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C L Adam

Publications and source records attributed to C L Adam.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Melatonin lowers plasma prolactin levels in female red deer (Cervus elaphus).

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of exogenous melatonin treatment on circulating prolactin levels in red deer. Melatonin was administered from 12 June 1984 (day 1) to lactating and non-lactating hinds in the feed daily at 1600 h, and to non-lactating hinds by a subcutaneous implant. Average concentrations (ng/ml) of prolactin in plasma taken serially over 15-h periods were significantly higher for untreated hinds than for melatonin-treated animals on day 15 whether lactating (66-133 v. 23-28, P less than 0.05) or non-lactating (28-174 v. 8-13, P less than 0.01), remained higher on day 36 (lactating: 41-152 v. 15-21, P less than 0.05; non-lactating: 21-50 v. 1-7, P less than 0.001) but had decreased to similar levels on day 72 (lactating: 5-24 v. 7-17; non-lactating: 2-9 v. 0-4). The advanced reduction in plasma prolactin for all melatonin-treated hinds was associated with an advanced onset of seasonal breeding activity.

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PubMed1986

Induction of early breeding in red deer (Cervus elaphus) by melatonin.

Lactating (N = 12) and non-lactating (N = 6) red deer hinds and one stag at pasture were given concentrates (500 g/head) containing melatonin (5 mg/head) daily at 16:00 h from 18 June to 16 October. The stag shed the antler velvet and started rutting 5 weeks ahead of untreated stags, and hinds had their first oestrus and ovulation of the breeding season in mid-September, 5 weeks in advance of control lactating (N = 9) and non-lactating (N = 5) hinds. Treated hinds were allowed to mate with the treated stag and control hinds ran in an adjacent paddock with an untreated stag. All hinds became pregnant during the study with all but 2 melatonin-fed hinds (1 lactating, 1 non-lactating) and 1 control hind (lactating) conceiving at the first oestrus. Melatonin-treated hinds lost slightly more live weight than did controls from June to November, but their suckled calves grew throughout at a rate similar to those of control hinds.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Plasma concentrations of progesterone in female red deer (Cervus elaphus) during the breeding season, pregnancy and anoestrus.

Concentrations of progesterone in peripheral plasma of red deer hinds were basal (less than 1 ng/ml) during lactation/seasonal anoestrus, but increased abruptly at the onset of the breeding season. Lactating hinds (N = 19) started ovarian cycles 10 days later (P less than 0.01) and conceived 16 days later (P less than 0.001) than did 13 weaned hinds. There was no evidence, from plasma progesterone values, of silent oestrus at the start of the season. Progestagen/PMSG treatment induced early ovulations in 8 anoestrous hinds but fertility was low, only 2 conceiving and giving birth. Pregnant hinds (N = 42) had high plasma concentrations of progesterone (mean 3-5 ng/ml) which declined just before parturition.

Anestrus↗
PubMed1984

Effect of feeding melatonin to red deer (Cervus elaphus) on the onset of the breeding season.

Four non-lactating red deer hinds kept in natural light were each given orally 5 mg melatonin daily in the afternoon from 1 June to 5 October. The time difference between melatonin administration and sunset was 5.5-6 until the end of August, thereafter gradually decreasing to 3.5 h. Onset of oestrous cyclicity occurred in late August and early September, 2-8 weeks in advance of control hinds. A stag given 10 mg melatonin daily shed the antler velvet on 18 July, 4 weeks earlier than untreated stags, and started rutting behaviour in July-August, 2 months before the usual time.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Structure and function in the ruminant synepitheliochorial placenta: central role of the trophoblast binucleate cell in deer.

The ruminant placenta has a very uniform gross structure based on localised areas of fetomaternal membrane apposition and proliferation to form placentomes. There is no consistency, however, in the number or size of these placentomes (6-150), nor in the villus architecture of the individual placentome. The one consistent feature is the binucleate cell (BNC) population in the trophoblast. These BNC form 15-20% of the epithelium in all ruminants examined so far. They synthesise the placental lactogen hormone and other glycoproteins and migrate through tight junctions to fuse with a uterine epithelial cell to form initially fetomaternal hybrid trinucleate cells (TNC) and subsequently syncytial plaques (SP). Such SP may be transient or persist throughout pregnancy depending on the species. The wide range of deer species examined confirms the uniformity of the BNC hormone production, migration, and fusion pattern described for other ruminants. BNC migration produces predominantly transient TNC, but there are areas of SP largely restricted to the apex of the maternal crypts. Maternal large granule lymphocytes (LGL) are uniquely found in deer placentomal uterine epithelium; they are usually closely associated with TNC and SP sites, but the significance of the interactions remains to be established.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hypothalamic neuropeptide systems and anticipatory weight change in Siberian hamsters.

Seasonal animals are able both to programme changes in body weight in response to annual changes in photoperiod (anticipatory regulation) and to correct changes in body weight caused by imposed energetic demand (compensatory regulation). Experimental evidence from the Siberian hamster suggests that seasonally appropriate body weight is continually reset according to photoperiodic history, even when actual body weight is driven away from this target weight by manipulation of energy intake. These characteristics constitute the "sliding set point" of seasonal body weight regulation. To define the mechanisms and molecules underlying anticipatory body weight regulation, we are investigating the involvement of hypothalamic systems with an established role in the compensatory defence of body weight. Weight loss or restricted growth induced by short days (SD) results in low circulating leptin compared with long day (LD) controls. However, this chronic low leptin signal is read differently from acute low leptin resulting from food deprivation; leptin receptor gene expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) is lower in SD, whereas food deprivation increases expression levels, suggesting changes in sensitivity to leptin feedback. SD alterations in mRNA levels for a number of hypothalamic neuropeptide and receptor genes appear counter-intuitive for a SD body weight trajectory. However, early increases in ARC cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) gene expression in SDs could be involved in driving body weight loss or growth restriction. The sites of photoperiod interaction with energy balance neuronal circuitry and the neurochemical encoding of body weight set point require full characterisation. Study of anticipatory regulation in seasonal animals offers new insight into body weight regulation across mammalian species, including man.

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