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Biomedical subjects

D G Armstrong

Publications and source records attributed to D G Armstrong.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Type-I insulin-like growth factor receptor gene expression in the chick. Developmental changes and the effect of selection for increased growth on the amount of receptor mRNA.

An RNase protection assay is described that allowed the quantitative analysis of chicken type-I IGF receptor mRNA transcripts. The transcripts were measured in extracts of total nucleic acid (TNA) and, under the hybridization conditions described, protected probes of the expected size were obtained. The RNA-RNA hybrids could be quantified in the presence of at least a 1000-fold molar excess of DNA containing sequences which were complimentary to the RNA probe. The amount of protected probe was linearly related to the amount of TNA in the hybridization reaction medium, and this allowed the results to be expressed in the form of mRNA molecules/cell. Type-I IGF receptor mRNA transcripts were detected in all the tissues examined from a 20-day-old chick embryo. Their amount ranged from 5 to 24 molecules/cell, in the order liver < breast muscle < leg muscle < heart < brain. The amount of receptor mRNA was 65- to 300-fold less than that of beta-actin mRNA. The quantity of type-I IGF receptor mRNA varied significantly throughout embryonic and post-hatch development. Maximum amounts were measured in 21-day-old embryos (a two- to fourfold increase relative to 16-day-old embryos). Thereafter the amount of receptor mRNA decreased, during the 4-week period after hatching, to levels which were significantly lower than that observed in 16-day-old embryos. Throughout the period of embryonic and post-hatch development described here the amount of beta-actin mRNA remained constant, indicating that the changes in the quantity of receptor mRNA were due to specific mechanisms acting directly on the steady-state levels of type-I IGF receptor mRNA. Selection for increased growth had no effect on the amount of type-I IGF receptor mRNA. The result was the same when expressed either as molecules/cell or as a percentage of beta-actin mRNA.

Actins↗
PubMed1992

Effect of inclusion of saliva salts in the diet on milk yield and composition in dairy cows.

Twenty multiparous Jersey cows, paired according to previous lactation yield and expected date of calving, were given two diets in a cross-over experiment in early lactation. The diets had forage: concentrate ratios maintained at 3:7, the forage being wilted grass silage and the concentrate either a proprietary dairy cake or the same cake containing saliva salts (SS) at 40 g/kg dry matter. The SS diet proved acceptable to the animals and had no effect on gestation length or calf survival. Absolute milk yields were not affected, but the SS diet caused a significant increase in the proportions of milk fat, total solids (both P less than 0.001) and protein (P less than 0.05) and in the yield of fat-corrected milk (P less than 0.001). Analysis of rumen liquor samples showed that giving the SS diet resulted in a significant increase in the molar proportion of acetate and a decrease in the proportions of propionate and to a lesser extent butyrate. Milk fat content showed significant correlations with ruminal acetate (r = 0.67), propionate (r = -0.59) and the acetate: propionate ratio (r = 0.64).

Ammonia↗
PubMed1992

The expression of a putative insulin-like growth factor-I receptor gene in the liver of the developing chick.

The biological activity of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is mediated by a transmembrane glycoprotein (type-1 IGF receptor or IGF-I receptor) that shows considerable sequence homology with the insulin receptor. In order to detect the expression of this gene in chicken liver tissue, a plasmid was constructed containing a fragment of chicken IGF-I receptor cDNA. The cDNA fragment corresponded to nucleotides 326-599 of the human IGF-I receptor cDNA and showed 86.1 and 69.3% homology at the nucleotide level and 96.7 and 80.2% homology at the amino acid level with the human IGF-I receptor and insulin receptor respectively. The construct was used to generate an antisense RNA probe for the detection of IGF-I receptor mRNA transcripts in 1- and 4-week-old chick liver tissue. IGF-I receptor gene expression was initially detected by the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction using synthetic chicken IGF-I receptor oligonucleotides. Amplified fragments of the correct size were detected in both RNA samples. Northern blots were also used to detect IGF-I receptor mRNA transcripts in the liver RNA samples. The results indicated that the amount of receptor mRNA decreased significantly between 1 and 4 weeks after hatch. In contrast, chicken beta-actin gene expression remained constant over this period. A major IGF-I receptor RNA transcript (11 kb) was observed in blots from 1-week-old livers, less abundant transcripts were also observed ranging in size from 8 to 9 kb.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Biological activity of insulin-like growth factor-I purified from chicken serum.

This study describes a rapid purification of insulin-like growth factor-I from chicken serum and the immunological, biological and receptor binding activity of the peptide. It was purified after initial extraction, by cation exchange chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography and reverse phase chromatography up to 1.4 x 10(6)-fold with an overall yield ranging from 10-30%. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was the same as predicted from the nucleotide sequence of a chicken IGF-I cDNA and the partial sequence obtained from a previously reported purification. The material was both immunologically and biologically active. It had a 50% potency compared to human IGF-I in a radioimmunoassay using an antiserum raised against human IGF-I, stimulated the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into DNA in cultured chick embryo myoblasts with a half-maximum effective dose of 5 ng/ml and displaced [125I]-labelled human IGF-I and IGF-II from binding sites in microsomal membranes prepared from both the chicken liver and the lactating rabbit mammary gland in a dose dependent manner.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

The influence of inclusion of either an antibiotic or a probiotic in the diet on the development of digestive enzyme activity in the pig.

The aim of the present experiment was to determine the influence of either probiotic or antibiotic inclusion in the diets of pigs from birth on the development of enzyme activity in the small intestine. Pigs were fed on creep feed and grower diets containing either a probiotic, an antibiotic or no added growth promoter. At 7, 17, 42 and 80 d of age pigs from each treatment group were sampled to investigate the development of carbohydrase and peptidase activity in the mucosa at five sites along the small intestine. Inclusion of either the probiotic or antibiotic had a significant effect on the development of sucrase (sucrose alpha-D-glucohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.48), lactase (beta-D-galactoside galactohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.23) and tripeptidase (EC 3.4.11.4) activities before weaning but had no effect on depeptidase (EC 3.14.13.11) activity. The study of the distribution of enzyme activity along the small intestine showed significant differences between the proximal and distal sections associated with weaning.

Aging↗
PubMed1989

The effect of varying the sodium or potassium intake, or both, on magnesium status in the rat.

Alterations in sodium or potassium intake, or both, affect the distribution and excretion of magnesium in man and animals. Experiments were performed on rats to investigate the effect of varying Na, K or Na + K intakes on Na, K and Mg excretion and plasma and tissue concentrations. In Expt 1, increasing the Na intake in a linear fashion produced a significant (P less than 0.05) quadratic response in urinary Mg excretion, with a decrease followed by an increase as Na intake rose. No effect was observed on faecal excretion of Mg. Plasma and tissues were sampled at the end of an 18 d collection period; concentrations of aldosterone in plasma and Mg, Na and K in plasma and tissue were determined. Increasing Na intake in a linear fashion produced a significant (P less than 0.05) quadratic effect on Mg concentration in heart and muscle, i.e. a decrease followed by an increase as Na intake rose; Na intake did not affect liver or bone Mg concentrations. There were no significant effects of Na intake on plasma Mg, Na or aldosterone but plasma K fell significantly (P less than 0.01) as Na intake increased. In Expt 2, constant amounts of four diets supplying adequate or high levels of Na and adequate or high levels of K but a constant intake of Mg were given to rats. The rats fed on the adequate-Na diet had a significantly (P less than 0.05) higher urinary Mg excretion than those fed on the high-Na diet; Na intake did not affect faecal Mg excretion.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1989

The importance of the form of nitrogen on microbial protein synthesis in the rumen of cattle receiving grass silage and continuous intrarumen infusions of sucrose.

1. In a 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment, four cattle were given grass silage in two meals per d to satisfy maintenance energy requirements. In addition, sucrose (170 g/kg silage dry matter (DM] was infused intraruminally at a constant rate with no nitrogen supplementation; with the infusion intraruminally of either casein (23 g/kg silage DM) or urea (8 g/kg silage DM); or with soya-bean meal (64 g/kg silage DM) fed in two equal portions. 2. Samples of duodenal digesta representative of a 24 h period were obtained using chromium-EDTA and ytterbium acetate for flow estimation and 35S as a marker of microbial N entering the small intestine. Samples of rumen fluid were also taken for estimation of rumen pH and concentrations of ammonia-N and volatile fatty acids. Estimates of apparent organic matter (OM) and N digestibility and of the rates of silage DM and N disappearance from porous synthetic-fibre bags incubated in the rumen were also made. 3. The N supplements had no significant effects on rumen pH, concentrations of volatile fatty acids, their molar proportions or the disappearance of DM or N from porous synthetic-fibre bags. N supplementation increased rumen ammonia-N concentrations (urea, P less than 0.05; casein, soya-bean meal, not significant). 4. N supplementation had no significant effects on the digestion of OM, acid-detergent fibre or soluble carbohydrate. 5. Infusion of casein increased the quantities of total non-ammonia-N (not significant) and microbial N (P less than 0.05) entering the small intestine daily and the efficiency of rumen microbial N synthesis (not significant).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1989

The effect of an intravenous infusion of aldosterone upon magnesium metabolism in the sheep.

The concentration of Mg, Na and K in the rumen and plasma of each of four sheep has been studied while test solutions were infused into their jugular veins for 8 h. The experiment was designed as a 4 x 4 Latin square with: treatment 1: diet only; treatment 2: diet + 5% dextrose infusion; treatment 3: diet + 5% dextrose infusion containing aldosterone; treatment 4: diet + 5% dextrose infusion containing aldosterone and potassium canrenoate (a specific inhibitor of the action of aldosterone). Rumen and blood samples were collected every hour during the 8 h treatment period and for the subsequent 4 h. Rumen volume and outflow rate were estimated using an intra-ruminal infusion of [14C]Cr-EDTA throughout the collection period. The aldosterone infusion significantly (P less than 0.001) increased the concentration of Mg in the rumen while rumen volume and outflow rate remained unchanged. Plasma concentrations of Mg and K were significantly (P less than 0.001 and P less than 0.05, respectively) lower during the aldosterone infusion while plasma Na concentrations did not vary significantly. The results are discussed in relation to hypomagnesaemic tetany.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1989

Insulin-like growth factor-I binding proteins in serum from the domestic fowl.

This investigation describes the presence of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) binding proteins in chicken serum. Whole blood was collected from broiler chickens of 7-9 weeks of age and analysed for binding proteins after gel permeation chromatography under both neutral and acidic conditions, and by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of 12.5% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS-PAGE). When serum was chromatographed under neutral conditions, about 70% of the IGF-I immunoreactivity was associated with a large protein complex (Mr = 150,000) and 20-25% was associated with an intermediate-sized protein complex (Mr = 45,000). Up to 6% of the serum IGF-I immunoreactivity was eluted in a fraction which corresponded to an Mr of about 7500 and was presumably free IGF-I. Chromatography under acidic conditions dissociated the IGF-I/protein complexes and revealed the presence of an acid-stable binding protein (Mr = 50,000-60,000). After analysis of serum by SDS-PAGE, three monomeric IGF-I binding proteins (Mr = 28,800, 33,200 and 40,700) were detected. The largest monomer (Mr = 40,700) is probably the binding protein component of the intermediate-sized IGF-I/protein complex. The relationship between the other monomers and both the large IGF-I/protein complex and the acid-stable binding protein is not known. Although the pattern of binding proteins in chicken serum is similar to that observed in mammals, a major difference is the presence of up to 6% of the serum IGF-I immunoreactivity in an unbound form.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Effect of protein intake on gastrin secretion in ruminants.

Plasma gastrin concentrations were measured in portal and peripheral circulations in sheep and in cows in response to feeding diets of varying protein content. Mean plasma gastrin concentrations did not increase in response to feeding at either sampling site in contrast with the known response in non-ruminants. Plasma gastrin levels were similar when feeding diets of varying protein content to both sheep and cows and also when comparing portal and peripheral concentrations in sheep. Basal jugular venous gastrin concentrations in the cow at 40.5 +/- 4.13 pg gastrin 17/ml were lower than values measured in sheep portal blood at 67.6 +/- 12.70. The latter, however, was comparable with known values for humans.

Abomasum↗
PubMed1987

The effects of intraruminal infusions of urea, casein, glucose syrup and a mixture of casein and glucose syrup on nitrogen digestion in the rumen of cattle receiving grass-silage diets.

In an incomplete 5 X 5 Latin square experiment, four cattle were given grass silage in two meals per d to satisfy 1.15 maintenance energy requirements. In addition, water or casein (21 g nitrogen and 0.17 kg organic matter (OM)/d) or urea (U; 28 g N/d) or a glucose syrup (G; 0.87 kg OM/d) or casein and glucose syrup (CG; 17 g N and 0.93 kg OM/d) were infused intraruminally at a constant rate. A 24 h collection of duodenal digesta was made using chromic oxide for flow estimation and 35S as a marker of microbial N entering the small intestine. Samples of rumen fluid were also taken for estimation of rumen pH, and concentrations of ammonia-N and volatile fatty acids. The intraruminal infusions had no significant effects on rumen pH, concentrations of volatile fatty acids or their molar proportions. Infusion of either C or U significantly (P less than 0.05) increased rumen NH3-N concentrations whereas infusions of either G or CG lowered rumen NH3-N concentrations. Infusions of C or U had no significant effect on the quantities of OM, acid-detergent fibre (ADF) or N constituents which entered the small intestine. Infusions of G or CG increased the quantities of OM (G P less than 0.05, CG P less than 0.01), ADF (CG P less than 0.05), non-NH3-N (G P less than 0.05, CG P less than 0.01), amino acid N (G P less than 0.05, CG P less than 0.01) and microbial N (G P less than 0.05, CG P less than 0.01) which entered the small intestine. The efficiency of rumen microbial N synthesis was unchanged by the infusion of C, U or G (P greater than 0.05) but increased significantly (P less than 0.05) when CG were infused.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed1987

Ornithine decarboxylase activity in small ovarian follicles from the laying hen (Gallus domesticus): a comparison of follicles from several regions of the ovary.

Small non-atretic follicles (1.5-250 mg) were collected from four distinct areas of the ovary of the laying hen. These were as follows: the stalks of the two largest preovulatory follicles; the stalks of the third largest preovulatory follicle; the stalks of the fourth and fifth largest preovulatory follicle and zona parenchymatosa. There was an increase in the proportion of small follicles in the size range 1.5-10 mg collected from the stalks of the large yellow yolky preovulatory follicles approaching ovulation, with a corresponding decrease in the number of small follicles in the size group 10-250 mg. In addition, the ornithine decarboxylase activity in follicles collected from regions 1 and 2 was significantly greater than that in small follicles collected from region 4. Since the level of ornithine decarboxylase activity is critically dependent on the degree of hormonal stimulation and growth rate of the tissue, it is suggested, on the basis of the differences in their ornithine decarboxylase activity, that small follicles located on the stalks of the large yolky preovulatory follicles are stimulated by trophic hormones and growth factors to a greater degree than similarly sized follicles located elsewhere in the ovary. It is proposed that this increased stimulation may increase the chances of these small follicles being recruited into the hierarchy.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Changes in aromatase activity in the brain of the male ring dove (Streptopelia risoria) during the breeding cycle.

Aromatase activity was measured in striatal and hypothalamic regions of the brain of the male ring dove throughout its breeding cycle. The enzyme activity in the anterior hypothalamus and hyperstriatum was significantly reduced in broody birds. A reduction in plasma LH and the number of spermatogonia per tubule cross-section were also observed at this time. The results support the view that testosterone is involved in the control of aromatase activity in the anterior hypothalamus and hyperstriatum. The enzyme activity in the posterior hypothalamus, paleostriatum and archistriatum showed no changes throughout the breeding cycle, indicating that other factors in addition to testosterone are involved in controlling the enzyme in these tissues.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Changes in aromatase activity in the neuroendocrine tissues of red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus) in relation to the development of long-day refractoriness.

Changes in aromatase activity in the neuroendocrine tissues of captive male and female red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus) were measured during a photo-induced breeding cycle. The gonads enlarged and subsequently regressed, as a consequence of the development of long-day refractoriness, within 84 days of transferring photoinsensitive birds from a non-stimulatory to a stimulatory daylength. The object of the study was to determine whether long-day refractoriness is related to an increase in aromatase activity in the neuroendocrine tissues which might result in a greater inhibitory action of locally produced oestrogens on the release of LH-releasing hormone. Aromatase activity was measured and found to be present in the anterior pituitary gland, the anterior/preoptic hypothalamus, the posterior hypothalamus and the hyperstriatum dorsale. It was higher in the hypothalamus than in the hyperstriatum dorsale and higher in the posterior than in the anterior/preoptic hypothalamus. Aromatase activity in the posterior hypothalamus was higher in males than in females in short-day photosensitive and reproductively active birds, but not in long-day refractory birds. A similar sex difference was also observed in the anterior/preoptic hypothalamus in reproductively active birds. Hypothalamic aromatase activity in both sexes was directly related to gonadal function, being highest in reproductively active birds and lowest in long-day refractory birds. It is concluded that the development of long-day refractoriness is not related to an increase in aromatase activity in the neuroendocrine tissues. The decrease in aromatase activity in the neuroendocrine tissues in long-day refractory birds parallels a decrease in aggressive and territorial behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Changes in ornithine decarboxylase activity in ovarian follicles of the laying hen (Gallus domesticus) during the ovulatory cycle.

Fowl ovarian ornithine decarboxylase activity was measured at 20, 10 and 3 h before an expected ovulation in granulosa and thecal tissues from follicles at various stages of development. An increase in the enzyme activity between 10 and 3 h before an expected ovulation was assumed to be caused by preovulatory increase in plasma LH concentration. The activity in granulosa tissue increased with increasing size of the follicle. In the largest (F1) follicle there was an 11-fold increase in granulosa ornithine decarboxylase specific activity between 10 and 3 h before ovulation. In the third (F3) and fifth (F5) largest follicles there was a 1.9- and 2-fold increase respectively. The enzyme activity in thecal tissue from the follicular hierarchy decreased with increasing size of the follicle and the F3 thecal preparation was the only tissue to respond to the preovulatory LH surge. In contrast, ornithine decarboxylase activity in thecal tissue from small (less than 5 mm) non-atretic follicles increased by two- to threefold after the preovulatory LH surge. The activity in atretic follicles of the same size was low and remained unchanged throughout the ovulatory cycle.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The digestion by cattle of silage-containing diets fed at two dry matter intakes. 1. Digestion of organic matter and nitrogen.

In a 4 X 4 Latin square experiment four cattle were given in two meals per d diets consisting of (g/kg dry matter (DM)) 500 barley, 400 grass silage and 100 soya-bean meal. The diets were given at either 1.15 (L) or 2.3 times (H) maintenance energy requirements and the soya-bean meal was either untreated (U) or formaldehyde-treated (T). A 24 h collection of duodenal digesta and a 7 d collection of faeces were made using chromium sesquioxide for flow estimation and 35S as a marker of microbial nitrogen entering the small intestine. Samples of rumen fluid were also taken for estimation of rumen pH, ammonia and volatile fatty acid concentrations. Spot samples of duodenal digesta were obtained after administration of Cr2O3-mordanted silage-fibre and soya-bean meal, to determine the rates of outflow of these markers from the rumen. Similar samples were also obtained after cessation of a continuous intraruminal infusion of ruthenium phenanthroline, 35S and CoEDTA. Incubations of each feedingstuff in porous synthetic fibre (psf) bags were carried out in the rumen and the rates of N disappearance from the bags determined. Increasing DM intake significantly (P less than 0.001) increased the quantities of organic matter (OM), total N and amino acid-N entering the small intestine and amounts subsequently voided in the faeces. Apparent digestibilities of OM and N were unaffected by DM intake; the proportions of total digestible OM digested in the rumen were significantly lower (P less than 0.01) at the higher level of DM intake. Formaldehyde treatment of the soya-bean meal increased the quantities of N entering the small intestine; these increases were not significant. Increased DM intake increased the quantities of both microbial N (P less than 0.001) and undegraded feed N (P less than 0.01) entering the small intestine; HCHO-treatment also significantly (P less than 0.05) increased the quantities of undegraded feed N entering the small intestine. The efficiency of microbial N synthesis within the rumen was not significantly affected by dietary treatments whereas apparent feed N degradability was reduced significantly (P less than 0.05) both by increasing DM intake and by HCHO-treatment of the soya-bean meal. Rates of disappearance of N from psf bags in the rumen were different for different feedingstuffs. However, for a given feedingstuff, the rate of N disappearance was not affected by the diets fed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1985

Absorption and metabolism of glucose by the mesenteric-drained viscera of sheep fed on dried-grass or ground, maize-based diets.

Sheep fitted with re-entrant canulas in the proximal duodenum and terminal ileum were used to determine the amount of alpha-glucoside entering, and apparently disappearing from, the small intestine when either dried-grass or ground maize-based diets were fed. The fate of any alpha-glucoside entering the small intestine was studied by comparing the net disappearance of such alpha-glucoside from the small intestine with the absorption of glucose into the mesenteric venous blood. Glucose absorption from the small intestine was measured in sheep equipped with catheters in the mesenteric vein and carotid artery. A continuous infusion of [6-3H]glucose was used to determine glucose utilization by the mesenteric-drained viscera and the whole-body glucose turnover rate (GTR). The amounts of alpha-glucoside entering the small intestine when the dried-grass and maize-based diets were given were 13.9 (SE 1.5) and 95.4 (SE 16.2) g/24 h respectively; apparent digestibilities of such alpha-glucoside in the small intestine were 60 and 90% respectively. The net absorption of glucose into the mesenteric venous blood was -2.03 (SE 1.20) and 19.28 (SE 0.75) mmol/h for the dried-grass and maize-based diets respectively. Similarly, total glucose absorption amounted to 1.52 (SE 1.35) and 23.33 (SE 1.86) mmol/h (equivalent to 7 and 101 g/24 h respectively). These values represented 83 and 111% of the alpha-glucoside apparently disappearing from the small intestine, determined using the re-entrant cannulated sheep. Total glucose absorption represented 8 and 61% of the whole-body GTR for the dried-grass and maize-based diets respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animal Feed↗