An investigation of arterial disease in Alaskan reindeer and Caribou.

No significant lesions of atherosclerosis or other vascular diseases were found in the aorta and coronary arteries of 34 reindeer and 15 caribou (Rangifer tarandus). Serum lipid, phospholipid, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were similar in caribou and reindeer and did not differ greatly from those reported in other ruminants.

Evaluation of three isotope-dilution techniques for studying the kinetics of glucose metabolism in sheep.

1. Comparisons have been made of three isotope-dilution techniques for measuring parameters of glucose metabolism in sheep given their daily ration in 12 equal amounts (i.e. from 07.00 to 18.00hr.) 2. [U-(14)C]Glucose was used in all experiments. After a single injection the specific radioactivity of plasma glucose was measured at specific times for up to 24hr. Primed infusions were made with various ratios of P, priming injection (nc), to F, infusion rate (nc/min.) (P/F ratios varying from 23:1 to 147:1) and the specific radioactivity of plasma glucose was measured at 60, 120, 150, 180, 210 and 240min. In continuous infusions the specific radioactivity of plasma glucose was followed for 9hr.; a constant specific radioactivity was observed after approximately 180min. 3. A computer programme was used to fit a multi-exponential equation to the log(specific radioactivity)-time curve after a single injection. A second- or third-order exponential equation was found to fit the results. 4. Conventional analyses of all results showed that similar estimates of the irreversible loss of glucose were obtained by using all three techniques. Estimates of glucose pool size and space by using the primed infusion technique were both significantly higher than estimates obtained by the single injection technique. In these experiments total entry rate could only be determined from the single-injection results and a wide variation in estimates was obtained. 5. Comparisons of the specific radioactivity-time relationships after a single injection of [U-(14)C]glucose in sheep given their ration either once daily or as a proportion at hourly intervals indicated that there were fluctuations in glucose synthesis in the former over the period of the experiment. The multi-exponential curves fitted to these results had larger residual variances than in sheep given food at hourly intervals. All parameters of glucose metabolism estimated were similar under both feeding regimes. 6. A number of methods of analysis are discussed and a model for glucose metabolism in sheep in suggested.

Contribution of propionate to glucose synthesis in sheep.

1. The production rate of propionate in the rumen and the entry rate of glucose into the body pool of glucose in sheep were measured by isotope-dilution methods. Propionate production rates were measured by using a continuous infusion of specifically labelled [(14)C]propionate. Glucose entry rates were estimated by using either a primed infusion or a continuous infusion of [U-(14)C]glucose. 2. The specific radioactivity of plasma glucose was constant between 4 and 9hr. after the commencement of intravenous infusion of [U-(14)C]glucose and between 1 and 3hr. when a primed infusion was used. 3. Infusion of [(14)C]propionate intraruminally resulted in a fairly constant specific radioactivity of rumen propionate between about 4 and 9hr. and of plasma glucose between 6 and 9hr. after the commencement of the infusion. Comparison of the mean specific radioactivities of glucose and propionate during these periods allowed estimates to be made of the contribution of propionate to glucose synthesis. 4. Comparisons of the specific radioactivities of plasma glucose and rumen propionate during intraruminal infusions of one of [1-(14)C]-, [2-(14)C]-, [3-(14)C]- and [U-(14)C]-propionate indicated considerable exchange of C-1 of propionate on conversion into glucose. The incorporation of C-2 and C-3 of propionate into glucose and lactate indicated that 54% of both the glucose and lactate synthesized arose from propionate carbon. 5. No differences were found for glucose entry rates measured either by a primed infusion or by a continuous infusion. The mean entry rate (+/-s.e.m.) of glucose estimated by using a continuous infusion into sheep was 0.33+/-0.03 (4) m-mole/min. and by using a primed infusion was 0.32+/-0.01 (4) m-mole/min. The mean propionate production rate was 1.24+/-0.03 (8) m-moles/min. The conversion of propionate into glucose was 0.36 m-mole/min., indicating that 32% of the propionate produced in the rumen is used for glucose synthesis. 6. It was indicated that a considerable amount of the propionate converted into glucose was first converted into lactate.