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Twenty- six first lactation dairy cattle were sampled biweekly for four months to determine the effect of five levels of nutrition on blood plasma corticoid s , total and differential leucocytes, hemoglobin and packed cell volume . Cows completing their 305 day lactation during the four month sampling interval were removed from the experimental herd, but were sampled twice more. It was hypothesized that cows on ration s below NRC requirements for milk production would demonstrate stress symptoms of elevated plasma corticoids, elevated white blood count, neutrophilia and eosinopenia. It was also hypothesized that measuring the decrease in eosinophils would be a better method of quantifying nutritional stress than by measuring corticoids, since circulating eosinophils are not subject to rapid increases from stresses of sampling, as are the corticoids. Least squares analysis indicated a trend for increased corticoids with decreased level of nutrition, but the trend was not significant (p> . 05). Eosinophil level was significantly (p < . 05) correlated with ration indicating increased stress caused a rise in eosinophils in stead of a decline as was expected. Eosinophils were negatively correlated with corticoids (-. 12) as expected but the relation ship was not significant (p >. 05 ). Ration was positively correlated with milk yield, body weight, and number of circulating neutrophils. Ration was negatively correlated with total leucocyte count. No significant change in hemoglobin or packed cell volume was detected. Significant (·p < • 01) increases in leucocytes, neutrophils and hemoglobin we r e observed in the cows after completion of the 305 day lactation . Significant (p < . 0 1) decreases in corticoids and milk production were also observed in these cows.

Reduced availability of high energy-content prey (nutritional stress) is a predominant hypothesis to explain the decline of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) populations in western Alaska from the late 1970'€™s to the late 1990'™s. Animals may physiologically respond to consuming insufficient prey by increasing stress levels and decreasing metabolic rates. It may thus be possible to identify nutritional stress by measuring concentrations of glucocorticoids (stress) and thyroid hormones (metabolism) shed in feces. However, techniques to measure thyroid hormone concentrations from Steller sea lion feces have not been developed. We quantified variation of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) concentrations in Steller sea lion feces following injections of thyrotropin (TSH) into four captive animals. Glucocorticoids (GC) were also assayed to examine any relationship to stimulated thyroid hormone secretion. We found that fecal T3 peaked 48 h post-injection and increased 25-57% in three sea lions (all animals, p=0.03). Pre-injection GC increases indicated stress from isolation for baseline fecal collections, but post-injection increases could not be confirmed as a response to TSH injections or as a product of the study design. The results demonstrated that pre- and post-injection changes in fecal GC and T3 concentrations were consistent with predictions of an increased stress response and metabolic rate within the animals. We then measured T3 and GC concentrations in 834 Steller sea lion fecal samples collected in 2005 and 2006 from 15 sites (haulouts and rookeries) between British Columbia and the Central Aleutian Islands. Overall, GC concentrations did not differ between haulout populations (western 2006 pre-pupping and eastern 2005 post-pupping). Fecal hard-part analyses revealed a lower energy-content diet in the western population, suggesting that diet quality is a relevant hypothesis to explain slightly higher GC concentrations found in the western population, specifically the Aleutian Islands region. However, nutritional stress could not be substantiated through T3 concentrations. The rookeries possessed the highest energy-content diets, but also exhibited a nutritional stress response with a significantly higher GC and lower T3 concentration than either haulout population (possibly related to lactation or decreased foraging opportunities), but T3 comparisons performed at scales of site and region were inconclusive.

Reduced availability of high energy-content prey (nutritional stress) is a predominant hypothesis to explain the decline of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) populations in western Alaska from the late 1970'€™s to the late 1990'™s. Animals may physiologically respond to consuming insufficient prey by increasing stress levels and decreasing metabolic rates. It may thus be possible to identify nutritional stress by measuring concentrations of glucocorticoids (stress) and thyroid hormones (metabolism) shed in feces. However, techniques to measure thyroid hormone concentrations from Steller sea lion feces have not been developed. We quantified variation of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) concentrations in Steller sea lion feces following injections of thyrotropin (TSH) into four captive animals. Glucocorticoids (GC) were also assayed to examine any relationship to stimulated thyroid hormone secretion. We found that fecal T3 peaked 48 h post-injection and increased 25-57% in three sea lions (all animals, p=0.03). Pre-injection GC increases indicated stress from isolation for baseline fecal collections, but post-injection increases could not be confirmed as a response to TSH injections or as a product of the study design. The results demonstrated that pre- and post-injection changes in fecal GC and T3 concentrations were consistent with predictions of an increased stress response and metabolic rate within the animals. We then measured T3 and GC concentrations in 834 Steller sea lion fecal samples collected in 2005 and 2006 from 15 sites (haulouts and rookeries) between British Columbia and the Central Aleutian Islands. Overall, GC concentrations did not differ between haulout populations (western 2006 pre-pupping and eastern 2005 post-pupping). Fecal hard-part analyses revealed a lower energy-content diet in the western population, suggesting that diet quality is a relevant hypothesis to explain slightly higher GC concentrations found in the western population, specifically the Aleutian Islands region. However, nutritional stress could not be substantiated through T3 concentrations. The rookeries possessed the highest energy-content diets, but also exhibited a nutritional stress response with a significantly higher GC and lower T3 concentration than either haulout population (possibly related to lactation or decreased foraging opportunities), but T3 comparisons performed at scales of site and region were inconclusive.

Reduced availability of high energy-content prey (nutritional stress) is a predominant hypothesis to explain the decline of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) populations in western Alaska from the late 1970' s to the late 1990' s. Animals may physiologically respond to consuming insufficient prey by increasing stress levels and decreasing metabolic rates. It may thus be possible to identify nutritional stress by measuring concentrations of glucocorticoids (stress) and thyroid hormones (metabolism) shed in feces. However, techniques to measure thyroid hormone concentrations from Steller sea lion feces have not been developed. We quantified variation of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) concentrations in Steller sea lion feces following injections of thyrotropin (TSH) into four captive animals. Glucocorticoids (GC) were also assayed to examine any relationship to stimulated thyroid hormone secretion. We found that fecal T3 peaked 48 h post-injection and increased 25-57% in three sea lions (all animals, p=0.03). Pre-injection GC increases indicated stress from isolation for baseline fecal collections, but post-injection increases could not be confirmed as a response to TSH injections or as a product of the study design. The results demonstrated that pre- and post-injection changes in fecal GC and T3 concentrations were consistent with predictions of an increased stress response and metabolic rate within the animals. We then measured T3 and GC concentrations in 834 Steller sea lion fecal samples collected in 2005 and 2006 from 15 sites (haulouts and rookeries) between British Columbia and the Central Aleutian Islands. Overall, GC concentrations did not differ between haulout populations (western 2006 pre-pupping and eastern 2005 post-pupping). Fecal hard-part analyses revealed a lower energy-content diet in the western population, suggesting that diet quality is a relevant hypothesis to explain slightly higher GC concentrations found in the western population, specifically the Aleutian Islands region. However, nutritional stress could not be substantiated through T3 concentrations. The rookeries possessed the highest energy-content diets, but also exhibited a nutritional stress response with a significantly higher GC and lower T3 concentration than either haulout population (possibly related to lactation or decreased foraging opportunities), but T3 comparisons performed at scales of site and region were inconclusive. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

A mass grave containing the remains of at least 3269 Napoleonic soldiers from 1812 was discovered in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2001. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic analyses were performed on collagen from 78 femoral samples to explore dietary variation within the sample. Starvation and nutritional distress were also evaluated through the examination of nitrogen enrichment in bone collagen. Clinical studies have demonstrated that enriched nitrogen isotope values can indicate periods of nutritional stress and starvation; however, this is the first study to examine its use as a diagnostic indicator of starvation in a historical population using bone tissue. According to the carbon isotope data, a vast majority of the soldiers in this sample consumed predominantly C3 plants with only five individuals consuming more than 50% of their plant dietary protein in the form of C4 plants, with δ13C ratios for this sample ranging from -19.22‰ to -11.76‰ and a mean of -17.18‰. This conforms to expectations given that a majority of human plant consumption in Europe is C3 pathway plants. Twenty-nine individuals exhibit enriched δ15N values, with δ15N values for this sample ranging from 7.14‰ to 13.63‰ and a mean of 10.49‰. The combination of historical and isotopic evidence suggests prolonged nutritional stress may be the cause of enrichment in this sample. The results of this study demonstrate the applicability of this method on archaeological samples as a line of evidence in the investigation of starvation and famine.

Yes / Objectives: We compared δ15N and δ13C values from bone and dentine collagen profiles of individuals interred in famine‐related and attritional burials to evaluate whether individuals in medieval London who experienced nutritional stress exhibit enriched nitrogen in bone and tooth tissue. Dentine profiles were evaluated to identify patterns that may be indicative of famine during childhood and were compared with the age of enamel hypoplasia (EH) formation to assess whether isotopic patterns of undernutrition coincide with the timing of physiological stress. Materials and Methods: δ15N and δ13C isotope ratios of bone collagen were obtained from individuals (n = 128) interred in attritional and famine burials from a medieval London cemetery (c. 1120–1539). Temporal sequences of δ15N and δ13C isotope profiles for incrementally forming dentine collagen were obtained from a subset of these individuals (n = 21). Results: Results indicate that individuals from attritional graves exhibit significantly higher δ15N values but no significant differences were found between burial types for the sexes. Analyses of dentine profiles reveal that a lower proportion of famine burials exhibit stable dentine profiles and that several exhibit a pattern of opposing covariance between δ15N and δ13C. EH were also observed to have formed during or after the opposing covariance pattern for some individuals. Conclusions: The results of this study may reflect differences in diet between burial types rather than nutritional stress. Though nutritional stress could not be definitively identified using bone and dentine collagen, the results from dentine analysis support previous observations of biochemical patterns associated with nutritional stress during childhood. / Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences. Grant Numbers: BCS‐1261682, BCS‐1540208. Office of the Vice President for Research, University of South Carolina. Grant Number: SPARC Fellowship Grant

Maintaining thermal balance is essential for all homeotherms but can be especially challenging for pinnipeds which must regulate over a variety of ambient temperatures and habitats as part of their life history. Young pinnipeds, with their immature physiology and inexperience, have the additional expense of needing to allocate energy for growth while still dealing with a thermally stressful aquatic environment. With the immense environmental and physiological pressures acting on juvenile age-classes, declines in prey resources would be particularly detrimental to survival. The goal of the present study was to examine the metabolic and thermoregulatory capabilities of juvenile Steller sea lions to better understand how changing prey resources indirectly impact juvenile age classes. Data collected from captive Steller sea lions suggest that changes in body mass and body composition influence the thermoregulatory capabilities of smaller sea lions in stationary and flowing water. Serial thermal images taken of sea lions after emergence from the water show vasoconstriction of the flippers compared to the body trunk to help minimize heat loss. Despite this ability to vasoconstrict, sea lions in poor body condition displayed a reduced tolerance for colder water temperatures, suggesting that decreases in prey availability which affect insulation may limit survival in younger sea lions. If reductions in prey availability (i.e., nutritional stress) were impacting western Alaskan populations, a reduction in energetic expenditures would be expected in these animals to cope. Measures of resting metabolism in juvenile free-ranging Steller sea lions across Alaska showed no differences between eastern and western capture locations, suggesting no evidence of metabolic depression in declining western stocks of sea lions. Finally, thermal costs predicted by a thermal balance model were compared to actual costs measured in the present study. Model output reliably predicted thermoregulatory costs for juvenile Steller sea lions under certain environmental conditions. Basic physiological measurements combined with the predictive power of modeling will allow for greater exploration of the environmental constraints on juvenile Steller sea lions and identify directions of future study.

Maintaining thermal balance is essential for all homeotherms but can be especially challenging for pinnipeds which must regulate over a variety of ambient temperatures and habitats as part of their life history. Young pinnipeds, with their immature physiology and inexperience, have the additional expense of needing to allocate energy for growth while still dealing with a thermally stressful aquatic environment. With the immense environmental and physiological pressures acting on juvenile age-classes, declines in prey resources would be particularly detrimental to survival. The goal of the present study was to examine the metabolic and thermoregulatory capabilities of juvenile Steller sea lions to better understand how changing prey resources indirectly impact juvenile age classes. Data collected from captive Steller sea lions suggest that changes in body mass and body composition influence the thermoregulatory capabilities of smaller sea lions in stationary and flowing water. Serial thermal images taken of sea lions after emergence from the water show vasoconstriction of the flippers compared to the body trunk to help minimize heat loss. Despite this ability to vasoconstrict, sea lions in poor body condition displayed a reduced tolerance for colder water temperatures, suggesting that decreases in prey availability which affect insulation may limit survival in younger sea lions. If reductions in prey availability (i.e., nutritional stress) were impacting western Alaskan populations, a reduction in energetic expenditures would be expected in these animals to cope. Measures of resting metabolism in juvenile free-ranging Steller sea lions across Alaska showed no differences between eastern and western capture locations, suggesting no evidence of metabolic depression in declining western stocks of sea lions. Finally, thermal costs predicted by a thermal balance model were compared to actual costs measured in the present study. Model output reliably predicted thermoregulatory costs for juvenile Steller sea lions under certain environmental conditions. Basic physiological measurements combined with the predictive power of modeling will allow for greater exploration of the environmental constraints on juvenile Steller sea lions and identify directions of future study.

Submitted by Allan Lopes Bacha null (allan_lb@hotmail.com) on 2017-09-13T00:04:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Allan_Lopes_Bacha.pdf: 1553490 bytes, checksum: abd4c622d45b58fff7b494c3dedd3026 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-09-15T13:16:44Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 bacha_al_me_jabo.pdf: 1553490 bytes, checksum: abd4c622d45b58fff7b494c3dedd3026 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-15T13:16:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 bacha_al_me_jabo.pdf: 1553490 bytes, checksum: abd4c622d45b58fff7b494c3dedd3026 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-18 / Plantas de eucalipto são sensíveis a estresses abióticos em seu desenvolvimento inicial, sendo as deficiências hídrica e nutricional dois dos mais recorrentes dentre eles. O maturador etil-trinexapac pode afetar positivamente o eucalipto, resposta caracterizada como hormese, conferindo às plantas maior tolerância aos estresses. Diante disto, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito do etil-trinexapac no crescimento inicial do eucalipto em condições de estresse hídrico e nutricional. Quatro experimentos foram conduzidos em casa de vegetação, em vasos de 15 L, sendo dois sob deficiência hídrica e dois sob deficiência nutricional (NPK). Nas duas condições, foram utilizadas duas épocas de aplicação de etil-trinexapac (antes do plantio - AP; e depois do plantio - DP) em mudas de Eucalyptus urophylla (clone I-144). Avaliou-se: trocas gasosas, teor de clorofila total, altura, diâmetro do caule, área foliar, matéria seca e relação raiz/parte aérea. Para a deficiência hídrica, conduziu-se dois experimentos simultaneamente, durante 74 dias após o plantio (DAP) do eucalipto. Os tratamentos consistiram da combinação de três doses de etil-trinexapac (0,0; 30 e 60 g i.a. ha-1) e duas condições hídricas (sem estresse e com deficiência hídrica – conduzido a 20% da capacidade de campo). Adotou-se o delineamento de blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 3x2, com cinco repetições. Na época de aplicação AP, a pulverização de etil-trinexapac ocorreu aos 0 DAP e na época de aplicação DP, aos 24 DAP. Houve efeito positivo para a taxa de assimilação líquida de CO2 aos 27 e 40 DAP, para o DP e AP, respectivamente. As plantas de eucalipto na ausência de deficiência hídrica apresentaram maior crescimento, independentemente da época de aplicação. Conclui-se que o etil-trinexapac não ocasionou efeito hormético no eucalipto, independentemente da condição hídrica, e as épocas de aplicação influenciaram de formas distintas as características avaliadas, não havendo efeito prejudicial em nenhuma delas. Para a deficiência nutricional, conduziu-se dois experimentos simultaneamente, durante 81 DAP. Os tratamentos consistiram da combinação de três doses de etil-trinexapac (0,0; 30 e 60 g i.a. ha-1) e quatro variações da solução nutritiva de Hoagland e Arnon (solução completa, -N, -P e -K). Utilizou-se delineamento de blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 3x4, com cinco repetições. Na época de aplicação AP a pulverização do maturador ocorreu aos 0 DAP, enquanto no DP, aos 33 DAP. As plantas em solução –K não diferiram das cultivadas em solução completa. O tratamento –N proporcionou maior relação raiz/parte aérea, mas resultou em menor crescimento, seguido pelo –P. Quando em –P, o etil-trinexapac teve efeito positivo para a matéria seca total (AP) e área foliar (DP). O maturador afetou positivamente algumas características fotossintéticas do eucalipto. / Eucalyptus plants are sensitive to abiotic stresses in their initial development, and water and nutritional deficiencies are two of the most recurrent among them. Trinexapac-ethyl can positively affect eucalyptus, a response known as hormesis, possible providing plants greater tolerance to stress. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of trinexapac-ethyl on the initial growth of eucalyptus under conditions of water and nutritional stress. Four experiments were conducted in greenhouse, in 15 L pots. Two in the water deficiency condition and two in nutritional deficiency (NPK). In both deficiency conditions, two trinexapac-ethyl application times (before planting - BP and after planting - AP) in Eucalyptus urophylla (clone I-144) were used. The following variables were evaluated: gas exchange, total chlorophyll content, height, stem diameter, leaf area, dry matter and root/shoot ratio. For water deficiency, two experiments were conducted simultaneously, during 74 days after planting (DAP) of eucalyptus. The treatments consisted of three doses of trinexapac-ethyl (0.0, 30 and 60 g i.a. ha-1) and two water conditions (no stress and water deficiency - conducted at 20% field capacity). A randomized complete block design was used in a 3x2 factorial scheme with five replications. In the BP application time, trinexapac-ethyl was sprayed at 0 DAP and in AP mode at 24 DAP. We found a positive effect for net assimilation rate at 27 and 40 DAP, for AP and BP, respectively. Eucalyptus plants in the absence of water deficiency showed higher growth, regardless application time. We concluded that trinexapac-ethyl did not cause hormesis on eucalyptus, regardless water status, and the application time influenced the characteristics evaluated in different ways, with no harmful effect in any of them. For nutritional deficiency, two experiments were conducted simultaneously, for 81 DAP. The treatments consisted of three doses of trinexapac-ethyl (0.0, 30 and 60 g i.a. ha-1) and four variations of the nutrient solution of Hoagland and Arnon: complete solution, -N, -P and -K. A randomized complete block design was used in a 3x4 factorial scheme with five replications. In the BP application time, trinexapac-ethyl was sprayed at 0 DAP, while in AP, at 33 DAP. Plants in -K solution did not differ from those grown in complete solution. The treatment -N provided a higher root/shoot ratio, but resulted in lower growth, followed by -P. In -P solution, trinexapac-ethyl had a positive effect on total dry matter (BP) and leaf area (AP). Trinexapac-ethyl positively affected some photosynthetic characteristics of eucalyptus.