Some observations on ion and water balance in the puffin, Fratercula arctica

1970 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryanne Robinson Hughes

The mean values for six adult puffins were hematocrit, 0.511 ± 0.007; plasma sodium, 160.7 ± 2.3, potassium, 3.1 ± 0.1, and chloride, 133.4 ± 1.9 meq/l.The cloacal fluid of one young laboratory-reared puffin was always hypotonic to the plasma in Na and Cl and never contained more than one-half the ingested Na, K, or Cl; contained less than 40% of the ingested water; and solid material was less than 10% of the total as determined by dry weight.In one salt load experiment (4.0 ml 1.0 N NaCl/3 92-gram adult) the salt glands proved very efficient, producing a secretion of 975 meq/l (maximum) Cl and eliminating 75% of the load in 20 min. The salt glands and kidneys are large, 0.1% and 1.8% of the body weight respectively.

2014 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-86
Author(s):  
Zygmunt Domagała ◽  
Paweł Dąbrowski ◽  
Michał Porwolik ◽  
Krystian Porwolik ◽  
Bohdan Gworys

Abstract There are a limited number of studies on secular changes in the neonatal period, and the majority of them concern research related to childhood and puberty The objective of our study was to carry out a comparative analysis of body weight and length at birth in neonates born in Wrocław in subsequent decades since 1950 to find out if these parameters are subject to secular trend, and what values they attained during the studied period of 50 years. The study was carried out in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and in 2000 to analyse changes in body length, body weight and Rohrer index over time. The sample studied consisted of 7510 neonates, 3882 males and 3628 females, born in Wroclaw. Secular changes were tested using one-way variance analysis. The values of F statistics were compared to the critical values of the F Snedecor distribution. Changes in the features of neonates in subsequent study years were analysed using the modified z-score. Data were normalised for standard deviation in decade increments. Results demonstrated very slight, though statistically insignificant increase in body weight at birth. Over the 50-year period the mean body weight of neonates was in the range of 3.3-3.4 kg, regardless of sex. Results demonstrated very slight, though statistically insignificant increase in body weight at birth. Over the 50-year period the mean body weight of neonates was in the range of 3.3-3.4 kg, regardless of sex. The acceleration in the body length of neonates caused a gradual decrease in the mean values of the Rohrer index. No secular trend in body weight was found in Wrocław neonates over the 50-year period between 1950 and 2000 With regard to body length at birth, four waves of deceleration and acceleration were found: period 1 (1950s): deceleration in the increase of the analysed body parameters of neonates; period 2 (1960s): acceleration in neonates’ growth; period 3 (1970s and 1980s): economic crisis and political transformations in Poland; this is reflected by the stable mean values of body dimensions in neonates. The secular trend clearly decelerated, and period 4 (1990s and 2000) - very intense acceleration in both body weight and length and the Rohrer index.


1984 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Kenyon ◽  
N. A. Saccoccio ◽  
D. J. Morris

ABSTRACT The effects of constant infusions of small doses of adrenal steroid hormones on sodium, potassium and water metabolism were studied in male adrenalectomized rats. An infusion of 1 μg aldosterone/day was sufficient to restore normal sodium and potassium balance in a group of rats fed an unsupplemented diet. Log doses of aldosterone (0·1–10 μg/day for 4 days) administered some days after adrenalectomy caused linear increases in the body weight of rats fed a sodium-supplemented diet (0·05 m-NaCl as drinking fluid) during 4 days of treatment. Increases in body weight correlated with renal sodium and water balance. When steroid treatment was started at the time of adrenalectomy, sodium balance was not significantly affected although rats treated with 1 μg aldosterone/day ate more, drank less saline, produced a smaller volume of urine of greater osmolarity and gained more weight than controls. A dose of 100 μg 18-hydroxy-deoxycorticosterone/day had no significant effects. Fluid intake and urine volume were not significantly affected by 1 mg corticosterone/day but food intake, water balance and weight gain were greater than controls. Rats treated with both aldosterone and corticosterone showed a decrease in free water clearance. Aldosterone and corticosterone, both singly and in combination, reduced plasma potassium levels. Plasma sodium levels were only increased when aldosterone was administered on its own. Long-term steroid infusions have revealed more about the physiology of aldosterone action than could acute measurements of renal function. In particular, they have indicated that dietary intake of electrolytes as well as excretion are affected, that mineralocorticoid actions are distinct from glucocorticoid actions and that there are transient effects of aldosterone on fluid regulation which are not sustained under steady-state conditions. J. Endocr. (1984) 100,93–100


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (02) ◽  
pp. 14-17
Author(s):  
K K Hadiya ◽  
A J Dhami ◽  
D V Chaudhari ◽  
P M Lunagariya

This study was initiated on 24 prepubertal Holstein x Kankrej crossbred heifers of nearly identical age (7-9 months) and body weight (130-140 kg) at University farm to evaluate the effect of high plane of nutrition on blood biochemical and minerals profile and the age at puberty. Twelve heifers were managed under routine farm feeding (control) and the rest 12 under ideal optimum feeding regime (treatment) that included extra 1 kg concentrate, 30 g min mix and ad-lib dry fodder. The body weight and ovarian ultrasonography together with blood sampling was carried out at monthly interval from 10 to 18 months of age to study the ovarian dynamics and blood biochemical changes. High plane of nutrition to growing heifers was beneficial in reducing the age of onset of puberty (by 2-3 months) compared to routine farm fed group. The mean plasma total protein and cholesterol concentrations showed a rising trend with significant variations from 10 to 16 months of age, where it got mostly stabilized indicating adult profile. The activity of enzymes GOT and GPT also rose gradually and significantly from 10 months till 14-15 months of age, and thereafter it remained more or less static till 18 months of age. The levels of both these enzymes were higher, with lower protein and cholesterol, in control than the treatment group from 15-16 months of age onwards. The mean plasma levels of both calcium and phosphorus increased gradually and significantly with advancing age till 16-17 months of age, with little higher values in supplemented than a control group. The plasma levels of zinc, iron, copper, and cobalt also showed rising trend with significant differences between 10th and 12th-14th months of age, and from 15th to 18th months of age the levels were statistically the same in all the groups with slightly higher values in the treatment group.


1971 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 651-665 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. HUGHES ◽  
R. GAYMER ◽  
MARGARET MOORE ◽  
A. J. WOAKES

1. The O2 consumption and CO2 release of nine giant tortoises Testudo gigantea (weight range 118 g-35·5 kg) were measured at a temperature of about 25·5°C. Four European tortoises Testudo hermanni (weight range 640 g-2·16 kg) were also used. The mean RQ values obtained were 1·01 for T. gigantea and 0·97 for T. hermanni. These values were not influenced by activity or size. 2. The data was analysed by plotting log/log regression lines relating body weight to O2 consumption. Both maximum and minimum metabolic rates recorded for each individual T. gigantea showed a negative correlation with body weight. For active rates the relation was O2 consumption = 140·8W0·97, whereas for inactive animals O2 consumption = 45·47W0·82. 3. The maximum rates were obtained from animals that were observed to be active in the respirometer and the minimum rates from animals that remained quiet throughout. The scope for activity increased with body size, being 82 ml/kg/h for animals of 100 g and 103 ml/kg/h for 100 kg animals. The corresponding ratio between maximum and minimum rates increases from about 2 to 6 for the same weight range. 4. Values for metabolic rate in T. hermanni seem to be rather lower than in T. gigantea. Analysis of the relative proportion of the shell and other organs indicates that the shell forms about 31% of the body weight in adult T. hermanni but only about 18% in T. gigantea of similar size. The shell is not appreciably heavier in adult T. gigantea (about 20%). 5. Data obtained for inactive animals is in good agreement with results of other workers using lizards and snakes. Previous evidence suggesting that chelonians show no reduction in metabolic rate with increasing size is not considered to conflict with data obtained in the present work.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Wanmi Nathaniel ◽  
Onyeanusi I. Barth ◽  
Nzalak J. Oliver ◽  
Aluwong Tanang

<p class="jbls-body"><span lang="EN-GB">A total of one hundred and seventy-three fertilized eggs were used for morphometry, gross and histological studies. At day 4 of incubation, the mean body weight of the helmeted guinea fowl embryo was 0.6401 ± 0.0211 g. It was at day 10 of incubation that there was an increase in the whole body weight of the embryo to be 0.8650 ± 0.676 g. The whole brain weight indicated relative increased at day 4 as compared to that of the whole body weight. Graphically, there were steady increase in the body, brain and optic lobe weights. Histologically, cells and neurones that make up the optic lobe is probably as a result of the migration of immature cells from the ventricular neuroepithelium. </span></p>


Author(s):  
Iyad Ali ◽  
Naser Shraim ◽  
Wafaa’ Atrash ◽  
Aisha Sirafi ◽  
Huda Abadi

Artificial Sweeteners (AS) are synthetic sugar substitutes that have sweetening potency hundreds of times more than the table sugar (sucrose). Artificial sweeteners are regarded as attractive alternatives to sugar as they add no calories to food intake. There are many hypotheses suggesting that AS may enhance appetite and cause weight gain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of AS on food intake, fluid intake and body weight of mice. Acceptable daily intakes of AS solutions were administered orally to different set of mice for four weeks. The body weight, food consumption and fluid intake were measured. At the same time, the effect of Zingiber officinale extracts (natural appetite suppressor), Thymus vulgaris extracts (natural appetite inducer) and cyproheptadine (an appetite stimulant drug) on body weight of mice was evaluated. Artificial sweeteners consumption cause insignificant changes in body weight (p>0.05). However, the mean consumption of food and solutions varies significantly for some groups. The consumption of AS has no significant effect on body weight and may contribute to weight maintenance and energy balance as substitutes to high caloric sugar


1980 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Large ◽  
G. Neal ◽  
J. Glover ◽  
O. Thanangkul ◽  
R. E. Olson

1. Changes in total retinol-binding protein (RBP), the holoprotein (holoRBP) and prealbumin (PA) concentrations have been monitored in plasma of thirty protein- and vitamin A-deficient preschool children from within a few hours up to 7 weeks after treatment with retinol and a good-quality protein diet.2. The children were classified into groups according to nutritional status as having either kwashiorkor, marasmus-kwashiorkor or marasmus, and given formula diets whose protein and energy contents increased stepwise from 1 g and 105 kJ/kg body-weight respectively up to 4 g and 733 kJ/kg body-weight after 4 weeks. Retinol was administered in the forms of retinyl palmitate either orally or intramuscularly.3. PA and total RBP were determined by electroimmunoassay procedures and the holoRBP by its fluorescence after separation from other plasma proteins.4. RBP in plasma of the vitamin A-deficient child is largely denatured and incapable of binding administered retinol, which must first be taken up by the liver before native holoRBP is released. An increased pool of native apoprotein accumulates in the liver during vitamin A deficiency which is released into plasma quickly after retinol uptake to form peak concentrations of total and holoRBP approximately 3 h after dosing intramuscularly and 6 h orally.5. The accumulated pool of RBP was highest in livers from the marasmus group and lowest in those from the kwashiorkor group, reflecting their relative capacities to synthesize plasma proteins.6. The mean plasma concentrations of total and holoRBP for the various groups were minimal 24–48 h after dosing with retinol and then improved almost linearly over the following week.7. Mean plasma PA concentrations of the various groups on admission were also in order of the severity of their malnutrition. There was little or no change in this protein concentration over the first 24 h after dosing with retinol, but thereafter the mean values rose almost linearly over 2 weeks. Albumin on the other hand changed little during the first week. The results show that PA is the more sensitive measurement of protein nutritional status.


1972 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 611-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. L. Bradley ◽  
W. N. Holmes

The supraorbital nasal glands were removed from the duck (Anas platyrhynchos) 1 week before experimentation. When sham-operated birds were given hypertonic saline drinking water (282 mM NaCl, 6 mM KCl) for 70 h they maintained their body weights and remained in positive water balance. When the ducks lacking nasal glands were similarly treated they became severely dehydrated, lost body weight at the rate of 5.59 ± 1.1 g/h and showed significant increases in the plasma concentrations of Na+, Cl−, K+, and total osmotically active material. When the glandless birds were given hypertonic saline drinking water, the disparity between the measured plasma osmolality and the osmolality calculated on the basis of the Na+, Cl−, and K+ concentrations in plasma increased two-fold. No such change in disparity between the measured and calculated osmolalities of plasma in the sham-operated birds was observed. Forty-eight hours after their return to a diet containing fresh drinking water, the birds without nasal glands regained some of the body weight they had lost and the plasma electrolyte concentrations were restored towards normal. It is concluded that in the absence of nasal glands, the kidney alone is incapable of maintaining positive water balance in ducks fed hypertonic saline as their only source of drinking water.


1957 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
PK Briggs ◽  
MC Franklin ◽  
GL McClymont

Dry adult Merino ewes were fed at daily or weekly intervals on oat grain at levels which provided 4.0, 3.0, or 2.0 lb starch equivalent (S.E.) per sheep per week. The experimental periods were 223, 223, and 181 days respectively. Differences between the mean body weights of the ewes a t the three levels of feeding were highly significant (P < 0.001). Body weight varied only slightly and no losses occurred in ewes fed weekly at the rate of 4.0 lb S.E. per head. Ewes fed daily a t this level had a significantly greater mean body weight (P < 0.001) a t the conclusion of the 223-day experimental period. The addition of a sodium chloride supplement did not improve the body weight or wool production of ewes fed weekly a t the level of 4.0 lb S.E. The mean body weight of ewes fed at the levels of 3.0 or 2.0 lb S.E. per head declined over the first 12 and 18 respectively and thereafter remained relatively constant. There were no significant differences at these levels of feeding between groups fed daily and weekly in respect of body weight, wool production, or survival rates. Ewes fed a t the level of 4.0 lb S.E. grew significantly more wool than those given 3.0 lb S.E. (P < 0.001). Losses were negligible in all groups except those fed a t the level of 2.0 lb S.E. In these groups there were few deaths in the first 16 weeks, but in the subsequent 10 weeks losses totalled 17.1 per cent. Ewes fed a t the level of 2.0 lb S.E. consumed their rations at a significantly slower rate (P < 0.01) than did those fed a t the level of 4.0 lb S.E.


1970 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
MS Alam ◽  
N Ahmad ◽  
MA Miah ◽  
R Islam

The effect of different levels of supplemented dietary protein on body weight, certain haematological values and meat yield characteristics in 20 "Shaver Star Bro" broilers was studied during the period from 02 March to 12 April 2002. The broilers were randomly assigned to four equal groups (A to D) each consisting of 5 birds. Group A was considered as control, fed only with commercial ration and other three groups were treated with extra dietary protein supplement @ 5%, 10% and 15% as group B, C and D respectively. Increased body weight was recorded in group B and the body weight decreases as the level of protein increased from 5% to 10% and 15% and the decrease was linear. No differences in haematological values were observed among the groups but the TEC varied significantly (p < 0.05). The mean weight of breast meat, drum stick meat varied significantly (p < 0.01). The shank weight varied significantly (p < 0.05) but there was no significant difference among the mean weight of thigh meat and wing meat corresponding to the different levels of supplemented dietary protein. It can be concluded that 5% supplemented dietary protein with commercial ration gives better result in respect to body weight gain, haematological values and meat yield characteristics.Key words: dietary protein; haematological values; meat yield; broiler birdsdoi: 10.3329/bjvm.v2i2.2543Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2004). 2 (2): 121-123


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