Seasonal variation in haematological and biochemical variables in free-ranging subadult brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Sweden

Table 3 Seasonal changes in serum proteins for subadult brown bears (Ursus arctos) presented as 95 % confidence interval

Variable^a	Unit	λ^b	2.5 - 97.5 interval^c	Sex^d	Season^e	n	Range	p-value^f
Albumin	g/L	1	30.6–54.4	F + M	W	15	41.6–55.6	<0.0001
					Sp	27	34.0–49.0
					Su	18	28.3–47.0
α₁-globulin	g/L	−1.2	2.7–7.4	F + M	W + Sp + Su	60	2.6–7.5
α₂-globulin	g/L	0	2.9–7.4	F + M	W	15	4.5–7.9	<0.0001
α₂-globulin	g/L	0	2.9–7.4	F + M	Sp + Su	45	2.8–6.6	<0.0001
β-globulin	g/L	−0.4	5.2–12.5	F	W	8	5.4–11.6	<0.0001, 0.0009^s
					Sp	15	3.3–9.5
					Su	10	5.4–11.6
				M	W	7	6.1–12.2
					Sp	12	5.5–9.8
					Su	8	6.1–12.2
γ-globulins	g/L	0.6	2.4–6.4	F + M	W + Sp + Su	60	1.3–2.2
A:G		0	1.41–3.04	F + M	W + Sp	42	1.55–3.04	0.0022
A:G		0	1.41–3.04	F + M	Su	18	1.32–2.59	0.0022
Total protein	g/L	0.8	51–77	F + M	W	15	64–79	<0.0001
Total protein	g/L	0.8	51–77	F + M	Sp + Su	45	49–70	<0.0001

^aA:G = Albumin:globulin ratio
^bλ = the transformation value from the Box-Cox transformation
^c2.5 and 97.5 percentiles on untransformed data
^dF = female; M = male
^eW = winter (February-March); Sp = spring (April-May); Su = summer (June)
^f p-values are given for significantly different seasons groups: S = p-value for sex

ISSN: 1746-6148