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Biomedical subjects

G Caola

Publications and source records attributed to G Caola.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Annual rhythmicity and maturation of physiological parameters in goats.

This study was conducted to investigate seasonal rhythmicity and maturation of physiological parameters in goats. Five kids (Capra hircus, Maltese breed) were studied for 24 months, starting at 5 months of age. Rectal temperature and various blood-borne substances (melatonin, cholesterol, urea, total bilirubin, albumin, glucose, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and sodium) were measured once a month at dawn and dusk. Serum bilirubin concentration exhibited statistically significant 12-month rhythmicity, and melatonin concentration exhibited 6-month rhythmicity. Changes in the dusk-to-dawn difference in rectal temperature during the course of the study provided suggestive evidence that the circadian rhythm of body temperature in goats is not fully developed until the end of the second year of life. The results documented also maturational changes in cholesterol production and blood glucose regulation.

Animals↗

The influence of exercise on the daily rhythm of serum homocysteine in horses.

The aim of this study was to determine the daily rhythms in the blood serum of homocysteine in horses. Ten thoroughbred horses, five athletic (trained for 1 h, 6 days a week) and five sedentary, were used. Blood samples were collected on each subject every 4 h for two days by means of the jugular vein. On each individual sample, the serum concentration of homocysteine was assessed. The results obtained during the experimental period indicated the existence of a daily rhythm of serum homocysteine in sedentary and athletic horses. They also demonstrated that in horses, physical exercise influences the daily rhythm of serum homocysteine.

Animals↗

Temporal relationships of 21 physiological variables in horse and sheep.

Daily or circadian oscillation has been documented in a variety of physiological and behavioral processes. Although individual variables have been studied in great detail, very few studies have been conducted on the temporal relationships between the rhythms of different variables. It is not known whether the circadian pacemaker generates each and every rhythm individually or whether most rhythms are simply derived from a few clock-controlled rhythms. As a first step in elucidating this issue, 21 physiological variables were recorded simultaneously in horse and sheep. The results indicated that, in both species, different variables exhibit different degrees of daily rhythmicity and reach their daily peaks at different times of the day. The variables exhibiting strongest rhythmicity were locomotor activity, rectal temperature, and plasma concentrations of melatonin and glucose. Comparison of rhythmicity and acrophase in the various rhythms allowed inferences to be made about mechanisms of causation.

Animals↗

Daily rhythms of blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature in fed and fasted male dogs.

Daily or circadian rhythmicity in physiological processes has been described in a large number of species of birds and mammals. However, in dogs, most studies have either failed to detect rhythmicity or have found that rhythmicity reflects merely an acute exogenous effect of feeding rather than an autonomous rhythmic process. In the present study, we investigated the rhythmicity of body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate in dogs fed daily as well as in dogs deprived of food for 60 h. Our results document clear rhythmicity in all three parameters and demonstrate that the rhythmicity is independent of the feeding schedule. The failure of various previous investigations to document daily rhythmicity in dogs is probably due to lack of experimental rigour rather than to weakness of daily rhythmicity in dogs.

Animals↗

Blood serum branched chain amino acids and tryptophan modifications in horses competing in long-distance rides of different length.

During long-distance exercise, branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism could lead to an increase in the blood tryptophan/BCAA ratio and an early onset of 'central fatigue'. Based on these considerations, we studied the modifications of blood serum BCAA and tryptophan (Try) levels in 30 endurance horses competing in rides varying in distance from 20 to 72 km. From all horses, blood samples were drawn just before and just after the end of the ride. Samples were analysed for their leucine (Leu), valine (Val), isoleucine (Iso) and Try levels. Data were processed by anova, using sampling moment and ride as factors, and by LSD post hoc test. Significant differences were recorded among the different distance rides for Leu, Val, Iso, Try, Try/BCAA ratio; the same trend was recorded between samples taken at the start and the end of the race for Val and Leu. The main effect observed was an increase of BCAA levels for all rides, except the 72-km ride; for Try, a significant increase was present in all races, except the 50-km ride. The Try/BCAA ratio decreased in 20- and 50-km races and increased in the others. These data confirm that long-distance exercise involves a mobilization of BCAA. The utilization of BCAA seems to be important in prolonged exercise: in the 72-km ride, we observed a decrease in BCAA blood serum levels, while a major role of Try was indicated by its increase, resulting in a rise of the Try/BCAA ratio.

Amino Acids, Branched-Chain↗

Influence of shearing on the circadian rhythm of body temperature in the sheep.

The presence of functional rhythmic variations is a well-demonstrated phenomenon at all levels of physiological organization and especially in the functioning of the cell components, of tissues and of organic systems. In domestic animals, the body temperature presents spontaneous and regular periodic oscillations over different periods of time, which are the result of complex mechanisms that witness the existence of endogenous and exogenous factors. Taking this knowledge as a starting-point, the authors studied 12 Comisana breed ewes to observe the influence of shearing on the circadian periodicity of rectal and skin temperature. The obtained results show the transient loss of body temperature rhythm by shearing, with an exogenous component, the shearing itself, and an endogenous component, the modifications of metabolic levels induced by the removal of the fleece, the external insulating layer.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Amino acid concentrations in blood serum of horses performing long lasting low-intensity exercise.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the changes in the concentrations, after two rides different for distance covered, of different amino acids in endurance horses. Blood samples have been collected from horses just before the start, at the top of a steep slope (819 m difference in height) and just at the end of a 32-km endurance ride. A second group, competing in a 72 km endurance ride, has also been sampled immediately before and after the race. In serum samples, the concentrations of alanine, arginine, asparagine, glycine, isoleucine, histidine, leucine, lysine, methionine, ornithine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine and valine have been measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). anova and t-test have been used to study the differences in the concentrations of the amino acids. The pre-ride concentrations of the free amino acids were different between the two races, except for methionine and leucine. Differences between start and end race have been found for both groups for all the considered parameters except asparagine, isoleucine, leucine and lysine for the 72 km ride. Increases have been recorded for the shorter and decreases for the longer ride in the blood serum concentrations. Significant increases have also been found between the starting sampling and the second, at the top of the slope, only for alanine, arginine, asparagines, phenylalanine and lysine. The ride length has a significant impact on blood serum amino acids mobilization and uptake; in the shorter race the increases stand only for mobilization, whereas in the longer the decrease can be considered the effect of the onset of the amino acids catabolism.

Amino Acids↗