Low metabolic rate in a nocturnal desert lizard,an arbylus switaki murphy (Sauria: Gekkonidae)

• 1.1. Metabolic rates were measured in two xeric-adapted gekkonid lizards, Anarbylus switaki sind Coleonyx variegatus.
• 2.2. Standard metabolic rates (SMR) were 0.074 ml O₂/g hr in A. switaki and were 70% of the value predicted on the basis of mass from regression equations. The SMR of 0.146ml O₂/ghr in C. variegatus is similar to the predicted value for a lizard of this mass.
• 3.3. During intense activity, metabolic rates of 0.378 and 0.804ml O₂/g hr were measured in A. switaki and C. variegatus, respectively.
• 4.4. Various theories to explain reduced SMR in lizards are discussed, and it is concluded that none is entirely satisfactory, and caution should be exercised in interpreting the adaptive significance of reduced SMR.

     

Metabolic responses of Cassin's Finches (Carpodacus cassinii) to temperature

• 1.1. The thermal neutral zone of Cassin's Finches extends from 22 to 37.5°C.
• 2.2. Standard metabolism (40.1 Wm⁻² or 7.6kcal bird⁻¹ day⁻¹) of the 28 g birds was 89% of the value predicted for passerines measured at night.
• 3.3. At temperatures below the zone of thermal neutrality metabolism is described by the relation, Wm⁻² = 1.55–74.5°C. The coefficient of heat transfer (1.55Wm⁻²°C⁻¹) is only 58% of the value predicted for birds of this size, indicating excellent insulation.
• 4.4. At temperatures above thermal neutralzfsity metabolism is described by the relation, Wm⁻² = 2.75–62.6°C.
• 5.5. Under conditions of heat stress (44.5°C; P_H2O = 8.6 Torr) Cassin's Finches were able to dissipate up to 208% of their metabolic heat production by evaporative water loss. Maximal rate of water loss was 56 mg g⁻¹ hr⁻¹.
• 6.6. At 20°C resting fasted finches lost a mean of 4.94 ± 1.5 SD mg H₂O g⁻¹hr⁻¹.

     

Reabsorption and accumulation of α-amino-iso-butyric acid in the nephridia of Sabella pavonina Sa vigny (Annelida polychaeta)

• 1.l. High amino acid concentrations were found in the anterior coelomic fluid of a Polychaeta (Sabella pavonina Savigny).
• 2.2. The concentrations being much higher in the fluid which penetrates the nephrostomia into the nephridia lumen than in the final urine indicates that the nephridia reabsorbs large amounts of amino acids.
• 3.3. Nephridial perfusion experiments showed that an amino acid analogue (α-amino-iso-butyric acid, AIB) is transported by the nephidia.
• 4.4. The transport took place across the nephridial wall owing to the presence of a carrier-mediated transport system and a diffusion system.
• 5.5. For the carrier-mediated transport, the V_max was 0.234 ± 0.025 nmol·min⁻ and the K_m 3.715 ± 0.315mmol·l⁻.
• 6.6. AIB accumulated in the nephridial cells up to a maximum rate of 01.17 nmol·min⁻.
• 7.7. Intracellular accumulation stopped increasing when the V_max for reabsorption was reached.
• 8.8. These results indicate that the carrier-mediated transport of AIB is located at the apical membrane of the nephridial cell, and that AIB transport by simple diffusion takes place through the paracellular pathway.

     

Metabolic energy of intact honey bee colonies

• 1.1. In late winter, oxygen consumption of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) clusters showed marked 24-hr periodicity, even when held under constant temperature conditions.
• 2.2. Minimal rates of metabolism (as low as 3.4 w kg ⁻¹) were usually reached at night (ca. 0500 hr), and maximum rates (as high as 33.5 w kg⁻¹) in midday (ca. 1400 hr).
• 3.3. Colonies with brood showed less excursion in daily metabolic rate, by maintaining higher night-time levels.
• 4.4. There is a pronounced decrease in metabolic rate for the intact cluster of 9480–23,394 bees from the rates reported for individuals or small groups of bees.

     

The dynamics of the permeation of an analogue of insect juvenile hormone into nematodes

• 1.1. ¹⁴C-dichlorofarnesoate permeated rapidly into Haemonchus contortus (infective juveniles) and Panagrellus redivivus (mixed cultures) and was strongly bound by hydrophobic association (K_s > 10⁻⁴M).
• 2.2. Uptake rose linearly with increases in temperature (5–38°C) and external concentration (C₀; 0.07–2.15 × 10⁻⁴ M). Within 1 hr the internal concentration, C₁ was >C C₀.
• 3.3. The pH of the medium (6–8) did not affect uptake.
• 4.4. Efflux of dichlorofarnesoate was low: the half-time of release was > 18 hr.
• 5.5. The uptake curve approximated to the expression C₁/C₀ = a(1 − e^−bt) with a and b as constants and t in hr.
• 6.6. These results clarify previous work on the inhibitory action of juvenile hormone on the development of nematodes.

     

Respiration and energetics in west indian gorgonacea (Anthozoa,octocorallia)

• 1.1. The rates of oxygen consumption of five species of Gorgonacea were determined and their daily energy requirements for metabolism were estimated.
• 2.2. Oxygen consumption rates varied between 0.15 and 0.76 mg O₂ g organic matter⁻¹ hr⁻¹.
• 3.3. Daily energy requirements varied between 13 and 66 cal g organic matter⁻¹ d⁻¹.
• 4.4. Energy costs for maintenance were somewhat lower than in other reef-dwelling Anthozoa.

     

Hypoxia adaptation in the crayfish procambarus clarki

• 1.1. P. elarki is an oxyconformer, with an oxygen uptake rate of 144 ± 4 μl/g wet wt/hr at oxygen tensions above 90% saturation and an uptake rate of 18 ± 3 μl g wet wt/hr at 15 torr.
• 2.2. Between 159 and 40 tort, blood pH decreases slightly from 7.77 ± 0.03 to 7.65 ± .04, and at 15 torr, blood pH drops to 7.36 ± 0.06.
• 3.3. At normoxia, blood lactate levels are low at 0.66 ± 0.01 mM/l blood. After 2 and 5 hr exposure to 15 tort, blood lactate levels increase to 3.29 ± 0.47 and 8.91 ± 0.14 mM/l blood, respectively. Upon return to normoxia, blood lactate levels decrease and are comparable to normoxic controls after 13 hr.
• 4.4. During mild hypoxia, P. elarki maintains adequate oxygen transport by utilizing a high O₂ affinity hemocyanin in conjunction with a low metabolic demand by its tissues.

     

Metabolic and behavioral responses of American kestrels to food deprivation

• 1.1. The effect of short-term (79 hr) food deprivation at 27°C on body mass, locomotor activity, body temperature (T_b), and resting oxygen consumption was determined in eleven American kestrels (Falco sparverius).
• 2.2. The change in body mass during resting followed the relation, % mass remaining = 99 e^{0.07(days fasting)}. There was no significant difference in the rate of relative mass loss between males and females.
• 3.3. Locomotor activity, measured as perch hopping, was highly variable in both control and fasted birds and showed no correlation with stage of the fast, basal metabolic rate (BMR), or rate of mass loss during food deprivation.
• 4.4. Body temperatures of fasted birds declined continuously by 0.2–0.4°C per day from 39.3 to 38.3°C.
• 5.5. Both males and females responded to food deprivation with a decrease in metabolism. By the third night of fasting, BMR had declined 23.4% from 0.845 W (bird day)⁻¹ to 0.647 W (bird day)⁻¹. The observed reduction in BMR is 2.4 times that expected from a 1°C decline in T_b (assuming Q₁₀ = 2.5) indicating active suppression of metabolism.

     

The effect of salinity on coelomic fluid osmolyte concentration and intracellular water content in Luidia clathrata (Say) (Echinodermata: Asteroidea)

• 1.1. The concentrations (mM) of osmolytes in the coelomic fluid of Luidia clathrata kept at 25‰S seawater (control individuals) were: 345, Na⁺; 10, K⁺; 10, Ca²⁺; 44, Mg²⁺; 387, Cl⁻; 0.67, amino acids; 0.09, NH₄⁺.
• 2.2. When individuals were transferred from 25‰S to 15‰S or 35‰S, the concentrations of inorganic ions in the coelomic fluid usually equilibrated within 24hr and became the same as those in the medium.
• 3.3. The intracellular water content (g intracellular H₂O/g solute-free dry tissue) of the pyloric caeca and tube feet of control individuals throughout the experiment was 2.13 and 5.40, respectively.
• 4.4. In tissues of individuals transferred to 15‰S, the intracellular water content increased by an average 50% in 12 hr but returned to 19% above control levels during 1 week.
• 5.5. In tissues of individuals transferred to 35‰S, the intracellular water content decreased by an average 17% in 12 hr and did not change during 1 week.
• 6.6. Luidia clathrata is an osmoconformer and partial cell volume regulator within the seasonal salinity range it encounters.

     

The oxygen consumption rates of three gastrotrichs

• 1.1. The oxygen consumption rates for three sympatric species of marine gastrotrichs (anatomically similar, except that one contains hemoglobin) were measured with a Cartesian diver microrespirometer.
• 2.2. The rates for the two species without hemoglobin, Turbanella ocellata and Dolichodasys carolinensis, were 307.2 μl O₂ g⁻¹ hr⁻¹ and 108.0 μl O₂ g⁻¹ hr⁻¹, respectively, while the rate for the hemoglobin-containing species, Neodasys, was 208.9 μl O₂ g⁻¹ hr⁻¹.
• 3.3. The possession of hemoglobin by Neodasys (14% by volume) cannot be explained by an unusually high demand for oxygen.
• 4.4. Instead, the hemoglobin may be useful as an oxygen store providing continued aerobic metabolism in anoxic conditions, thus allowing Neodasys to exploit a different niche.

     

A re-examination of the relationship between thermal conductance and body weight in mammals

• 1.1. The following equation based on 230 conductance values for 192 species of mammals of body weights ranging from 3.5 to 150,000 g describes the relationship of conductance below thermal neutrality to body weight in mammals: C = 0.760 W^−0.426, where C has units of mlO₂/g·h·°C and W is body weight in g.
• 2.2. Bats, order Chiroptera, have conductance values higher than predicted from body weight; conductance is predicted by the equation : C = 1.54 W^−0.54.
• 3.3. Heteromyid and cricetid rodents have conductance values below predicted and the following equations predict conductance in these two families. C = 0.62 W^−0.44 and C = 1.03 W^−0.54, respectively.

     

Acute toxicity and bioaccumulation of endosulfan in rotifer (Brachionus calyciflorus)

• 1.1. The acute toxicity of endosulfan was determined for the freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus.
• 2.2. The mean 24 hr lc₅₀ value for endosulfan was 5.15 ppm with a coefficient of variation of 14.7%.
• 3.3. Rotifers were exposed at two sublethal concentrations (1.5–2.0 ppm) of endosulfan for bioaccumulation experiments, for an exposure time of 24, 48, 72 and 96 hr. The rotifers were fed with Nannochloris oculata (5 × 10⁵cell/ml).
• 4.4. The highest accumulation of endosulfan was found 24 hr after the start of the exposure to 1.5 ppm of the toxicant. A steady-state concentration in rotifer was reached between 24–48 hr, followed by a gradual decrease until 96 hr.

     

Characterization of NaK ATPase from the gills of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man)

• 1.1. The specific activity of Na-K ATPase was determined from the microsomal preparation of gills dissected from adult Macrobrachium rosenbergii.
• 2.2. Maximal ATPase activity was achieved at a substrate concentration of 0.5 mM ATP.
• 3.3. Optimal enzyme activity was obtained at pH of 7.5.
• 4.4. The Arrhenius plot of Na-K ATPase activity revealed a marked discontinuity at 30°C. “Mg” ATPase activity did not exhibit a marked discontinuity.
• 5.5. The E_a for Na-K ATPase and “Mg” ATPase was 14.6 kCal/mole and 9.31 kCal/mole respectively. Q₁₀ values for Na-K ATPase was 2.34 and for “Mg” ATPase 1.65.
• 6.6. ATPase activity and gill homogenate protein concentration exhibited a linear relationship up to 130 μg protein/ml.
• 7.7. Na-K ATPase activity was inhibited by 10⁻³ M ouabain. It was equally inhibited by the removal of K⁺ from the reaction medium.

     

The energy costs of temperature regulation in birds: The influence of quick sinusoidal temperature fluctuations on the gaseous metabolism of the japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

• 1.1. Quick sinusoidal temperature fluctuations (constant average 10°C) cause an increase in metabolism in comparison to an invariable constant ambient temperature of the same dimension.
• 2.2. At the observed mean value of 10°C metabolism is increased by 0.8% per 1 K/hr based on the values of resting metabolic rate (correlation: M = 53.5 + 0.445 T_a, M in J/K g hr, T_a = ambient temperature change in K/hr) and 0.6% based on the values of activity metabolism (M = 70.4 + 0.425 T_a).
• 3.3. The absolute augmentation of metabolism per 1 K/hr is, by comparison, the same for day and night. Its amount is 0.42 and 0.43 J/K g hr respectively.
• 4.4. In the response of metabolism to temperature fluctuations no differences could be found with respect to the amplitude and frequency modifications of temperature.
• 5.5. The increase of energy consumption is probably caused to a greater extent by “overshoot” of the feedback control system in the course of adjusting metabolism to new levels according to the ambient temperature conditions.
• 6.6. Short term ambient temperature changes (i.e. measuring different temperature levels in one night to test basic metabolism vs ambient temperature) cannot produce reasonable values for basic metabolic rate, since these artificially high values reflect the testing procedure.

     

Laboratory studies on the oxygen consumption of the marine teleost,Lichia amia (Linnaeus, 1758)

• 1.1. The oxygen consumption of the marine teleost, Lichia amia was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions.
• 2.2. The routine oxygen consumption showed a strong circadian rhythm with the fish being mainly active during the light period.
• 3.3. The specific mass exponent (dimension: μg O₂/g/hr) is temperature independent and ranges from 0.27–0.29.
• 4.4. Starving the fish results in a mean decrease in active, routine and standard oxygen consumption of 21%, 24% and 20%, respectively.
• 5.5. Feecling led to an increase in the oxygen consumption of the teleosts, with the mean metabolic rate over the 24 hr that followed, being 58% and 50% higher for fish that had been starved for 162hr and 40 hr, respectively.
• 6.6. Apparent SDA showed some variation and ranged from 6.0 to 35.5%.
• 7.7. The results obtained are generally in agreement with those recorded for other teleosts.

     

Purification and properties of tetralysine endopeptidase from Escherichia coli AJ005

• 1.1. A new tetralysine endopeptidase from Escherichia coli AJ005 has been purified about 135-fold.
• 2.2. The peptidase seems to be specific to tetralysine among lysine homopolymers.
• 3.3. The optimal pH was about 7.5
• 4.4. The activity was inhibited by KCN but not inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor.
• 5.5. The apparent K_m value was 2.5 × 1O⁻³ M for tetralysine.

     

Water fluxes and urine production in blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) as a function of environmental salinity

• 1.1. Water efflux and urine production rates were measured in blue crabs acclimated to several salinities.
• 2.2. In 100% seawater the mean rate of water efflux (31.3 ml/100g hr⁻¹) was significantly greater than that in 50% seawater (18.9 ml/100 g hr⁻¹.
• 3.3. Water efflux was directly related to body weight.
• 4.4. The mean urine production rate was significantly greater in crabs acclimated to 50% and 30% seawater (0.17 and 0.18 ml/100g hr⁻¹) than in animals conditioned to 100% seawater (0.09 ml/100 g hr⁻¹).
• 5.5. The difference between theoretical net water fluxes for crabs exposed to 100% seawater and 50% seawater was similar to the difference in urine output in the same salinities, demonstrating the importance of the antennal gland in volume regulation.

     

The effect of temperature on the acid-base status of the blood of the hatching quail (Coturnix c. japonica)

• 1.1. The ambient temperature of embryos of pipped eggs was reduced from 38 to 28°C for a period of 45 min.
• 2.2. The blood P_CO2 was lower and the blood more alkaline at 28°C than at 38°C.
• 3.3. At 28°C plasma [HCO₃⁻] ] was lower than predicted from the blood buffer line determined in vitro.
• 4.4. The plasma concentrations of strong ions and lactate were the same at both temperatures.
• 5.5. After the ambient temperature had been returned to 38°C for a period of 45 min, blood pH was more acidic than before cooling, but there was no difference in blood P_CO2.
• 6.6. The plasma [HCO₃⁻] was the same as that at 28°C and plasma [K⁺] was higher than before cooling.
• 7.7. The results arc discussed in relation to the factors affecting blood pH in embryos at this stage of development.

     

Energy metabolism and body temperature in 13 sunbird species (Nectariniidae)

• 1.1. Diurnal cycles of body temperature, T_b, and energy metabolism, M, at different ambient temperatures (T_a: +5 −+ 32°C) were tested in 13 sunbird species from various habitats and of different body masses (5.2–14.2 g) including one of the smallest passerines, Aethopyga christinae.
• 2.2. Resting M-level (night) reaches T_a-dependent mean values of 54% (+5°C) and 49% (+25°C) of activity M-levels (day). Expected level is ca 75%.
• 3.3. Resting metabolic rate of sunbirds lies within the range of theoretically expected values for birds.
• 4.4. Mean linear metabolism-weight regression of the night values follows: M = 0.102 × W^0.712 (M = energy metabolism in kJ/hr and W = body mass in g).
• 5.5. Thermal conductances, T_c, are lower (−24%) than the predicted values. This is caused by a decrease of T_b at low T_a. Mean nocturnal T_c is 3.2 J/g × hr × °C, mean day-time value is 4.3 J/g × hr × °C.
• 6.6. The zone of thermoneutrality is, in most species, within a T_a-range of 24–28°C.
• 7.7. Normal day and night levels of T_b are in the same range as reported for other birds of the same weight class. T_b decreases slightly with falling T_a (partial heterothermia). Lowest recorded T_b was 34.2°C.
• 8.8. No species tested showed any sign of torpor at night, independent of T_a, body mass or habitat origin.

     

Temperature shift-induced changes in the antioxidant enzyme system of Cyanobacterium synechocystis PCC 6803

• 1.1. Effect of controlled up- and down-shifts of growth temperature on the antioxidant enzymes activities and lipid peroxidation were investigated in intact cells of Cyanobacterium synechocystis PCC 6803 acclimated at different growth temperature.
• 2.2. Algal cells grown at 36°C were treated at 20 and 43°C as down- and upward-shifts of growth temperature for 24 hr, respectively. At the down-shift of growth temperature the superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly increased with concomitant decrease in protein content.
• 3.3. These parameters showed similar temperature dependencies in the up-shift of growth temperature, they were decreased significantly.
• 4.4. The increased hydroxyl (HO) radical and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) formation, when algal cells exposed to down-shift of growth temperature, supposedly due to stimulated production of superoxide radicals (O₂⁻) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) at lower temperature.