Conservation implications of physiological carry‐over effects in bats recovering from white‐nose syndrome

Although it is well documented that infectious diseases can pose threats to biodiversity, the potential long‐term consequences of pathogen exposure on individual fitness and its effects on population viability have rarely been studied. We tested the hypothesis that pathogen exposure causes physiological carry‐over effects with a pathogen that is uniquely suited to this question because the infection period is specific and time limited. The fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans causes white‐nose syndrome (WNS) in hibernating bats, which either die due to the infection while hibernating or recover following emergence from hibernation. The fungus infects all exposed individuals in an overwintering site simultaneously, and bats that survive infection during hibernation clear the pathogen within a few weeks following emergence. We quantified chronic stress during the active season, when bats are not infected, by measuring cortisol in bat claws. Free‐ranging Myotis lucifugus who survived previous exposure to P. destructans had significantly higher levels of claw cortisol than naïve individuals. Thus, cryptic physiological carry‐over effects of pathogen exposure may persist in asymptomatic, recovered individuals. If these effects result in reduced survival or reproductive success, they could also affect population viability and even act as a third stream in the extinction vortex. For example, significant increases in chronic stress, such as those indicated here, are correlated with reduced reproductive success in a number of species. Future research should directly explore the link between pathogen exposure and the viability of apparently recovered populations to improve understanding of the true impacts of infectious diseases on threatened populations.     

环境污染物对硬骨鱼肾间应激轴影响的研究进展

具备神经内分泌应激反应能力是一个健康有机体的基本特征,它可以使动物应对威胁其体内平衡的紧急情形。鱼类在遭受环境胁迫时,通过启动肾间应激轴分泌应激激素皮质醇,为机体动员和分配能量以维持体内平衡。虽然近来大多数研究的焦点一直是污染物对生殖轴线以及性类固醇激素的影响,但是污染物对其它内分泌系统包括肾间应激轴的干扰也越来越受到关注。环境污染物干扰肾间应激轴不仅损害鱼类正常的应激反应能力,还会进一步危害其生长、生殖、免疫等生理功能。本文在简要介绍硬骨鱼肾间应激轴结构组成及调控机制的基础上,综述了多种环境污染物对硬骨鱼肾间应激轴的干扰作用及其机制,展望了该领域今后的研究重点和方向。     

Influence of electromagentic field exposure on serum glucose and cortisol levels in Guinea pigs

Studies showed significant disturbances of electromagnetic fields on metabolism of carbohydrate, lipid, proteins, as well as enzyme activities. In this investigation, the effect of whole-body magnetic field (MF) on glucose and cortisol levels was studied on 30 adult male Guinea pigs. Guinea pigs were exposed to sinusoidal 5 Hz, 0.015 µT and 50 Hz, 0.21 µT MF for 2 and 4 h per day over a 7-day period. Blood samples were taken, and serum glucose was measured by an auto analyzer, and cortisol by radioimmunoassay. The results showed significant decreased serum glucose and cortisol levels in 50 Hz, 0.21 µT MF after 2 or 4 h exposure. A greater decrease was noted in exposure after 2 or 4 h with 50 Hz, 0.21 μT compared to 5 Hz, 0.015 μT MF in all samples. The results indicated a direct relation between MF exposure, serum glucose, and cortisol levels.     

运输应激对二花脸和皮特兰猪血浆应激和代谢相关激素水平的影响

比较二花脸和皮特兰猪在2h运输过程中血浆ACTH、皮质醇、胰岛素和T3、T4水平的动态变化模式,以分析内分泌激素变化的品种特征.选用雄性二花脸猪10头,皮特兰猪6头,体重达20kg时安装颈静脉瘘管,1wk后运输试验,运输过程中不同时间点采集血样,放射免疫分析法测定血浆激素水平.上车后两品种猪ACTH水平缓慢上升,60min后达到峰值,下车后15min恢复至基础水平,运输过程中ACTH水平及变化幅度均未表现显著的品种差异;运输前皮质醇水平二花脸显著高于皮特兰猪,上车后两品种皮质醇均迅速上升,出发后15min达到峰值,下车后15min均快速恢复至基础水平,运输过程中皮特兰皮质醇上升的幅度显著高于二花脸猪;两品种胰岛素水平上车后均呈下降趋势,二花脸胰岛素水平总体上显著高于皮特兰猪;T3水平在上车后也表现快速下降,无论是T3水平还是其变化幅度均不表现显著的品种差异;皮特兰猪上车后T4水平稍微下降而二花脸猪显著下降,皮特兰T4水平总体显著高于二花脸猪.运输应激伴随血浆ACTH和皮质醇水平升高,而胰岛素、T3和T4水平下降,皮质醇水平升高的幅度能够反映猪的应激敏感性.图1参25     

海洋石油钻井平台生产性噪声慢性暴露对血清皮质醇水平的影响

采用自身对照试验,利用个体噪声剂量系统检测海洋石油钻井平台作业人员在作业期间生产性噪声个体暴露水平(40 h等效声级),采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)分别检测噪声暴露作业前后血清皮质醇水平,并分析血清皮质醇水平变化与噪声暴露水平和暴露时间的关系。结果表明:噪声暴露作业后,全部作业人员血清皮质醇水平明显升高(p0.05,α=0.05);不同噪声暴露水平作业人员血清皮质醇水平差别没有统计学意义(p0.05);噪声暴露20 d的作业人员血清皮质醇水平明显高于噪声暴露≤20 d者(p0.05)。血清皮质醇水平变化与噪声暴露水平没有显著关联性,而与噪声暴露时间呈明显的正相关(p0.05)。研究表明,生产性噪声慢性暴露使血清皮质醇水平升高,且暴露时间是主要影响因素。     

How negative social interactions at work seep into the home: A prosocial and an antisocial pathway

We combined Bakker and Demerouti's spillover–crossover model with Taylor's biobehavioral perspective, tested the comprehensive model, and pursued a set of gender‐related research questions. Negative work interactions were expected to entail two strain responses, high‐ and low‐arousal negative affect. Both should be related to cortisol secretion but transmitted via different social pathways, a positive and a negative one. During a 7‐day ambulatory assessment with 56 couples, we assessed daily variations in the severity of negative social interactions at work and at home along with participants' affect and cortisol levels. Using multilevel structural equation modeling, we found evidence for the three hypothesized processes: strain at work as a consequence of social stress, spillover of strain into the home, and crossover to the partner. On socially more stressful days, participants showed increased high‐ and low‐arousal negative affect at work. Low‐arousal negative affect spilled over into the home. Only for men, high‐arousal negative affect spilled over, and only women showed a tendency for slowed decline of cortisol levels on more socially stressful days (i.e., slower recovery). Surprisingly, high‐arousal negative affect at work tended to be negatively related to partners' high‐arousal negative affect. Commonalities predominated differences between men and women. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

皮质醇影响青鳉鳃内钠钾ATP酶基因表达的研究

目前河流中存在较高浓度的天然和人造糖皮质激素(如皮质醇等)污染,其可能对鱼类的渗透压调节和海河洄游产生影响.鱼类鳃内钠钾ATP酶对调节渗透压平衡、适应海河洄游等起关键性作用,有研究表明鱼类鳃内钠钾ATP酶基因表达受皮质醇调控.为此,论文克隆了青鳉钠钾ATP酶α和钠钾ATP酶β基因的序列片段,建立了实时定量RT-PCR测定方法,研究了盐度的增加对其基因表达的影响,并重点探讨了皮质醇对鱼类适应盐度时鳃内钠钾ATP酶基因表达变化的影响.结果表明,适应15‰盐水的青鳉鳃内钠钾ATP酶α和钠钾ATP酶β基因表达显著升高;在转入淡水48h后,钠钾ATP酶α和钠钾ATP酶β基因表达基本恢复到正常水平,但是转入含有100ng·L-1皮质醇暴露水平的淡水中,48h后钠钾ATP酶α基因表达仍处于较高水平,表明100ng·L-1浓度的皮质醇能够显著诱导鳃内钠钾ATP酶α的基因表达,可能干扰渗透压调节,对一些洄游鱼类的溯河过程可能构成潜在影响.     

冷应激对断乳仔猪ACTH及皮质醇的影响

断乳仔猪在-3~3℃低温条件下冷暴露24h,然后在15~18℃室温条件下恢复,检测血浆促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)和皮质醇的动态变化.结果表明,仔猪血浆中ACTH和皮质醇含量随冷暴露时间延长而逐渐升高,冷应激6h时,ACTH含量高于冷应激前的水平(P<0.05);冷应激12h时,ACTH和皮质醇含量与冷应激前比较均有极显著升高(P<0.01);冷应激24h时,两激素含量与冷应激前无显著差异.终止冷暴露后0.5h,ACTH和皮质醇含量均高于冷应激前水平(P<0.05,P<0.01);3h时两激素水平基本恢复正常,但6h时两激素水平再次升高(P<0.01),呈波动性变化.表1参10     

Comparative analysis of the effect of predator odor on morphological and physiological parameters of adult male Campbell hamsters (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phodopus campbelli</Emphasis>) and dwarf hamsters (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phodopus sungorus</Emphasis>)

The effect of long-term exposure to natural excretions of the European polecat on the morphological parameters and hormonal status of adult male Campbell hamsters (Phodopus campbelli) and dwarf hamsters (Ph. sungorus) was studied. Exposure to volatile components of natural excreta of a potential predator did not have any significant effect on hamsters. The combined influence of volatile and nonvolatile components of the polecat’s excretions caused physiological stress in Ph. campbelli, while in Ph. sungorus, on the contrary, an increase in thymus weight and the plasma testosterone level was recorded.