Urea

About: Urea is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 21394 publications have been published within this topic receiving 382444 citations. The topic is also known as: carbamide & carbonic acid diamide.

Fermentation and nitrogen dynamics in Merino sheep given a low-quality-roughage diet

Abstract: 1. Fermentation in the rumen and nitrogen dynamics in the body were studied in mature Merino sheep given a maintenance ration of a low-quality-roughage diet containing mainly chopped wheat straw.2. Intake of metabolizable energy was 3.49 MJ/d and of total N 6.2 g/d.3. From measurements of volatile fatty acid (VFA) production rates and stoichiometric principles, it was calculated that 75% of the digestible organic matter intake was fermented in the rumen, making an estimated 44 g/68d microbial dry matter available to the animal.4. The total flux of ammonia through the rumen NH3 pool, estimated by 15NH3 dilution methods, was 8.2 g N/d of which 3.5 g N/d was irreversibly lost; thus 4.7 g N/d was recycled, partly within the rumen (approximately 3.8 g N/d) and partly via endogenous secretions (approximately 0.9 g N/d). The extensive recycling of NH3-N within the rumen indicated that turnover of microbial N was considerable, and the total production of micro-organisms was at least twice the net outflow.5. The proportion of the N in rumen bacteria derived from rumen ammonia was 62% and thus 38% was derived from other nitrogenous compounds such as peptides and amino acids.6. The rates of transfer of blood urea into the rumen, estimated from the appearance of 14CO2 or 15NH3 in the rumen after intravenous single injections of [14C]-and [15N]urea, did not differ significantly and the mean transfer was 2.3 urea-N/d.7. Estimates of the rate of irreversible loss of urea-C (i.e. urea synthesis in the body) were obtained by analysis of samples of either blood or urine obtained after a single, intravenous injection of [14C]urea. The two methods gave results that did not differ significantly. The estimated rate of urea synthesis in the body was 5.3 g N/d. Urea excretion rate was relatively low, i.e. 1.2 g N/d, and thus transfer of urea to the digestive tract was approximately 4.1 g N/d. Approximately 53% of the latter was transferred to the rumen, and 47% to the rest of the digestive tract. These results are discussed in relation to similar studies with sheep given other diets.8. Various aspects of isotope-tracer methods and the errors that could occur in this type of study are discussed.

Ammonia concentration and protein synthesis in the rumen

Abstract: The effect of rumen ammonia concentration on microbial protein synthesis and fermentation was studied in three separate experiments. In each experiment three separate sheep were fed semi-purified diets [designated A (‘concentrate’), B (‘roughageconcentrate’) or C (‘roughage’)] and infused intra-ruminally with five graded amounts of urea according to a randomised block design. Rumen ammonia concentrations remained low until the total nitrogen intake was about 10 g day−1 after which rumen ammonia concentration rose rapidly. Rumen and duodenal ammonia concentrations were linearly related (r=0.90, 0.98 and 0.84 for diets A, B and C, respectively; P< 0.001). Microbial protein production did not increase when rumen ammonia concentrations exceeded 2.8 mM for diet A, 6.0 mM for diet B and 1.6 mM for diet C. Diets A and C produced a propionate-type fermentation while diet B was characterised by an acetate-type fermentation. Rumen ammonia concentration had no apparent effect on either concentration or the molar proportions of volatile fatty acids. There were no systematic trends in digestibility in relation to rumen ammonia concentration.

A coupled-enzyme equilibrium method for measuring urea in serum: optimization and evaluation of the AACC study group on urea candidate reference method.

Abstract: We describe a coupled-enzyme equilibrium method for measuring urea in serum, which is performed on supernates prepared by treating each specimen with Ba(OH)2 and ZnSO4 (Somogyi reagent). Analytical recovery of [14C]urea added to a variety of matrices was essentially complete (mean, 100.6%) for the supernates after precipitation. Nine variables were univariately examined in arriving at the reaction conditions for the method: glutamate dehydrogenase, urease, 2-oxoglutarate, ADP, Tris . HCI, NADH, EDTA, pH, and temperature. The reagent is stable for at least 48 days at--20 degrees C and for 23 days at 4 degrees C. Mean analytical recovery of urea (14 mmol/L) added to seven different specimens (three different matrices) was 100.8%. The analytical linear range of the method extends to 30 mmol of urea per liter. Of 22 potential interferents, only bilirubin at 1 mmol/L (580 mg/L), hemoglobin at 10 g/L, and hydroxyurea at 6 mmol/L showed more than 2% interference. We discuss precision and effects of specimen dilution, and compare results for 100 human serum specimens with those measured for the same specimens with four other urea methods. We examined the effects of measuring a blank, consisting of sample and reagent without urease, with each specimen.

Molecular characterization of an elasmobranch urea transporter

Abstract: Marine elasmobranch fishes retain relatively high levels of urea to balance the osmotic stress of living in seawater. To maintain osmotic balance and reduce the energetic costs of making urea, it i...