Mortality and production characteristics of laying chickens fed high- and low-erucic acid rapeseed oils

Laying pullets were fed a diet supplemented with three percent of either high-erucic acid rapeseed (HEAR) oil or low-erucic acid rapeseed (LEAR) oil for 39 weeks. Egg production for the period was 78.8 and 80.1% by the birds fed the respective oils. Average egg weights were 56.8 and 58.7 g. respectively. Gains in body weight, liver weight and adrenal gland weight were similar with the two types of oil fed. Feed consumption was similar for the two groups of birds. The efficiency of utilization of the diet containing HEAR oil was accordingly lower than that of the diet containing LEAR oil. In the birds fed HEAR and LEAR oil respectively mortality attributed to metabolic disorders of the reproductive system, liver, and kidney was 3.3% and 1.2%. Mortality from other causes in the birds fed the two oils was 3.2 and 3.8% of the original populations.     

Atrial natriuretic peptide and bradykinin interaction on norepinephrine uptake in rat adrenal medulla

Interactions between atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and bradykinin (BDK) on norepinephrine (NE) uptake were demonstrated in the adrenal medulla of the rat. One hundred nM ANP and 10 nM BDK increased total NE uptake. Subthreshold concentration of ANP (1nM) or BDK (1nM) reverted the effects of thre shold concentrations of both peptides (10 nM BDK and 100 nM ANP respectively). Effective concentrations of ANP and BDK acting simultaneously did not induce additive effects on total NE uptake. Threshold concentrations of both peptides increased neuronal NE uptake only. These results suggest interactions between ANP and BDK at the neuronal uptake level. They confirm that ANP and BDK take part in the regulation of the sympathetic activity in the adrenal medulla of the rat.     

Delayed radiation-induced bulbar palsy

We report a man with a slowly progressive bulbar palsy 14 years after radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Electromyography demonstrated prominent myokymic and neuromyotonic discharges in muscles innervated by the lower cranial nerves. Late effects of radiation therapy can occur in the cranial nerve musculature that are similar to well-recognized syndromes affecting the brachial plexus and spinal cord.     

Influence of environment on passive immunity in calves

Passive immunity in neonatal calves is influenced by environment. Placing newly born Holstein calves (108 head) in three different housing environments (shade, cooled shade, hutch) during hot weather produced differences in body temperature, serum cortocosteroids, immunoglobulin IgG1 concentrations, and mortality. Experimental design permitted examination of effects due to treatments, time, differences in colostrum, and climatic environment in an analysis of variance. Calves exposed to the hotter, less desirable environment responded by having a higher mortality, higher serum corticosteroid concentration, and lower serum immunoglobulin IgG1 at 2 and 10 days after birth. All of these were correlated. Calves that died had serum immunoglobulin IgG1 falling below the mean for all experimental calves.     

The metabolic effects of excess noradrenaline secretion from a pheochromocytoma

We report a 14-year-old boy with severe hypertension who was cured by surgical removal of a pheochromocytoma. The tumor was shown biochemically and morphologically to secrete predominantly noradrenaline. The metabolic effects noted in this patient were raised free fatty acid levels and depressed insulin levels, hyperreninemia, hypercalcemia, and hypercalciuria with normal parathyroid function. All these abnormalities returned to normal after removal of the tumor. It is suggested that these effects were mediated via beta-adrenergic stimulation of the excess noradrenaline.