早期限饲对肉鸡肌肉生长及生产性能的长期影响

本研究旨在比较不同生长阶段隔日限饲(早期限饲:1~14日龄限饲,后期限饲:50~63日龄限饲)对肉鸡肌肉生长及相关激素水平的影响,并探讨早期限饲对肉鸡肌肉生长的程序化作用。试验结果:1)早期限饲组整个试验阶段体重均极显著低于对照组,后期限饲组限饲一周后体重显著低于对照组并于63日龄实现完全补偿生长;2)早期限饲组14日龄和63日龄胸肌、腓肠肌重均显著低于对照组;后期限饲组63日龄胸肌、腓肠肌重均显著低于对照组,且二者与早期限饲组均差异不显著;3)早期限饲显著降低了14日龄肉鸡肌肉中DNA、RNA和蛋白含量,63日龄恢复至正常水平,且核酸、蛋白水平在胸肌和腓肠肌内的趋势表现不一致;4)早期限饲组14日龄血清中T3、T4水平均显著低于对照组,63日龄血清T3水平仍显著低于对照组;后期限饲组63日龄血清T3水平显著低于对照组,T4水平与对照组差异不显著。结果表明:1)限饲可显著阻碍肉鸡肌肉的生长;2)不同部位的肌肉对限饲的敏感度不同;3)早期营养因子对肉鸡肌肉的生长具有"程序化"作用,甲状腺激素可能参与这些过程的调节。     

放射免疫测定昆明犬血清T3,T4水平研究初报

利用放射免疫法对36只昆明犬血清三碘甲状腺素(T_3)、四磺甲状腺素(T_4)水平进行了初步研究。测定结果:68日龄幼犬(n=8)的T_3为0.359±0.188 ng/ml血清,T_4为56.56±6.1 ng/ml血清;1～2岁的成年犬(n=28)T_3为0.206±01.09 ng/ml血清,T_4为13.47±4.21 ng/ml血清。该结果表明:昆明犬T_4含量明显高于T_3(P<0.01)。68日龄的幼犬T_3、T_4水平明显高于1～2岁成年犬(P<0.01)。还观察到个别(4~#、6~#)甲状腺素含量明显低于均值(P<0.01),犬体高、体重也低于同年龄犬。     

Short‐term physiological role of thyroxine administration on plasma metabolites and growth performance of Sterlet sturgeon Acipenser ruthenus

Thyroid hormones (THs) play important roles in regulating growth, development and physiological functions in vertebrates. To study the role of short‐term effects of thyroxine (T4) on metabolism and growth in female Sterlet sturgeon, thirty fish with a weight of 707.97 ± 37.15 g were divided into six tanks. Fish were injected intraperitoneal with (a) coconut oil alone (control), (b) 1 mg T4 kg per BW in coconut oil (T₁) and (c) 10 mg T4 kg per BW in coconut oil (T₁₀). Blood samples were collected at 0, 4, 7, 14, 28 and 60 days for plasma biochemical analysis, and body length and mass were determined at day 60. Based on results, higher growth was indicated in T₁₀ group. The highest T4 levels were observed on day 4 in the T₁ and T₁₀ treatments and gradually declined during the trial. Plasma T3 levels were highest on days 4 and 7 in the T₁ and T₁₀ groups, respectively. Plasma triglyceride levels were significantly elevated on day 28 in the T₁ group and on day 60 in the T₁₀ group. Plasma glucose concentrations were significantly elevated on days 7 and 14 in T₁₀ group. Overall, the present results suggest that a single injection of T4 can improve growth via changes in the metabolic profile of Sterlet sturgeon.     

白羽瘤头鸭不同生长阶段的甲状腺活动

本文报道了用放射免疫分析法测定５７例不同日龄的白羽瘤头鸭（Ｃａｉｒｉｎａｍｏｓｈａｔａ）外用血清中Ｔ４的含量和用组织学方法检查甲状腺滤泡的发育作为甲状腺活动的指标，研究不同日龄的生长速度与甲状腺活动的关系。５７例白羽瘤头鸭的血清Ｔ４含量平均为１．３６±０．３７μｇ／１００ｍｌ，其中１—４０日龄甲状腺的分泌活动除２０日龄外，其他的均随着日龄增长而升高，分泌的高峰出现在４０日龄，以后随日龄增长而下降。４０日龄组血清Ｔ４的含量与１、１０、２０、６０、和９０日龄组比较，差异极显著（Ｐ＜０．０１），血清Ｔ４的波动与相对生长率之间有统计学强的正相关，差异极显著（Ｐ＜０．０１）。组织切片检查，刚出壳的雏鸭甲状腺滤泡小。１０—４０日龄甲状腺滤泡随日龄的增长而增大，滤泡腔被甲状腺球蛋白所组成的蛋白质凝胶的均质液所充满、着色深而均匀。６０—９０日龄鸭甲状腺滤泡虽然增大，但其内部凝胶的均质液充满不完全或空虚，着色浅而不均匀。各日龄组甲状腺滤泡的变化和甲状腺分泌的含量变化与Ｔ４的波动相一致。     

The Effect of Levothyroxine Treatment on Resting Energy Expenditure of Hypothyroid Dogs

Thirty adult, client-owned dogs were diagnosed with hypothyroidism based on history, physical examination findings, hematologic and biochemical abnormalities, thyrotropin (TSH) response testing, endogenous canine thyrotropin (cTSH) concentration, or both, and total serum thryoxine concentration. All dogs received levothyroxine (L-thyroxine) at an initial dose of 22 μg/kg PO sid in either a tablet (13 dogs) or chewable form (17 dogs). Energy expenditure of each dog during apparent rest was estimated with an open-flow indirect calorimetry system by determining the rates of carbon dioxide production and oxygen consumption. Energy expenditure of apparent rest (EE) was lower in untreated hypothyroid dogs compared with reference values for EE. After treatment with L-thyroxine, EE of the hypothyroid dogs was significantly ( P < .05) higher than pretreatment values.     

Molecular cloning of the cDNA encoding the β subunit of thyrotropin and regulation of its gene expression by thyroid hormones in the goldfish, Carassius auratus

A cDNA encoding the subunit of thyrotropin (TSH) was isolated from a goldfish (Carassius auratus) pituitary gland cDNA library. By comparing the sequence with other teleost TSHs, a signal peptide of 19 amino acids and a mature hormone of 131 amino acids were predicted for goldfish TSH subunits. The resulting putative mature hormone of 131 amino acids had well-conserved cysteine positions and a putative N-linked glycosylation site; homology was 51–67% with TSHs from other teleosts, 38–43% with tetrapod TSHs, but only 27 and 29% with goldfish GTH-I and -II, respectively. We also examined the effects of thyroid hormones (TH) and thiourea (TU, an inhibitor of TH production) treatments on TSH and GTH subunit gene expressions in the goldfish pituitary gland. After thyroxine (T₄) treatment, circulating T₄ concentration increased and TSH mRNA level decreased. Supressing the amount of circulating T₄ and triiodothyronine (T₃) by TU treatment increased the TSH mRNA level. Moreover, T₄ replacement therapy (simultaneous treatment of both TU and T₄) caused a high level of circulating T₄ and a low level of circulating T₃, and a decrease in the TSH mRNA level. Thus, changing levels of circulating TH exert a negative feedback on the level of TSH subunit mRNA in goldfish in vivo. On the other hand, GTH subunit mRNA levels were not affected by changes in the levels of circulating TH.     

Temporal changes in plasma thyroid hormone,growth hormone and free fatty acid concentrations,and hepatic 5′-monodeiodinase activity,lipid and protein content during chronic fasting and re-feeding in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Temporal changes in growth, plasma thyroid hormone, cortisol, growth hormone (GH) and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations, hepatic T₃ content and hepatic 5-monodeiodinase activity were measured in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) subjected to a sustained fast for up to eight weeks, and during a four-week re-feeding period. The purpose of the study was to examine aspects of the endocrine control of energy partitioning processes characteristic of short-term (acute; fasting) and long-term (chronic; starvation) food-deprivation states in fish, and to explore the role of the thyroid hormones, cortisol and GH in the energy repartitioning that takes place during an acute anabolic (re-feeding) state following chronic food deprivation.Differences in growth rate between fed and fasted groups were evident after two weeks, but significant weight loss by the fasted groups was not evident until between four and six weeks into the fast. Hepatosomatic indices (HSIs) were significantly reduced in the fasted fish within seven days, and as early as two days in one study; recovery of the HSI in fasted fish was evident within three days of re-feeding. Liver protein content (expressed as % wet weight) was consistently depressed in the fasted fish in only one of the three studies. Liver total lipid content (expressed as % wet weight) was depressed in the fasted fish within two days of food deprivation. Because of the rapid and sustained decrease in the HSI of fasted fish, the hepatic total protein and lipid reserves, when considered on a body weight basis, were markedly lowered within the first few days of the fast. Plasma GH concentrations exhibited a bi-modal pattern of change, with a transient fall in levels, followed by a sustained increase in fasted fish. The indicators of interrenal activity were suggestive of a depressed pituitary-interrenal axis in fasted animals; plasma cortisol levels were elevated to levels of fed animals within one day of re-feeding. The indicators of thyroid hormone economy (plasma thyroid hormone levels, liver triiodothyronine content, hepatic 5-monodeiodinase (MD) activity, thyroid epithelial cell height) were similarly indicative of a depressed pituitary-thyroid axis in fasted animals, with recovery to levels of the fed animals within one week. Despite the compensatory changes in accumulation of reserves (as indicated by a compensatory increase in HSI), there were no apparent compensatory changes in any of the endocrine parameters evident during the re-feeding period.     

Physiology of seawater acclimation in the striped bass,Morone saxatilis (Walbaum)

Several experiments were performed to investigate the physiology of seawater acclimation in the striped bass, Morone saxatilis. Transfer of fish from fresh water (FW) to seawater (SW; 31–32 ppt) induced only a minimal disturbance of osmotic homeostasis. Ambient salinity did not affect plasma thyroxine, but plasma cortisol remained elevated for 24h after SW transfer. Gill and opercular membrane chloride cell density and Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity were relatively high and unaffected by salinity. Average chloride cell size, however, was slightly increased (16%) in SW-acclimated fish. Gill succinate dehydrogenase activity was higher in SW-acclimated fish than in FW fish. Kidney Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity was slightly lower (16%) in SW fish than in FW fish. Posterior intestinal Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity and water transport capacity (J_v) did not change upon SW transfer, whereas middle intestinal Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity increased 35% after transfer and was correlated with an increase in J_v (110%). As salinity induced only minor changes in the osmoregulatory organs examined, it is proposed that the intrinsic euryhalinity of the striped bass may be related to a high degree of “preparedness” for hypoosmoregulation that is uncommon among teleosts studied to data.     

Effects of thyroxine and thiourea on the metamorphosis of coral trout grouper Plectropomus leopardus

The contribution of the thyroid hormone to the metamorphosis of the coral trout Plectropomus leopardus was examined. Juveniles, aged 35 days, were exposed to thyroxine (T4, 0.1 p.p.m) and thiourea (TU; inhibitor of thyroid hormone synthesis, 30 p.p.m) for 13 days. All the fish in the T4-treated group had completed metamorphosis (second metamorphosis, pigmentation and resorption of fin spines) within three days after the beginning of the experiment (day 3), whereas it took 13 days for this to occur in the control fish. Moreover, the fish in the TU group had not completed metamorphosis even by day 13. Settling behavior was significantly stimulated by T4 treatment, as was the resorption of the dorsal and pelvic fin spines, the reduction of serration on the spines, and the transition of body color into an opaque reddish hue. Fish in the TU group had longer dorsal and pelvic spines, retarded pigmentation and an abnormal black coloration. These results suggest that thyroid hormone accelerates most changes during the second metamorphosis in the coral trout.