University of SaskatchewanHARVEST
  • Login
  • Submit Your Work
  • About
    • About HARVEST
    • Guidelines
    • Browse
      • All of HARVEST
      • Communities & Collections
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
      • This Collection
      • By Issue Date
      • Authors
      • Titles
      • Subjects
    • My Account
      • Login
      JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
      View Item 
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item
      • HARVEST
      • Electronic Theses and Dissertations
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      • View Item

      Biochemical and physiological aspects of obesity, high fat diet, and prolonged fasting in free-ranging polar bears

      Thumbnail
      View/Open
      NQ63852.pdf (7.534Mb)
      Date
      2000-06-01
      Author
      Cattet, Marc
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Doctoral
      Metadata
      Show full item record
      Abstract
      The principle objective of this investigation was to develop an understanding of the biochemical and physiological response of free-ranging adult polar bears (Ursus maritimus) to prolonged fasting. A body condition index was developed from two measures, total body mass and straight-line body length, and was used as a covariate in the analyses of all other data. Protein and amino acid catabolism and urea synthesis were significantly lower in fasting bears when compared to feeding bears, and in fat bears when compared to lean bears. The inference from these results is that the energy metabolism in both states (fasting and fat) is one in which lipid is the predominant fuel for energy and nitrogen is conserved. Nutritional state (feeding versus fasting) had no significant effect on the plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acid, glycerol, and ketone bodies, or on the plasma ratio of acyl-carnitine to free carnitine. Furthermore, acetoacetate concentration was below the level of detection (
      Degree
      Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
      Department
      Veterinary Pathology
      Program
      Veterinary Pathology
      Committee
      Ramsay, Malcolm; Leighton, Frederick A.
      Copyright Date
      June 2000
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/etd-10212004-002342
      Subject
      lipid metabolism
      protein metabolism
      ursus maritimus
      fasting
      polar bears - diet
      carbohydrate metabolism
      Collections
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
      University of Saskatchewan

      University Library

      © University of Saskatchewan
      Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy