Sex-related differences of bone properties of pelvic limb and bone metabolism indices in 14-month-old ostriches (Struthio camelus).

1. Sex-related differences of long pelvic limb bones and serum bone metabolism indices were evaluated in 14-month-old female (N = 7) and male (N = 7) ostriches of similar body weights. 2. Densitometric parameters of femur, tibia and tarsometatarsus were determined using quantitative computed tomography (volumetric bone mineral density, calcium hydroxyapatite density and mean volumetric bone mineral density) and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (bone mineral density and bone mineral content) methods. Geometrical parameters such as cortical bone area, cross-sectional area, second moment of inertia, mean relative wall thickness and cortical index were determined in the midshaft of bones. Mechanical properties of bones (maximum elastic strength and ultimate strength) were evaluated using three-point bending test. Serum concentrations of free amino acids, osteocalcin, N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen, C-terminal telopeptides of type II collagen and total antioxidative capacity were also determined. 3. Bone weight and relative bone weight of all bones were significantly higher in males than in females. Significantly lower values of trabecular bone mineral density and calcium hydroxyapatite density were found in the trabecular bone of tibia in males. The highest number of the sex-related differences was observed in the tarsometatarsus where bone length, bone mineral content, cortical bone area, cross-sectional area and ultimate strength were higher in males. Serum concentrations of taurine, hydroxyproline, valine and isoleucine were significantly higher in males. 4. Higher loading of the tarsometatarsus in comparison to femur and tibia may be an important factor interacting with sex hormones in regulation of bone formation and mineralisation processes. Sex-related differences of bone properties were associated with increased serum concentration of selected amino acids in males.

Skeletal response to diet with soya bean seeds used as primary source of protein in growing broiler chickens.

The study was conducted using 120 commercial broiler chicks (Ross 308) randomly allocated to two experimental groups. The experimental diets, differing only in protein source, either solvent-extracted soya bean meal (SBM) or traditional (non-genetically modified) full-fat soya bean seeds (FFS), were prepared using practical corn-based formulation designed to meet nutritional requirements of broilers. Performance parameters were monitored weekly. Also, the subjects were evaluated daily for overt changes in skeletal anatomy and gait physiology. Randomly selected chickens from each group (seven males and seven females) were euthanized at 2, 3, 4 and 6 weeks of age, and bone specimens were collected for further study. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were determined in tibiotarsal bones. Broilers fed FFS diet showed retarded growth rate and decreased feed intake (both p < 0.001). Both BMD and BMC parameters were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in bones of chickens from the FFS group in comparison with the SBM group. The chickens fed the FFS diet showed higher incidence of skeletal pathology including angular deformities and torticollis (both p < 0.01). Of note, cases of torticollis were observed only in FFS group. In many cases, skeletal abnormalities resulted in considerable changes in gait pattern, and in some instances, the pathology of leg bones was so advanced that the affected individuals were unable to walk, but this deformity was not seen in SBM group. From this study, it can be inferred that raw soya beans contain factors that have some specific detrimental effects on skeletal system of chickens.

Anthropometric and physiologic assessment in sleep apnoea patients regarding body fat distribution.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is characterised by repeated episodes of pauses in breathing during sleep due to obstruction of the upper airway that result in transient hypoxaemia, sleep fragmentation and long-term cardiovascular disease. The most common risk factors for OSA include: obesity, age over 50 and neck circumference of more than 41 cm for females and more than 43 cm in males. Sleep apnoea is more common in men than in women. The aim of the conducted research was to evaluate relations between the anthropometric features connected with adipose tissue distribution and the severity of OSA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out on 180 patients (144 males and 36 females) diagnosed with OSA syndrome. The standard sleep parameters obtained from night polysomnography as well as skin-fat fold thickness and neck circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were analysed. Statistical analysis was performed using STATISTICA 10. RESULTS: It was stated that anthropometric parameters connected with the accu-mulation of adipose tissue in upper body were significantly related to severity of OSA in males (p ≤ 0.05). Body mass index (BMI) was significantly correlated with severity of OSA in females (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In males, there is a connection between the severity of OSA, BMI and a higher accumulation of adipose tissue in upper part of the body measured by neck circumference and shoulder thickness of skin-fat folds, whereas in females only by BMI.

Estimation of age at death: examination of variation in cortical bone histology within the human clavicle.

BACKGROUND: Continuously, numerous human remains of unknown identity are revealed all over the world. One of the elements of the identification process may be a proper assessment of a histological section of bone fragments in order to answer questions related to the age of the subject. The aim of the study was to define an optimum bone fragment to obtain samples for histological examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study material consisted of fragments of shafts of left clavicles taken from 39 males and 25 females (aged 22-86). The clavicles came from autopsies conducted between 2005 and 2011 at the Department of Forensic Medicine of Poznan and the Bialystok Medical University. The following were taken into account while estimating the age of the bone remains: clavicle length (CL), clavicle width (CW), clavicle thickness (CT), number of osteons in the field of vision (ON), number of osteons with the Haversian canal of more than 70 µm (HC > 70 µm), average diameter of the Haversian canals (avg. ØHC), area occupied by interstitial lamellae (ILA %), area occupied by osteons (OA %), area occupied by fragments-remnants of osteons remain as irregular arcs of lamellar fragments (OFA %), average thickness of outer circumferential lamellae (avg. OCL, µm), the relation of osteons with the Haversian canal of more than 70 µm in diameter to the total number of osteons (HC > 70 µm, %), at p < 0.00001. The age of the bone remains was estimated using univariate linear regression function. RESULTS: It was determined that the best place for sampling the osseous tissue for the analysis was the shaft of the clavicle. It was stated than the number of osteons with a large diameter increased with age. The relation of osteons with the Haversian canal of more than 70 µm in diameter to the total number of osteons (HC > 70 µm, %). The level of statistical significant was p < 0.00001. All analysed microscopic features of the osseous tissue showed significant statistical changes occurring with age. CONCLUSIONS: The exact method for preparing osseous tissue for a microscopic analysis to determine the age of the remains is the preparation of histological sections, as the structure of the osseous tissue does not change while processing the material and the time of preparations is relatively short (7-8 days). The best predictors of age with the use of the function of univariate linear regression were: the diameter of Haversian canal, the number of osteons with Haversian canal of more than 70 µm in diameter, the relation of osteons with Haversian canal bigger than 70 µm in diameter to the total number of osteons as well as fragments of secondary osteons.

Sex-related differences of morphometric, densitometric, and geometric parameters of tibia and tarsometatarsal bone in 14-month-old ostriches (Struthio camelus).

The aim of the current study was to investigate basic morphometric, geometric, and densitometric parameters of tibia and tarsometatarsus in 14-mo-old male and female ostriches, and interrelationships between these parameters. The study was conducted on 20 tibiae and 20 tarsometatarsal bones of the left pelvic limb derived from 20 healthy 14-mo-old ostriches (Struthio camelus): 10 males and 10 females. The following parameters were determined using peripheral quantitative computed tomography: bone mineral content (BMC), volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), cortical content (CRT_CNT), cortical density (CRT_DEN), trabecular content, trabecular density (TRAB_DEN), bone area (TOT_A), trabecular area (TRAB_A), cortical area (CRT_A), cortical thickness (CRT_THK_C), periosteal circumference (PERI_C), endocortical circumference (ENDO_C), and strength-strain index (SSI) in the metaphysis and diaphysis of the bones. Statistical evaluation of the obtained results was performed using Student's t-test, and the Pearson correlation coefficient between the investigated parameters was determined. The obtained results have shown significant differences in proximal metaphysis between males and females when evaluating such parameters as CRT_DEN, TOT_A, TRAB_A, PERI_C, SSI in tibia (P < 0.05), and BMC, vBMD, TRAB_DEN, CRT_CNT, TOT_A, TRAB_A, cortical area, PERI_C, ENDO_C, SSI in tarsometatarsus (P < 0.05). Significant differences between the 2 sexes were found in all the investigated parameters of diaphysis of tibia, except for CRT_DEN and ENDO_C (P < 0.05). Significant positive correlations between BW and bone weight were found (P < 0.05). Furthermore, numerous correlations of morphometric, geometric, and densitometric parameters of metaphysis and diaphysis of the tibia and tarsometatarsus were stated (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the present investigation demonstrated sex-related differences in morphometric, densitometric, and geometric properties of tibia and tarsometatarsus in 14-mo-old ostriches. Numerous correleations observed between the investigated parameters have shown that ostrich tibia and tarsometatarsus may present a valuable model for further studies on bone tissue metabolism regulation in breeding birds.

Computed tomographic and densitometric analysis of tibiotarsal bone mineral density and content in postnatal Peking ducks (Anas platyrhynchos var. domestica) as influenced by age and sex.

The bone mineral density BMD and content BMC were analysed in the tibiotarsal bones of ducks in the postnatal development as influenced by age and sex. One hundred birds from the nesting till the slaughtering maturity were included in the experiment. The analysis was conducted using a densitometer, Norland - Excell Plus and pQCT computed tomography, XCT Research SA Plus. The statistical analysis was conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance (age) and the U-Mann -Withney test (sex). All calculations were performed in Statistica 9.0 (StatSoft, Inc. Tulsa, USA), at P < or = 0.05. Two-factor analysis of variance ANOVA was applied and Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated. The densitometer research showed that BMD and BMC increased in the postnatal development for both sexes. The volumetric bone mineral density vBMD analysis using computed tomography showed that volumetric bone mineral density vBMD of the middle of the diaphyses in situ gradually attenuated during the postnatal development both in males and females, i.e. from 620 mg/cm3 (2 wk) to 500 mg/cm3 (8 wk). The biggest vBMD loss was observed in the diaphyses of females in 4 and 6 wk (r = -0.63 and r = -0.79; P > or = 0.05). The BMC decrease was observed in the proximal metaphyses between 4 and 6 wk for both sexes, r = -0.52 (males), r = -0.53 (females); P < or = 0.05. The gradual loss may be the cause of deformities and fractures of the tibiotarsal bones observed from 4 wk in particular bone sections of both sexes. The achieved results may constitute a helpful source of information for water poultry breeders to prevent limb diseases.

Bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the bilateral first phalanges of the thoracic limbs in horses.

The bone mineral density (BMD) and the bone mineral content (BMC) in the bone tissue of the bilateral first phalanges of horses' thoracic limbs were analysed. The research material consisted of isolated pastern bones derived from 22 horses. The research was conducted with the use of a Norland model Excell Plus densitometer (Fort Atkinson WI, USA), using affinited beam X-ray technology and an animal research programme (Research Scan, 3.9.6. version) at the following parameters: scanning resolution of 1.5 x 1.5 mm, scanning speed 60 mm/s. The differences between BMC and BMD values in bilateral first phalanges in the thoracic limbs in horses were found to be nonsignificant. It also appeared that there are statistically significant positive correlations between values of the left and right bone of both analysed variables.

Computer-generated radiological imagery of the structure of the spongious substance in the postnatal development of the tibiotarsal bones of the Peking domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos var. domestica).

The evaluation of the structure of the spongious substance of the tibiotarsal (TT) bones of the domestic duck aged 4 to 8 wk was performed using radiological analysis. The Trabecula program (Czerwinski, 1994) used in the study identified a map of radiological trabeculae and calculated the number, average volume, density, and width of trabeculae. It was stated that the number of trabeculae differed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) variant on age, sex, and a unique fragment of the studied bone. Six-week-old hens whose TT bones were most often exposed to deformities and fractures possessed attenuated bone mass. The number of trabeculae per 1 mm(2) during breeding was the lowest (10.34 and 9.54 mm(2) in the proximal and distal epiphyses, respectively). The tibial bones of the 6-wk-old hens also possessed the lowest volume of trabeculae (44.62 and 39.84% for the proximal and distal epiphyses, respectively). Dependant variances between the BW, the number of recognized radiological trabeculae, and the volume, density, and width of trabeculae were calculated using a selected correlation and regression coefficient (r = 0.41; P ≤ 0.05). Results expounded a unique linear relationship between BW and the volume of trabeculae. Indeed, the larger the BW, the more numerous the trabeculae observed. No significant correlation was determined between the BW and the number of recognized trabeculae nor their density and width. A small number of trabeculae and the lowered density may be the cause of fractures and deformities of the TT bones of the domestic duck.