| the effects of mercury on muscarinic cholinergic receptor subtypes (m1 and m2) in captive mink. | a combination of in vitro (competitive binding assays) and in vivo (tissues from animals exposed to dietary methyl mercury, mehg) experimental procedures was employed to assess the effects of mercury (mehg, hgcl(2)) on the two-key muscarinic cholinergic (mach) receptor subtypes (m1, m2) in two brain regions (occipital cortex, brain stem) of captive mink (mustela vison). in vitro, hgcl(2) and mehg were equipotent in inhibiting [(3)h]-pirenzipine binding to the m1 receptor in the occipital cortex, ... | 2008 | 18295336 |
| total pcbs, dioxin-furan teqs, and total mercury concentrations in mink in and out of the rochester embayment area of concern near and inland from the shore of lake ontario. | in terms of reproductive and other adverse outcomes after exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), dioxins, and furans, the mink (mustela vison) is one of the most sensitive mammals. our objective was to determine if there are differences in the concentrations of total mercury (hg), total pcbs, and dioxin-furan toxic equivalents (teqs) between mink living in and out of the rochester embayment of lake ontario (relo) area of concern (aoc) and between mink living near the shore of lake ontario ... | 2009 | 19639240 |
| [effects of monorecessive and double recessive mutations affecting coat color on the monoamine content of the brain of the american mink (mustela vison schreber, 1777)]. | the effects of mutations affecting the coat color on the dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin contents of the hypothalamus and brainstem of the american mink have been studied. the sample comprised standard (+/+) and mutant minks, including the monorecessive pastel (b/b), silver-blue (p/p), and white hedlund (h/h) and the combination double recessive sapphire (a/a p/p) and pearl (k/k p/p) ones. the dopamine content of the brainstem of the monorecessive pastel (b/b) and silver-blue (p/p) minks ... | 2009 | 20198975 |
| increased reproductive success in the white american mink (neovison vison) with chronic dietary beta-sitosterol supplement. | beta-sitosterol is a weakly estrogenic phytosterol used in functional foods to lower elevated serum cholesterol concentrations. it has been reported to cause reproductive disturbances in fish and lower the sperm count of rodents but, in contrast, there were indications of enhanced reproduction in a preliminary study on the brown american mink (neovison vison). in the present experiment the effects of chronic dietary beta-sitosterol exposure on the reproduction of the american mink were evaluated ... | 2010 | 20153944 |
| histological lesions in mink jaws are a highly sensitive biomarker of effect after exposure to tcdd-like chemicals: field and literature-based confirmations. | the mink (mustela vison) is one of the most sensitive mammals to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (tcdd)-like chemicals. by literature review we established that a histological lesion of the jaw bone of mink, evidenced by squamous epithelial hyperplasia in the gingival tissue that forms nests or cords that infiltrate the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone causing osteolysis of the mandible and maxilla that could lead to squamous cell carcinoma, is the most sensitive known biomarker of eff ... | 2009 | 19621204 |
| mustela or vison? evidence for the taxonomic status of the american mink and a distinct biogeographic radiation of american weasels. | the american mink's relationship to the weasels in mustela has been uncertain. karyological, morphological, and phylogenetic comparisons to eurasian mustela support placing the mink outside the genus as neovison vison. however, genetic comparisons that incorporate other endemic american mustela suggest the interpretation of n. vison's position to mustela has been handicapped by biased geographic sampling. here, we analyzed mitochondrial cytochrome-b from all weasels endemic to the americas, incl ... | 2009 | 19501660 |
| differential gene expression in the uterus and blastocyst during the reactivation of embryo development in a model of delayed implantation. | delayed implantation, a reversible arrest in embryo development while the embryo is at the blastocyst stage, provides an interesting window for observation of the preparation for implantation on both the embryonic and maternal sides. the american mink (mustela vison) is a species in which delayed implantation is a normal aspect of embryo development as it consistently occurs at each breeding season. we used a transcriptome-wide approach to screen global gene expression and to identify new key ge ... | 2009 | 19495695 |
| hepatic p450 enzyme activity, tissue morphology and histology of mink (mustela vison) exposed to polychlorinated dibenzofurans. | dose- and time-dependent effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (teq) of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (tcdf), 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (pecdf), or a mixture of these two congeners on hepatic p450 enzyme activity and tissue morphology, including jaw histology, of adult ranch mink were determined under controlled conditions. adult female ranch mink were fed either tcdf (0.98, 3.8, or 20 ng teq(tcdf)/kg bw/day) or pecdf (0.6 ... | 2009 | 19458992 |
| fuel oil-induced adrenal hypertrophy in ranch mink (mustela vison): effects of sex, fuel oil weathering, and response to adrenocorticotropic hormone. | environmental contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons from anthropogenic sources can be a cause of stress for free-ranging wildlife. the response of wildlife to chemical contaminants requires that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (hpa) axis be precisely regulated to allow for proper glucocorticoid-mediated adaptive responses. chronic oral exposure to low concentrations of bunker c fuel oil causes the development of adrenal hypertrophy in male ranch mink (mustela vison) without increasing serum ... | 2010 | 20090023 |
| stereotypic behaviour in farm mink (neovison vison) can be reduced by selection. | in this article we present the first estimation of genetic variation of stereotypic behaviour (sb). stereotypic behaviour is defined as an unvarying behaviour without any specific goal or function repeated at least five times. all types of sb were included in the analyses. altogether 1484 adult mink females of the brown colour type were assessed for behaviour traits: sb, active or inactive behaviour, staying in nest box. genetic correlations were based on estimates of additive genetic (co)varian ... | 2010 | 20074188 |
| landscape barriers reduce gene flow in an invasive carnivore: geographical and local genetic structure of american mink in scotland. | to be effective, management programmes geared towards halting or reversing the spread of invasive species must focus on defined and defensible areas. this requires knowledge of the dispersal of non-native species targeted for control to better understand invasion and recolonisation scenarios. we investigated the genetic structure of invasive american mink (neovison vison) in scotland, and incorporated landscape genetic approaches to examine resultant patterns in relation to geographical features ... | 2009 | 19302354 |
| variation of cholinergic biomarkers in brain regions and blood components of captive mink. | studies are increasingly using cholinergic parameters as biomarkers of early neurotoxicity, but few have characterized this system in ecologically relevant model organisms. in the present study, key neurochemicals in the cholinergic pathway were measured and analyzed from discrete parts of brain and blood from captive mink (mustela vison). similar to other mammals, the regional distribution of cholinergic parameters in the brain could be ranked from highest to lowest as: basal ganglia > occipita ... | 2010 | 19267210 |
| hybridization between escaped domestic and wild american mink (neovison vison). | the release of domesticated organisms into natural populations may adversely affect these populations through predation, resource competition, and the introduction of disease. additionally, the potential for hybridization between wild and domestic conspecifics is of great concern because it can alter the evolutionary integrity of the affected populations. wild american mink (neovison vison) populations may be threatened not only by competition for resources with domestic mink originating from fa ... | 2009 | 19243512 |
| immunocytological analysis of meiotic recombination in the american mink (mustela vison). | using immunolocalization of mlh1, a mismatch repair protein that marks crossover sites along synaptonemal complexes, we estimated the total length of the genetic map, the recombination rate and crossover distribution in the american mink (mustela vison). we prepared spreads from 130 spermatocytes of five male minks and mapped 3320 mlh1 foci along 1820 bivalents. the total recombination length of the male mink genome, based on the mean number of mlh1 foci for all chromosomes, was 1327 cm. the ove ... | 2009 | 19016679 |
| albinism in the american mink (neovison vison) is associated with a tyrosinase nonsense mutation. | albino phenotypes are documented in various species including the american mink. in other species the albino phenotypes are associated with tyrosinase (tyr) gene mutations; therefore tyr was considered the candidate gene for albinism in mink. four microsatellite markers were chosen in the predicted region of the tyr gene. genotypes at the markers mvi6025 and mvi6034 were found to be associated with the albino phenotype within an extended half-sib family. a bac clone containing mvi6034 was mapped ... | 2008 | 18822100 |
| sensitivity of the mink (mustela vison) liver monoamine oxidase to isoquinoline alkaloids. | | 2008 | 18680917 |
| voles on small islands: effects of food limitation and alien predation. | ecosystems of three trophic levels may be bottom-up (by food-plant availability) and/or top-down (by predators) limited. top-down control might be of greater consequence when the predation impact comes from an alien predator. we conducted a replicated two-factor experiment with field voles (microtus agrestis) during 2004-2005 on small islands of the outer archipelago of the baltic sea, south-west finland, manipulating both predation impact by introduced american mink (mustela vison) and winter f ... | 2008 | 18607635 |
| inbreeding affects fecundity of american mink (neovison vison) in danish farm mink. | inbreeding is an increasing problem in farmed mink, because of limited exchange of individuals between farms. in this study, genetic relatedness within seven american mink (neovison vison) colour strains originating from 13 different mink farms in denmark was analysed using 21 polymorphic microsatellite loci. we detected large differences in the level of relatedness (range 0.017-0.520) within colour strains. moreover, a very strong and highly significant negative correlation between the level of ... | 2011 | 21749427 |
| recurrent perseveration correlates with abnormal repetitive locomotion in adult mink but is not reduced by environmental enrichment. | we analysed the relationship between abnormal repetitive behaviour (arb), the presence/absence of environmental enrichment, and two types of behavioural disinhibition in farmed american mink, neovison vison. the first type, recurrent perseveration, the inappropriate repetition of already completed responses, was assessed using three indices of excessive response repetition and patterning in a bias-corrected serial two-choice guessing task. the second type, disinhibition of prepotent responses to ... | 2011 | 21466825 |
| [effect of mutations affecting coat color on the blood lymphocyte structure in the american mink (mustela vison schreber, 1777)]. | american minks with different genotypes containing the aleutian coat color allele in the homozygous state, including the single recessive aleutian (a/a); double recessive sapphire (a/a p/p) and lavender (m/m a/a); triple recessive violet (m/m a/a p/p); and dominant-recessive cross sapphire (s/+ a/a p/p), sapphire leopard (s(k)/+ a/a p/p), and shadow sapphire (s(h)/+ a/a p/p) minks, as well as american minks without the aleutian allele, including the standard (+/+); single recessive silver-blue ( ... | 2011 | 21446186 |
| toxicokinetics of 2,3,7,8-tcdf and 2,3,4,7,8-pecdf in mink (mustela vison) at ecologically relevant exposures. | wild mink (mustela vison) living along the tittabawassee river in central michigan exhibit elevated hepatic and dietary polychlorinated dibenzofuran (pcdf) concentrations exceeding mink-specific, literature-reported toxicity reference values (trvs) on a toxicity equivalents basis. however, no apparent effects on individuals or population are evident, suggesting that available trvs may overpredict risk for the site-specific mix of congeners. to investigate this discrepancy, a 180-day spiked feed ... | 2008 | 18566023 |
| exposure and effects assessment of resident mink (mustela vison) exposed to polychlorinated dibenzofurans and other dioxin-like compounds in the tittabawassee river basin, midland, michigan, usa. | historically, sediments and floodplain soils of the tittabawassee river (tr; mi, usa) have been contaminated with polychlorinated dibenzofurans (pcdfs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (pcdds), and polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs). median concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (teqs) based on 2006 world health organization tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin toxic equivalency factors (tefs) in the diet of mink (mustela vison) ranged from 6.8 x 10(-1) ng teq/kg wet weight ups ... | 2008 | 18435568 |
| dietary accumulation, disposition, and metabolism of technical pentabrominated diphenyl ether (de-71) in pregnant mink (mustela vison) and their offspring. | concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) in humans and wildlife suggest significant bioaccumulation potential in mammals, but no quantitative biomagnification data from controlled experiments are currently available. as part of a larger study examining the effects of pbdes on mink (mustela vison) reproduction and development, we examined congener-specific tissue distribution, maternal transfer, biotransformation, and biomagnification of the technical penta-bde mixture, de-71, in ... | 2008 | 18419198 |
| in vitro and whole animal evidence that methylmercury disrupts gabaergic systems in discrete brain regions in captive mink. | the effects of mercury (hg) on key components of the gabaergic system were evaluated in discrete brain regions of captive juvenile male american mink (neovison vison) using in vitro and in vivo (whole animal) experimental approaches. in vitro studies on cortical brain tissues revealed that inorganic hg (hgcl(2); ic50=0.5+/-0.2microm) and methyl hg (mehgcl; ic50=1.6+/-0.2microm) inhibited glutamic acid decarboxylase (gad; ec 4.1.1.15) activity. there were no hg-related effects on [(3)h]-muscimol ... | 2010 | 20060493 |
| rapid development of fasting-induced hepatic lipidosis in the american mink (neovison vison): effects of food deprivation and re-alimentation on body fat depots, tissue fatty acid profiles, hematology and endocrinology. | hepatic lipidosis is a common pathological finding in the american mink (neovison vison) and can be caused by nutritional imbalance due to obesity or rapid body weight loss. the objectives of the present study were to investigate the timeline and characterize the development of hepatic lipidosis in mink in response to 0-7 days of food deprivation and liver recovery after 28 days of re-feeding. we report here the effects on hematological and endocrine variables, body fat mobilization, the develop ... | 2010 | 20020218 |
| nondestructive scat sampling in assessment of mink (mustela vison) exposed to polychlorinated dibenzofurans (pcdfs). | the mink (mustela vison) is often utilized as a sentinel species for ecological assessments at sites where contaminants of concern include dioxins and dioxin-like compounds. utilizing mink scat as a nondestructive tool to determine internal exposure to dioxin-like compounds may allow for rapid, accurate estimates of exposure without the need to capture mink or their prey. to determine the relationships between concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (pcdfs) in tissues (liver and adipose) ... | 2008 | 18227958 |
| composition of individual nucleobases in diets containing different products from bacterial biomass grown on natural gas, and digestibility in mink (mustela vison). | the objectives of the present study were to quantify the amount of nucleic acids, to examine the nucleobase composition and to determine the digestibility of individual nucleobases in diets containing various products from bacterial biomass grown on natural gas, including autolytic and hydrolytic fractions, using mink (mustela vison) as a model animal. the diets consisted of cod fillet (control), commercial basic bioprotein, and five experimentally produced autolytic and hydrolytic fractions of ... | 2008 | 18184374 |
| mercury and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in mink. | total hg concentrations and values of stable isotopes (delta(15)n, delta(13)c) in tissues of mink (mustela vison) captured in rhode island (usa) during winters of 1999 to 2004 were statistically distinct based on location. mink captured in salt marsh environments (salt marsh group mink [smgm]) had significantly lower mean hg concentrations in liver and muscle tissue, and significantly higher delta(15)n and delta(13)c values in muscle, than those in corresponding samples of mink from upland fresh ... | 2007 | 18020681 |
| chemical and amino acid composition of colostrum and mature milk differ only slightly in mink (mustela vison). | to determine differences in chemical composition between colostrum and mature milk in mink, milk samples were collected from 12 dams as close to the end of parturition as possible (n = 12), and at 24 h (n = 3), 48 h (n = 3) and 1 week (n = 12) postpartum. the milk samples were analysed for dry matter (dm), ash, crude protein, fat, carbohydrate, and amino acid composition. the dm content was higher (p < 0.05) in milk sampled at parturition than at 24 and 48 h postpartum. also, the crude protein c ... | 2007 | 17988351 |
| the first linkage map of the american mink (mustela vison). | described herein, the first microsatellite linkage map for the american mink consists of 85 microsatellite markers resolved into 17 linkage groups. the map was constructed using 92 f(1) progeny from five sire families created by crossing mink with different colour types. the linkage groups ranged from 0 to 137 cm. these linkage groups were assigned to 12 of the 14 mink autosomes using a somatic cell hybrid panel. the total map covered 690 sex-averaged kosambi units with an average marker spacing ... | 2007 | 17596125 |
| immunotoxicity of the commercial polybrominated diphenyl ether mixture de-71 in ranch mink (mustela vison). | polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) are persistent, bioaccumulative, organohalogen compounds that are increasing exponentially in the great lakes (canada/usa) biota. the present study was undertaken to examine the immunological effects of a commercial pbde mixture in ranch mink (mustela vison). twenty-week-old mink (n = 10 mink/group) were exposed to 0, 1, 5, or 10 ppm of de-71 through their diet for eight weeks. the phytohemagglutinin-induced cutaneous reaction, and antibodies specific to ke ... | 2007 | 17521147 |
| different fatty acid composition in central and peripheral adipose tissues of the american mink (mustela vison). | fatty acid (fa) composition in the intraabdominal (iab), subcutaneous (sc) and peripheral adipose tissues of the semiaquatic american mink (mustela vison) was examined in comparison to the diet by gas-liquid chromatography. there was a clear compositional gradient from the iab via sc to peripheral adipose tissues and the anatomically different adipose tissues accumulated or metabolized fa selectively. the total lipids of the body appendages had smaller proportions of saturated (sfa) and larger p ... | 2007 | 17412626 |
| effectiveness of various exposure metrics in defining dose-response relationships for mink (mustela vison) exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls. | we conducted a quantitative analysis of published results from more than 50 tests of polychlorinated biphenyl (pcb) effects on mink reproduction, which provided a basis for evaluating how well different methods of measuring and assessing pcb concentrations can approximate a toxicologically relevant dose for this endpoint. several dose metrics were identified for comparison. dietary dose metrics included the daily intake of total pcbs and the daily intake of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin to ... | 2008 | 17943339 |
| catalytic properties of monoamine oxidase from mink (mustela vison) liver. | | 2013 | 17933335 |
| [effect of coat color genes on the hair pigmentation morphology in the american mink (mustela vison schr. l.)]. | the morphological patterns of hair pigmentation (the size and shape of pigment granules and their distribution among layers) have been studied in four compound coat color forms of the american mink: moil-sapphire also known as violet (genotype m/m a/a p/p); moil-silver or sage (genotype m/m p/p); the color form determined by genotype m/+ a/a; and platinum leopard (s(k)/+ a/+ p/p). the hair pigmentation pattern specific for each coat color form and its difference from the standard coat color of t ... | 2007 | 17899817 |
| mesenteric chylothrombosis in hyperlipidaemic mink. | in the familial form of hyperlipoproteinaemia type i of mink (mustela vison), mesenteric lipogranulomas are common findings in longstanding cases. patho-morphological studies of early stages indicated that these lipogranulomas arose from stagnant chyle. the composition of fatty acids of a newly formed mesenteric granuloma was determined, together with fatty acids in liver, plasma and the feed. the results supported the pathological observations, as the fat of the granuloma differed from that of ... | 2007 | 17877581 |
| the effects of 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (pcb 126) on mink (mustela vison) reproduction and kit survivability and growth. | this study was conducted to determine if dietary exposure to 3,3'4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (pcb 126) would have an adverse effect on the reproductive performance of female mink (mustela vison) and survivability and growth of their kits. standard dark, female mink were fed diets containing pcb 126 at concentrations of 0, 0.24, 2.4, and 24 microg pcb 126/kg feed (0, 24, 240 and 2,400 ng 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin [tcdd] toxic equivalents [teqs]/kg, respectively) from 21 days prior to bre ... | 2008 | 17674079 |
| the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma regulates trophoblast cell differentiation in mink (mustela vison). | nuclear receptors of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (ppar) family are implicated in implantation and early placental formation. in carnivores, the trophoblast invades to develop intimate contact with the endothelial cells of the maternal circulation, resulting in an endothelio-chorial form of placentation. spatio-temporal investigation demonstrated that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (pparg) was strongly and specifically expressed in the mink trophoblast at the ... | 2007 | 17615406 |
| dietary and in utero exposure to a pentabrominated diphenyl ether mixture did not affect cholinergic parameters in the cerebral cortex of ranch mink (mustela vison). | polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) are a class of brominated flame retardants that are recognized as global environmental contaminants and a potential health risk. they have been shown to elicit neurodevelopmental toxicity through disruption of the cholinergic neurotransmitter system in rodent models, but the effects of environmentally relevant exposures in wildlife species are unknown. the objective of this study was to assess the effects of the commercial pentabrominated diphenyl ether mix ... | 2007 | 17150973 |
| selective fatty acid mobilization in the american mink (mustela vison) during food deprivation. | the mobilization of fatty acids (fas) during food deprivation is a selective process in laboratory rodents and humans. the site-specific differences in adipose tissue functions - e.g. energy storage versus insulation - should also affect the use of different fas. to study this, 16 female minks were randomly assigned into the control group or fasted for 5 days. preferential mobilization of n-3 polyunsaturated fas (pufas) during fasting caused a decrease in the n-3/n-6 pufa ratio in fat and liver. ... | 2006 | 16899381 |
| seasonally activated spermatogenesis is correlated with increased testicular production of testosterone and epidermal growth factor in mink (mustela vison). | seasonal changes in spermatogenesis were studied with respect to testicular production of both testosterone and epidermal growth factor (egf) in mink. the testes were collected in november (n = 15; testis recrudescence), february (n = 15; before breeding season), march (n = 14; breeding season), and may (n = 11; testis involution) and the following parameters of testicular activity were quantified: testicular mass, number of testicular spermatozoa, percentages of haploid, diploid, and tetraploid ... | 2006 | 16481033 |
| [three twinning types in mink (mustela vison) embryogeny]. | the frequency of emergence of monochorial twins in the postimplantational embryogeny of the american mink and their karyotypes were studied. monochorial pairs were found in which embryos had different karyotypes: 2n, xx and 2n, xy or 2n and 3n. this fact contradicts the notion that monochorial twins should be monozygotic and genetically identical but confirms our earlier hypothesis that a third twinning type exists in mink: monozygotic but genetically different. the mechanism of the emergence of ... | 2007 | 17385329 |
| decreased n-methyl-d-aspartic acid (nmda) receptor levels are associated with mercury exposure in wild and captive mink. | mercury (hg) impairs glutamate homeostasis but little is known about its effects on the n-methyl-d-aspartic acid (nmda) receptor. here, we investigated nmda receptor levels, as determined by [(3)h]-mk801 binding, in both wild and captive mink (mustela vison) that experienced different levels of methylmercury (mehg) exposure. competitive in vitro binding experiments showed that inorganic hg (hgcl(2); ic(50)=1.5-20.7 microm), but not mehg (mehgcl; ic(50)>320 microm), inhibited binding to the nmda ... | 2007 | 17267038 |
| recording the free-living behaviour of small-bodied, shallow-diving animals with data loggers. | 1. time-depth data recorders (tdrs) have been widely used to explore the behaviour of relatively large, deep divers. however, little is known about the dive behaviour of small, shallow divers such as semi-aquatic mammals. 2. we used high-resolution tdrs to record the diving behaviour of american mink mustela vison (weight of individuals 580-1275 g) in rivers in oxfordshire (uk) between december 2005 and march 2006. 3. dives to > 0.2 m were measured in all individuals (n = 6). modal dive depth an ... | 2007 | 17184367 |
| transcriptional regulation of uterine vascular endothelial growth factor during early gestation in a carnivore model, mustela vison. | vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) is an essential angiogenic signaling element that acts through its two tyrosine kinase receptors, inducing both proliferation of endothelial cells and vascular permeability. given the importance of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis to early pregnancy, it is of interest to understand the mechanisms regulating vascular development at this stage. we previously demonstrated that vegf and receptors are up-regulated during embryo implantation in an unique animal ... | 2006 | 16790435 |
| protein turnover in lactating mink (mustela vison) is not affected by dietary protein supply. | | 2006 | 16772498 |
| dietary exposure of mink (mustela vison) to fish from the housatonic river, berkshire county, massachusetts, usa: effects on reproduction, kit growth, and survival. | we evaluated the effects of feeding farm-raised mink (mustela vison) diets containing polychlorinated biphenyl (pcb)-contaminated fish from the housatonic river (hr; berkshire county, ma, usa) on adult reproductive performance and kit growth and survival. diets contained 0.22-3.54% hr fish, providing 0.34-3.7 microg total pcbs (tpcb)/g feed wet wt (3.5-68.5 pg toxic equivalence [teq]/g). female mink were fed diets before breeding through weaning of kits. twelve kits from each treatment were main ... | 2006 | 16764471 |
| hyperthermia and increased physical activity in the fasting american mink mustela vison. | the aim of this study was to investigate the thermoregulatory adaptations to fasting in a medium-sized mustelid with a high metabolic rate and energetic requirements. sixteen farm-bred female american minks, mustela vison, were divided into a fed control group and an experimental group fasted for 5 days. the deep body temperature (t(b)) of the minks was registered at 10 min intervals with intraabdominal thermosensitive loggers and the locomotor activity was videotaped continuously for 5 days dur ... | 2006 | 16489554 |
| endocrine and metabolic alterations in the mink (mustela vison) due to chronic phytoestrogen exposure. | phytoestrogens are natural components of plant-based food items with beneficial health effects. the aim of the present study was to investigate the chronic effects of dietary phytoestrogens, genistein (8 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) and beta-sitosterol (50 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), on the weight regulation of the mink (mustela vison). the parental generation was exposed from august 2002 to may-june 2003 to either beta-sitosterol or genistein, while the kits were exposed through gestation and lactation. food con ... | 2006 | 16466776 |
| methylmercury impairs components of the cholinergic system in captive mink (mustela vison). | the effects of methylmercury (mehg) on components of the cholinergic system were evaluated in captive mink (mustela vison). cholinergic parameters were measured in brain regions (occipital cortex, cerebellum, brain stem, basal ganglia) and blood (whole blood, plasma, serum) following an 89-day exposure to mehg at dietary concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 ppm (n = 12 animals per treatment). there were no effects of mehg on brain choline acetyltransferase, acetylcholine, and choline transpor ... | 2006 | 16446290 |
| mink as a sentinel species in environmental health. | the concept of "sentinel species" is important in the environmental health sciences because sentinel species can provide integrated and relevant information on the types, amounts, availability, and effects of environmental contaminants. here we discuss the use of mink (mustela vison) as a sentinel organism by reviewing the pertinent literature from exposure- and effects-based studies. the review focuses on mercury (hg) and polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), as they are persistent, ubiquitous, and ... | 2007 | 16716289 |
| isolation and characterization of 79 microsatellite markers from the american mink (mustela vison). | | 2006 | 16573539 |
| temporal and spatial trends in chlorinated hydrocarbon concentrations of mink in canadian lakes erie and st. clair. | mink (mustela vison) carcasses were collected from local commercial trappers from fall 1998 to spring 2003 from tributaries and marshes within 4.8 km from the shores of lakes erie and st. clair, including the wheatley harbour and st. clair river areas of concern (aocs), as well as from inland sites (8 to 40 km from shore). liver concentrations, on a lipid weight basis, of chlorinated hydrocarbons were measured and compared among sites and to tissue concentrations of mink from two previous collec ... | 2006 | 16502039 |
| comparison of risk assessment methodologies for exposure of mink to pcbs on the kalamazoo river, michigan. | risk assessments are generally based on exposures predicted by use of simple models of accumulation from abiotic compartments or the diet. the use of tissue-specific measurements of residue concentrations in wildlife tissues is more accurate and subject to less uncertainty, but these data are often not available. this report compares the results of two different site-specific approaches for assessing the risk of pcbs to mink residing along the kalamazoo river, mi. the first approach was based on ... | 2004 | 15669299 |
| [frequency ratio of two forms of amitotic division of trophoblast cell nuclei in the mink blastocysts during the period of delayed implantation]. | a comparative study of amitotic division activity of trophoblast cells by constriction and by extrusion in blastocysts of american mink during the obligatory period of delayed implantation has been carried out. the frequency of occurrence of amitotic figures was found to be nearly 10% at the onset of renewal of blastocyst growth (the blastocyst size was 0.4 mm in diameter), and nearly 20% at the stage of active growth (0.9 mm), as well as at the stage of expansion prior to blastocyst attachment ... | 2016 | 12942744 |
| a first estimate of the amino acid requirement for milk production of the high-producing female mink (mustela vison). | thirty mink dams nursing litters of six kits were assigned to one of three dietary treatments [high protein (hp), medium protein (mp) and low protein (lp)], fed ad libitum for 4 week from parturition, to investigate the effects of protein supply on milk yield and milk composition in order to estimate the amino acid requirement of the lactating mink. twelve dams were held in an intensive care unit and subjected to balance experiments and the kits were injected with deuterium oxide to determine wa ... | 2006 | 16422771 |
| effects of mercury on neurochemical receptor-binding characteristics in wild mink. | piscivorous wildlife, such as mink (mustela vison), routinely are exposed to mercury (hg) in their natural environment at levels that may cause adverse behavioral outcomes. the purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation exists between neurochemical receptors and concentrations of hg in the brains of wild mink. specifically, receptor-binding assays were conducted to characterize the muscarinic cholinergic (mach) and dopaminergic-2 (d2) systems in brain tissues collected from mink tra ... | 2005 | 16117121 |
| utilization of milk amino acids for body gain in suckling mink (mustela vison) kits. | the efficiency of utilization of milk amino acids for body gain in suckling mink kits from small (n = 3), medium (n = 6) and large litters (n = 9) was investigated by using 36 mink dams and their litters for measurements during lactation weeks 1 through 4. measurements on each dam and litter were performed once, hence three dams per litter size each week (n = 9). individual milk intake of kits was determined, milk samples were collected and kits were killed for determination of amino acid compos ... | 2005 | 16080304 |
| cadmium, mercury and selenium concentrations in mink (mustela vison) from yukon, canada. | mercury (total and methyl), cadmium and selenium concentrations were measured in liver, kidney and brain tissue from mink trapped from the yukon territory from 2001-2002. none of these metals was found at levels of toxicological concern. total mercury averaged 0.66, 0.92 and 0.22 microg g-1 in mink kidney, liver and brain tissue respectively, while methyl mercury averaged 0.77, 0.85 and 0.21 microg g-1 in the same tissues. selenium averaged 2.07, 1.40 and 0.39 microg g-1 in mink kidney, liver an ... | 2005 | 16076479 |
| adaptations to fasting in the american mink (mustela vison): nitrogen metabolism. | the aim of this study was to investigate the adaptations of protein metabolism to seasonal fasting in an actively wintering boreal carnivore. fifty farm-bred male american minks mustela vison were divided into a fed control group and four experimental groups fasted for 2, 3, 5 or 7 days. the responses of nitrogen metabolism to wintertime food deprivation were determined by measuring the rate of weight loss, the tissue total protein concentrations and the plasma amino acid, urea, ammonia, uric ac ... | 2005 | 15926042 |
| filter function and immune complex trapping in splenic ellipsoids. | the role of splenic ellipsoids in the trapping of particulate material and immune complexes was investigated in mink (mustela vison). the ellipsoids were prominent, with typical features such as a permeable endothelium and a discontinuous basement membrane surrounded by a sheath of macrophages and reticular cells. ellipsoidal trapping of circulating particles was demonstrated 10 min after intracardiac injection of colloidal carbon and fluorescent microspheres. preformed peroxidase-antiperoxidase ... | 2005 | 15893989 |
| squamous epithelial lesion of the mandibles and maxillae of wild mink (mustela vison) naturally exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls. | approximately 125 km of the kalamazoo river, located in southwestern michigan (usa), are designated as a superfund site, with polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) as the contaminant of concern. mink (mustela vison) are a naturally occurring predator in this area and also a species of concern because of their known sensitivity to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (tcdd) and structurally similar compounds, such as pcbs. four of nine mink trapped from the kalamazoo river area of concern (kraoc) exhib ... | 2005 | 15779768 |
| late development of homoeothermy in mink (mustela vison) kits -- a strategy for maximum survival rate. | the objective of this study was to establish the age at which mink kits develop functional homoeothermy. the investigation was based on the hypothesis that in this species with very immature neonates, late development of homoeothermy may be an adaptation to economize with energy. measurements of heat production (he) by means of indirect calorimetry lasting 3 h were performed on neonatal kits and kits from 1 to 54 days of age. both single kits and groups of 4-5 huddling kits were kept at 15 degre ... | 2006 | 16422768 |
| nitrogen and energy balance in growing mink (mustela vison) fed different levels of bacterial protein meal produced with natural gas. | the objective of this study was to estimate the effect of increasing the dietary content of bacterial protein meal (bpm) on energy and protein metabolism in growing mink kits. sixteen male mink kits of the standard brown genotype were randomly fed one of four diets: a control (diet i) based on high-quality fish meal, and three experimental diets in which 20% (diet ii), 40% (diet iii) and 60% (diet iv) of the digested nitrogen (dn) was replaced with bpm. nitrogen balance and respiration experimen ... | 2005 | 16320782 |
| endocrinologic adaptations to wintertime fasting in the male american mink (mustela vison). | the aim of this study was to investigate the endocrine response to wintertime starvation in the male american mink (mustela vison) fasted for 16 hrs, 2 days, 3 days, 5 days, or 7 days (n =10 per group). after 2 days of fasting, the plasma leptin concentrations decreased, along with the triiodothyronine, testosterone, and progesterone levels, and the blood monocyte counts. leptin also seems to trigger the response to fasting in mustelids by inducing immunosuppression and downregulation of the rep ... | 2005 | 16179729 |
| the development of homeothermy in mink (mustela vison). | in mink (mustela vison) kits newborn mortality is very high. one of the major causes of death is hypothermia. the objectives of this study were to observe the development of thermoregulation in mink kits, and their ability to maintain their body temperature during the postnatal period (1-50 days of age). based on the kit's body weight (bw), and rectal and ambient temperature measurements during cold (+4 degrees c) and warm (+40 degrees c) exposures, a homeothermy index (hi) and cooling and warmi ... | 2004 | 15123206 |
| high leptin in pregnant mink (mustela vison) may exert anorexigenic effects: a permissive factor for rapid increase in food intake during lactation. | the role for leptin in food intake regulation in the mink, a polytocous seasonal breeder with altricial young, was investigated in pregnant and lactating dams and data were related to quantitative energy metabolism measurements and plasma concentrations of other important metabolic hormones. a total of nine mink dams were measured in consecutive 1-week balance periods, each including a 22 h measurement of heat production by means of indirect calorimetry, and blood was sampled at weekly intervals ... | 2004 | 15005827 |
| autonomic nerves terminating on smooth muscle cells of vessels in the pineal organ of various mammals. | the significance of autonomic nerves reaching the pincal organ was already investigated in connection to the innervation of pinealocytes and mediating light information from the retina for periodic melatonin secretion. in earlier works we found that some autonomic nerve fibers are not secretomotor but terminate on arteriolar smooth muscle cells in the pineal organ of the mink (mustela vison). studying in serial sections the pineal organ of the mink and 15 other mammalian species in the present w ... | 2003 | 14711028 |
| adaptations to fasting in the american mink (mustela vison): carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. | the aim of this study was to investigate whether the actively wintering american mink mustela vison is strictly dependent on continuous food availability or if it has evolved physiological adaptations to tolerate nutritional scarcity. fifty farm-bred male minks were divided into a fed control group and four experimental groups fasted for 2, 3, 5 or 7 days. the rate of weight loss was several-fold higher (1.5-3.2% day(-1)) in the mink than recorded previously in larger carnivores utilizing passiv ... | 2005 | 15748859 |
| lipids rich in phosphatidylethanolamine from natural gas-utilizing bacteria reduce plasma cholesterol and classes of phospholipids: a comparison with soybean oil. | we compared the effects of three different high-lipid diets on plasma lipoproteins and phospholipids in mink (mustela vison). the 18 mink studied were fed one of the three diets during a 25-d period in a parallel group design. the compared diets had 0, 17, and 67% extracted lipids from natural gas-utilizing bacteria (lngb), which were rich in pe. the group with 0% lngb was fed a diet for which the lipid content was 100% soybean oil. the total cholesterol, ldl cholesterol, and hdl cholesterol of ... | 2004 | 15669758 |
| effects of hcg on folliculogenesis and fecundity in mink (mustela vision schreb). | the endogenous hormonal response obtained after reproductive organs are challenged by exogenous hormones is increasingly being used to predict presence of functional reserves and to apply this information to improve efficiency of managed breeding programs. with that in mind, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of a single treatment with hcg on folliculogenesis and fertility in standard 7-month-old mink females. the extent of stimulation following treatment was determined b ... | 2003 | 14580642 |
| detection, analysis and interactions of plasma ghrelin, leptin and growth hormone in the mink (mustela vison). | the aim of this study was to obtain basic knowledge of the plasma concentrations and interactions of weight regulatory hormones in juvenile minks (mustela vison). ghrelin, leptin, and growth hormone (gh) levels were validated and determined by radioimmunoassay methods from the plasma of 30 female and 30 male minks. the female minks had higher plasma ghrelin and gh levels than the males. the plasma ghrelin concentrations of the females correlated positively with their body masses (bms). the plasm ... | 2003 | 14578573 |
| [effect of aleutian gene on mink (mustela vison) growth]. | the correlation between the skin size of mustela vison mink and the combination of the alleles of aleutian colour gene has been shown. the studied relation can be presented as ppaa > ppaa > ppaa. | 2008 | 14569618 |
| [comparative enzymological study of catalytic properties of brain cholinesterase in mink mustela vison ]. | | 2006 | 12973907 |
| effects of aroclor 1242 and different fish-based diets on vitamins a1 (retinol) and a2 (3,4-didehydroretinol), and their fatty acyl esters in mink plasma. | the effects of a 21-week exposure to aroclor 1242 (1mg per day in feed) on plasma concentrations of vitamins a(1) (retinol) and a(2) (3,4-didehydroretinol) and their principal fatty acyl esters (a(1)-16:0, a(2)-16:0 (palmitates), a(1)-18:1n-9; a(2)-18:1n-9 (oleates), and a(1)-18:0; a(2)-18:0 (stearates)) were studied in young female mink (mustela vison) fed a diet based on freshwater smelt. these vitamin levels were also examined in mink fed diets containing baltic herring or fatty marine fish. ... | 2003 | 12584011 |
| nursing sickness in the mink--a metabolic mystery or a familiar foe? | nursing sickness, the largest single cause of mortality in adult female mink (mustela vison), is an example of a metabolic disorder, which develops when the demands for lactation require extensive mobilization of body energy reserves. the condition is characterized by progressive weight loss, emaciation, and dehydration with high concentrations of glucose and insulin in the blood. morbidity due to nursing sickness can be as high as 15% with mortality around 8%, but the incidence is known to vary ... | 2003 | 12889720 |
| [a new vomiting animal model--mink]. | to establish a new, reliable vomiting model in minks. | 2003 | 12778740 |
| two-generation reproductive study in mink fed diisopropyl methylphosphonate (dimp). | two generations of "ranch wild" mink (mustela vison) were fed the organophosphate diisopropyl methylphosphonate (dimp) at 0, 150, 450, or 1250ppm, to determine potential toxicity to the dams. chemical, hematologic, necropsy, and microscopic examinations were performed on all parental animals and representative kits. the f0 and f1 dams had 3.4 and 4.6% mortality, respectively, distributed among all groups and not attributed to dimp exposure. adverse effects were mild and limited to the highest do ... | 2015 | 12759102 |
| expression of vascular endothelial growth factor isoforms and receptors flt-1 and kdr during the peri-implantation period in the mink, mustela vison. | expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) isoforms and its receptors, flt-1 and kdr, was investigated during the period of peri-implantation in mink, a species that displays obligate embryonic diapause. uterine samples were collected during diapause, embryo activation, and implantation from pseudopregnant and anestrous animals and analyzed by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. the abundance of mrna of vegf isoforms 120, 164, a ... | 2003 | 12606384 |
| effect of the serotonin agonist buspirone on behaviour and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in confident and fearful mink. | behavioural and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (hpa) axis responses were investigated in farm mink (mustela vison) selected for either confident or fearful behaviour for nine generations. two groups of 2-year-old confident (n=12) and fearful (n=12) female mink were given the serotonin (5-ht) 1a receptor agonist buspirone (1.25 mg/kg/day), whereas two other groups of 2-year-old confident (n=12) and fearful (n=12) female mink were given saline, continuously for 5 weeks via osmotic minipumps. behav ... | 2003 | 12576120 |
| glucose metabolism and regulation in lactating mink (mustela vison)--effects of low dietary protein supply. | eighteen lactating mink raising litters of 6 to 7 kits were fed ad libitum from parturition on diets with 32% of me derived from protein and decreasing fat:carbohydrate ratios [high fat:low carbohydrate (hflc): 67:1, medium fat:medium carbohydrate (mfmc): 52:16, low fat:high carbohydrate (lfhc): 37:31]. four weeks post partum the dams were fitted with a jugular vein catheter, and the experiment started with a 3 hours fasting period, after which the dams were fed 210 kj me of the experimental die ... | 2002 | 12389229 |
| lh release in mink (mustela vison). pattern of the lh surge and effect of metabolic status. | the mink is a seasonal breeder with induced ovulation and delayed implantation. reproductive processes are strongly influenced by energy supply and body condition. items for which there is paucity or complete lack of data were the main objectives of this study: the temporal relationship between copulation and the pre-ovulatory lh surge and the influence of energy supply on lh release. a total of 30 yearling female mink with a well defined metabolic status was used. twelve females kept in the lab ... | 2013 | 10943603 |
| [comparative enzymology of catalytic properties of plasma cholinesterase in mink mustela vison]. | | 2006 | 12244675 |
| effects of dietary exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of weathered prudhoe bay crude oil in ranch-raised mink ( mustela vison). | | 2002 | 12232732 |
| energy intake and milk production in mink (mustela vison)--effect of litter size. | energy intake and milk production were measured in 12 mink dams raising litters of 3, 6 and 9 kits one to four weeks post partum by means of balance experiments and measurements of milk intake of the kits by the water isotope dilution technique. the dams were fed ad libitum on a conventional wet mink diet (dm: 323 g/kg; cp: 173 g/kg; me: 4.4 mj/kg). milk samples collected from dams with corresponding litter sizes and lactation weeks, and body composition of kits nursed by these dams, were analys ... | 2001 | 12098836 |
| [isozyme patterns of lactate dehydrogenase from tissues of mink and arctic fox during postnatal development]. | isozymes of lactate dehydrogenase extracted from heart, kidney, and liver of mink (mustela vison briss.) and arctic fox (alopex lagopus l.) during postnatal development were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. tissue-specific isozyme pattern of lactate dehydrogenase can be revealed at the age of one month, while the definitive pattern is formed at the age of four months. the isozyme patterns of lactate dehydrogenase in the studied tissues of mink and arctic fox share the properties specifi ... | 2006 | 12068724 |
| plasma concentrations of leptin mirror changes in body weight but do not influence the pattern of the preovulatory luteinizing hormone surge in mink (mustela vison). | | 2002 | 12042530 |
| exogenous melatonin elevates the plasma leptin and thyroxine concentrations of the mink (mustela vison). | eight male and eight female minks were given exogenous melatonin as subcutaneous implants. the plasma leptin and thyroxine concentrations were measured. the leptin concentrations showed clear seasonal variations and differences between the experimental groups. in september most of the control females had undetectable plasma leptin concentrations, but the melatonin-treated females had detectable concentrations significantly higher than the leptin levels of the controls. most of the males had unde ... | 2013 | 11098835 |
| reaction of farmed mink (mustela vision) to argon-induced hypoxia. | | 2016 | 10972113 |
| intestinal transport of monosaccharides and amino acids during postnatal development of mink. | intestinal development is typically studied using omnivores. for comparative purposes, we examined an altricial carnivore, the mink (mustela vison). in mink, intestinal dimensions increase up to 8 wk after birth and then remain constant (length) or decrease (mass) into maturity despite continuing gains in body mass. rates of glucose and fructose transport decline after birth for intact tissues but increase for brush-border membrane vesicles (bbmv). rates of absorption for five amino acids that a ... | 2000 | 11080097 |
| effects of gender, diet, exogenous melatonin and subchronic pcb exposure on plasma immunoglobulin g in mink. | effects of different fish-based diets (freshwater smelt, baltic herring, marine herring/cod offal or their mixtures), gender, beta-glucan supplement, exogenous melatonin, and pcb exposure (aroclor 1242((r)), 1 mg per animal per day in feed) on plasma immunoglobulin g (igg) in the mink (mustela vison) were studied. the aims of the study were to find out whether plasma igg of the mink is affected by the subchronic pcb exposure, and whether biological, nutritional and hormonal effects are large eno ... | 2002 | 12039686 |
| catalytic properties of cholinesterases from the brain and blood serum of mink (mustela vison bris.). | | 2013 | 11938662 |
| body-weight changes are clearly reflected in plasma concentrations of leptin in female mink (mustela vison). | the mink is a seasonal breeder with a propensity for seasonal fatness, and it is very responsive to changes in energy supply. the objectives of the present study were first, to validate a multi-species leptin assay for mink (mustela vison) plasma, and second, to evaluate how plasma leptin and insulin concentrations responded to energy restriction and body-weight loss and refeeding with restoration of body reserves. the study was performed with six very fat yearling females (initial mean body wei ... | 2002 | 11895161 |
| links between nutrition and the reproductive axis in a seasonal breeder, the mink (mustela vison). | this paper reviews some important links between nutrition and reproduction in a seasonal breeder, the mink (mustela vison). the energetic costs of reproduction in mink are partly covered by mobilization of body fat reserves. a reduced food supply before the breeding season is detrimental to reproductive performance, and release of lh and ovulation may not occur in animals in extremely poor body condition. nutritional flushing comprising a 2 week period of slightly restricted feeding, followed by ... | 2001 | 11787196 |
| helminth fauna of the american mink (mustela vison schreber, 1777) in belorussian polesie. | | 2001 | 11688898 |
| distribution of tyrosine aminotransferase activity in mink (mustela vison). | the distribution of the enzyme tyrosine aminotransferase in tissues of mink, mustela vison, was investigated. high levels of enzymatic activity were detected only in liver, documenting the hepatic-specific nature of this enzyme in this species. further studies disclosed that tyrosine aminotransferase is not absent from non-hepatic tissues because of the lack of the use of a stabilized buffer, sensitivity to temperature, or due to the presence of an inhibitor. collectively, these results suggest ... | 2001 | 11544095 |
| the american mink gene map. | | 1998 | 11528078 |
| electrolyte composition of mink (mustela vison) erythrocytes and active cation transporters of the cell membrane. | red blood cells from mink (mustela vison) were characterized with respect to their electrolyte content and their cell membranes with respect to enzymatic activity for cation transport. the intra- and extracellular concentrations of na+, k+, cl-, ca2+ and mg2+ were determined in erythrocytes and plasma, respectively. plasma and red cell water content was determined, and molal electrolyte concentrations were calculated. red cells from male adult mink appeared to be of the low-k+, high-na+ type as ... | 2001 | 11503371 |
| chronic toxicity of dietary 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin to mink. | mature female natural dark mink (mustela vison) were fed 0.0006 (control), 0.016, 0.053, 0.180, or 1.40 ppb 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (tcdd) for 131-132 d to ascertain the chronic toxic effects of tcdd in mink, including reproduction. consumption of the 1.4 ppb tcdd diet resulted in lethargy, bloody stools, and 16.7% mortality. final mink body weights were inversely proportional to the dietary tcdd concentrations. due to subnormal mink breeding, definitive effects of tcdd on mink repro ... | 2001 | 11383652 |
| exogenous melatonin affects lipids and enzyme activities in mink (mustela vison) liver. | exogenous melatonin as subcutaneous 2.7-mg implants was given to eight female and male minks in late july with an equal number of animals in the control groups. the liver enzyme activities and major lipids of liver and plasma were measured in october-november. melatonin had very pronounced effects on the lipid and carbohydrate metabolism of the minks and there was also a clear sexual dimorphism. in the males, melatonin decreased the lipase esterase activity of the liver. in the liver of the fema ... | 2001 | 11239833 |