Suspected ethanol toxicosis in two wild cedar waxwings.

Several wild cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) fell from a rooftop following ingestion of overwintered hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) pommes. At necropsy, there was pericardial hemorrhage, although no microscopic abnormalities were found. Ethanol was present in crop contents (380 ppm) and in the livers (238 and 989 ppm). The cause of death was attributed to hemorrhage following a fall precipitated by ethanol intoxication.

Histamine distribution in the gastrointestinal wall of germ free and conventional chicken: evidence of the role of the digestive microflora.

The digestive microflora produces a decrease of the mucosal histamine content in the wall of the chicken colon but has no significant incidence in the upper part of the digestive tract. The anatomical and physiological particularities of the chicken digestive tract permitted to observe that wall histamine concentration depends on different factors. Endogenous factors control the wall histamine content in the proventriculus, independantly of the diet and/or of the presence of a microflora. Diet has a specific incidence upon the gastrointestinal wall of the host in the crop and in the colon. The colon microflora decreases the effect of the diet essentially when the chicken are fed a semi synthetic diet. Interactions between the diet and the microflora could induce physiopathological manifestations.

[Dynamics of amino acid and protein metabolism of laying hens after administration of 15N-labeled wheat protein. 7. Incorporation into the amino acids and peptides of the gastrointestinal tract and the pancreas]. / Dynamik des Aminosäuren- und Proteinstoffwechsels der Legehennen nach Applikation von 15N-markiertem Weizenprotein. 7. Mitteilung. Inkorporation in die Aminosäuren und Peptide des Gastrointestinaltraktes und des Pankreas.

In a 15N labelling experiment 12 colostomized laying hens received 15N labelled wheat with 14.37 atom-% 15N excess (15N') over 4 days. 3 hens each were butchered after 12 h, 36 h, 60 h and 108 h after the last 15N' application. The gastro-intestinal tract was divided into 3 parts (oesophagus with crop and gizzard as well as glandular stomach, small intestine, large intestine). These parts and the pancreas were hydrolysed with 6 N HCl and the individual basic as well as the sum of acid and neutral amino acids were determined in the hydrolysed fractions. In addition, the amino acids and peptides were determined in the TCA soluble N fraction. The atom-% 15N' was determined in the individual amino acid and peptide fractions. The labelling of the basic amino acids in the individual tract segments was lower than in the acid and neutral amino acids. In comparison to the peptides, a higher atom-% 15N' could be determined in the free amino acids.

[Determination of the presence of pepsin in the crop of the chicken (white Leghorn)]. / Détermination de la présence de pepsine dans le jabot de la Poule (Leghorn blanc).

The presence of pepsin in the crop of chicken (white Leghorn) with fistula cannula is determined in this research. Methodological conditions and importance of such a determination from a physiological digestion point of view are described. In addition, the effect of histamine on different secretory parameters (volume, total acidity and proteolytic activity) of the crop is analysed. The results obtained indicate that histamine correlatively increases these secretory parameters.

Chemical, biological and immunological characterization of separated electrophoretic components of human chorionic somatomammotropin (HCS).

Purified HCS preparations ofter show heterogeneity when assayed by electrophoresis, although they may be considered homogeneous according to other criteria (N-terminal amino acid analysis, gel filtration and ultracentrifugation patterns, etc.). Using DEAE-cellulose chromatography, the two main components corresponding to various degrees of hormone amidation were separated. The deamidation kinetic of the electrophoretically slower migrating component was studied and found to be sensitive to temperature and, to a lesser extent, to pH. Denaturing agents strongly increased the deamidation rate, while no effect was found by raising the ionic strength. No difference was evident between the two components and the parent hormone when compared (on a weight basis) in a specific HCS radioimmunoassay system. Even the precipitin reaction in agar gel with an anti-human growth hormone (HGH) serum did not show variations in cross-reactivity versus HGH. Moreover, groups of guinea pigs immunized with the single HCS components, gave antibodies reacting identically with the components and the parent HCS. The prolactin-like activity of the two components differed when determined by the pigeon crop-sac asay: the slower migrating component proved to be less active than the more deamidated one. On the other hand, the activity in two different radioreceptor assays (employing membranes from rabbit mammary gland and rat ventral prostate) was greater for the faster migrating component.

Maternally derived transferrin in pigeon squabs.

With the use of genetically marked transferrin, a major portion of circulating transferrin from a newly hatched squab was found to be derived from the mother through the egg. The transfer is not through the parental crop milk. The squab does not accumulate enough transferrin of its own making to be detectable until it is about 8 days old. The maternally derived protein remains detectable until 14 days after hatching. The squab actively synthesizes a portion its own transferrin from hatching onward.