光照和温度对大绒鼠产热特征的影响

为了解横断山地区大绒鼠对光照和温度两个因子的适应性特征,将大绒鼠分为4组,分别于5±1℃,6L:18D:5±1℃,18L:6D;30±1℃,6L:18D和30±1℃,18L:6D 4个条件下驯化28 d.分别测定了对照组(0 d)和驯化28 d后,每一个体的体重、体温和产热能力;并测定驯化28 d后4组大绒鼠个体的肝脏和褐色脂肪组织的产热活性变化.结果显示,在低温诱导下大绒鼠体重下降,体温降低,静止代谢率升高,非颤抖性产热能力增加,肝脏和褐色脂肪组织的产热活性也出现相应提升;在高温下出现与低温时相反的现象;但光照周期对大绒鼠的体重、体温、产热能力及肝脏和褐色脂肪组织的产热活性均没有显著影响.推测由于横断山的低纬度、高海拔特征可能导致大绒鼠在季节适应过程中对温度的敏感程度高于光照.     

冷驯化对大绒鼠和高山姬鼠肝脏线粒体呼吸的影响

大绒鼠Eothenomys miletus和高山姬鼠Apodemus chevrieri为横断山地区小型哺乳动物的代表.分别测定大绒鼠和高山姬鼠冷驯化组(7 d、14 d、21 d、28 d)与对照组(0 d)中肝脏线粒体蛋白含量、呼吸状态Ⅲ和状态Ⅳ、呼吸磷氧比的变化以及较大绒鼠和高山姬鼠的相应项,探讨大绒鼠和高山姬鼠对不同冷环境的适应情况以及肝脏产热的机理.结果 表明:在冷驯化条件下,大绒鼠和高山姬鼠的产热显著增加,无论是大绒鼠还是高山姬鼠实验组比对照组肝脏线粒体蛋白含量、呼吸状态Ⅲ和状态Ⅳ、呼吸磷氧比有着显著的提高,在两者的比较中,在同等冷驯化条件下高山姬鼠增加的程度高于大绒鼠.     

限食程度对大绒鼠体重和产热特征的影响

为阐明动物应对食物短缺的能量学对策,将成年大绒鼠按自由取食量的90%、80%和70%限食4周。测定了不同限食程度下大绒鼠的存活率、体重、体脂含量、血清瘦素浓度、基础代谢率和非颤抖性产热。结果发现,90%限食驯化4周后,动物没有死亡,80%限食驯化4周后,存活率为90%,而70%限食驯化4周后,存活率仅为60%。限食使大绒鼠体重、体脂含量、血清瘦素浓度、基础代谢率和非颤抖性产热降低。血清瘦素浓度与体重、基础代谢率和非颤抖性产热呈显著正相关。结果表明,在限食条件下,大绒鼠主要通过降低体重、基础代谢率和产热的能量支出以及动用体内脂肪以应对食物资源短缺的环境条件,符合"代谢率转换"假说。瘦素作为饥饿信号可能参与了限食条件下大绒鼠能量代谢和体重的适应性调节。     

Seasonal changes in white and brown adipose tissues in Clethrionomys gapperi (red-backed vole) and in Microtus pennsylvanicus (meadow vole)

Mass and gross composition of white and brown adipose tissues and of skeletal muscle were determined for C. gapperi and for M. pennsylvanicus from monthly samples of a 1-year period. Amounts of brown fat increased throughout autumn to a maximum in late winter and then declined to a minimum in the spring. Gross composition remained relatively constant throughout the year. Changes in white fat showed a trend similar to changes in brown fat. Relatively low mean values for muscle mass during summer were due to a change in the age structure of the vole population.     

Shifts of thermogenesis in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster)

Summary The weight-specific oxygen consumption ( ) of prairie voles caught in winter is 24% higher at 27.5° C and 29% higher at 7.5° C than that of summer animals, thus affording a higher weight-specific thermogenesis in winter than in summer which may allow tolerance to lower thermal exposures. Coincident with the increase in weight-specific rates of oxygen consumption is a decrease in body weight. When total energetic cost to maintain an animal per unit time is calculated, the cost at 27.5° C is the same for both summer and winter animals. Further, the cost to maintain an animal at 7.5° C is less in winter than in summer. Arguments are presented suggesting that prairie voles compensate for increased weight-specific thermogenesis in winter by lowering body weight. The responses to thermal acclimation are quite different in summer and winter animals, thus implying different sorts of metabolic organization. Acclimation to 5° C effects a 26% increase in at 27.5° C of winter voles, and acclimation to 30° C does not change . In contrast, at 27.5° C of summer animals is unaffected by 5° C acclimation, and depressed 20% by 30° C acclimation. Thus, the animals are capable of considerable physiological adjustment to varying thermal conditions in different seasons.     

云南下关地区大绒鼠（Eothenomys miletus）体温调节和产热特征日节律的初步研究

为探讨横断山区小型哺乳动物体温调节和产热特征的日节律,对横断山区固有种大绒鼠（Eothenomys mile-tus）在24h中4个时间段（05：00—07：00、11：00—13：00、17：00—19：00、23：00—01：00）的体温、基础代谢率、非颤抖性产热进行了测定。结果显示大绒鼠的体温、基础代谢率、非颤抖性产热在24h内具有节律性波动,且变化趋势基本同步;各生理参数的最高值和最低值都分别出现在05：00—07：00和11：00—13：00时间段。结果表明,横断山区大绒鼠的基础代谢率、非颤抖性产热在其体温调节的日节律中起到了重要作用,同时,大绒鼠其夜间体温调节、产热特征显著高于白天,以适应横断山日温差大、食物资源丰富的特征。     

Effect of food restriction on the energy metabolism of the Chinese bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis)

Food resources play an important role in the regulation of animals’ physiology and behavior. We investigated the effect of short-term food restriction on metabolic thermogenesis of Chinese bulbuls(Pycnonotus sinensis) by measuring changes in body mass, body fat, basic metabolic rate(BMR), and organ mass of wild-caught Chinese bulbuls from Wenzhou, China. Short-term food restriction induced a significant decrease in body mass and body fat but body mass returned to normal levels soon after food was no longer restricted. Food restriction caused a significant reduction in BMR after 7 days(P<0.05), which returned to normal levels after food restriction ceased. Log total BMR was positively correlated with log body mass(r2=0.126, P<0.05). The dry masses of livers and the digestive tract were higher in birds that had been subject to temporary food restriction than in control birds and those subject to continual food restriction(P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively). There was also significant differences in the dry mass of the lungs(P<0.05), heart(P<0.01), and spleen(P<0.05) in birds subject to short-term food restriction compared to control birds and those subject to continual food restriction. BMR was positively correlated with body and organ(heart, kidney and stomach) mass. These results suggest that the Chinese bulbul adjusts to restricted food availability by utilizing its energy reserves, lowering its BMR and changing the weight of various internal organs so as to balance total energy requirements. These may all be survival strategies that allow birds to cope with unpredictable variation in food abundance.     

Prevention of cancer: restriction of nutritional energy intake (joules)

1. The reduction of nutritional energy intake (joules) often reduces the incidence of both spontaneous and induced cancers in humans and experimental animals in an approximately dose-dependent manner. 2. To achieve the best preventive effect, the reduction of dietary intake should begin well before the carcinogen insult, should be intense enough (lowering the intake of joules by at least approx. 25-30%) and should last a long time, preferably even life-long. 3. This preventive effect depends upon the strain, sex and age of animals, the kind of carcinogenic insult and also the susceptibility of the target tissue. 4. The mechanism by which the dietary restriction may exert its protective action may involve changes in the hormonal equilibria, influences upon the immuno-surveillance, changes of activities of enzymes involved in carcinogen metabolism and other factors. 5. Since over-eating and the resulting obesity constitutes a pronounced risk factor for the incidence of cancer and other diseases, lowering the nutritional energy intake represents today the simplest, cheapest and most effective way to prevent cancer in the general population.     

Photoperiodic regulation in energy intake, thermogenesis and body mass in root voles (Microtus oeconomus)

The present study was designed to examine whether photoperiod alone was effective to induce seasonal regulations in physiology in root voles (Microtus oeconomus) from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau noted for its extreme cold environment. Root voles were randomly assigned into either long photoperiod (LD; 16L:8D) or short photoperiod (SD; 8L:16D) for 4 weeks at constant temperature (20 degrees C). At the end of acclimation, SD voles showed lower body mass and body fat coupled with higher energy intake than LD voles. SD greatly enhanced thermogenic capacities in root voles, as indicated by elevated basal metabolic rate (BMR), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), mitochondrial protein content and uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) content in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Although no variations in serum leptin levels were found between SD and LD voles, serum leptin levels were positively correlated with body mass and body fat mass, and negatively correlated with energy intake and UCP1 content in BAT, respectively. To summarize, SD alone is effective in inducing higher thermogenic capacities and energy intake coupled with lower body mass and body fat mass in root voles. Leptin is potentially involved in the photoperiod induced body mass regulation and thermogenesis in root voles.     

Limits to food intake and fiber utilization in the prairie vole,Microtus ochrogaster: effects of food quality and energy need

We fed prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) rat chow diluted with variable amounts of -cellulose to determine 1) how much fiber the voles could tolerate in their diet; 2) changes in food intake and digestibility of dry matter and of fiber; 3) the extent to which voles utilized fiber as an energy source; and 4) whether any of these variables differed between groups of animals maintained at 5 or 22°C. Fiber content of the diets ranged from 20 to 84%. Animals held at 5°C maintained body mass through a diet containing 69% fiber, while animals held at 22°C maintained body mass through the 84% fiber diet. Dry matter intake increased with fiber level from 9.3 to 15.0 g·day^-1 for animals at 5°C and from 5.6 to 14.0 g·day^-1 for animals at 22°C; intake on the highest fiber diet eaten by either group was not different. Dry matter digestibility decreased significantly as the fiber in the diets increased, but was not affected by temperature treatments. Digestible dry matter intake for each group remained constant regardless of diet quality, but on each diet digestible dry matter intake for animals at 5°C was significantly higher than that of the animals held at 22°C. Digestibility of the fiber portion of the experimental diets remained constant as food quality decreased, so the percent of daily energy need met by fiber utilization increased with higher food intake. On the lowest quality diet each group tolerated, fiber digestion provided approximately 42 and 68% of the energy needs of voles at 5 and 22°C, respectively.Abbreviations BM body mass - BMR basal metabolic rate - DE digestible energy - DM dry matter - DMD dry matter digestibility - DDMI digestible dry matter intake - MR metabolic rate - NDF neutral detergent fiber (=cell walls) - NDS neutral detergent solubles (=cell solubles) - SEM standard error of mean - T _a ambient temperature     

Adaptive thermogenesis in Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandti) during cold and warm acclimation

Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandti) exposed to cold (5±1 °C) or warm (23±1 °C) showed some physiological and biochemical variations which might be important in adaptation to their environments. Cold acclimation induced increases in resting metabolic rate (RMR) and the serum triiodothyronine (T₃) level, the state-4 respiration of liver and muscle mitochondria were activated after 7 days when animals exposed to cold, and the activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) of liver and muscle mitochondria tended to rise with cold exposure. RMR and T₃ level decreased during warm acclimation. The state-4 respiration of liver mitochondria declined after 3 days and muscle after 7 days when animals exposed to warm, and the activities of COX of liver and muscle mitochondria tended to decrease with warm acclimation. The cold activation of liver and muscle mitochondrial respiration (regulated by T₃) was one of the cytological mechanisms of elevating RMR. Both state-4 respiration and COX activity of brown adipose tissue (BAT) mitochondria increased significantly during cold acclimation and decreased markedly after acclimated to warm. The uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) contents in BAT increased after exposure to cold and decreased after warm acclimation. Nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) plays an important role in the process of thermoregulation under cold acclimation for Brandt's voles. Changes in thermogenesis is a important way to cold adaptation for Brandt's voles in natural environments.     

高蛋白食物和繁殖对布氏田鼠能量摄入和产热的影响

为探讨高蛋白食物和繁殖对布氏田鼠食物摄入和产热等特征的效应,将成年雌性布氏田鼠分为非繁殖对照食物组、非繁殖高蛋白组、繁殖对照食物组和繁殖高蛋白组。对照食物蛋白含量为17.7%,高蛋白食物的蛋白含量为36.6%。实验过程中测定动物的体重、食物摄入量、静止代谢率(RMR)、身体成分、内脏器官重量、褐色脂肪组织(BAT)解偶联蛋白1(UCP1)含量、血清瘦素和催乳素水平等。结果发现:高蛋白食物明显抑制布氏田鼠的体重,但动物在妊娠期和哺乳期,这种抑制作用消失。高蛋白食物明显抑制非繁殖组动物的干物质摄入、摄入能和消化能,但对哺乳期动物没有影响。高蛋白食物提高了非繁殖期和繁殖期动物的消化率,降低了血清瘦素浓度,但仅提高了繁殖期动物肾脏的重量,而降低了盲肠的重量。RMR、UCP1含量和血清催乳素浓度等则不受高蛋白食物的影响。繁殖期动物的体重、能量摄入、RMR和血清催乳素浓度等均高于非繁殖动物。这些结果表明,食物蛋白含量可影响布氏田鼠的能量代谢和产热特征等,且在繁殖期和非繁殖期有不同的反应方式。     

Effect of long term differences in energy intake on metabolic rate and thyroid hormones

Long term effects of differences in energy intake on thyroid hormone metabolism and the rate of oxygen consumption were studied in two groups of young pigs. The pigs were kept at 25 degrees C and fed either a high (H) or low (L) energy intake such that H = 2L for six weeks. The rate of oxygen consumption, the plasma levels of thyroxine (T4) and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and the fractional rate of disappearance of T4 and T3 were measured each week. The metabolic rate at thermal neutrality was lowest in the animals on the L intake and the critical temperature was lowest in the pigs on the H intake. These differences tended to increase with time. The fractional disappearance rate (K) for T4 began by being greater in the animals on the H intake, but after four weeks the difference reversed. The catabolic rate of T4 in nmol.kg-1h-1 showed similar changes. The k values for T3 were not significantly different between treatments. It is tentatively suggested that the different energy intakes lead to a change in the tissue sensitivity to thyroid hormone.     

Increased food intake and changes in metabolic hormones in response to chronic sleep restriction alternated with short periods of sleep allowance

Rodent models for sleep restriction have good face validity when examining food intake and related regulatory metabolic hormones. However, in contrast to epidemiological studies in which sleep restriction is associated with body weight gain, sleep-restricted rats show a decrease in body weight. This difference with the human situation might be caused by the alternation between periods of sleep restriction and sleep allowance that often occur in real life. Therefore, we assessed the metabolic consequences of a chronic sleep restriction protocol that modeled working weeks with restricted sleep time alternated by weekends with sleep allowance. We hypothesized that this protocol could lead to body weight gain. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: sleep restriction (SR), forced activity control (FA), and home cage control (HC). SR rats were subjected to chronic sleep restriction by keeping them awake for 20 h per day in slowly rotating drums. To model the human condition, rats were subjected to a 4-wk protocol, with each week consisting of a 5-day period of sleep restriction followed by a 2-day period of sleep allowance. During the first experimental week, SR caused a clear attenuation of growth. In subsequent weeks, two important processes occurred: 1) a remarkable increase in food intake during SR days, 2) an increase in weight gain during the weekends of sleep allowance, even though food intake during those days was comparable to controls. In conclusion, our data revealed that the alternation between periods of sleep restriction and sleep allowance leads to complex changes in food intake and body weight, that prevent the weight loss normally seen in continuous sleep-restricted rats. Therefore, this "week-weekend" protocol may be a better model to study the metabolic consequences of restricted sleep.     

黑腹绒鼠的代谢产热特征及其体温调节

为探讨东洋界华中区黑腹绒鼠的代谢产热特征及体温调节,本文采用封闭式流体压力呼吸仪对其代谢率、热传导和体温等热生物学指标进行了测定.结果显示:在环境温度为5～25℃的范围内,黑腹绒鼠的体温基本维持恒定,平均体温为36.5±0.1℃;热中性区为25～30℃;基础代谢率为2.99±0.09 ml O2/(g·h);环境温度(Ta)在5～25℃范围内,代谢率(MR)与Ta呈负相关,回归方程为:MR[ ml O2/(g·h)]= 6.56-0.16 Ta(℃),在此范围内,黑腹绒鼠的热传导率C最低,平均为0.26±0.01 ml O2/(g·h·℃).黑腹绒鼠的基本热生物学特征为:较高的BMR、热传导率和体温以及较宽的热中性区.     

Catch-up growth in Japanese quail (Coturnix Japonica): relationships with food intake, metabolic rate and sex

The effects of early environmental conditions can profoundly affect individual development and adult phenotype. In birds, limiting resources can affect growth as nestlings, but also fitness and survival as adults. Following periods of food restriction, individuals may accelerate development, undergoing a period of rapid “catch-up” growth, in an attempt to reach the appropriate size at adulthood. Previous studies of altricial birds have shown that catch-up growth can have negative consequences in adulthood, although this has not been explored in species with different developmental strategies. Here, we investigated the effects of resource limitation and the subsequent period of catch-up growth, on the morphological and metabolic phenotype of adult Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), a species with a precocial developmental strategy. Because males and females differ in adult body size, we also test whether food restriction had sex-specific effects. Birds that underwent food restriction early in development had muscles of similar size and functional maturity, but lower adult body mass than controls. There was no evidence of sex-specific sensitivity of food restriction on adult body mass; however, there was evidence for body size. Females fed ad lib were larger than males fed ad lib, while females subjected to food restriction were of similar size to males. Adults that had previously experienced food restriction did not have an elevated metabolic rate, suggesting that in contrast to altricial nestlings, there was no metabolic carry-over effect of catch-up growth into adulthood. While Japanese quail can undergo accelerated growth after re-feeding, timing of food restriction may be important to adult size, particularly in females. However, greater developmental flexibility compared to altricial birds may contribute to the lack of metabolic carryover effects at adulthood.     

Participation of apoptotic proteins in hypothalamic regulation of the population volume of the red-backed vole (Clethrionomys rutilus)

The content of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and of the proapoptotic enzyme caspase-3 in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of sexually immature red-backed voles is studied in the course of the population cycle. The significant change of the Bcl-2 and procaspase-3 in the PVN neurons is established at all cycle phases. The low volume of population (under the most favorable conditions of the existence of the animals) is revealed to be characterized by the moderately increased or high expression of the Bcl-2 protein alongside with low or moderately increased caspase-3 activity. This is suggested to provide the PVN adequate reaction at the low population volume. At high population volume (under conditions of increased stress in the overcrowded population at the phase of peak and especially of fall), a significant decrease of the Bcl-2 expression is established with simultaneous increase of the caspase-3 activity. The disbalance in synthesis of apoptotic proteins seems to lead to disturbances of PVN functions at phases of peak and fall and, as a consequence, to a decrease of adaptive possibilities of these animals, which might be one of important causes of essential elimination of the animals at the autumn-winter period.