Blood pressure and heart rate determination by radiotelemetry in mice

Mice are not commonly used in cardiovascular physiology, especially in space physiology because of methodological problems. The initial studies that have monitored arterial pressure and heart rate in mice used the tail cuff plethysmography method or classical catheterization techniques with a catheter liable to an external pressure transducer. But for long term arterial pressure measurements the studies have been facilitated by the development of radiotelemetry. This is a less constraining method as classical one allowing to monitor in continuous in freely moving animal blood pressure, heart rate and temperature. This technique allows to record these parameters thank to an implanted transmitter without physical connection with the monitoring system. The aim of this work was to valid the use of the radiotelemetry in mice to evaluate arterial blood pressure and heart rate during different stress conditions (but only control data are described in this paper).     

侧耳属食用菌高温胁迫条件优化研究

侧耳属真菌是我国最大规模栽培的食用菌,主要是糙皮侧耳Pleurotus ostreatus和白黄侧耳P. cornucopiae。高温是影响侧耳产量和质量的重要因子之一,确定高温胁迫条件是开展高温胁迫机制研究的方法学基础。以糙皮侧耳和白黄侧耳的11个菌株为材料,以硫代巴比妥酸反应产物（thiobarbituric acid reactive substances,TBARS）含量为主要生理指标,结合菌丝形态和生长等微生物学参数,开展了双核体菌丝高温胁迫条件的研究,包括胁迫的适宜温度、时间和菌龄等。结果表明,所有供试材料,高温胁迫后菌丝体内TBARS含量在28-40℃、0-48h范围内与温度和时间呈正相关,与之后的恢复生长率呈负相关,高温胁迫后菌丝体内TBARS含量和之后的恢复生长能力均与自身菌丝体生长和子实体形成的适宜温度无关。TBARS含量可作为菌丝高温胁迫生理研究条件确定的指标。与植物的最适温度加10℃不同,基于TBARS含量的糙皮侧耳和白黄侧耳高温胁迫研究条件应为Difco^TM Potato Dextrose Agar培养基,菌丝培养3d,最适温度加12℃,高温胁迫处理48h。     

Surgical procedure for implanting a radiotelemetry transmitter to monitor ECG, heart rate and body temperature in small Carassius auratus and Carassius auratus gibelio under laboratory conditions

Radiotelemetry provides an alternative means of obtaining physiological measurements from conscious and freely moving animals, without introducing stress artefacts. A surgical procedure is described for implanting radiotelemetry transmitters to monitor the electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate (HR) and body temperature (BT) in small goldfish (Carassius auratus; 50-100 g) and Prussian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio; 100 g). This type of transmitter is commonly implanted in freely moving mice. After surgery and a recovery period of 24 h, the ECG, HR and BT were recorded in freely swimming fish within the limitations of the aquarium.     

Modeling heat stress effects on dairy cattle milk production in a tropical environment using test-day records and random regression models

In tropical environments, dairy cattle production is constrained by several factors, including climate. The seasonal loss of milk due to heat stress is a recurring challenge for many dairy producers. The objective of this study was to detect heat stress thresholds, milk yield loss and individual animal variations using random regression models for dairy cattle from test-day milk records. Data were obtained from the Kenya Livestock Breeders Organization for the years 2000–2017 and merged with weather data. The weather parameters were grid-interpolated solar and meteorological data obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources (NASA/POWER). After editing, the records comprised 49 993, 45 251 and 36 136 test-day records for first, second, and third lactations, respectively, for the four main dairy breeds: Friesian (68.0%), Ayrshire (21.1%), Jersey (7.6%) and Guernsey (3.3%). Variance components were estimated using Restricted Maximum Likelihood in ASReml software. Random regression models with third-order Legendre polynomials were fitted to the average and individual lactation curves and the reaction norms. An extended factor analytic variance structure for the random cow effects was used to estimate (co)variances between days in milk and thermal load. The daily average temperature (TA) and temperature humidity index (THI) were identified as the most suitable thermal load indicators for assessing milk yield losses. Considering a one day lag, the estimated heat stress thresholds were about 22 °C and 69 index units for TA and THI, respectively. Almost no differences were observed for estimated residual variances between the thermal load indicators, indicating there was no better model fit by TA or THI. The heat stress thresholds and milk loss patterns are important for management of dairy production systems in the tropics with climatic conditions similar to this study. Data recording should be improved as a tool to monitor the expected impacts of climate change and mitigation measures.     

施肥对小麦冠层温度的影响及其与生物学性状的关联

利用红外测温仪等研究了不同施肥处理对小麦冠层温度的影响。结果表明 :不同施肥处理可改变小麦基因型的冠层温度 ,对于同一基因型品种 ,养分胁迫越严重 ,冠层温度越高 ;籽粒灌浆期旗叶叶绿素含量、可溶性蛋白质含量、蒸腾速率、净光合速率及一些农艺性状与冠层温度呈显著负相关。这表明 ,优良的生物学性状和较低的冠层温度相联系 ,冠层温度的高低可能成为反映水、肥等栽培措施是否科学合理的便捷而较准确的指标     

A generalised additive model to characterise dairy cows’ responses to heat stress

Heat stress is one of the most critical issues jeopardising animal welfare and productivity during the warm season in dairy cattle farms. The global trend of increase in average and peak temperatures is making the problem more and more serious. Many devices have been introduced in livestock farms to monitor and control temperature-humidity index, as well as animal behaviour and production parameters. The consequent availability of collected databases has increasingly enhanced the research aimed to understand the consequences of heat stress in cattle, in relation to genetic, reproductive, productive and behavioural features. Moreover, these investigations laid the foundations for the development, calibration, validation and test of numerical models quantifying the individual responses to heat stress conditions. In this work, a generalised additive model with mixed effects has been developed to analyse the relationship between milk production, animal behaviour and environmental parameters based on data surveyed in 2016 in an Italian dairy farm. Each cow has been characterised in terms of her response to heat conditions, and the results led to define three classes of susceptibility to heat stress within the herd. These attributes have then been related to the various phenotypic parameters collected by the precision livestock farming devices used in the farm. The study provides a model to understand the effects of heat stress conditions on individual animals in relation to the main parameters describing their rearing conditions; moreover, the results contribute to improve the herd management by lending indications to define targeted treatments according to the cow’s characteristics.     

The microclimate of the nests of waterfowl

A sophisticated radiotelemetry system was used to monitor continuously the temperature, relative humidity and the incidence of parental movement sufficient to admit light to, or turn the eggs in, the nest cup of (number of days recordings m parenthesis): Black Swan Cygnus atratus (68); Barnacle Goose Hrantal leucopsis (70); Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus (28) and Greylag Goose Ansev anser (26). The following features were common to all the nests: (1) a slow rise in the temperature of the nest cup with the onset of incuhation; (2) a temperature gradient in the vertical plane of the nest cup throughout incubation; (3) a diurnal rhythm in the temperature and humidity of the nest cup, this being caused by bird behaviour rather than the ambient environment; (4) nesting materials dried out during incubation thereby accentuating the steepness of the diffusion gradient between a real egg and the atmosphere of the nest cup; (5) the eggs, which were turned between 0.594.95 times an hour, were rotated mainly around their long axes.     

Dietary curcumin supplementation effects on blood immunological profile and liver enzymatic activity of laying hens after exposure to high temperature conditions

Various environmental factors affect livestock production but heat stress is a major challenge in the poultry farming. Poultry exposes to high temperature alters blood immunological parameters and liver enzymatic function which in turn, suppress the immunity and disease resistance of chickens. Thus, the purpose of present study was to explore the effect of dietary curcumin supplementation on blood immunological biomarker and liver enzymatic activity of laying hens under heat stress conditions. Experimental groups contained two control groups (normal temperature control (NC) and heat stress control (HC) and 3 heat stress curcumin treatment groups (HT100, HT200 and HT300). Hens in HC group with basal diet and heat stress curcumin treatment groups were exposed 6 h/day heat stress (32 ± 1 °C) from 10:00 a.m. to 16:00 p.m. for 9 week. The results of present study showed that heat stressed curcumin treatment group had improved liver weight, WBC values and immunoglobulin level as compared to untreated HC and NC groups. The available results also indicated that laying hens supplemented with curcumin under high temperature conditions had reduced H/L ratio, serum corticosterone levels, inflammatory cytokines response and liver enzymatic activity (ALT) which enhanced the immunity of laying hens under hot climatic conditions. Therefore, it is concluded that curcumin has ability to combat harsh environmental conditions which can be used as anti-inflammatory and immune booster feed additive in the poultry nutrition.     

不同海带品系抗氧化系统活性与耐热性的相关性研究

以山东沿海广泛培育的两个海带品系耐高温海带901(简称901)和热敏感海带荣成1号(简称RC)为实验材料,研究不同温度条件下其抗氧化系统活性与耐热性状的相关性.结果表明,常温条件下(10℃)901与RC抗氧化系统的基础活性与耐热性状间无显著相关.高温胁迫条件下(18℃)RC体内的活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)含量快速升高,而901的ROS在整个胁迫过程中变化不大,说明ROS可能对高温氧化胁迫具有重要意义.RC的抗氧化系统对高温胁迫比901敏感,表现为出现活性有效抑制的时间和幅度都强于901.超氧化物歧化酶、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶和抗坏血酸和维生素E可能在保护海带细胞免受高温胁迫方面具有重要作用.901的叶绿素对高温胁迫的响应明显滞后于RC,叶绿素含量的半伤害时间可作为判定幼苗期901和RC耐热性的灵敏指标.导致不同品系海带耐热性差异的并非其抗氧化系统基础活性的高低,而是该系统对高温胁迫的应激性和敏感性差异.     

Temperature, comfort and pollution levels during heat waves and the role of sea breeze

During the summer of 2007 several Greek regions suffered periods of extreme heat, with midday temperatures of over 40°C on several consecutive days. High temperatures were also recorded on the east coast of central Greece, where a complex sea breeze circulation system frequently develops. The more intense events occurred at the end of June and July. The highest temperatures were observed on 26 June and 25 July, while the sea breeze developed only on 25 July. Meteorological data collected at two sites—a coastal urban location and an inland suburban site that is not reached by the sea breeze flow—as well as pollution data collected at the urban site, were analysed in order to investigate the relationship between sea breeze development and the prevailing environmental conditions during these two heat wave events. The analysis revealed that sea breeze development affects temperature and pollution levels at the shoreline significantly, causing a decrease of ~4°C from the maximum temperature value and an increase of ~30% in peak PM10 levels. Additionally, several stress indices were calculated in order to assess heat comfort conditions at the two sites. It was found that nocturnal comfort levels are determined mainly by the urban heat island effect, the intensity of which reaches up to 8°C, while the applied indices do not demonstrate any significant daytime thermal stress relief due to sea breeze development.     

Effects of thermal acclimation on transcriptional responses to acute heat stress in the eurythermal fish Gillichthys mirabilis (Cooper)

The capacities of eurythermal ectotherms to withstand wide ranges of temperature are based, in part, on abilities to modulate gene expression as body temperature changes, notably genes encoding proteins of the cellular stress response. Here, using a complementary DNA microarray, we investigated the sequence in which cellular stress response-linked genes are expressed during acute heat stress, to elucidate how severity of stress affects the categories of genes changing expression. We also studied how prior acclimation history affected gene expression in response to acute heat stress. Eurythermal goby fish (Gillichthys mirabilis) were acclimated to 9 ± 0.5, 19 ± 0.5, and 28 ± 0.5°C for 1 mo. Then fish were given an acute heat ramp (4°C/h), and gill tissues were sampled every +4°C to monitor gene expression. The average onset temperature for a significant change in expression during acute stress increased by ～2°C for each ～10°C increase in acclimation temperature. For some genes, warm acclimation appeared to obviate the need for expression change until the most extreme temperatures were reached. Sequential expression of different categories of genes reflected severity of stress. Regardless of acclimation temperature, the gene encoding heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was upregulated strongly during mild stress; the gene encoding the proteolytic protein ubiquitin (UBIQ) was upregulated at slightly higher temperatures; and a gene encoding a protein involved in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (CDKN1B), was upregulated only under extreme stress. The tiered, stress level-related expression patterns and the effects of acclimation on induction temperature yield new insights into the fundamental mechanisms of eurythermy.     

Neurotensin analog NT77 induces regulated hypothermia in the rat

The potential use of hypothermia as a therapeutic treatment for stroke and other pathological insults has prompted the search for drugs that can lower core temperature. Ideally, a drug is needed that reduces the set-point for control of core temperature (T(c)) and thereby induces a regulated reduction in T(c). To this end, a neurotensin analog (NT77) that crosses the blood brain barrier and induces hypothermia was assessed for its effects on the set-point for temperature regulation in the Sprague-Dawley rat by measuring behavioral and autonomic thermoregulatory responses. Following surgical implanation of radiotransmitters to monitor T(c), rats were placed in a temperature gradient and allowed to select from a range of ambient temperatures (T(a)) while T(c) was monitored by radiotelemetry. There was an abrupt decrease in selected T(a) from 29 to 16 degrees C and a concomitant reduction in T(c) from 37.4 to 34.0 degrees C 1 hr after IP injection of 5.0 mg/kg NT77. Selected T(a) and T(c) then recovered to control levels by 1.5 hr and 4 hr, respectively. Oxygen consumption (M) and heat loss (H) were measured in telemetered rats housed in a direct calorimeter maintained at a T(a) of 23.5 degrees C. Injection of NT77 initially led to a reduction in M, little change in H, and marked decrease in T(c). H initially rose but decreased around the time of the maximal decrease in T(c). Overall, NT77 appears to induce a regulated hypothermic response because the decrease in T(c) was preceded by a reduction in heat production, no change in heat loss, and preference for cold T(a)'s. Inducing a regulated hypothermic response with drugs such as NT77 may be an important therapy for ischemic disease and other insults.     

黄瓜幼苗光合作用对高温胁迫的响应与适应

以‘津优35号’黄瓜幼苗为试材,研究高温(HT: 42 ℃/32 ℃)和亚高温(SHT: 35 ℃/25 ℃)胁迫对黄瓜幼苗光合作用及生长量的影响.结果表明: 高温、亚高温明显抑制幼苗生长.随着胁迫时间的延长,黄瓜幼苗叶片的光合速率(P_n)逐渐降低,胞间CO₂浓度(C_i)趋于升高,气孔导度(g_s)、蒸腾速率(T_r)、光呼吸速率(P_r)和暗呼吸速率(D_r)先上升后下降,高温、亚高温引起P_n降低的主要原因是非气孔限制.高温、亚高温可使黄瓜幼苗叶片的暗下光系统Ⅱ最大光化学效率(F_v/F_m)、光下实际光化学效率(Φ_PSII)、光化学猝灭系数(q_P)和电子传递效率(ETR)显著降低,初始荧光(F_o)和非化学猝灭系数(NPQ)逐渐升高.随着胁迫时间的延长,HT处理的RuBP羧化酶(RuBPCase)和Rubisco活化酶(RCA)活性及其mRNA表达量逐渐降低,而SHT处理的胁迫初期变化不大,3 d后趋于降低;HT和SHT处理的景天庚酮糖-1,7-二磷酸酶(SBPase)和果糖-1,6-二磷酸醛缩酶(FBA)活性与mRNA表达均呈先升高后降低趋势.可见,适宜光强下短时亚高温处理黄瓜幼苗不会产生明显光抑制,高温胁迫会对其PSⅡ反应中心造成严重损伤;光合酶受高温胁迫诱导,但其诱导效应与温度升高幅度和高温持续时间有关.     

Influence of environmental enrichment and handling on the acute stress response in individually housed mice

In this study we investigated the effect of environmental enrichment and handling on the acute physiological stress response caused by short periods of restraint in individually housed female mice. Heart rate (HR) and body temperature (BT) were measured by radiotelemetry and compared with plasma corticosterone (pCORT) levels. Also, postmortem thymus weight and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity were assessed. The acute stress response was seen in both HR and BT. Enrichment and handling were found to increase rather than decrease this stress response, but pCORT values, measured 90 min after restraint, suggested a lower stress response in the enriched groups. No effect was found with thymus weight or TH as parameters.     

双孢蘑菇对高温胁迫的响应及耐热机理

本研究以双孢蘑菇Agaricus bisporus工厂化菌株A15和筛选得到的耐高温菌株A15-TH为研究对象,比较了高温胁迫对两个菌株菌丝生长的影响,并从氧化损伤修复及基础碳代谢-糖酵解途径两个角度探索双孢蘑菇对高温胁迫的响应及耐热机理.高温胁迫下,对照菌株A15的菌丝生长速度降低,菌丝分叉增加;而耐高温菌株A15-...     

Heat Shock Protein Reports on Proteome Stress

Proper regulation of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) is essential to maintain cellular fitness. Proteome stress causes imbalance of the proteostasis, leading to various diseases represented by neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, and metabolic disorders. The biosensor community recently embarked on the development of proteome stress sensors to report on the integrity of proteostasis in live cells. While most of these sensors are based on metastable mutants of specific client proteins, a recent sensor takes advantage of the specific association of heat shock protein 27 with protein aggregates and exhibits a diffusive to punctate fluorescent change in cells that are subjected to stress conditions. Thus, heat shock proteins can be also used as a family of sensors to monitor proteome stress.     

Accelerated protein aggregation induced by macrophage migration inhibitory factor under heat stress conditions

Kinetics of thermal aggregation of model protein substrates (glycogen phosphorylase b from rabbit skeletal muscle and yeast alcohol dehydrogenase) were investigated under heat stress conditions (41-48 degrees C) in the presence of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a heat-stable hydrophobic protein (12.5 kD). Anti-chaperone MIF activity found by turbidimetry manifests itself in significantly accelerated protein aggregation and increased limiting value of apparent optical absorption at 360 nm and t --> infinity in the sub-stoichiometric range of MIF concentrations. The aggregation kinetics is shown to have cooperative character. Possible reversibility of aggregation after removal of denaturing conditions was demonstrated using alcohol dehydrogenase aggregation at a temperature close to the physiological level (41.5 degrees C). This reversibility is caused by solubility of aggregates and stabilization of oligomeric structure of the substrate as a result of MIF binding to the partially denatured protein. The data suggest that in spite of distinct anti-chaperone effect, the chaperone-like activity of MIF can be observed in the case of heat stress removal and restoration of the system to normal conditions.     

How specialized volatiles respond to chronic and short‐term physiological and shock heat stress in Brassica nigra

Brassicales release volatile glucosinolate breakdown products upon tissue mechanical damage, but it is unclear how the release of glucosinolate volatiles responds to abiotic stresses such as heat stress. We used three different heat treatments, simulating different dynamic temperature conditions in the field to gain insight into stress‐dependent changes in volatile blends and photosynthetic characteristics in the annual herb Brassica nigra (L.) Koch. Heat stress was applied by either heating leaves through temperature response curve measurements from 20 to 40 °C (mild stress), exposing plants for 4 h to temperatures 25–44 °C (long‐term stress) or shock‐heating leaves to 45–50 °C. Photosynthetic reduction through temperature response curves was associated with decreased stomatal conductance, while the reduction due to long‐term stress and collapse of photosynthetic activity after heat shock stress were associated with non‐stomatal processes. Mild stress decreased constitutive monoterpene emissions, while long‐term stress and shock stress resulted in emissions of the lipoxygenase pathway and glucosinolate volatiles. Glucosinolate volatile release was more strongly elicited by long‐term stress and lipoxygenase product released by heat shock. These results demonstrate that glucosinolate volatiles constitute a major part of emission blend in heat‐stressed B. nigra plants, especially upon chronic stress that leads to induction responses.     

The temperature response of CO2 assimilation, photochemical activities and Rubisco activation in Camelina sativa, a potential bioenergy crop with limited capacity for acclimation to heat stress

The temperature optimum of photosynthesis coincides with the average daytime temperature in a species’ native environment. Moderate heat stress occurs when temperatures exceed the optimum, inhibiting photosynthesis and decreasing productivity. In the present study, the temperature response of photosynthesis and the potential for heat acclimation was evaluated for Camelina sativa, a bioenergy crop. The temperature optimum of net CO₂ assimilation rate (A) under atmospheric conditions was 30–32?°C and was only slightly higher under non-photorespiratory conditions. The activation state of Rubisco was closely correlated with A at supra-optimal temperatures, exhibiting a parallel decrease with increasing leaf temperature. At both control and elevated temperatures, the modeled response of A to intercellular CO₂ concentration was consistent with Rubisco limiting A at ambient CO₂. Rubisco activation and photochemical activities were affected by moderate heat stress at lower temperatures in camelina than in the warm-adapted species cotton and tobacco. Growth under conditions that imposed a daily interval of moderate heat stress caused a 63?% reduction in camelina seed yield. Levels of cpn60 protein were elevated under the higher growth temperature, but acclimation of photosynthesis was minimal. Inactivation of Rubisco in camelina at temperatures above 35?°C was consistent with the temperature response of Rubisco activase activity and indicated that Rubisco activase was a prime target of inhibition by moderate heat stress in camelina. That photosynthesis exhibited no acclimation to moderate heat stress will likely impact the development of camelina and other cool season Brassicaceae as sources of bioenergy in a warmer world.