Effect of thyroid hormone on concentrations of plasma calcitonin in broiler chicks.

The purpose of these studies was to determine the effect of thyroidectomy (Tx), and thyroid hormone (T3/T4) treatment on concentrations of plasma CT in chicks. In addition, the turnover of CT in Tx- and T3/T4-treated chicks was estimated using a novel nonradioactive salmon CT preparation. One-week-old broiler chicks (Gallus domesticus) (n = 75) were divided into three groups. Group I was sham-injected daily (i.m. saline), Group II was injected with 50 micrograms/day of T3/T4 while Group III was injected with the goitrogen, methimazole, (150 mg/kg BW per day) for 8 weeks. Chicks (8-9 weeks old) were implanted with catheters in the brachial wing vein and administered ruthenium-labeled salmon CT. Blood samples were collected at 30 s, 1, 2, 4, 8, 20 min, and 3 h after injection. Results showed that concentrations of plasma CT were decreased in T3/T4-injected birds. There was no significant effect of methimazole on circulating concentrations of plasma CT. The half-life of CT was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in both T3/T4-injected (n = 6; 1.34 +/- 0.16 min) and goitrogen-treated birds (n = 2; 5.81 +/- 2.83 min) compared to controls (n = 7; 54 +/- 3 s) The results demonstrate that changes in concentrations of plasma thyroid hormones can significantly affect concentrations of plasma CT.

Hyperglycemia and non-enzymatic glycation of serum and tissue proteins in chickens.

The objectives of these studies were to determine whether elevated plasma glucose concentrations in broiler breeder chickens (200-250 mg/dl) can result in the non-enzymatic attachment of glucose to serum proteins (fructosamine) and eventual cross-linking of tissue proteins (basement membrane thickness), and to investigate the effects of a factor that may influence this cross-linking process. In response to feeding the satiety factor calcium propionate (CaP, 1.7%), plasma glucose and fructosamine concentrations were increased (P < 0.05) from 1 to 9 weeks of age, whereas concentrations of plasma glucose and fructosamine in feed-restricted chicks were reduced for the first 7 weeks after hatch. In a second study, the age-related increase in kidney capillary basement membrane thickness was prevented (P < 0.05) by feeding the cross-linking inhibitor aminoguanidine (AG, 800 ppm) to 30-week-old broiler breeder hens for 34 weeks. The results from these studies suggest that concentrations of plasma glucose in chickens may, in fact, be exerting long-term detrimental effects on tissue proteins, which can be ameliorated by factors that limit the cross-linking reaction.

Estrogen enhancement of Ca-, Mg-, and Ca-Mg-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase activity in the chick shell gland.

The effect of 17 beta-estradiol (E2) on Ca-, Mg-, and Ca-Mg-ATPase activity was investigated in the shell gland of 6-week-old chicks. In the first study, each of 42 birds was implanted with three E2 (Compudose-200) pellets. An additional 6 sham-implanted birds served as controls for measurements of body weight and concentrations of E2 and Ca in plasma. The activities of Mg-, Ca-, and Ca-Mg-ATPase peaked coincident with maximum plasma E2 concentrations 8 days after implantation and then progressively declined in concert with the decline in plasma E2. By 29 days after implantation, the ATPase activities were similar to those measured in birds whose E2 pellets had been removed for 11 days. Concentrations of plasma E2 dropped from peak values of 1676 +/- 317 at Day 8 to 611 +/- 180 pg/ml at Day 29. When birds whose E2 pellets had been removed were reimplanted with three pellets per bird, plasma E2 again increased to 1637 +/- 227 pg/ml. ATPase activity in these reimplanted birds also was greater (P < 0.05) than activities measured in E2-removed or E2-maintained birds. In a second study the Ca-ATPase Km and Vmax were determined in E2-implanted chicks (three pellets per bird) and compared to E2-withdrawn chicks. Five days after reimplantation of chicks with E2, there was a significant increase in both Vmax (3.38 +/- 0.21 vs 2.37 +/- 0.28 micrograms Pi/mg protein/min; P < 0.05) and Km (0.31 +/- 0.02 vs 0.25 +/- 0.01 mM Ca; P < .01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism with lymphoedema and abnormal dermatoglyphics.

This paper describes a woman with pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (PPHP) who had intractable lymphoedema and also abnormal dermatoglyphics. The findings were quite distinct from those in two previously reported cases of pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP). Dermatoglyphics may prove useful in the diagnosis of PPHP but may also provide a clue to the factors which distinguish PPHP from PHP.

Absence of triradius d on the palms of normal people.

Absence of the digital triradius d is a very rare phenomenon, previously only reported in abnormal XXXXY males. During the past few years the anomaly has been found on the palms of three normal females, namely a young English woman and two sisters in the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean. These cases are described and illustrations of the palmar dermatoglyphics presented. The occurrence of such a rare phenomenon in two sisters suggests that it is genetically determined.

Polydactyly and brachymetapody in two English families.

Two new pedigrees of polydactyly associated with brachymetapody are discribed. In one the two defects occur in different members of the family, while in the other both occur in the same individuals. Both anomalies appear to be inherited as dominants, the polydactyly showing incomplete manifestation.

Dermatoglyphics in Prader-Willi syndrome.

The finger-, palm-and sole-prints of thirteen patients with Prader-Willi syndrome have been analysed. Some information has also been obtained from another case. The topological classification has been used for describing palms and soles. Frequencies of finger pattern types, data on finger ridge-count and maximal atd angles are included. Relevant published data has also been considered in making assessments. It is concluded from the evidence available that the dermatoglyphics of patients with the syndrome differ little, if at all, from those of the normal population. Pattern intensity on hands, and particularly feet, is low. Dermatoglyphics, therefore, are not a useful criterion in the diagnosis of the syndrome.

The hypothenar radial arch, a genetically determined epidermal ridge configuration.

A radial arch in the hypothenar area of the human palm is an uncommon ridge arrangement. It is associated with an ulnar triradius and no axial triradius is present. The configuration generally occurs on right hands but is sometimes found on both hands. The frequency in the few European populations studied and in one Canadian sample varies from 0.2 per cent to over 2 per cent of persons. Hypothenar radial arches have also been reported in patients with abnormal sex chromosomes but are not specific to any karyotype. Two families are described in which nearly related persons have hypothenar radial arches. They provide the first evidence that the pattern is inherited. In one family three out of six sibs have radial arches in the hypothenar area and so have two out of three children of one of them. In the other family a pair of identical twins and their mother have hypothenar radial arches. It is suggested that, from the information available, inheritance is probably due to a recessive gene.