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Biomedical subjects

R J Christopherson

Publications and source records attributed to R J Christopherson.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline on the heat production of warm- and cold-acclimated sheep.

The heat production (HP), heart rate (HR), respiration rate, rumen motility, and body temperature responses to 2.5-h adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline (NA) intrajugular infusions at 0.00, 0.15, 0.30, 0.60, and 0.90 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 were studied in 10 shorn wethers which had been chronically (3-8 weeks) exposed to warm (19-24 degrees C) or moderately cold (8-13 degrees C) temperatures. Heat production, as estimated from respired gas analysis, increased 40-45% with all doses of A and the effect was potentiated by chronic cold exposure. Only the higher dose rates of NA induced an increase in HP. The maximum HP increase due to NA was 30% and the effect was not influenced by chronic cold exposure. Thermoneutral HP was greater by 16-19% in cold-acclimated as compared with warm-acclimated sheep. Corresponding to the HP effects of A and NA, all doses of A and the highest dose of NA resulted in slight increases in rectal temperature. Respiration rate increased with increased dose rate of NA but only the highest dose of a resulted in an increase in respiration rate. HR, rectal temperature, and respiration rate responses to A and NA were not influenced by cold acclimation.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed1977

Apparatus for controlling temperature of catheter contents in cold environments.

An apparatus was developed to prevent the freezing of catheter contents during blood sampling or liquid infusion into animals maintained at sub-freezing temperatures. The apparatus consisted of a larger, outer set of plastic and copper tubes and a smaller, inner set of tubes. The catheter was passed inside the inner set. Water circulated through the outer set kept the contents of the catheter inside the inner set from freezing. The apparatus was also useful for the rapid cooling of blood to a predetermined temperature while a sample was being withdrawn from an animal.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

The effect of cold exposure of sheep on digestion, rumen turnover time and efficiency of microbial synthesis.

1. Six closely shorn sheep were given brome grass (Bromus inermis) pellets at 1 h intervals and maintained at ambient temperatures of --I to Idegree and 18--21degrees for 28 d. Measurements of digestion were made during the last 10 d of temperature exposure. 2. Cold exposure resulted in a reduction in apparent dry matter (DM) digestibility from 0-482 to 0-450, and of apparent digestibility of organic matter (OM) from 0-511 to 0-477. Neither apparent digestibility nor retention of nitrogen was affected. 3. Apparent digestibility of OM in the rumen decreased from 0-300 to 0-242 with cold exposure, and was highly correlated with turnover time in the rumen of 103Ru, which was used as a particulate marker. 4. The efficiency of microbial synthesis (g N incorporated into microbial cells/kg OM apparently digested) was correlated with the dilution rate of the solute marker (51Cr) and with the turnover time of the particulate marker (103Ru) in the rumen. 5. Digestion in the intestine of DM and OM accounted for significantly more of apparent digestion in the whole gastrointestinal tract for sheep kept in the cold than for sheep kept in the warm. The apparent digestibilities of DM and OM entering the intestine were similar in sheep on both treatments, but significantly more non-ammonia-N was digested in the intestines of cold-exposed sheep. 6. The influence of dilution rate of rumen fluid on the efficiency of synthesis of microbial cells in the rumen is discussed.

Abomasum↗
PubMed1972

Changes during eating in oxygen consumption, cardiac function and body fluids of sheep.

1. A study was made of the changes taking place in O(2) consumption, cardiac function and the volume and composition of the body fluids of sheep while they consumed a meal of hay.2. During eating P(a, CO2) and P(v, CO2) both increased, pH decreased and free plasma [HCO(3) (-)] increased. Venous haematocrit increased sharply at the beginning of the meal, and declined slowly after feed was removed.3. Arterial P(O2) did not change significantly during eating. However P(v, O2) fell slightly but significantly. The O(2) saturation of venous blood fell due to the decline in pH. Estimated CO(2) in arterial blood increased as a consequence of increased haemoglobin content. The net effect was to increase arteriovenous difference in O(2) content from 4.4 ml./100 ml. before eating to 6.0 ml./100 ml. at the end of the meal.4. O(2) consumption increased about 60% during eating and fell rapidly thereafter. Heart rate followed a similar pattern. Cardiac output however increased only about 17%, from 6 to 7 l./min. Consequently stroke volume declined throughout the meal from 76 to 52 ml./beat.5. Plasma volume, estimated from measurements of T-1824, declined sharply by about 300 ml. at the beginning of the meal and recovered slowly after feed was removed. Blood volume declined less because of a rise in circulating erythrocytes.6. Extracellular fluid volume was estimated from measurements of thiocyanate and thiosulphate spaces. Thiocyanate space measurements were abandoned after thiocyanate was found to be concentrated in saliva. Considerable random variation occurred in measurements of changes in extracellular fluid from thiosulphate disappearance but the results did reveal a significant fall of 1000-1500 ml. in extracellular fluid volume during eating.7. The significance of these interrelated changes is discussed in relation to the maintenance of homoeostasis during eating in the sheep.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗