Nocturnal and diurnal rhythms in the unstriped Nile rat, Arvicanthis niloticus.

In a laboratory population of unstriped Nile grass rats, Arvicanthis niloticus, individuals with two distinctly different patterns of wheel-running exist. One is diurnal and the other is relatively nocturnal. In the first experiment, the authors found that these patterns are strongly influenced by parentage and by sex. Specifically, offspring of two nocturnal parents were significantly more likely to express a nocturnal pattern of wheel-running than were offspring of diurnal parents, and more females than males were nocturnal. In the second experiment, the authors found that diurnal and nocturnal wheel-runners were indistinguishable with respect to the timing of postpartum mating, which always occurred in the hours before lights-on. Here they also found that both juvenile and adult A. niloticus exhibited diurnal patterns of general activity when housed without a wheel, even if they exhibited nocturnal activity when housed with a wheel. In the third experiment, the authors discovered that adult female A. niloticus with nocturnal patterns of wheel-running were also nocturnal with respect to general activity and core body temperature when a running wheel was available, but they were diurnal when the running wheel was removed. Finally, a field study revealed that all A. niloticus were almost exclusively diurnal in their natural habitat. Together these results suggest that individuals of this species are fundamentally diurnal but that access to a running wheel shifts some individuals to a nocturnal pattern.     

Light responses and diurnal rhythms in desert Tenebrionidae

By means of choice-chamber experiments, Ocnera hispida and, to a lesser extent, Pimelia grandis were shown to exhibit photonegative responses at all temperatures while Adesmia antiqua was photopositive. The intensity of the light reactions of the first two species was not influenced by the temperature, but A. antiqua was more markedly photopositive at higher temperatures. All species respond to near-lethal temperatures by digging into the sand. Analysis of aktograph records showed that O. hispida and P. grandis are strictly nocturnal, A. antiqua diurnal in habit. The endogenous chromometer in P. grandis is retarded by cold, but is not re-set.

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Résumé Des expériences effectuées au moyen d'une choice-chamber ont démontré que O. hispida et à un degré inférieur P. grandis ont des réponses photonégatives à toutes les températures, tandis que A. antiqua est photonégative.L'intensité des réactions à la lumière des deux premières espèces n'a pas été influencée par la température, mais A. antiqua était nettement plus photopositive à des températures plus élevées. Aux températures sublétales toutes les espèces répondent par un enfouissement dans le sable.L'analyse des données aktographiques a démontré que O. hispida et P. grandis sont rigoureusement nocturnes, tandis que A. antiqua est une espèce diurne. Le chronomètre endogène chez P. grandis est retardé par le froid, mais le retard n'est pas rattrapé.

     

Circadian temperature rhythms in rabbit pups and in their does.

Circadian rhythms of mammals are generated endogenously, the master oscillator system residing in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Previous experiments have indicated that the rabbit has a feeding entrainable circadian oscillator (FEO) which is supposed to be of greatest importance during the early infancy of the rabbit. Here we report the course of telemetrically monitored core body temperature of rabbit pups and of their does. Temperature increased from 37.6+/-0.3 degrees C on day 2 to 39.5+/-0.1 degrees C on day 28 of life. The pups showed a 24 h temperature rhythm even during their first days of life. Temperature increased 2 1/2-3 h prior to nursing for 0.4-0.8 degrees C and rose for an additional 0.4-0.6 degrees C immediately after milk ingestion. The anticipatory, but not the postprandial component persisted when nursing was skipped twice. The persistence of a rhythm in the absence of any entraining agent is crucial for its endogenous generation. In the doe, the core body temperature gradually decreased during the last 2/3 of pregnancy. During parturition it steeply rose for 1.5-1.7 degrees C and attained a plateau of 39.7+/-0.2 degrees C during lactation. The circadian rhythm persisted during the whole course of pregnancy and lactation. Thus, in the rabbit an endogenous, feeding entrainable circadian oscillator appears to operate from the first days of life. It is of functional significance in that it alerts the pup in time so that it is able to utilize the singular short presence of the doe for maximal milk intake.     

AII amacrine neurons of the rat retina show diurnal and circadian rhythms of parvalbumin immunoreactivity

We investigated parvalbumin immunoreactivity (PA-IR) in the retinas of rats maintained on a 12:12 h light:dark cycle, or after being placed in constant darkness for 24–72 h. Retinas were harvested at zeitgeber and circadian times 02:00, 06:00, 10:00, 14:00, 18:00 and 22:00 h. PA-IR was found primarily in retinal amacrine cells of the AII subtype. In a light/dark cycle, PA-IR showed a clear rhythm, with a low near zeitgeber time (ZT) 10:00 h and a peak near ZT 18:00 h. The ratio of immunofluorescence intensities at these timepoints was >15-fold. When animals were kept in complete darkness for 1–3 days, the rhythm of PA-IR was still preserved, but was progressively reduced in amplitude. The rhythm of PA-IR inferred from immunohistochemical data was confirmed by Western blots. We conclude that PA-IR in the rat retina shows an underlying circadian rhythm that is enhanced by cyclic light. The regulation may involve translocation of the protein between cell compartments and/or new protein synthesis.This study was supported by an OTKA grant (T 34160), NIH grants NS 37919 (R.S.) and ET 03570, NSF grant IBN-96418886 (R.S.), and grants from the Helen Hoffritz Charitable Trust and Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc. R.G. was also in receipt of a János Bolyai fellowship     

黑腹果蝇昼夜活动节律及行为时间分配

采用试验室单管观察记录的方法,对3,4,5日龄野生型黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster Meigenw1118成虫每日活动节律进行研究。试验将果蝇活动划分为强活动(飞行和爬行)、弱活动(梳理、觅食等原地发生的运动)和静息(身体不发生移动的休息)3种类型。强活动和弱活动之和为总运动。研究结果显示,野生型黑腹果蝇w1118的昼夜活动表现为明显的双峰模态,晨峰和晚峰分别处于开、关灯前后;雌、雄果蝇总体活动无差异,关灯(18:30)前后雌蝇活动稍强于雄蝇,开灯(6:30)前后则相反;果蝇强活动的节律与总运动基本一致,而弱活动节律不明显;静息节律为单峰模式,其高峰期位于夜间1:00~5:00;雌蝇的静息活动显著多于雄蝇(P<0·05)。     

Thermoregulation of weaned northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) pups in air and water

Fasting weaned northern elephant seal pups (Mirounga angustirostris) experience diverse environmental conditions on land and in water on a daily basis. Each environment undoubtedly induces distinct energetic costs that may vary for pups of differing body condition. To determine the energetic costs associated with different environmental conditions and whether costs vary between individuals, body mass, surface area, volume, body composition, resting metabolic rate, and core body temperature were determined for 17 weaned northern elephant seal pups from A?o Nuevo, California. Metabolic rate and body temperature were measured for pups resting in air (20.9 degrees +/-0.8 degrees C), cold water (3.8 degrees+/-0.4 degrees ;C), and warm water (14.5 degrees+/-0.2 degrees C). Resting metabolic rate increased with body mass (range: 62.0-108.0 kg) and was also correlated with lean mass and lipid mass. Metabolic rates ranged from 293.6 to 512.7 mL O(2) min(-1) and were lowest for pups resting in cold water. Thermal conductance, calculated from metabolic rate and core body temperature, ranged from 3.1 to 15.2 W degrees C(-1), with the highest values in air and the lowest values in cold water. Metabolic responses to the three environmental conditions did not differ with individual variation in body condition. For all elephant seal pups, a consequence of high lipid content is that thermoregulatory costs are greatest on land and lowest in cold water, a pattern that contrasts markedly with terrestrial mammals.     

From daily behavior to hormonal and neurotransmitters rhythms: Comparison between diurnal and nocturnal rat species

Mammalian species can be defined as diurnal or nocturnal, depending on the temporal niche during which they are active. Even if general activity occurs during nighttime in nocturnal rodents, there is a patchwork of general activity patterns in diurnal rodents, including frequent bimodality (so-called crepuscular pattern, i.e., dawn and dusk peaks of activity) and a switch to a nocturnal pattern under certain circumstances. This raises the question of whether crepuscular species have a bimodal or diurnal - as opposed to nocturnal - physiology. To this end, we investigated several daily behavioral, hormonal and neurochemical rhythms in the diurnal Sudanian grass rat (Arvicanthis ansorgei) and the nocturnal Long-Evans rat (Rattus norvegicus). Daily rhythms of general activity, wheel-running activity and body temperature, with or without blocked wheel, were diurnal and bimodal for A. ansorgei, and nocturnal and unimodal for Long-Evans rats. Moreover, A. ansorgei and Long-Evans rats exposed to light-dark cycles were respectively more and less active, compared to conditions of constant darkness. In contrast to other diurnal rodents, wheel availability in A. ansorgei did not switch their general activity pattern. Daily, unimodal rhythm of plasma leptin was in phase-opposition between the two rodent species. In the hippocampus, a daily, unimodal rhythm of serotonin in A. ansorgei occurred 7 h earlier than that in Long-Evans rats, whereas a daily, unimodal rhythm of dopamine was unexpectedly concomitant in both species. Multiparameter analysis demonstrates that in spite of bimodal rhythms linked with locomotor activity, A. ansorgei have a diurnally oriented physiology.     

Photoperiodic control of circadian activity rhythms in diurnal rodents

The responses of red squirrels(Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) and eastern chipmunks(Tamias striatus) to complete and skeleton light-dark (LD) cycles were compared. The skeletons, comprised of two 1-h pulses of light per day, effectively simulated the complete photoperiods in the squirrels, but not the chipmunks. Skeleton photoperiods greater than 12-h caused the chipmunks to shift activity from the longer to the shorter of the two intervals between the pulses. To interpret the mechanism of phase control, squirrels and chipmunks were kept in continuous darkness and exposed to 1-h light pulses every 10 days. The time-course of entrainment was also quantified. Both techniques produced light-response curves. The data suggest that the parametric and non-parametric contributions to entrainment are different in these two rodent species.Presented at the Eighth International Congress of Biometeorology, 9–14 September 1979, Shefayim, Israel.     

Parasite-induced alteration of diurnal rhythms in a freshwater snail

The trematode Microphallus sp. alters the behavior of its snail intermediate host, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, in ways that seem to increase transmission to its final host, e.g., waterfowl, and decrease the probability of being eaten by other predators, e.g., fish. The parasite seems to cause the snail to move from the top to the bottom of rocks at about 0900 hr. Waterfowl feed predominantly before 0900 hr, and fish feed predominantly after 0900 hr. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that Microphallus sp.-infected snails exhibit a change in behavior at around 0900 hr by examining their response to light and vertical orientation before and after 0900 hr. Results demonstrated that uninfected snails generally move toward light, oriented downward, and move a greater distance in the light compared with the dark at all times of day. Microphallus sp.-infected snails behaved differently from uninfected snails in the early morning but similarly to uninfected snails in the late morning with regard to downward orientation and distance moved in response to light. Snails infected with parasites other than Microphallus sp. behaved similarly to uninfected snails during both time periods. These results suggest that Microphallus sp. manipulates the behavior of Potamopyrgus sp. by altering rates of movement in response to light and vertical orientation in a manner consistent with the hypothesized 0900-hr shift.     

Effect of light intensity on broiler behaviour and diurnal rhythms

Light intensity manipulation is an important management tool affecting broiler behaviour and physiology but still there is a debate regarding the optimum level to be used in confinement barns. Two experiments were completed to study the impact of light intensity (1, 10, 20 and 40 lx) on behaviour and diurnal rhythms of broilers raised to 35 d of age. For each experiment, 950 Ross × Ross 308 chicks were housed per room with replication of individual light intensity treatment in two environmentally controlled rooms. Within each large room, a small pen with 25 male and 25 female chicks was used for recording behaviour. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with experiment acting as a block. All chicks were provided with 40 lx intensity and 23 h light until shifting to treatment light intensity and 17 h daylength at 7 d of age. For each replicate, behaviour was recorded for a 24 h period, starting at 16 or 17 d of age. At 23 d of age, three birds per room were bled at the start, middle and end of light and dark periods for melatonin estimation using RIA. When summarized over the 24 and 17 h observation periods, birds exposed to a light intensity of 1 lx rested more (P = 0.01) and preened (P < 0.05) and foraged (P < 0.05) less in comparison to other light intensities. Birds from all treatments exhibited diurnal rhythms for feeding, resting, drinking, walking, standing, foraging and preening behaviours with little or no activity during the 7 h dark phase. The serum melatonin levels at the start, middle and end of light and dark phases were unaffected by light intensity (P > 0.1). In conclusion, light intensity ranges from 1 to 40 lx did not affect melatonin levels or behavioural diurnal rhythms, but birds exposed to a light intensity of 1 lx rested more and preened less, potentially indicating a reduced welfare state.     

Hormonal and metabolic rhythms associated with the daily scheduled nursing in rabbit pups

Young rabbits are nursed every 24 h for a period of 3-5 min. As a consequence, pups are synchronized to this nursing event; this synchronization is characterized by increased locomotor activity and a peaking of core temperature and plasma corticosterone in anticipation of the daily meal. Ghrelin is a hormone suggested to play a role in meal initiation and to promote food intake. The present study explored the role of ghrelin in food-entrained conditions. Newborn rabbits were maintained in constant darkness and nursed once daily at 1000 by the lactating dam. On postnatal day 7, rabbits were killed at six different time points to complete a 24-h cycle. All pups developed locomotor rhythms entrained by mealtime and exhibited anticipatory activity. Food-entrained rhythms in plasma corticosterone and free fatty acids were observed even if two meals were omitted. In contrast, daily food-driven rhythms in stomach weight, plasma glucose, liver glycogen, and ghrelin did not persist when two meals were omitted. Peak ghrelin levels were observed at the moment in the cycle when the stomach weight was lowest, i.e., before initiation of anticipation. The present data are in agreement with previous data from rabbit pups maintained in light-dark conditions and provide evidence that 7- to 9-day-old rabbits in constant darkness can exhibit metabolic and hormonal rhythms mainly driven by the restricted daily nursing.     

Water and temperature relations, and diurnal rhythms of scolopendromorph centipedes

Water is lost by transpiration at relative humidities (R.H.) as high as 98% at 27° C and there is no evidence of the uptake of moisture through the integument from unsaturated air or moist surfaces. Water-loss through transpiration is directly related to saturation deficiency and there is no ‘critical’ transitional temperature at which the cuticle becomes porous. Nevertheless, water is retained more efficiently in Scolopendra than it is in Lithobius, suggesting an adaptation to hot-dry environments. The mean supercooling point of large specimens conditioned in an insectary is -3.1±0.48° and a single supercooling can be injurious or fatal. This indicates that cold winter weather must be avoided by burrowing deeply. Aktograph experiments show that these centipedes are nocturnal. The rhythm persists in darkness at constant temperature, but is quickly lost in constant light.

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Résumé Les Myriapodes étudiés montrent une perte d'eau par évaporation lorsqu'ils sont placés dans une ambiance à 27° et dont l'humidité relative est de 98%; il n'y a aucune indication permettant de penser que ces arthropodes peuvent se rehydrater à partir des surfaces mouillées ou de l'humidité atmosphérique, par prélèvement à travers leur tégument. La perte d'eau par transpiration est directement en rapport avec la déficience de saturation de l'air et il n'y a aucune température critique de transition pour laquelle la cuticule deviendrait perméable à l'eau. Néanmoins l'eau est retenue plus efficacement par Scolopendra que par Lithobius, ce qui suggère chez le premier genre une adaptation aux milieux chauds et secs. Le point de surfusion mesuré pour de grands spécimens maintenus en insectarium, est en moyenne de -3,1±0.48° et un seul choc à cette température de surfusion peut être préjudiciable ou même fatal. Cela indique que ces arthropodes doivent éviter les froids de l'hiver en creusant plus profondément les galeries. Des expériences utilisant un actographe montrent que ces Myriapodes ont une activité nocturne. Le rythme naturel d'activité persiste à l'obscurité et à une température constante, mais il est rapidement perdu par exposition à un éclairement continu.

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This work was carried out during tenure of a National Science Foundation Senior Visiting Scientist Fellowship, for which appreciative acknowledgment is hereby given.     

The effects of melatonin and L-DOPA on the diurnal rhythms of free amino acids content in the rat retina

The effects of melatonin and dopamine precursor L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) intraperitoneal administration on the rhythms of free amino acids content in the retina of rats were studied. The authors found that the levels of those amino acids, which are protein constituents but not neurotransmitters in the rat retina, change diurnally with maximum at 3-6 h after light onset. Diurnal changes of Ala, Arg, Asn, Ile, Met, Ser, Trp, and Val content persisted in the retina of rats maintained at constant darkness. This fact confirms the true circadian nature of these rhythms. Constant lighting abolished diurnal changes of the content of all amino acids with the exception of Trp. Daytime but not nighttime administration of melatonin decreased the levels of Ala, Asn, Gln, Ile, Met, and Ser down to nocturnal values. Diurnal changes of amino acids content vanished in melatonin-injected rats. The effect of melatonin administration disappeared when the protein synthesis was inhibited by cycloheximide. The effect of intraperitoneal administration of L-DOPA on the levels of free amino acids was opposite the effect of melatonin administration. L-DOPA increased nocturnal levels of Gly, Thr, Trp, and Val but had no effect on the daytime amino acids content. As in the case of melatonin administration, significant diurnal changes of amino acid levels disappeared in L-DOPA-injected rats. The authors hypothesize that melatonin and dopamine can serve as zeitgebers-antagonists of amino acids content rhythms in the rat retina.     

Ontogeny of diurnal rhythms of central dopamine, serotonin and spirodecanone binding sites and of motor activity in the rat

The binding of 3H-spiperone to its 3 high affinity sites (dopaminergic D2, serotonergic S2 and spirodecanone site) was determined in forebrain homogenates of 14,30 and 88-90 day old male rats at different times of the day. Diurnal variations were seen in the spirodecanone site from postnatal day 15, in the D2 and S2 sites at the age of 30 days. Each site showed a different diurnal rhythm, moreover, the rhythms of the D2 and S2 sites differed between immature and adult animals. Diurnal variations of motor activity were recorded at the age of 30 and 88-90 days. The two developmental stages differed with respect to the activity pattern of the dark phase. At both stages, the motor activity pattern was found to be a mirror image of the variation in D2 binding sites during the dark phase. Our data point to differences in the regulation of various neuroleptic binding sites in immature and adult animals. They further suggest a link between the dopaminergic D2 site and motor activity which is evident throughout ontogeny.