Effect of dietary protein and selected antioxidants on fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome induced in Japanese quail.

The effects of CP and antioxidants on fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) in Japanese quail hens were studied. In Experiment 1, four treatments were arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial; dietary CP (18 or 24%) and reduced glutathione (GSH, 0 or 120 mg/kg diet) were the major variables, but cysteine and other amino acids were higher in the 24% CP diets. Negative control (NC1) and positive control (PC1) diets were also evaluated. In Experiment 2, the effects of vitamin E (VE) and GSH were evaluated in the presence and absence of adequate dietary sulfur amino acids. Negative control (NC2) and positive control (PC2) diets were used. In both experiments, liver hemorrhage was most severe in quail fed the diets that were formulated to induce hepatic steatosis and limit oxidant defense capability. Liver hemorrhage was least severe in quail fed the diets that were formulated to minimize liver lipid accumulation and support oxidant defenses. Histological evaluation of affected quail livers showed changes consistent with FLHS in chicken hens. In Experiment 1, neither CP concentration nor GSH supplementation influenced liver hemorrhage. In Experiment 2, liver hemorrhagic score was reduced from 3.8 to 2.7 (P < or = .05) by adding VE to the basal diet. The PC2 diet further depressed liver score to only 2.0 (P < or = .05). The data clearly show that Japanese quail are susceptible to FLHS and indicate that a combination of lipotropic and antioxidant nutrients is protective against hemorrhage, even when lipogenic demands are maximized by feeding diets devoid of added fat.

Extracellular zinc concentration and water metabolism in chicks.

Four experiments were performed to determine the effect of dietary zinc deficiency on water metabolism. Day-old chicks were fed for 3 weeks diets which contained isolated soybean protein, cornstarch and graded levels of zinc. Chicks fed the basal (less than 1 ppm Zn) diet supplemented with 0, 5, 10, 20 and 100 ppm zinc had plasma zinc concentrations of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 1.0 and 1.3 ppm and hematocrit values of 39, 36, 33, 30 and 29, respectively. Plasma zinc concentration dropped significantly within 12 hours after chicks consumed a zinc-deficient diet and the hematocrit rose significantly within 5 days. Zinc-deficient chicks had significantly (P less than 0.05) less extracellular and more intracellular water than feed-restricted controls. There was no difference in total body water. Zinc-deficient chicks had significantly elevated ratios of Na+/K+ in liver, skin and muscle but no difference in serum. Treatment with a combination of zinc and saline significantly lowered the hematocrit within 2 hours when given intraperitoneally and within 4 hours when given intragastrically. The correlation between the plasma zinc concentration and water distribution suggests that extracellular zinc has a specific effect on water metabolism.

Obstetrics through the retrospectroscope.

This essay is a personal comparison of obstetrics in the 1930s and the 1970s. Maternal and perinatal mortality are contrasted for the two eras. Hospital delivery then and now, and hospital versus home delivery are compared. Changing patterns of operative delivery are presented with special reference to the increasing incidence of cesarean section. Continuing medical education and electronic fetal monitoring are discussed. The use of drugs during pregnancy, labor, and delivery is considered. Governmental and public intervention in obstetrics is lamented.