Changes in plasma concentrations of thyroxine, triiodothyronine, cholesterol and total lipid in beef steers fed ronnel

An experiment with eight beef steers was conducted to determine the patterns of change for plasma concentrations of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), cholesterol and total lipid following the addition or withdrawal of the organophosphate, ronnel, from the diet. Steers were fed 0, 2, 4 and 8 mg ronnel/kg body weight daily in a Latin square arrangement of treatments with five 28-d periods. Plasma samples were obtained at -2, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 16 and 23 d of each period. Steers had not received ronnel before period 1 and, for periods 2 to 5, steers previously fed the lower levels (0 and 2 mg ronnel) were switched to the higher levels (4 and 8 mg ronnel) and steers previously fed the higher levels were switched to the lower levels. Treatment assignments for periods 1 and 5 were the same. Feed intake was similar for all treatments (7.8 kg/d) and daily gain was greater when ronnel was fed (.65 vs .88 kg). Plasma T4 concentrations increased positively in response to ronnel level within the first day after ronnel feeding began and reached a plateau within 3 d. Plasma T4 concentrations decreased following the withdrawal of ronnel, but the response was slower; a lower level being established within about 7 d. Changes in plasma T3 concentrations were small, but were concurrent with plasma T4 changes and were inversely related to ronnel level. Plasma cholesterol concentrations tended to be positively related to ronnel level, but changed slowly with time; plasma total lipid concentrations were not consistently affected by ronnel level. The results of this experiment demonstrate that ronnel has an immediate effect on thyroid function in beef steers.

Does uncomplicated diverticular disease produce symptoms?

A questionnaire dealing with bowel symptoms was administered to 97 outpatients referred for air-contrast barium enema. Subsequently, the barium enema was interpreted by a radiologist who did not know the results of the questionnaire. Forty-nine had normal x-rays, and 27 had uncomplicated diverticular disease. Weight loss, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and pain at night were as common in those with a normal examination as in those with diverticula. Symptoms of colon dysfunction included abdominal pain relieved by defecation, altered stool frequency and consistency with pain onset, abdominal distension, feeling of incomplete evacuation after defecation, and mucus in the stool. These were equally prevalent in both groups. Therefore, no symptoms could be ascribed to the presence of diverticula.

The structural analysis of hemoglobin Handsworth

The present paper describes the structural analysis of an abnormal hemoglobin variant of alpha-chain found in a Chinese woman in the Hechi district of the Zhuang Autonomous Region of Guangxi, and finds it to be hemoglobin Handsworth (alpha 18(A16) Gly leads to Arg).

Effects of ronnel on growth, endocrine function and blood measurements in steers and rats

Four feeding trials were conducted to determine (1) how the organophosphate ronnel affects thyroid and adrenal circulating hormone levels and blood profile measurements of beef steers and (2) whether the effects of ronnel observed in beef steers could be produced in growing rats. In trial 1, four groups of eight steers each were given either no ronnel or 4 mg ronnel/kg body weight daily in diets fed at either limited (1.8% of body weight) or ad libitum intake. After 7 weeks, intake levels, but not ronnel treatments, were reversed during a 1-week transition period, and feeding was continued for another 7 weeks. In trial 2, four groups of six steers each were given 0, 44, 88 or 176 ppm ronnel premixed in diets fed ad libitum for 18 weeks. Actual ronnel intakes averaged 0, 1.01, 2.12 and 4.73 mg/kg body weight daily in trial 2. In trials 3 and 4 , growth and intake were measured in 64 and 32 growing Sprague-Dawley rats, respectively, fed levels of ronnel ranging from 0 to 100 ppm in the diet. In trial 3, blood plasma was analyzed at various times for triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), cholesterol and total lipid content. In trial 1, the concentration of Plasma T4 was 1.31 times higher in steers fed ronnel that in control steers. In trial 2, plasma T4 was 1.30 times higher in steers fed 176 ppm ronnel, the level that improved growth, than in steers fed the lower ronnel levels. Circulating levels of T3, cortisol and aldosterone were similar for both control and ronnel-fed steers. Serum cholesterol concentrations were consistently higher in ronnel-fed steers. The data indicated that the growth-promoting effect of ronnel in steers may be associated with a shift in thyroid function. Effects of ronnel in steers were not observed in rats, demonstrating a species difference between steers and rats.