Interspecies variations of corticosteroid-binding globulin parameters

In mammalian plasma, cortisol binds to a specific α₁-glycoprotein: corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG). In this study, we measured the protein binding of cortisol by equilibrium dialysis in seven species in which plasma cortisol concentrations varied from 0.02 to 0.05 (ewe, dog, cow) to 0.1 to 0.6 (horse, human, cynomolgus monkey) to reach 1.6 μM (squirrel monkey). No binding of cortisol to CBG was discernible in plasma from squirrel monkey. In all other species examined, we showed that the CBG maximal capacity (B_max) was 3 (1.7 to 5.2) times more than the plasma cortisol levels, with cow, dog, ewe exhibiting the lowest and cynomolgus monkey exhibiting the highest values. We also noted the existence of a linear relationship between B_max and the corresponding dissociation constant (K_d), B_max being systematically 10 (8.5 to 11.8) times more than K_d. The low binding affinity of cortisol assigned to albumin did not differ between species. The free (6 to 14%), CBG-bound (67 to 87%), and albumin-bound (7 to 19%) cortisol fractions calculated from the estimated binding parameters and measured plasma cortisol concentrations were similar within species, except for squirrel monkey, in which half of the cortisol was albumin bound, and the other half remained protein free. Our most appealing finding was that in most species, as much as 68% of plasma CBG remained free of cortisol under physiologic conditions. These results are discussed with respect to the theories concerning the role of CBG in plasma transport and the local delivery of cortisol and free CBG as a proper hormone.     

Diurnal variations of blood pressure in cats

Blood pressure (BP) was analyzed invasively using the telemetry system in unanesthetized, unrestrained healthy adult mongrel cats. After surgical implantation of a telemetry transmitter, BP was transiently elevated due to the invasive nature of the surgery, but it was gradually decreased. BP was largely stabilized seven to ten days postsurgery. Once BP was settled, systolic, diastolic and mean BPs(2) were obtained at 5-min intervals in individual cats. Hourly averages of these BP values revealed a diurnal variation with two peaks at 8:00 and 19:00. We also found that BP was significantly higher when cats were active compared to when they were sleeping or at rest (p<0.05). The average 24-hr BP in 20 healthy cats was 118.4+/-11.0 (systolic), 78.0+/-8.7 (diastolic) and 94.8+/-9.5 mmHg (mean) by the telemetry system.     

Anatomical variations in bovine thoracic ducts

Gross anatomical observations of bovine thoracic duct pathways and the lymph-venous junctions revealed that 37% of these ducts connected to the left venous angle at one location, whereas the other terminal connected to other areas, such as the left internal jugular vein, the left subclavian vein and the right venous angle, at more than one location. The thoracic duct pathways were classified according to Adachi's classification as types III, VI and IX. The frequencies of types VI, IX and III were 76%, 15%, and 9%, respectively and 48% of cattle had more than one ring formation in the thoracic duct pathway. These findings demonstrate many anatomical variations in bovine thoracic duct pathways and lymph-venous junctions.     

Thymus cell variations in AKR leukemia

The thymus cells from spontaneous and 1st generation AKR leukemic mice were investigated, using electronic cell-volume distributions. The growth pattern of thymus cells in the mice with transplanted leukemic cells varied with the type of donor cells injected. After the transplantation of leukemic cells into 2 month-old recipients, the cortex of thymus decreased in size and medulla of thymus enlarged. The thymus underwent atrophy next, followed by a proliferation of the large-sized cells (greater than channel 40, 136 micrometer3). The electronic cell-volume distributions of the thymus cells from the spontaneous leukemic mice encompass the distributions of thymus cells during the growth of the transplanted leukemia.     

羊草不同地理种群表型变异及其对根茎克隆繁殖的影响

羊草是我国重要优良牧草之一，广泛分布于欧亚草原，由于资源环境的多样性和自然选择的复杂性，羊草种群发生了丰富的表型变异。以不同地理来源的66份羊草为试验材料，采用同质园试验方法，研究了羊草种群间表型和繁殖相关性状的变异情况，用曲线拟合和偏最小二乘回归分析研究了变量性状对羊草根茎克隆无性繁殖的影响。主要结论如下：1）不同地理来源羊草的表型和繁殖性状存在显著差异，原生境条件对羊草表型和繁殖产生了深刻而长久的影响。2）羊草不同性状的变异程度有所不同，叶片性状的变异最小，根茎子株相关性状的变异大于空间扩展相关性状。3）线性函数可较好地描述羊草根茎克隆生长力与主要变量性状间的关系。4）表型性状茎长、株高、叶宽和叶片大小，分蘖能力相关性状母株分蘖增加倍数对羊草根茎克隆生长力的解释作用强。总之，叶片宽大、茎长和株高方面有优势、分蘖能力强的羊草的根茎克隆无性繁殖能力相应也强。     

Chronobiological variations of indomethacin pharmacokinetic parameters in sheep

A two-phase study to investigate the influence of administration time on pharmacokinetics of indomethacin in sheep was performed. In phase I, 12 animals were allocated to four groups, each corresponding to a different time: 08:00, 14:00, 20:00, 02:00 h. Sheep received an intravenous administration of 1 mg/kg indomethacin. In phase II, each group was administered indomethacin with a 12-h difference compared to Phase I. The trial was performed in autumn, and animals were subjected to a natural light:dark cycle of 10:14 h. Blood samples were taken and processed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet detection. For each pharmacokinetic parameter, an analysis of variance was performed to outline the existence of chronobiological variations. Concentration at zero time (C0), hybrid constant for distribution and its half life, hybrid constant for elimination and its half-life, volume of distribution (V(d)), area under the curve (AUC(infinity)) and clearance rate (Cl), presented chronobiological variations (P < 0.05) and were fitted to a cosine equation. The following parameters adjusted to circadian rhythms: C(0) (acrophase: 13.9788 h); AUC(infinity) (acrophase: 13.4377 h); V(d) (acrophase: 0.8245 h) and Cl (acrophase: 1.4965 h). It was concluded that pharmacokinetic parameters of intravenously injected indomethacin in sheep would behave in a different, though predictable, manner according to the animal's biological clock.     

Seasonal variations in rectal temperature of Yankasa sheep

From measurements of rectal temperature (Tre) at 06:00h (06:00Tre) and at 14:00h (14:00Tre), meteorological stress was determined in six Yankasa ewes in terms of per cent rise of 14:00Tre over 06:00Tre reference values during the harmattan and hot-dry seasons. Absolute and mean Tre values were significantly higher (P<0.05) during the harmattan than the hot-dry season. In both seasons, mean 14:00Tre was significantly higher (P<0.01) than 06:00Tre. The mean diurnal difference between 14:00Tre and 06:00Tre, i.e. ΔTre was about 1°C during the harmattan but ranged between 0.5 and 0.7°C during the hot-dry season. All animals were observed to shiver during harmattan nights.     

Diurnal variations of blood pressure in dogs.

Using the telemetry system, we measured the blood pressure (BP) invasively in seven adult mongrels while unanesthetized and unbound. Post-operative BP after implanting the telemetry BP transmitter showed temporarily high values due to the invasive nature of the surgery. It was, however, observed that BP gradually decreased thereafter, and showed settled trends from the eighth day post-operatively. When we took the average of the systolic, mean and diastolic BP at hourly intervals for each of the dogs once their BP had settled, a twin peak diurnal variation (at 8:00 and 19:00) was observed. Moreover, significantly high values (p < 0.05) were identified in active state compared with when sleeping or at rest. The 24 hr BP measured by the telemetry system in seven normal dogs resulted in the following values: systolic 123.4 +/- 7.9 mmHg, mean 91.1 +/- 5.6 mmHg, and diastolic 74.5 +/- 4.9 mmHg.     

Interspecies variations in plasma half-life of ampicillin, amoxycillin, sulphadimidine and sulphacetamide related to variations in body mass.

The relationships between the half-lives during the elimination phase (t1/2 minutes) of ampicillin, amoxycillin, sulphadimidine and sulphacetamide and body mass (W, kg) between species of mammals and birds were examined using data from the authors' experiments and collected from the literature. Linear regression of the log half-lives of ampicillin, amoxycillin and sulphadimidine following intravenous injection on the log body mass for a variety of species of mammals and birds revealed significant correlations (r = 0.7709, n = 8, r = 0.7712, n = 8, r = 0.7749, n = 10). The interspecies relationships were described by the allometric equations t1/2 = 31.3 W0.16, t1/2 = 32.7 W0.12 and t1/2 = 129.2 W0.28, respectively. These equations may be of value for estimating dose intervals in species for which no relevant pharmacokinetic data are available.     

气候变化对荔枝单产的影响

为了探究气候对荔枝产量影响的内在规律,本文基于我国39个荔枝主产县2011年至2016年的荔枝产出、物候期以及气象数据构建双向固定效应模型。结果表明,荔枝的单产与营养期和开花期的降水天数呈负相关,与抽穗期的最低温度以及花期的最高温度呈正相关。就不同的荔枝品种而言,“妃子笑”的单产主要受到生长期的降雨天数、抽穗期的最高气温以及花期的最高气温的影响；“桂味”和“黑叶”的单产则都会受到生长期最高气温、成熟期的最高气温以及成熟期的降雨天数的影响,但影响程度存在差异,此外,生长期及花期的降雨天数也会影响到“黑叶”的单产。     

Anatomic variations of feline internal and external jugular veins

We evaluated 50 feline head and neck computed tomography examinations to determine the prevalence of vascular variation in the internal and external jugular veins. We identified three distinct anatomic conformations of the internal jugular vein. No variation of external jugular vein morphology was detected. Feline patients can have different internal jugular vein morphology that should be recognized for surgical planning.