scholarly journals Reindeer breathe less and save water in the cold

Rangifer ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 243
Author(s):  
Kjell J. Nilssen ◽  
Arne Rognmo ◽  
Arnoldus Schytte Blix

Simultaneous measurements of metabolic rate, respiratory minute volume, respiratory frequency, and oxygen extraction from the inspired air were obtained during treadmill exercise in Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) and Norwegian reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus). The experiments were carried out both in summer and winter at ambient temperatures and running speeds ranging from +12 to -30 °C and 3.7 to 9.0 knvh1, respectively. We found that respiratory minute volume was generally lower in summer than in winter for a similar ambient temperature, and also that respiratory minute volume was reduced at low ambient temperature both in summer and winter. The change in respiratory minute volume was inversely related to oxygen extraction, the latter being at its highest at the lowest ambient temperature and running speed in summer. Reduction of respiratory minute volume, and hence respiratory water loss, at low ambient temperature is likely to contribute significantly to the survival of these species, particularly in winter when the animals can only replace body water with snow at low temperature.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Libang Ma ◽  
Xu Li ◽  
Zhiwei Zhao ◽  
Yuhao Hao ◽  
Ruixin Shang ◽  
...  

Abstract Cryptochromes (crys) are photolyase-like blue-light receptors first discovered in Arabidopsis thaliana and later identified in all major evolutionary lineages. Crys are involved in not only blue light responses but also in temperature responses; however, whether and how cry protein stability is regulated by temperature remains unknown. Here, we show that cry2 protein abundance is modulated by ambient temperature and cry2 protein is degraded under low ambient temperature via the 26S proteasome. Consistent with this, cry2 shows high levels of ubiquitination under low ambient temperatures. Interestingly, cry2 degradation at low ambient temperatures occurs only under blue light and not under red light or dark conditions, indicating blue-light-dependent degradation of cry2 at low ambient temperature. Furthermore, low ambient temperature promotes physical interaction of Light-Response Bric-a-Brack/Tramtrack/Broad (LRB) proteins with cry2 to modulate its ubiquitination and protein stability in response to ambient temperature. LRBs promote high-temperature-induced hypocotyl elongation by modulating the protein stability of cry2 protein. These results indicate that cry2 accumulation is regulated by not only blue light but also ambient temperature, and LRBs are responsible for cry2 degradation at low ambient temperature. The stabilization of cry2 by high temperature makes cry2 a better negative regulator of temperature responses.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (12) ◽  
pp. 1177-1185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Williamsen ◽  
Gabriel Pigeon ◽  
Atle Mysterud ◽  
Audun Stien ◽  
Mads Forchhammer ◽  
...  

In animals with long generation times, evolution of physiological and morphological traits may not be fast enough to keep up with rapid climate warming, but thermoregulatory behaviour can possibly serve as an important buffer mitigating warming effects. In this study, we investigated if the cold-adapted Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus (Vrolik, 1829)) used cool bed sites as a thermoregulatory behaviour in the summer. We recorded habitat variables and ground temperature at 371 bed sites with random “control” sites 10 and 100 m distant. Using case-control logistic regression, we found that reindeer selected bed sites on cool substrates (snow and mire), as well as cold, dry ground on days with warm ambient temperatures, while they avoided such sites on cold days. Selection of both cool substrates and cool ground did not depend on age or sex. The study was conducted in an environment where neither predatory threat nor insect harassment influenced bed site selection. Our findings suggest that the thermal landscape is important for habitat selection of cold-adapted Arctic ungulates in summer. Thus, behavioural strategies may be important to mitigate effects of climate change, at least in the short term.


1984 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 1564-1568 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Hale ◽  
D. Megirian ◽  
M. J. Pollard

We studied the effect of mild hypoxia (15% O2) and low ambient temperature (Ta = 15 degrees C) on the rat's sleep-waking pattern (SWP) and maximum-minimum core temperature (max-min Tb). Mild hypoxia at neutral Ta (29 degrees C) disrupted the SWP in the same way as low Ta during normoxia: both affected the pattern of frequency of state changes (P less than 0.01), not the pattern of epoch durations. Mild hypoxia and low Ta together caused a degree of disruption of the SWP which was the sum of each alone, i.e., additive. Although both mild hypoxia and low Ta significantly depressed max-min Tb, low Ta exerted a greater effect than mild hypoxia. Together they further depressed max-min Tb in an additive way. We conclude that mild hypoxia disrupts the rat's SWP independent of central thermoregulatory mechanisms at neutral Ta, that the effects of mild hypoxia and low Ta on the SWP are additive at the stimulus levels used, and that Ta, not inspired O2, determines Tb.


1984 ◽  
Vol 246 (6) ◽  
pp. R963-R967 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. Nilssen ◽  
H. K. Johnsen ◽  
A. Rognmo ◽  
A. S. Blix

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a convenient relationship could be found between heart rate (HR) and energy expenditure at rest and during running in the high arctic Svalbard reindeer (SR) and the subarctic Norwegian reindeer (NR). Measurements of HR and energy expenditure (O2 consumption) were made at different ambient temperatures, at rest, and during running at different speeds during both summer and winter. Cost of transportation (Science 177: 222-228, 1972) was 3.56 and 2.67 J X g-1 X km-1 in SR and NR, respectively. The y-intercept value obtained for NR was close to the predicted value (J. Exp. Biol. 97: 1-22, 1982), whereas that of SR was much lower. In NR the relationship between HR and energy expenditure at running speeds from 0 to 9.2 km X h-1 is, regardless of ambient temperature (in the -30 to +10 degrees C range), described by the following equations: y = 8.04x + 48.70, r = 0.92, n = 27 (summer); and y = 7.48x + 31.20, r = 0.95, n = 52 (winter). In SR, the corresponding equations were y = 7.60x + 49.20, r = 0.94, n = 29 (summer); and y = 8.90x + 32.10, r = 0.96, n = 44 (winter), where y is HR (beats X min-1) and x is metabolic rate (W X kg-1).


2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander N. Larcombe ◽  
Philip C. Withers

The metabolic, thermoregulatory and ventilatory physiology of western barred bandicoots (Perameles bougainville bougainville), measured in the laboratory during summer and winter at ambient temperatures of 10 and 30°C, is relatively unusual for a peramelid marsupial. It has a low thermoneutral body temperature (33.7 ± 0.2°C), a very high basal metabolic rate (0.68 ± 0.03 mL O2 g–1 h–1 at ambient temperature = 30°C), low respiratory exchange ratios (often less than 0.7) and a high thermal conductance, reflecting its high oxygen consumption rate and low body temperature. Ventilatory frequency and tidal volume were variable between seasons, although minute volume and oxygen extraction efficiency were not. Minute volume of the western barred bandicoot was higher than expected, reflecting its high metabolic rate. Time of year (i.e. season) had an effect on some aspects of metabolic, thermoregulatory and ventilatory physiology (carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio, total evaporative water loss), but this effect was not as substantial nor as general as the effect of ambient temperature.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 47-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryszard Jasiński

Abstract A large number of hydraulic devices and systems are started in low ambient temperatures. A good example of such a device is the hoisting winch on the ship. Starting hydraulic drive units in thermal shock conditions (rapid supply of hot oil to the cold unit) may lead to incorrect operation of the actuating system, for instance, due to the loss of clearance between cooperating elements. The article presents methods to prevent the disappearance of effective clearance in a hydraulic motor started in thermal shock conditions. For this reason, the structure of the hydraulic satellite motor was complemented by elements creating special channels through which hot oil could flow and additionally heat fixed parts of the motor. This solution ensures faster heating of motor housing, thus decreasing the temperature difference between the housing and the satellites during motor start-up in thermal shock conditions.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 2286
Author(s):  
Jan Kominek ◽  
Martin Zachar ◽  
Michal Guzej ◽  
Erik Bartuli ◽  
Petr Kotrbacek

Miniaturization of electronic devices leads to new heat dissipation challenges and traditional cooling methods need to be replaced by new better ones. Polymer heat sinks may, thanks to their unique properties, replace standardly used heat sink materials in certain applications, especially in applications with high ambient temperature. Polymers natively dispose of high surface emissivity in comparison with glossy metals. This high emissivity allows a larger amount of heat to be dissipated to the ambient with the fourth power of its absolute surface temperature. This paper shows the change in radiative and convective heat transfer from polymer heat sinks used in different ambient temperatures. Furthermore, the observed polymer heat sinks have differently oriented graphite filler caused by their molding process differences, therefore their thermal conductivity anisotropies and overall cooling efficiencies also differ. Furthermore, it is also shown that a high radiative heat transfer leads to minimizing these cooling efficiency differences between these polymer heat sinks of the same geometry. The measurements were conducted at HEATLAB, Brno University of Technology.


Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 225
Author(s):  
Ines Mack ◽  
Mike Sharland ◽  
Janneke M. Brussee ◽  
Sophia Rehm ◽  
Katharina Rentsch ◽  
...  

Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (AMC) belongs to the WHO Essential Medicines List for children, but for optimal antimicrobial effectiveness, reconstituted dry powder suspensions need to be stored in a refrigerated environment. Many patients in low- and middle-income countries who are sold AMC suspensions would be expected not to keep to the specified storage conditions. We aimed to assess the stability of both ingredients in liquid formulations and dispersible tablets, combined with nationally representative data on access to appropriate storage. Degradation of amoxicillin (AMX) and clavulanic-acid (CLA) was measured in suspensions and dispersible tablets commercially available in Switzerland at different ambient temperatures (8 °C vs. 28 °C over 7 days, and 23 °C vs. 28 °C over 24 h, respectively). Data on access to refrigeration and electricity were assessed from the USAID-funded Demographic and Health Survey program. In suspensions, CLA degraded to a maximum of 12.9% (95% CI −55.7%, +29.9%) at 8°C and 72.3% (95% CI −82.8%, −61.8%) at a 28 °C ambient temperature during an observation period of 7 days. Dispersible tablets were observed during 24 h and CLA degraded to 15.4% (95% CI −51.9%, +21.2%) at 23 °C and 21.7% (−28.2%, −15.1%) at a 28 °C ambient temperature. There is relevant degradation of CLA in suspensions during a 7-day course. To overcome the stability challenges for all active components, durable child-appropriate formulations are needed. Until then, prescribers of AMC suspensions or pharmacists who sell the drug need to create awareness for the importance of proper storage conditions regarding effectiveness of both antibiotics and this recommendation should be reflected in the WHO Essential Medicines List for children.


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