Influence of rapeseed meal on productivity and health of broiler chicks.

Research was focussed on investigating the influence of different quantities (0, 10, 20 and 30%) of rapeseed meal (RM), 00-cultivar Silvia on production results, as well as on the morphological and pathohistological changes in the internal organs of chicks during the course of the experiment, measured on the 21st and 42nd days of the 42-day experiment. The experiment involved 120 chicks divided into four groups: a control group (C) and three experimental groups (E1-3). It was found that chicks in Groups C, E1 and E2 realised significantly (P < 0.05) higher gains than those in Group E3, both after the test period and at the end of the experiment. No significant differences with regard to feed conversion were found between groups of chicks. Throughout the experiment chicks in Groups E1-3 were found to have a significantly (P < 0.05) heavier liver. Compared to Groups E1-3, Group C chicks had a significantly (P < 0.05) heavier gizzard after 21 days, but following the finisher diet Group E3 had a significantly (P < 0.05) lighter gizzard. Compared with birds in Group C, those in Groups E2-3 had significantly heavier (P < 0.05) unevacuated intestines when fed the starter diet, and those in Groups E1-2 showed a similar result when fed the finisher diet. Chicks in Group E3 had a significantly lower grill weight than those in Groups C, E1 and E2, both in the first half of the experiment and at the end. The starter diet did not result in any differences in the quantity of abdominal fat among groups, but following the finisher diet Groups E2-3 showed significantly less abdominal fat in comparison to Groups C and E1 (P < 0.05). Group C showed a significantly higher carcass yield than Groups E1-3 (P < 0.05) in the first half of the experiment and at the end. Groups E1-3 manifested a slight to medium hypertrophy of thyroid epithelial tissue as well as slight thymus hypertrophy and slight atrophy of the cloacal bursa follicles.

The development of blood and lymph vessels of human parathyroid glands in embryonal, fetal and postnatal period.

The aim of the article is to investigate the development of blood and lymph systems in human parathyroid glands in prenatal and postnatal periods. The first capillaries are observed in these glands already in the lunar month 2. At the middle of pregnancy blood supply is increased, being extremely abundant in lunar months 9 and 10, as well as during the first year of life. As parts of the lymph system, intercellular lymph spaces are noticed in the parathyroid glands already in the lunar month 2, and also later, when lymph vessels are situated along the gland or in its connective capsule and within the gland parenchyma respectively. All these findings could be connected with the early function of these glands, as well as with the possibility that parathyroid hormone (PTH) is not transferred by blood only but by lymph as well.

Anthropological measurements of the skeleton and parathyroid glands growth during fetal development.

The article presents the investigation of histomorphological differentiation and growth of parathyroid glands in human fetus from the second to the ninth lunar month. The longer and the shorter diameter of these glands were measured. The obtained values are compared with the development and the growth intensity of the skeleton (biparietal head diameter and femoral length of a fetus from lunar months 3 to 9) and with the role of the placenta in the mentioned processes. The results of our investigation show the concordance of the skeletal growth with the development and histomorphological differentiation of these glands. The factors involved in these processes point out the complex relationship between the mother and fetus during osteogenesis, expressed on the hormonal level, in mineral metabolism and placental activity.

Conflicting data on intervillous circulation in early pregnancy.

According to classic embryological textbooks intervillous circulation is established early in the first trimester. This process starts with trophoblastic invasion of the decidua in which proteolytic enzymes facilitate the penetration and erosion of the adjacent maternal capillaries with formation of the lacunae. After the lacunar or previllous stage trophoblast invades deeper portions of endometrium with belonging spiral arteries. This gradual process finishes with direct opening of the spiral arteries in the intervillous space under the fully developed placenta. This classic concept of establishment of the intervillous circulation was challenged in 1987 and 1988 by the experiments of HUSTIN and SHAAPS. The authors believed that blood flow in the intervillous space is absent in incompletely development before 12 weeks of gestation. After the introduction of the new generation of far more sensitive color Doppler devices in the last few years, our group and several others reported a positive finding of intervillous circulation during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Neonatal and placental factors in relation to the mode of umbilical cord insertion. Stereological analysis of chorionic villi.

Neonatal and placental factors and compartment volumes of placental parenchyma in relation to variations of cord insertions in normal human placentae were examined. The results of our investigation suggest that the mode of umbilical cord insertion has no significant effect on examined components. Stated differences are probably the effect of biological variations during normal placental and fetal development.

Does the human placenta differentiate structurally during the 10th lunar month?

The placenta is the central organ of fetomaternal exchange, which metabolically provides for the growth of the fetus and its membranes as a whole. The main structural components of the human placenta develop until the beginning of the second trimester of gestation, and continue to grow and differentiate. The dynamics of the histomorphological development of the placenta lasts until birth. The aim of this stereological investigation was to analyze and compare structural components of placental parenchyma during two periods of the 10th lunar month: from the 38th to 39th week, and in the 40th week of gestation. The results show that during the last four weeks of gestation the trophoblast of the chorionic villi changes the most. At the beginning of the 10th lunar month, alpha zones, bearers of transplacental gas transport, prevail. At the end of the 10th lunar month beta zones dominate (P < 0.005). These are metabolically active parts of trophoblast. These quantitative results of stereological analysis have to be assumed as structural evidence of the physiological maturity of human placenta.

Stereological analysis of alpha and beta zones of syncytiotrophoblast in human term placenta.

The investigations were carried out to attempt to define and analyze various quantitative structural parameters of syncytiotrophoblast in human term placenta, especially of its functionally active parts, that is alpha and beta zones. The results demonstrated the following: The arrangement of alpha and beta zones in the placenta as a whole is even and regionally independent. Beta zones prevail quantitatively. Alpha zones make up only 8% of the total volume, 18% of the total surface and 39% of the thickness of beta zones. Sexual dimorphism is shown by a significantly higher volume density (VVa)(P less than 0.002), total volume (Va)(P less than 0.05) and surface density (SVa) (P less than 0.025) of alpha zones in placentas of female newborns. The fetoplacental index is higher in male newborns. During the tenth lunar month the structure of syncytiotrophoblast is changed. Between the 38th and 39th week the volume and surface densities of alpha zones are significantly higher (P less than 0.01), and in the 40th week the volume density and total volume of beta zones prevail significantly (P less than 0.01).

[The surface of the syncytiotrophoblast in the human placenta at term in relation to the sex of the neonate]. / Povrsina sinciciotrofoblasta zrele humane placente u odnosu na spol novorodenceta.

A stereological analysis was performed on 30 human term placentas. Surface density and total surface of the whole syncytiotrophoblast and its specially differentiated parts (alpha and beta zones, syncytial knots) were measured with regard to the sex of the newborn. The values of stereological variables are higher in placentas of female newborn children, but differences are not statistically significant. The placental index was defined by macroscopic measuring of the weight of fetus and placenta. It was considerably higher in male (7.92 +/- 0.27) than in female (7.15 +/- 0.18) newborn children, P less than 0.025.