Effect of long-term simulated microgravity on some sexual traits of male Japanese quail.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term stay of Japanese quail in simulated microgravity on some sexual features of males. As a model for simulating microgravity exposure of birds in laboratory conditions was used hypodynamia. The mean left testis weight in males reared under hypodynamia from day 3 up to 180 days of age was lower than that of control (P<0.

Hypergravity-induced increase in plasma catecholamine and corticosterone levels in telemetrically collected blood of rats during centrifugation.

Rats subjected to various accelerations (+G) exhibited increased levels of plasma epinephrine (EPI), norepinephrine (NE), and corticosterone. However, the collection of blood was performed after a centrifugation finished, and therefore the levels could be affected by the process of deceleration. The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma EPI, NE, and corticosterone levels in blood collected directly during centrifugation after reaching different G (2-6), using newly developed remote-controlled equipment.

Different influence of hypodynamy on calcium and phosphorus levels in bones of male and female Japanese quails.

The influence of long-term hypodynamy on the calcium and phosphorus levels was studied in the bones of Japanese quails. The hypodynamy evoked different changes in the calcium and phosphorus content in males and females. The calcium content in the marrow of femurs was only changed in the hens, while in cockerels it was significantly decreased in the upper part and marrow of the tibia.

The effect of branched chain amino acids on protein synthesis in two skeletal muscles of Japanese quail.

Two different isolated skeletal muscles of Japanese quail were used. The influence of branched chain amino acids on the fractional rate of protein synthesis (FSR) was evaluated using 14C-tyrosine. The addition of 0.

Nitrogen excretion in Japanese quail during protein depletion and repletion.

The influence of protein depletion and repletion on the excretion of uric acid, urea, creatinine and free arginine as well as on the activities of xanthine dehydrogenase and arginase in Japanese quail was studied. Adult cockerels normally fed until the age of 42 days were kept on a protein free diet for 21 days and subsequently for 14 days on the previous normal diet. The control group was fed normal diet for the whole time.

[Forms of xanthine oxidoreductase in the tissues of Japanese quail].

The Japanese quail tissues--liver, kidney and pancreas were analysed for the presence of forms of xanthine oxidoreductase utilised cofactors NAD+, molecular oxygen or artificial acceptor--methylene blue, as well as for the validity of correlation between enzymatic activity and diet protein content. Four groups of animals with the experimental diets, the formulae of which are given in Tab. I, and control group with a commercial mash were fed for ten days.

[The effect of dietary lysine excess and deficiency on metabolism in Japanese quail].

We conducted three experiments with Japanese quail to study the influence of deficient and excessive contents of lysine in the feed in relation to certain zootechnical parameters, protein value, to the active of liver xanthine dehydrogenase, content of free plasma lysine under the conditions of the maximum saturation of blood pool, and to the changes in 14C-labelled lysine degradation. The zootechnical parameters and protein value were optimum at the content of 5.22 g Lys per 16 g nitrogen in the feed, the activity of liver xanthine dehydrogenase was maximum.

[The effect of a protein-free diet on the submicroscopic structure of striated muscles in Japanese quail].

The effect of protein-free diet on the striated muscle m. gastrocnemius of Japanese quail was studied in three test groups and the data were compared with a control group. Each test group included three birds.