Role of glucose in daily torpor of Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus): challenge of continuous in vivo blood glucose measurements.

Djungarian hamsters use daily torpor to save energy during winter. This metabolic downstate is part of their acclimatization strategy in response to short photoperiod and expressed spontaneously without energy challenges. During acute energy shortage, torpor incidence, depth, and duration can be modulated. Torpor induction might rely on glucose availability as acute metabolic energy source. To investigate this, the present study provides the first continuous in vivo blood glucose measurements of spontaneous daily torpor in short photoperiod-acclimated and fasting-induced torpor in long photoperiod-acclimated Djungarian hamsters. Glucose levels were almost identical in both photoperiods and showed a decrease during resting phase. Further decreases appeared during spontaneous daily torpor entrance, parallel with metabolic rate but before body temperature, while respiratory exchange rates were rising. During arousal, blood glucose tended to increase, and pretorpor values were reached at torpor termination. Although food-restricted hamsters underwent a considerable energetic challenge, blood glucose levels remained stable during the resting phase regardless of torpor expression. The activity phase preceding a torpor bout did not reveal changes in blood glucose that might be used as torpor predictor. Djungarian hamsters show a robust, circadian rhythm in blood glucose irrespective of season and maintain appropriate levels throughout complex acclimation processes including metabolic downstates. Although these measurements could not reveal blood glucose as proximate torpor induction factor, they provide new information about glucose availability during torpor. Technical innovations like in vivo microdialysis and in vitro transcriptome or proteome analyses may help to uncover the connection between torpor expression and glucose metabolism.

Long-term in vitro stability assessment of polycarbonate urethane micro catheters: resistance to oxidation and stress cracking.

Micro catheter tubes were prepared from poly (carbonate urethane) (PCU, Bionate) and poly (ether urethane) (PEU, Pellethane) and their stability was investigated in vitro under applied strain. The tubes were stretched to an elongation of 200% or 300% and exposed to hydrogen peroxide/cobalt chloride (H(2)O(2)/CoCl(2)) solution for specific periods of time (up to 10 months). The samples were observed for surface degradation via scanning electron microscopy, the bulk erosion via the weight difference, and the changes in molecular weight using gel permeation chromatography. The 200% and 300% strained Pellethane tubes kept in H(2)O(2)/CoCl(2) solution for 1 month showed substantial cracking of the surface layer with pitting and have degraded completely within 45 to 60 days (from scanning electron microscopy). Bionate tubes treated in similar conditions for a 10-month period exhibited minute surface erosion in the depth of 0.25-1 microm and showed no evidence of major cracking or pitting. The gel permeation chromatography analysis of 300% strained catheters indicated that the degradation of Bionate tubes was negligible. The 10-month samples had shown approximately 18% reduction in their number average molecular weight (M(n)) and about 8% reduction in weight average molecular weight (M(w)). The Pellethane studied in similar conditions had indicated approximately 72% reduction in M(n) and about approximately 50% reduction in M(w) for 1 month. Overall, the Bionate underwent less degradation and the degradated surface layer was much thinner than Pellethane. These in vitro results are valuable in designing the in vivo studies for using Bionate tube as a long-term implant.