) in grazing and well-fed yarded steers. On a poor diet, however, the half-life in yarded cattle remained high and almost constant throughout the year, dropping to below 100 hr on only a single occasion. Occasionally the half-life was breed dependent, but generally no significant differences between breeds could be found. While mean turnover rates of up to 7.1 ml kg-1 hr-1 were found in better-fed cattle in summer, the value in poorly fed animals was almost constant throughout the year at about 3.3 ml kg-1 hr-1. There was, however, a winter minimum in the well-fed yarded and grazing groups. The turnover rate was also influenced by breed only to a limited extent. The results are interpreted in the light of their possible significance in the adaptation to a tropical environment, and in relation to their value in predicting the body composition.


1978 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Green ◽  
J Dunsmore ◽  
H Bults ◽  
K Newgrain

Four places in New South Wales were chosen that had a permanent water supply and vegetation with very low or very high Na content, or no surface water during the study and medium, or low to medium, Na content. Wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were caught in those places, given 22NaCl and 3H2O by intraperitoneal injection and held for 4 to 5 h, then blood samples were taken and the rabbits were weighed, marked and released at the point of capture. After another 8 to 23 days they were recaptured and weighed, and blood samples were taken. Between the 7 or 8 values for different places and dates, mean bodyweight ranged from 937 to 1650 g, exchangeable Na from 37.37 to 50.10 mEq/kg bodyweight or 48.78 to 67.93 mEq/litre body water, Na turnover from 0.51 to 13.95 mEq/kg bodyweight daily, Na biological half-life from 2.3 to 55.0 days, total body water 677 to 777 ml/kg, water turnover 88 to 375 ml/kg daily and water half-life 1.4 to 5.6 days. Mean values are for groups of 4 to 25 rabbits. Between the 4 places, water content of vegetation ranged from 142 to 832 mg/kg fresh vegetation and, including 2 sites at one of the 4 places, Na content ranged from 0.51 to 20.98 mEq/kg fresh and 2.41 to 124.9 mEq/kg dry matter. There was a positive linear relation between Na in fresh vegetation and Na turnover rate in rabbits. The relation between water content of vegetation and water turnover in rabbits was not precise, because probably of such factors as diet selection, rain and accessibility and use of water. Lactation may have a strong effect on rabbits when water or Na is scarce, because rabbits may not ingest the faeces and urine of their young like other animals.Low rate of water turnover, especially after metabolic weight correction, demonstrated the efficiency of water conservation of rabbits and partly explained their success in dry places. Published values for other species are compared. Food items were not identified in the present work, but identification and analysis of their Na content would allow qualitative calculation of the food intake of free-living herbivores from their Na turnover.


1970 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. CUNNINGHAM

Five experiments were conducted with growing pigs to determine the biological half-life of caffeine after injection or various periods of ingestion. Peak plasma caffeine levels were reached within 5 hr after a single oral dose and 2 hr after intramuscular injection, and then declined with a biological half-life of about 12 hr. The caffeine content of tissues was approximately proportional to their water content and 6% of orally administered caffeine was excreted in the urine. Upon continuous ingestion of caffeine, peak plasma levels were reached within 2 days, indicating that accumulation was quite limited. When 1.5 g of caffeine per kg of feed was fed from weaning to market weight, the withdrawal of caffeine 2 days prior to slaughter was sufficient time to insure that caffeine levels in the liver, muscle, kidney and backfat were below 1 μg/g.


1971 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 291 ◽  
Author(s):  
NG Yates ◽  
WV Macfarlane ◽  
R Ellis

The growth of Hereford, Friesian x Hereford, and Friesian x Shorthorn calves was studied under grazing conditions in the south-east of South Australia during the autumn period of minimal dry pasture. Measurements of body water content, water turnover, and body weight changes of calves were undertaken during an 8-week period after calving in February 1968. From these measurements, estimates were made of liveweight gain and the yield of body solids per unit of water turnover (milk intake). The subsequent development of the calves was also measured. The average birth weights of the three groups were not significantly different. The 8-week total of water intake (milk) was 405 � 14.3 1. in Shorthorn cross calves, 279 � 18.0 1. for Hereford cross, and 263 � 14.3 1. among the Herefords. Over the first 8 weeks body weight gain (g/24 hr) was highest in the Shorthorn cross calves and their body solids gain was 63 % greater than that of the Hereford cross calves but only 29 % greater than that of the Hereford calves. Water turnover (1.124 hr) of the Shorthorn cross calves was 45 % greater than that of the Hereford cross calves and 54% greater than that of the Hereford calves over the 8-week period. There was no significant difference between the three groups in body weight or solids gain per unit of milk intake (g/l), though the average conversion of milk to solids by Herefords was greater than that of the other breeds. The Shorthorn cows weighed less than the other groups after calving and their average relative and absolute loss of weight during lactation was greatest. The offspring of the Shorthorn cows had the highest water intake expressed as a function of the body weight0.75 of the cows. The water turnover of Shorthorn calves as a function of calf weight0.82 was also greater than that of the other calves. The correlations between body weight gain (g/24 hr) and water turnover (l./24 hr) and between body solids gain (g/24 hr) and water turnover (l./24 hr) were 0.815 (P < 0.001) and 0.632 (P < 0.01) respectively. The correlation between cow body weight loss and calf body weight gain was 0.481 (P < 0.05). A group of nine Friesian x Hereford calves studied for 11 weeks after calving in April 1969 on newly grown winter rainfall pasture 50 km north of Adelaide had both average water turnover (l./24 hr) and body weight gains (g/24 hr) substantially higher than those of any group in the previous year. The efficiency of conversion estimated as body solids gain and body weight gain per unit of water intake was, however, similar to those of the Hereford calves in 1968. The differences between the years are presumed to follow from differences in the amount of pasture available in the dry season, relative to pasture after the rains had come. Average body water content (TOH space) was 801 ml/kg body weight at the beginning of the measurements and gradually fell to 713 ml/kg at 11 weeks.


1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 935-939 ◽  
Author(s):  
Efteem Azar ◽  
Seth Thomas Shaw Jr.

Although body water content and effective water half-life have been determined in several mammalian species, including man, these measurements are not available for sub-human primates to our knowledge. Values were therefore determined in a group of rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys.A fairly wide range of water half-life values was found in each of the two species between animals, but there was little variation within animals who had more than one determination over the course of 1 year. Mean values for effective water half-life were 7.2 days and 3.7 days for naturally menstruating females of the cynomolgus and rhesus species, respectively. Water half-life in female rhesus monkeys with artificial menstrual cycles averaged 6.2 days. Females of both species had a similar percentage of body water content of 64%. Water half-life measured 7.1 and 8.5 days in two male rhesus; and water content was 62% of body weight in one of these animals.


1989 ◽  
Vol 113 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Aganga ◽  
N. N. Umunna ◽  
E. O. Oyedipe ◽  
P. N. Okoh

SUMMARYWater metabolism of two breeds of sheep (Uda and Yankasa)and two breeds of goat (Sahel and Maradi) was studied. Tritiated water space as a percentage of live weight was 80·5 and 73·6 % for Uda and Yankasa, respectively, and 77·8 and 66·1 % for Sahel and Maradi, respectively. The biological half-life of tritium was least in Yankasa (115 h) and longest in Sahel (173 h). Water turnover (I/day per animal) was 2·52, 2·63, 0·86 and 1·09 for Uda, Yankasa, Sahel and Maradi, respectively.


1965 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. FOY ◽  
H. SCHNIEDEN

SUMMARY Using a radioactive isotope technique, water turnover (biological half-life of tritium, T½) has been determined in a number of endocrine deficient states in rats. Water turnover was decreased after adrenalectomy but restored to normal in animals kept on 0·9% NaCl solution. A number of glucocorticoid hormones (cortisone, hydrocortisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone) were also able to restore water turnover to normal in adrenalectomized rats. Water turnover was also decreased in rats which had been thyroidectomized 3–5 days previously, but in chronically thyroidectomized animals or those in which hypothyroidism had been produced by propylthiouracil treatment, no significant change in water turnover could be detected. Propylthiouracil-treated animals kept on 0·5% NaCl solution had an increased water turnover. Water turnover was increased in hypophysectomized animals.


1969 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 613 ◽  
Author(s):  
BD Siebert ◽  
WV Macfarlane

The turnover of water, measured in five types of cattle, was least in the banteng during winter. The greatest rates of water turnover (848 ml/l0.82/24 hr) were among Shorthorn cows during the desert summer when feed was plentiful. In the wet tropics, however, buffalo used more water than B. taurus Shorthorns, while the B. indicus types turned over significantly less water on the same pasture. There was an increase in body water content, and a reduction in body solids, in summer relative to winter in all cattle, while the water turnover rose with increasing temperature, humidity, and food supply. After drought, Shorthorn cattle gained 40% in body weight, while increasing body water by only 4.5% as they became fat. Shorthorn steers on improved Townsville lucerne pastures during the wet season contained 48% more solids but weighed only 11% more than cattle on native vegetation, turning over greater amounts of water.


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