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With the use of sialo-specific lectins WGA and SNA, to investigate the role of sialoglycans in differentiation of structural components of skin derivatives in the offspring of control and hypothyrotic rats on the 10th postnatal day of development. Hypothyrosis was modeled by introduced with food mercazolil (5 mg/kg of body weight). Sliced skin taken from the back of offspring of control and hypothyrotic females were fixed in 4% neutral formalin and embedded in paraffin. Preparations 5-7 μm thick were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to study their general morphology. Lectin conjugates with horse-raddish peroxidase were used to identify carbohydrate determinants. Lectin receptors were visualized in the system 3́ 3-diaminobenzidin-H2O2. Reduced activity of metabolic processes at the background of thyroid hypofucntion in the maternal organism was noticed to be associated with reduced morphogenesis as well as slight decrease of the expression of sialoglycans that act as signal molecules and influencing growth processes and differentiation of structural components of skin derivatives.

Carpals are often used as age indicators. In a recent study, Cameriere et al. studied the use of the ratio between the total area of carpal bones and epiphyses of the ulna and radius (Bo) and carpals (Ca) as age indicators. The present study, of a sample of 158 Slovenian children and adolescents aged between 6 and 16 years, focused on analysing the best regression for age estimation. The regression model yielded the following equation: age=-3.411+0.942 g+20.927(Bo/Ca), and explained 91.6% of total variance (R(2)=0.916). The median of the absolute values of residuals (observed age minus predicted age) was 0.09 years, with a quartile deviation of 0.786 years, and a standard error of estimate of 0.658 years. Comparisons between the previous equation referring to Slovenian children and the equivalent linear equation proposed by Cameriere et al. did not reveal any significant differences between the intercepts and slopes of the two linear models. These results suggested a common regression model for both Italian and Slovenian samples. The common regression model, describing age as a linear function of gender and Bo/Ca ratio, yielded the following linear regression formula: age=-2.907+0.408 g+20.757(Bo/Ca). This model explained 86% of total variance (R(2)=0.86). The median of the absolute values of residuals (observed age minus predicted age) was 0.02 years, with a quartile deviation of 1.02 years and a standard error of estimate of 0.96 years.