Abstract: Average daily core body temperature and behavioural patterns of pregnant mares were studied, in search of definitive signs of parturition within 24 h of the event. Nineteen pony mares were sampled twice daily for core body temperature. A significant temperature drop, averaging 0.1 degrees C (0.2 degrees F) was observed during the day prior to parturition. Between 18.00 h and 06.00 h, during the two weeks before parturition, Thoroughbred and Standardbred mares (n = 52) spent an average 66.8 per cent of their time standing, 27.0 per cent eating, 4.9 per cent lying in sternal recumbency, 1.0 per cent lying in lateral recumbency, and 0.3 per cent walking. On the night before parturition, mares spent significantly less time lying in sternal recumbency than on previous nights and on the night of parturition all behaviour patterns except eating were significantly different from the nights of the two weeks before parturition. There was an increase in walking (5.3 per cent), lying in sternal recumbency (8 per cent) and lying in lateral recumbency (5.3 per cent) whereas standing (53.3 per cent) was decreased. In 58 observed pregnancies, 54 mares (97 per cent) foaled in a recumbent position and 50 mares (86 per cent) foaled between 18.00 h and 06.00 h.

Abstract: The effect of meal frequency on body fluid, glucose, triiodothyronine (T3), heart rate and behavior was measured in 10 ponies. A simple reversal design was used in which each pony received one meal/day (1X) for 2 wk and six meals/day (6X) for 2 wk. The total intake/day was held constant. Feeding was followed by a rise in plasma levels of glucose, T3, protein and osmolality. One large meal was followed by significantly greater changes in all of the variables than was a meal one-sixth the size. Plasma T3 rose from 41 +/- 5 (SE) ng/liter before feeding to 43 +/- 5 ng/liter following a small meal, but rose significantly higher, from 39 +/- 4 to 60 +/- 10 ng/liter, following a large meal. Glucose rose from 84 +/- 3 to 109 +/- 7 mg/dl following a small meal and rose significantly higher, from 83 +/- 3 to 154 +/- 11 mg/dl, after a large meal. Plasma protein rose from 6.55 +/- .14 to 6.62 +/- .16 g/dl following a small meal and from 6.45 +/- .14 to 6.99 +/- .11 g/dl following a large meal. Osmolality rose from 227 +/- 1 mosmol/liter before to 279 +/- 1 mosmol/liter following a small meal and significantly higher from 278 +/- 2 to 285 +/- 1 mosnol/liter following a large meal. Heart rate rose from 42 beats/min in the absence of feed to 50 beats/min when food was visible to the ponies and did not rise higher when eating began. There were no significant differences in the cardiac response to one large meal and that to a small meal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abstract: Our previous study suggested that fenofibrate affects obesity and lipid metabolism in a sexually dimorphic manner in part through the differential activation of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) in male and female C57BL/6J mice. To determine whether fenofibrate reduces body weight gain and adiposity in female sham-operated (Sham) and ovariectomized (OVX) C57BL/6J mice, the effects of fenofibrate on not only body weight, white adipose tissue (WAT) mass, and food intake, but also the expression of both leptin and PPARalpha target genes were measured. Compared to their respective low-fat diet-fed controls, both Sham and OVX mice exhibited increases in body weight and WAT mass when fed a high-fat diet. Fenofibrate treatment decreased body weight gain and WAT mass in OVX, but not in Sham mice. Furthermore, fenofibrate increased the mRNA levels of PPARalpha target genes encoding peroxisomal enzymes involved in fatty acid beta-oxidation, and reduced apolipoprotein C-III (apo C-III) mRNA, all of which were expressed at higher levels in OVX compared to Sham mice. However, leptin mRNA levels were found to positively correlate with WAT mass, and food intake was not changed in either OVX or Sham mice following fenofibrate treatment. These results suggest that fenofibrate differentially regulates body weight and adiposity due in part to differences in PPARalpha activation, but not to differences in leptin production, between female OVX and Sham mice.

Abstract: Sweating responses were examined in five horses during a standardized exercise test (SET) in hot conditions (32-34 degrees C, 45-55% relative humidity) during 8 wk of exercise training (5 days/wk) in moderate conditions (19-21 degrees C, 45-55% relative humidity). SETs consisting of 7 km at 50% maximal O(2) consumption, determined 1 wk before training day (TD) 0, were completed on a treadmill set at a 6 degrees incline on TD0, 14, 28, 42, and 56. Mean maximal O(2) consumption, measured 2 days before each SET, increased 19% [TD0 to 42: 135 +/- 5 (SE) to 161 +/- 4 ml. kg(-1). min(-1)]. Peak sweating rate (SR) during exercise increased on TD14, 28, 42, and 56 compared with TD0, whereas SRs and sweat losses in recovery decreased by TD28. By TD56, end-exercise rectal and pulmonary artery temperature decreased by 0.9 +/- 0.1 and 1.2 +/- 0.1 degrees C, respectively, and mean change in body mass during the SET decreased by 23% (TD0: 10.1 +/- 0.9; TD56: 7.7 +/- 0.3 kg). Sweat Na(+) concentration during exercise decreased, whereas sweat K(+) concentration increased, and values for Cl(-) concentration in sweat were unchanged. Moderate-intensity training in cool conditions resulted in a 1.6-fold increase in sweating sensitivity evident by 4 wk and a 0.7 +/- 0.1 degrees C decrease in sweating threshold after 8 wk during exercise in hot, dry conditions. Altered sweating responses contributed to improved heat dissipation during exercise and a lower end-exercise core temperature. Despite higher SRs for a given core temperature during exercise, decreases in recovery SRs result in an overall reduction in sweat fluid losses but no change in total sweat ion losses after training.

Abstract: This article explores the maternal role in the acquisition of tool-use behaviours by infant chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes). A honey-fishing task, simulating ant/termite fishing found in the wild, was introduced to three dyads of experienced mother and naive infant chimpanzees. Four fishing sites and eight sets of 20 objects to be used as tools, not all appropriate, were available. Two of the mothers constantly performed the task, using primarily two kinds of tools; the three infants observed them. The infants, regardless of the amount of time spent observing, successfully performed the task around the age of 20-22 months, which is earlier than has been recorded in the wild. Two of the infants used the same types of tools that the adults predominantly used, suggesting that tool selectivity is transmitted. The results also show that adults are tolerant of infants, even if unrelated; infants were sometimes permitted to lick the tools, or were given the tools, usually without honey, as well as permitted to observe the adult performances closely.