View allAll Photos Tagged thyroid
Thyroid disease is said to occur when the thyroid gland, located in the neck below the thyroid cartilage or Adam`s Apple, produces either a more or lesser amount of hormone required by the body. The thyroid hormone is responsible for regulating various body functions such as growth, metabolism, etc.
www.pinkdesk.org/read/a/Thyroid-Disease-PDABSG20190905104...
Thyroid sometimes hides behind day-to-day common symptoms which can be easily ignored. If you have been feeling any of these symptoms for a long time, don’t wait up, get tested
Located in Plainview, New York, One Integrative Wellness is Long Island’s leading Functional Medicine solution provider for chronic health conditions such as thyroidism, diabetes and chronic pain. By partnering with our patients to create customized treatment plans that address weight loss and nutrition, we bolster the body’s natural ability to heal and achieve optimum health. Unlike other healthcare providers, we offer integrated treatment plans tailored to each patient’s unique genetic and lifestyle needs, because one-size-fits-all healthcare solutions are ineffective and counterproductive to treating chronic illness.
One Integrative Wellness
100 Manetto Hill Rd, #307
Plainview NY 11803
(516) 299-9313
Due to have a subtotal Thyroidectomy after baby born in April due to Biopsys inconclusive. seeing surgeon every 4 weeks until then. Had this since March 09. Dreading looking like Frankenstein sigh. Will post after op Pic once done :-)
My cat Tooey, he is 14 years old now, such a sweetie :o)
Yesterday I took him to the vet for his annual booster injection against cat flu etc. The vet said he is losing weight but we knew that. His thyroid is over active but the vet said because he is elderly its best to leave it but he will slowly go "down hill". So sad :o) My reflection is in his eye.
Hugo in action again. Fast running in order to find a blind.
I love the color of his fur in the dead like-autumn-looking gras. And the wrinkles in his face of course.
Sorry for the harsh light, had to take the photo just before noon - to late for quality light.
I hate myself for having missed the last week with this group. Unfortunately I am in a poor state of health and have big problems with my thyroid gland. Never thought before, that this little organ could cause so many health effects, especially when the thyroid is over-producing hormones.
Hope, will be the same as I have been before and also hoping for having some more power to do the things, the dog needs and which makes him - and at last me - happy again.
I found the lump in my neck on October 17th 2008 while doing my hair, getting ready to go with my husband to his last radiation treatment for cancer. The lump is most visible when I swallow. Surgery is March 26th of this year.
Microscopic photo showing tumor cells from a fine needle aspiration cytology smear. Tumor cells exhibit nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma, including indentation of nuclear envelope, deep nuclear groove, ground-glass (optically cleared or “Orphan Annie eye”) appearance of chromatin, and intranuclear cytoplasmic pseudoinclusions. Papanicolaou's stain. 100X Oil. Jian-Hua Qiao, MD, FCAP, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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A blood test is a laboratory analysis performed on a blood sample that is usually extracted from a vein in the arm using a needle, or via fingerprick @ docturs.com/dd/pg/groups/2456/blood-tests/
The cat has been called and Miss Barbie prepares to give her the thyroid tablet she needs to have every day.
Microscopic photo showing tumor cells from a fine needle aspiration cytology smear. Tumor cells exhibit nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma, including indentation of nuclear envelope, deep nuclear groove, ground-glass (optically cleared or “Orphan Annie eye”) appearance of chromatin, and intranuclear cytoplasmic pseudoinclusions. Papanicolaou's stain. 100X Oil. Jian-Hua Qiao, MD, FCAP, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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It's 9 days until my follow up with my doctor about my sky high thyroid levels. I have been trying not to let it get me down and did more changes in my diet and more exercise since I got the news in early April.
Cross your fingers for me please!
It's the Little Things 2.0 #38
during operation crossroads after the marshall islands were depopulated by the united states for the purpose of nuclear testing residents of the islands of Utirik and Rongelap are used as human guinea pigs to study the effects of fallout on a human population as in Emu Feild in Australia.
the results were horrific especially in terms of congenital mutation.
www10.antenna.nl/wise/index.html?http://www10.antenna.nl/...
Oh fallout, white and fluffy as snow, it descends from the heavens after a nuclear explosion. It's radioactive dust that's created when a nuclear bomb goes off, and its incredibly toxic, and has a tendency to work its way into the food chain. It leads to cancer, death, and horribly mutated babies How do we know this? Because the American Government exposed the inhabitants of Rongelap Atoll to it. Yeah, it would have sucked to live on a Pacific Island in the 50s and 60s, when all this shit was being blown up. This one wasn't intentional, but they sure didn't mind watching the effects. It was after they detonated a lithium deuteride bomb, which ended up producing a much larger explosion than originally planned, combined with strong winds that bore the dust over the islands. They called the severely malformed offspring of the island's inhabitants "jellyfish babies".
www.ask.com/bar?q=congenital+mutation+on+the+island+of++r...
www.ask.com/bar?q=congenital+mutation+on+the+island+of++r...
www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp149-c10.pdf
www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp158-c9.pdf
www.ask.com/bar?q=congenital+mutation+on+the+island+of++r...
www.ask.com/bar?q=congenital+mutation+on+the+island+of++r...
www.ejbjs.org/cgi/content/extract/89/4/849
www.ask.com/bar?q=congenital+mutation+on+the+island+of++r...
www.ask.com/bar?q=congenital+mutation+on+the+island+of++r...
www.ask.com/bar?q=congenital+mutation+on+the+island+of++r...
In the 1950s, Britain was desperate to have its own nukes, and undertook a number of atomic tests in a picturesque corner of the Pacific known as Christmas Island. Dubbed Operation Grapple, they detonated a series of atmospheric nuclear devices, without bothering to evacuate either their personnel, or the inhabitants of the island. Some reports say that instead of protective gear, the servicemen were just told to turn their backs from the explosion, and cover their faces with their hands. The men reported a flash so bright they could see their bones through their hands, and so strong that it knocked many over. And afterwards, they all ate fish from ocean, swam in the lagoon, and drank the local water. The American Government continued to perform tests in the area for years. Both sides deny any long term ill effects to the servicemen or local population.
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/jellyfish_baby
www.newint.org/features/2008/06/01/nuclear-weapons-history/
archives.pireport.org/archive/2005/June/06-14-com2.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebeye_Island
www.ask.com/bar?q=congenital+mutation+on+the+island+of++r...
Resolution on Nuclear Weapons, United Nations, November 24, 1961
RESOLUTION ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS
United Nations, November 24, 1961
General Assembly Resolution 1653
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
Mindful of its responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security, as well as in the consideration of principles governing disarmament,
Gravely concerned that, while negotiations on disarmament have not so far achieved satisfactory results, the armaments race, particularly in the nuclear and thermo-nuclear fields, has reached a dangerous stage requiring all possible precautionary measures to protect humanity and civilization from the hazard of nuclear and thermo-nuclear catastrophe,
Recalling that the use of weapons of mass destruction, causing unnecessary human suffering, was in the past prohibited, as being contrary to the laws of humanity and to the principles of international law, by international declarations and binding agreements, such as the Declaration of St. Petersburg of 1868, the Declaration of the Brussels Conference of 1874, the Conventions of the Hague Peace Conferences of 1899 and 1907, and the Geneva Protocol of 1925, to which the majority of nations are still parties,
Considering that the use of nuclear and thermo-nuclear weapons would bring about indiscriminate suffering and destruction to mankind and civilization to an even greater extent than the use of those weapons declared by the aforementioned international declarations and agreements to be contrary to the laws of humanity and a crime under international law,
Believing that the use of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear and thermo-nuclear weapons, is a direct negation of the high ideals and objectives which the United Nations has been established to achieve through the protection of succeeding generations from the scourge of war and through the preservation and promotion of their cultures,
I. Declares that:
(a) The use of nuclear and thermo-nuclear weapons is contrary to the spirit, letter and aims of the United Nations and, as such, a direct violation of the Charter of the United Nations;
(b) The use of nuclear and thermo-nuclear weapons would exceed even the scope of war and cause indiscriminate suffering and destruction to mankind and civilization and, as such, is contrary to the rules of international law and to the laws of humanity;
(c) The use of nuclear and thermo-nuclear weapons is a war directed not against an enemy or enemies alone but also against mankind in general, since the peoples of the world not involved in such a war will be subjected to all the evils generated by the use of such weapons;
(d) Any State using nuclear or thermo-nuclear weapons is to be considered as violating the Charter of the United Nations, as acting contrary to the laws of humanity and as committing a crime against mankind and civilization;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to consult with the Governments of Member States to ascertain their views on the possibility of convening a special conference for signing a convention on the prohibition of the use of nuclear and thermo-nuclear weapons for war purposes and to report on the results of such consultation to the General Assembly at its seventeenth session.
cross section: human thyroid gland
magnification: 40x
hematoxylin eosin stain
Technical Questions:bioimagesoer@gmail.com
Microscopic photo showing tumor cells from a fine needle aspiration cytology smear. Tumor cells exhibit nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma, including indentation of nuclear envelope, deep nuclear groove, ground-glass (optically cleared or “Orphan Annie eye”) appearance of chromatin, and intranuclear cytoplasmic pseudoinclusions. Papanicolaou's stain. 100X Oil. Jian-Hua Qiao, MD, FCAP, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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This is a very unusual case of metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma. PTC metastases to lung are common, but this one grew entirely as an endobronchial lesion, mimicking a papilloma.
Images contributed by Dr. Natasha Rekhtman - @natasharekhtman
Laboratory tests now show soy does not reduce mens testosterone. Soy also does NOT contain estrogen.
It turns out soy only has PHYTOestrogen which is not the human form, it's only the PLANT form which does not have the same effect on humans.
In fact, soy actually BLOCKED female estrogen, real estrogen was found in meat, and men who ate soy had higher testosterone and meat eaters had more female estrogen and had lower testosterone.
Steak and Meat was found to contain quantities of actual female estrogen.
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE: SOY DOES NOT HAVE FEMINIZING EFFECTS ON MEN
ANALYSIS: "Soybean isoflavone exposure does not have feminizing effects on men" - NIH National Institute of Health
"Neither isoflavone supplements nor isoflavone-rich soy affect total or free testosterone levels. Clinical evidence also indicates that isoflavones have no effect on sperm. There is essentially no evidence from the nine identified clinical studies that soy isoflavone exposure affects estrogen levels in men."
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20378106
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LABORATORY TESTS REVEAL SOY ESTROGEN MYTH IS A HOAX.
PUBMED JOURNAL: "Clinical studies show no effects of soy protein or isoflavones on reproductive hormones in men"
"32 reports involving 36 treatment groups and 15 placebo-controlled treatment groups with baseline and ending measures involving soy, isoflavones, genistein, phytoestrogens, red clover, androgens, testosterone, and SHBG, were analyzed. CONCLUSION: The results of this meta-analysis found that neither soy foods nore soy isoflavone supplements alter measures of bioavailable Testosterone concentrations in men. There was no effect.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19524224
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METASTUDY: REVIEW OF OVER 15 STUDIES SHOW NO ESTROGENIC EFFECT OF SOY ON MEN'S TESTOSTERONE
SCIENCE: "Review finds NO Effect of soy on testosterone" - METAREVIEW STUDY
Despite rumours often spread on the internet, "A review of 15 studies into the influence of soy proteins or isoflavones on male hormones has found No evidence of an estrogen-like effect." These rumours stemmed from a handful of flawed reports. "The authors criticized the studies that reported lowered testosterone levels for their methodology." One of them had only 12 subjects in it. In another, the researchers forgot to include a control, and final readings, rendering their results useless. In another one the entire result was due to just 1 subject. The soy scares were based on this flawed science. It was actually found that Soy does not cause breast cancer, protstate cancer, thyroid problems, infant formula problems, or estrogenic effects, on the contrary "Eating soy demonstrated protection against breast cancer, prostate cancer, and heart disease." Eating Soy was confirmed benficial. For women, children, and indeed men.
www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Review-finds-no-e...
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REVIEW FINDS NO SUCH EFFECT OF SOY ON MEN OR TESTOSTERONE:
NEWS: "Scientific Review finds no effect of soy on testosterone"
By Caroline Scott-Thomas, 30-Jun-2009
"Results suggest that consumption of soy foods or isoflavone supplements would Not result in the adverse effects associated with lower [testosterone] levels." "No significant effects of soy protein or isoflavone intake on T [testosterone] or SHBG [sex hormone-binding globulin] were found." There was no effect of soy on testosterone.
www.foodproductiondaily.com/Quality-Safety/Review-finds-n...
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AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH: SOY HAS NO ESTROGEN, SOY ESTROGEN MYTH IS AN UN-SCIENTIFIC HOAX.
AICR: "Men Don't Need to Fear Soy Foods" -American Institute for Cancer Research
It’s no wonder that men who have read the recent stories circulating about soy are confused. Some stories claim that soy foods, such as tofu and soy milk, can lead to breast growth or reduce testosterone levels. Fears that the amount of phytoestrogens in moderate amounts of soy foods could stimulate men’s breast tissue or reduce their testosterone are not based on sound research. A study of children fed soy protein formula for more than six months showed no hormonal effects. A study of men found that the men who ate soy foods twice a day for three months showed NO change in testosterone levels. Soy does not cause prostate cancer, on the contrary, the studies showed eating soy by men was beneficial in lowering the risk of prostate cancer. Men can feel safe.
www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Nutrition/Food/180820091053_...
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SCIENCE: NOT ONLY DOES SOY *NOT* CONTAIN ESTROGEN, SOY *BLOCKS* ESTROGEN
SCIENCE NEWS: "Soy Phytoestrogens May Block Estrogen Effects"
"Isoflavones may protect against the more powerful estrogen produced by the body." "The addition of high levels of dietary soy isoflavones tended to block estrogen." -Senior investigator J. Mark Cline, D.V.M., Ph.D.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060115154340.htm
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BODYBUILDING MAGAZINES CONFIRM IT:
MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT: "SOY PROTEIN HAS NO EFFECT ON TESTOSTERONE LEVELS"
"The meta-analysis examined 47 research reports covering 51 treatment groups. Peer-reviewed studies. The analysis concluded that neither soy protein nor isoflavone supplementation exerted any negative alterations on bioavailable testosterone in males, regardless of research model. Soy did not exert any estrogen-like effects in men, nor any lowering of testosterone levels or other reproductive hormones."
www.musculardevelopment.com/index.php?option=com_content&...
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IRONMAN CONFIRMS: SOY PROTEIN HAS NO EFFECT ON MEN, SOY HAS NO EFFECT ON TESTOSTERONE
IRONMAN MAGAZINE: "Eating soy has No effect on either testosterone or estrogen levels"
"You see the caution on countless Internet sites related to bodybuilding: Avoid eating soy products unless you want to lower your testosterone count. At first glance the dire warnings about soy are plausible...However, actual scientific research found that soy protein and isoflavone intake had No significant effects on testosterone. Neither total nor free testosterone was negatively affected by dietary soy in Any of the studies. None. Also, Studies confirmed Soy has no negative effect on thyroid hormones. Both whey and soy proved superior to casein in aiding muscle protein synthesis in young men. Eating soy will have no effect on either testosterone or estrogen. - STRAIGHT FROM "IRONMAN BODYBUILDING" MAGAZINE
www.ironmanmagazine.com/site/soy-and-your-testosterone/
If you've been on a meat-based diet, you've been eating actual female feminine Estrogen.
Men who eat soy, or who are vegetarian do not have this problem.
Microscopic photo showing tumor cells from a fine needle aspiration cytology smear. Tumor cells exhibit nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma, including indentation of nuclear envelope, deep nuclear groove, ground-glass (optically cleared or “Orphan Annie eye”) appearance of chromatin, and intranuclear cytoplasmic pseudoinclusions. Papanicolaou's stain. 100X Oil. Jian-Hua Qiao, MD, FCAP, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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dinner is served
- delight guests at your next dinner party with this playful entree. 8 out of 10 leading nutritionists agree that they taste 'just like chicken'.
Recording Month Two:
Vital stats
Mother's age: 32
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 131.4 lbs
Body Fat: 29%
Symptoms:
Positive HCG test
Dizzy
Sleepy
Raised body tempurature
Nausea, but not too bad
Feels like a pinky finger is gently poking the inside of my lower left abdomen
Nasal congestion
Prefer sweet and cold food. Cooked, steaming or fragrant food is unappealing. Eating "children's food" (i.e. cold sandwiches and milk)
Taking:
Throxine for underactive thyroid
Pre-natal vitamin
Omega-3 Fish Oil
Extra calcium, choline
Precautionary prometrium 200 mg
Baby's age 9 weeks
Est. due date: June 15, 2008
cross section: human thyroid gland
magnification: 40x
hematoxylin eosin stain
Technical Questions:bioimagesoer@gmail.com
The American kestrel (Falco sparverius), also called the sparrow hawk, is the smallest and most common falcon in North America. It has a roughly two-to-one range in size over subspecies and sex, varying in size from about the weight of a blue jay to a mourning dove. It also ranges to South America and is a well-established species that has evolved into 17 subspecies adapted to different environments and habitats throughout the Americas. It exhibits sexual dimorphism in size (females being moderately larger) and plumage, although both sexes have a rufous back with noticeable barring. Its plumage is colorful and attractive, and juveniles are similar in plumage to adults.
The American kestrel usually hunts in energy-conserving fashion by perching and scanning the ground for prey to ambush, though it also hunts from the air. It sometimes hovers in the air with rapid wing beats while homing in on prey. Its diet typically consists of grasshoppers and other insects, lizards, mice, and small birds (e.g. sparrows). This broad diet has contributed to its wide success as a species. It nests in cavities in trees, cliffs, buildings, and other structures. The female lays three to seven eggs, which both sexes help to incubate.
Its breeding range extends from central and western Alaska across northern Canada to Nova Scotia, and south throughout North America, into central Mexico and the Caribbean. It is a local breeder in Central America and is widely distributed throughout South America. Most birds breeding in Canada and the northern United States migrate south in the winter. It is an occasional vagrant to Western Europe.
Based on appearance and behavior it was for many years considered a member of the primarily European and African kestrel clade within the genus Falco, but DNA analysis shows the American kestrel to actually be genetically more closely related to the larger American falcons such as the peregrine, aplomado, and prairie falcons. Though the species has not been renamed as a result of these genetic analyses, it is not actually a kestrel in the phylogenetic sense. Instead, a process of convergent evolution to fit a similar small prey niche in the ecosystem as the true kestrels have left it with similar physical characteristics and hunting methods.
The American kestrel is a common bird used in falconry, especially by beginners. Though not as strong a flyer as many other, larger falcons, proper training and weight control by the falconer allows many American kestrels to become effective hunters of birds in the size range of sparrows and starlings, with occasional success against birds up to approximately twice their own weight.
Description
Under traditional classification, the American kestrel is the smallest raptor in America. The American kestrel is sexually dimorphic, although there is some overlap in plumage coloration between the sexes. The bird ranges from 22 to 31 cm (8.7 to 12.2 in) in length with a wingspan of 51–61 cm (20–24 in). The female kestrel is larger than the male, though less so than larger falcons, being typically about 10% to 15% larger within a subspecies. The more northern subspecies tend to larger sizes (northern hemisphere), with a large northern female being about twice the size of a small southern male. The male typically weighs 80–143 g (2.8–5.0 oz), and the female 86–165 g (3.0–5.8 oz). In standard measurements, the wing bone is 16–21 cm (6.3–8.3 in) long, the tail is 11–15 cm (4.3–5.9 in) and the tarsus is 3.2–4 cm (1.3–1.6 in).
Physically, American kestrels are leaner and less muscular than larger falcons. The pectoral flight muscles of the American kestrel make up only about 12% of its body weight, as compared to about 20% for the strongest flying falcons such as the peregrine. The wings are moderately long, fairly narrow, and taper to a point. Their less muscular body type is adapted to energy-conserving ambush hunting, rather than spending large amounts of energy-consuming time on the wing and getting into long tail-chases of bird prey. For their size, they have strong talons and beaks, and can swiftly dispatch prey. Their lean build and energy-conserving strategy allow a lower daily food intake than if they were more strongly muscled, yet with enough strength to commonly take bird prey as large as themselves, and occasionally larger. The success of this body style and hunting strategy is reflected in the high success of the species in densely populating a large range throughout the Americas. The flight of the American kestrel is not so dramatic and swift as more muscular falcons such as merlins and peregrines, but their efficient adaptation to a broader diet of more available smaller prey, and need for less food per day, has resulted in there being many more of them.
In contrast to many other raptor species, the sexes differ more in plumage than in size. Males have blue-grey wings with black spots and white undersides with black barring. The back is rufous, with barring on the lower half. The belly and flanks are white with black spotting. The tail is also rufous, with a white or rufous tip and a black subterminal band. The back and wings of the female American kestrel are rufous with dark brown barring. The undersides of the females are creamy to buff with heavy brown streaking. The tail is noticeably different from the male's, being rufous in color with numerous narrow dark black bars. Juveniles exhibit coloration patterns similar to the adults'. In both sexes, the head is white with a bluish-grey top. There are also two narrow, vertical black facial markings on each side of the head, while other falcons have one. Two black spots (ocelli) can be found on each side of the white or orangish nape. The function of these spots is debated, but the most commonly accepted theory is that they act as "false eyes", and help to protect the bird from potential attackers.
Vocalizations
The American kestrel has three basic vocalizations – the "klee" or "killy", the "whine", and the "chitter". The "klee" is usually delivered as a rapid series – klee, klee, klee, klee when the kestrel is upset or excited. This call is used in a wide variety of situations and is heard from both sexes, but the larger females typically have lower-pitched voices than the males. The "whine" call is primarily associated with feeding but is also uttered during copulation. The "chitter" is used in activities that involve interaction between male and female birds, including courtship feeding, copulation, and the feeding of nestlings. Nestlings can produce calls similar to those of adults at 16 days old.
Taxonomy
Until the sixth edition of the AOU Checklist of North American Birds was published by the American Ornithologists' Union in 1983, the most commonly used name for the American kestrel was the sparrow hawk. This was due to a mistaken connection with the Eurasian sparrowhawk in the genus Accipiter. The sixth edition of the AOU Checklist corrected this, officially renaming the bird American kestrel. Several other colloquial names for the kestrel are also in use, including grasshopper hawk, due to its diet, and killy hawk, due to its distinct call.
As noted in the introduction, DNA analysis shows the American kestrel to actually be genetically more closely related to the larger American falcons than to the true kestrels. However, based on its physical similarity to the kestrels and the established nature of the name American kestrel, there has been little impetus to change its name. This could change in the future if continued genetic research more precisely determines the evolutionary history of the American kestrel within the genus Falco. The entire genus is actually a set of species so closely related that most or all can be hybridized by artificial insemination. Significant natural hybridization of species has occurred in the past during the evolution of this closely related set of species, such that precise evolutionary genetic analysis as to which species are more basal to other species or to the genus as a whole is difficult to render.
The American kestrel's scientific name, Falco sparverius, was given by Carl Linnaeus in his 18th century work Systema Naturae. The genus refers to the falcate, or hooked, shape of the beak, and the specific name means "pertaining to a sparrow", referring to the bird's small size and hunting of sparrows as a typical prey.
Seventeen subspecies of the American kestrel are recognized, generally based upon plumage, size, and vocalizations:
F. s. sparverius, described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, is the nominate subspecies. It is found in most of the United States, Canada and Mexico.
F. s. paulus, described by Howe and King in 1902, is found in the southeastern United States from Louisiana to Florida.
F. s. peninsularis, described by Edgar Alexander Mearns in 1892, is found in southern Baja California.
F. s. tropicalis, described by Ludlow Griscom in 1930, is found from southern Mexico to northern Honduras.
F. s. nicaraguensis, described by Howell in 1965, is found in Honduras and Nicaragua.
F. s. sparveroides, described by Nicholas Aylward Vigors in 1827, is found on Cuba, Isla de Juventud and the central and southern Bahamas.
F. s. dominicensis, described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, is found on Hispaniola (both the Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Jamaica.
F. s. caribaearum, described by Gmelin in 1788, is found on Puerto Rico and throughout the Lesser Antilles to Grenada.
F. s. brevipennis, described by Hans von Berlepsch in 1892, is found in the Netherlands Antilles.
F. s. isabellinus, described by William John Swainson in 1837, is found from Venezuela to northern Brazil.
F. s. ochraceus, described by Charles B. Cory in 1915, is found in eastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.
F. s. caucae, described by Frank Chapman in 1915, is found in western Colombia.
F. s. aequatorialis, described by Mearns in 1892, is found in northern Ecuador.
F. s. peruvianus, described by Cory in 1915, is found in southwestern Ecuador, Peru and northern Chile.
F. s. fernandensis, described by Chapman in 1915, is found on the Juan Fernández Islands off Chile.
F. s. cinnamominus, described by Swainson in 1837, is found in Peru, Chile and Argentina.
F. s. cearae, described by Cory in 1915, is found from northeastern Brazil south to eastern Bolivia.
Ecology and behavior
American kestrels are found in a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, meadows, deserts and other open to semi-open regions. They can also be found in both urban and suburban areas. A kestrel's habitat must include perches, open space for hunting, and cavities for nesting (whether natural or man-made). The American kestrel is able to live in very diverse conditions, ranging from above the Arctic Circle, to the tropics of Central America, to elevations of over 4,500 m (14,800 ft) in the Andes Mountains. The bird is distributed from northern Canada and Alaska to the southernmost tip of South America, Tierra del Fuego. It is the only kestrel found in the Americas, though as mentioned above this classification is genetically inaccurate. It has occurred as a vagrant in the UK, Denmark, Malta and the Azores.
American kestrels in Canada and the northern United States typically migrate south in the winter, some of them converging with resident kestrels of smaller size in Mexico, sometimes going as far as Central America and the Caribbean. Birds that breed south of about 35° north latitude are usually year-round residents. Migration also depends on local weather conditions. American Kestrels breeding at lower latitudes – below 48ºN to be precise – arrive earlier after warmer springs, whereas birds from higher latitudes return to their breeding grounds at the same time each year. These patterns suggest that short-distance migrants are better able to cope with climate change. Wintering kestrels' choice of habitat varies by sex. Females are found in open areas more often than males during the non-breeding season. A common explanation for this behavior is that the larger females who are bigger than the males arrive at the preferred habitat first and exclude males from their territory.
The American kestrel is not long-lived, with a lifespan of <5 years for wild birds. The oldest banded wild bird was 11 years and 7 months, while captive kestrels can live up to 14–17 years. In a study, humans accounted for 43.2% of 1,355 reported deaths, which included direct killing and roadkills, while predation (including by larger birds of prey) accounted for 2.8%. This statistic is likely biased, however, as reported deaths are usually found near or in areas populated by humans.
Feeding
American kestrels feed largely on small animals such as grasshoppers, crickets, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, beetles, lizards, mice, voles, shrews, frogs, and small birds. The kestrel has also been reported to have killed scorpions, snakes, bats, and squirrels. The kestrel is able to maintain high population densities, at least in part because of the broad scope of its diet. The American kestrel's primary mode of hunting is by perching and waiting for prey to come near. The bird is characteristically seen along roadsides or fields perched on objects such as trees, overhead power lines, or fence posts. It also hunts by kiting, hovering in the air with rapid wing beats and scanning the ground for prey. Other hunting techniques include low flight over fields, or chasing insects and birds in the air.
Prey is most often caught on the ground, though occasionally they take birds in flight. Before striking, the kestrel characteristically bobs its head and tail, then makes a direct flight toward the prey to grab it in its talons. Much like the red-tailed hawk, American kestrels conserve energy in a hunt and pick their attacks with care as to position and odds of success. During the breeding season, the bird will carry large prey back to its mate or young. One study found that an American kestrel pair "foraged in ways that minimized the costs of energy acquisition in its particular situation". For example, if the success rate for catching prey decreases significantly in a particular area, the bird will move to a different area.
Reproduction
American kestrels are sexually mature by their first spring. In migratory populations, the males arrive at the breeding ground before females, then the female selects a mate. Pair bonds are strong, often permanent. Pairs usually use previous nesting sites in consecutive years. This gives birds an advantage over younger or invading individuals, as they would already be familiar with the hunting grounds, neighbors, predators, and other features of the site. Males perform elaborate dive displays to advertise their territory and attract a mate. These displays consist of several climbs and dives, with three or four "klee" calls at their peaks. Females are promiscuous for about one to two weeks after their arrival at the nesting site. This is thought to stimulate ovulation. Food transfers from the male to the female occur from about four to five weeks prior to egg laying to one to two weeks after.
American kestrels are cavity nesters, but they are able to adapt to a wide variety of nesting situations. They generally prefer natural cavities (such as in trees) with closed tops and tight-fitting entrances that provide for maximum protection of the eggs and young. Kestrels occasionally nest in holes created by large woodpeckers, or use the abandoned nests of other birds, such as red-tailed hawks, merlins, and crows. They have been recorded nesting on cliff ledges and building tops, as well as in abandoned cavities in cactuses. American kestrels also commonly utilize nesting boxes.
Three to seven eggs (typically four or five) are laid approximately 24–72 hours apart. (Two supernormal clutches of eight eggs and one of nine have been documented. One egg in one of the eight-egg clutches hatched as did one egg in the nine-egg clutch.) The average egg size is 32 mm × 29 mm (1.3 in × 1.1 in), 10% larger than average for birds of its body size. The eggs are white to cream in color with brown or grey splotching. Incubation usually lasts 30 days and is mainly the responsibility of the female, although the male incubates 15–20% of the time. Eggs that are lost are typically replaced in 11–12 days. Hatching takes place over three to four days. Hatchlings are altricial, and are only able to sit up after five days. They grow rapidly, reaching an adult weight after 16–17 days. After 28–31 days, their wings have developed and they are able to leave the nest. The young adult kestrels may breed from a year old, and the species has approximately a three to five-year life expectancy in the wild.
In ecological terms, the reproductive pattern of the American kestrel leans towards a small bird "r selection" strategy. In r/K selection theory, selective pressures are hypothesized to drive evolution in one of two generalized directions: r or K selection. R-selected species are those that place an emphasis on a high growth rate, typically exploiting less-crowded ecological niches, and produce many offspring, each of which has a relatively low probability of surviving to adulthood (i.e., high r, low K). By contrast, K-selected species display traits associated with living at densities close to carrying capacity, and typically are strong competitors in such crowded niches that invest more heavily in fewer offspring, each of which has a relatively high probability of surviving to adulthood (i.e., low r, high K). Between these two extremes, the American kestrel is one of the few raptor species that lean towards being r-selected. They are able to breed at one year old, have few non-breeding adults in the population, and have larger broods. Their population growth rate is high relative to larger raptors, which typically lean towards being K-selected.
Stress physiology
American kestrels are often useful in scientific studies on animal physiology, and are typically captured using the bal-chatri method or raised in nest boxes for experiments. Kestrel metabolic rate has been found to increase in response to rainfall, and at ambient temperatures below about 25 °C. Kestrel metabolic responses to weather and temperature do not vary, however, with sex. Kestrels will increase their oxygen consumption, and therefore their metabolic rate in cold and wet conditions to counteract heat loss.
Environmental disturbance
American kestrels' response to environmental stress is measured as blood concentration of corticosterone (CORT), a hormone produced by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis that releases stored energy for essential body functions. Extended periods of elevated blood CORT levels may direct metabolic energy away from growth and reproduction. Thus, high levels of traffic disturbance and human development surrounding American kestrel nests are found to increase stress hormones leading to reproductive failure. Among successful nests, however, nestlings do not typically experience a higher stress response to environmental human disturbance, suggesting that they can tolerate a considerable degree of human activity near the nest.
Environmental contaminants
Since American kestrels are carnivores, toxic chemical runoff ingested by their prey can concentrate at high levels in their blood. Wild kestrels are subject to immunomodulation, or an altered immune response, to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a group of industrial flame retardants that may leach from factories into the environment. When PBDEs accumulate in body tissues of kestrels, the T-cell mediated immune response decreases in efficiency. As a result, kestrels that ingest PBDEs may not respond sufficiently to viruses or other invading microorganisms. In addition, certain PBDEs may suppress the growth and development of the spleen and bursa in American kestrels.
While PBDEs can affect immune response and suppress growth of certain organs, they can also affect the thyroid system of American Kestrels. Exposure to PBDEs in vivo can alter the thyroid system and retinol concentrations in kestrels. This leads to oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and changes in glutathione metabolism. These systems are important in early development, growth, regulation of metabolism, thermoregulation, and reproduction. Oxidative stress is also known to contribute to cancers and neurological diseases.
Exposure to PCBs might also affect American Kestrel reproduction. It was found that PCBs affect the function of carotenoids in kestrels. This led to changes in coloration, especially during breeding season for adults. PCB-exposed males where duller and contributed less to egg incubation than unexposed males. PCB-exposed females kept their color longer than they should have. Normally, loss in color is associated with carotenoids being directed to ovaries to help in egg development. PCB-exposed females retained their colors longer, suggesting the PCBs made them less prepared for reproduction. The same females also had significant delays in egg laying. Offspring also showed higher incidence of developmental problems and decreased reproductive success.
PCBs have also been found to affect eye color in American Kestrels. Eye color in kestrels is known to vary with age and sex, however, when exposed to PCBs, color patterns were suppressed regardless of age and sex. While it is unknown what role eye color plays in visual acuity, this may be of greater concern to birds like kestrels who rely heavily on vision for hunting.
PDBEs were linked to changes in breeding behavior in kestrels as well. Different levels of PDBE exposure were linked to different changes in behavior as well. Overall, PDBE exposure led to changes in behaviors that strengthen the bond between a breeding pair. Such behaviors include frequent copulation, food transfers, male posturing, nest box inspection, and specific mating calls (7). High exposure levels led to increases in some behaviors and decreases in some, whereas low exposure caused decreases in almost all behaviors observed. PDBE exposure also altered the timing of these behaviors, often delaying them by several days when compared to the control group.
American Kestrels have also been used extensively in toxicology research. Fenthion is a common pesticide that is used to kill insects such as flies and gnats. It was also found that kestrels are highly susceptible to secondary fenthion poisoning. When 14 kestrels were presented with live sparrows who had come into contact with a fenthion solution, all 14 died within 3 days after consuming the sparrows.
Diphacinone is another common pesticide that is often used to kill rodents and is thought to be related to secondary poisoning in birds of prey. When kestrels were orally dosed with diphacinone, blood clotting rates significantly decreases. Kestrels were also found to be 20 to 30 times more sensitive to secondary poisoning from diphacinone than other birds like Northern bobwhite and mallard ducks.
American kestrels can also be significantly influenced by air contaminants. When exposed to common gaseous pollutants such as benzene, toluene, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide, significant changes to the thyroid systems were observed. Higher levels of thyroid activity indicate that exposure to these gases leads to a loss of inhibition of thyroid glands in kestrels. However, there were no changes to immune function or food consumption.
Status and conservation
The American kestrel is likely the most abundant falcon in North America, although its total population is difficult to quantify, as local populations can change quickly due to resource availability. Count data from the USGS Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) indicate that the North American breeding population is experiencing long-term and gradual but sustained declines, with some regions, such as New England and coastal California, exhibiting more rapid declines. Count data from raptor migration corridors also indicate regional population declines and largely corroborate BBS data. The North American population has been estimated at 1.2 million pairs, with the Central and South American populations being as large. A smaller estimate is 236,000 birds wintering in North America. A population increase occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries, probably due to deforestation for agriculture. The resulting pastures provided an ideal habitat for kestrels.
The southeastern U.S. subspecies (Falco sparverius paulus) has declined 82% since 1940 due to a decrease in nest site availability. This decline is a result of longleaf pines being cleared for agricultural fields. Despite this, the American kestrel is classed as least concern on the IUCN Red List.
The Peregrine Fund, a leading non-profit organization advancing research and conservation of birds of prey worldwide, launched the American Kestrel Partnership in 2012. The American Kestrel Partnership developed and maintains a web-based network for citizen and professional scientists to enter, manage, and consolidate data from kestrel nest box monitoring programs in the Western Hemisphere. The database is being used by researchers to model and understand relationships between kestrel nesting parameters (e.g., phenology, occupancy, survival, productivity, and nestling weight and exposure to environmental toxins) and environmental factors, such as land use, landscape composition and configuration, climate conditions (e.g., drought), and point sources of environmental toxins. Each breeding season, the American Kestrel Partnership features a live-streaming video feed from the nest box located at The Peregrine Fund's campus in Boise, Idaho.
Use in falconry
One important use of American kestrels is in falconry. It is often considered a beginner's bird, though the careful weight control needed to maintain the kestrel's desire to aggressively hunt takes skill. Falconers experienced in extracting the best performance the species is capable of, report they are highly reliable on the normal game of sparrows and starlings. More aggressive individuals are sometimes capable of capturing prey up to approximately twice their own body weight, allowing the occasional capture of true game birds such as quail and dove. However, most falconers interested in the reliable taking of such game do prefer larger falcons or hawks. The advantage the American kestrel offers the experienced falconer is its suitability to simple and urban falconry not requiring large tracts of land or the use of hunting dogs. This form of falconry is sometimes referred to as "micro-falconry" or "micro-hawking". The other small raptor species commonly used in micro-falconry are the merlin, the sharp-shinned hawk (the smallest accipiter), and the European kestrel (a true kestrel).
Hawking with the American kestrel requires adapting to the strengths and weaknesses of the bird. It is a tiny falcon, and even for its size, it is less muscular than other small falcons such as the athletic and swift merlin. It is more adapted to ambush hunting and short chases than to the longer aerial chases larger falcons often adopt. Used within its limits, it is effective. Experienced falconer Matthew Mullenix, author of the book American Kestrels in Modern Falconry, in an article comparing kestrels to merlins, summed their abilities up as follows:
1. "Kestrels are thin-winged, flat-chested, under-powered and lack acceleration compared to merlins. I say that with much affection for them and with thousands of kestrel kills to prove these are not necessarily damning differences. Comparing a red-tailed hawk to a Harris' or goshawk will conjure equally negative points of fact, yet we all know how good trained red-tails can be!"
2. "The chief variable to choosing between a kestrel and a merlin may be your hawking land. If you live in open country or have access at least to good pasture for cattle, a merlin can excel there. If you plan to hunt mostly in town or suburb, and especially if you plan to hawk from a car, I'd recommend the kestrel. The consideration coming in at close second is your intended quarry. To snipe, dove, quail and open-country sparrows, merlins are best suited. For most blackbirds (Icteridea), either falcon can prove effective. Starlings in close are extremely vulnerable to kestrels, but in the open are best prey for merlins. The same holds true for house sparrows, with this exception: sparrows in thick cover are better quarry for kestrels. This is the slip for which I feel the American kestrel is perfect."
3. "Once committed to an attack, trained kestrels tend to follow through to the end. They will stoop into cover, chase birds on foot, bind to quarry twice their size, and never let go voluntarily. They have small feet, but as written elsewhere, also have the strongest feet for their size. It is a simple fact that American kestrels hold starlings better than merlins, on average, and will gladly tackle larger quarry than will any jack (male merlin)."
American kestrels do not train so easily as some larger falcons (particularly the peregrine falcon) in the art of "waiting on" to perform a diving stoop on flushed prey. However, some individual kestrels do master this skill. Falconers sometimes train them to climb to a stooping position with tidbits on kites or balloons that the kestrels learn to climb after. More common hunting techniques are to "slip" them after spotted game from the fist, or to release them from a vehicle window close to spotted quarry. These techniques are more of a natural fit to the kestrel's ambushing methods in the wild.
Falconers using the American kestrel should be alert to protect the falcon from larger predators that may attack the kestrel, particularly if it is distracted on the ground with captured prey. Domestic cats and dogs are the greatest threat to attack the falcon on the ground, but the Cooper's hawk is well known to boldly attack kestrels. This mid-sized American accipiter has sufficient size and strength to carry the kestrel away, though falconers have reported often being successful in recovering the kestrel unharmed by acting quickly to intimidate the larger hawk into releasing the kestrel.
American kestrels are bred in captivity for use in falconry and are among the easier falcons to breed. They are also sufficiently common that "passage" birds in their first year are relatively easy to trap. Wild-caught kestrels "tame down" fairly quickly. They will usually be eating from a falconer's hand the day after capture, be training within a week, and be ready to hunt in three to five weeks. A very tame American kestrel will allow itself to be picked up around the body with one hand while accepting tidbits from the other hand. Such tameness is very useful when checking or treating the bird for injury or illness.
Migratory raptors native to the United States are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, so American kestrels are illegal to possess without a permit (such as a falconry permit) in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Microscopic photo showing tumor cells from a fine needle aspiration cytology smear. Tumor cells exhibit nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma, including indentation of nuclear envelope, deep nuclear groove, ground-glass (optically cleared or “Orphan Annie eye”) appearance of chromatin, and intranuclear cytoplasmic pseudoinclusions. Papanicolaou's stain. 100X Oil. Jian-Hua Qiao, MD, FCAP, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Terms of Use: Please consider linking directly to our website, www.petful.com, rather than Flickr if you use this photo. This is an illustration from Petful.com of the location of the thyroid on dogs.
Jake had his echocardiogram and saw the cardiologist today. Nov 29 2012.
Jake has MODERATE cardiomyopathy. (Enlargement of the heart. Thickening of the heart walls.)
There are 3 degrees. Mild, moderate or severe.
The Vet explained that Cardiac hypertrophy can be caused by 3 things.
The heart muscle may thicken due to 1) high blood pressure, 2)Hyperthyroid disease or 3)genetic causes.
Jake's blood pressure was normal.
The vet drew some blood to test for a hyperactive thyroid gland. We will have the results tomorrow. If elevated Jake would be put on thyroid pills. If the thyroid is normal then his cardiomyopathy must be due to genetic causes.
If due to genetics the Vet would put Jake on a blood thinner (Tiny amount of Aspirin or Plavix) to prevent blood clots breaking off and going to the limbs, lungs or brain.
So we will know what other treatment the vet will decide in the next day of so, once the thyroid results are in.
He recommends staying on the Fortakor as this will help both the kidneys and heart, and continuing the flovent for asthma.
He saw a small amount of fluid on Jake's lung X-ray from October, when he had his "spell" and fell off my bed.
I guess the news could be a lot worse.
Could have been severe instead of moderate disease. The PRO bnp test alerted us to do the echo, and some heart disease was found. Hopefully we can find the right treatment and keep Jake as healthy and happy as possible.
Right now Jake is unfazed by the whole vet visit, echo, blood draw and car ride.
His owner is a nervous wreck.
He is curled up next to me after devouring a huge lunch and purring contently.
Thank you all for your well wishes and support!!!
It means a lot to me.
xoxoxoxoxox
********Saturday update.******* Thyroid results not available yet. Will update when the T4 results are in.
Microscopic photo showing tumor cells from a fine needle aspiration cytology smear. Tumor cells exhibit nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma, including indentation of nuclear envelope, deep nuclear groove, ground-glass (optically cleared or “Orphan Annie eye”) appearance of chromatin, and intranuclear cytoplasmic pseudoinclusions. Papanicolaou's stain. 100X Oil. Jian-Hua Qiao, MD, FCAP, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Microscopic photo showing tumor cells from a fine needle aspiration cytology smear. Tumor cells exhibit nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma, including indentation of nuclear envelope, deep nuclear groove, ground-glass (optically cleared or “Orphan Annie eye”) appearance of chromatin, and intranuclear cytoplasmic pseudoinclusions. Papanicolaou's stain. 100X Oil. Jian-Hua Qiao, MD, FCAP, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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cross section: human thyroid gland
magnification: 40x
hematoxylin eosin stain
Technical Questions:bioimagesoer@gmail.com
A blood test is a laboratory analysis performed on a blood sample that is usually extracted from a vein in the arm using a needle, or via fingerprick @ docturs.com/dd/pg/groups/2456/blood-tests/
כן. אפשר להתמודד חוסר איזון של בלוטת התריס
www.fibrokur.com/%D7%AA%D7%A4%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%93-%D7%91%D7...
לפעמים הסערות בחוץ שקטות וכך גם הסערות שבתוכנו, אך הן יכולות לגרום להפרעה ולעיתים לשבש את חיי היומיום ואף למנוע מאיתנו להנות ולחוות את החיים המלאים.
שיבושים בתפקוד בלוטת התריס יכולים לגרום בתחילה לסערות שקטות שהולכות ומתגברות.
יש דרכים להתמודדות אשר מאפשרות המשיך ולחוות את החיים המלאים.
Yes. It is possible to deal with an imbalance of the thyroid gland
www.fibrokur.com/en/role-thyroid-hormones/
Sometimes the storms outside are quiet and so are the storms inside us, but they can cause disruption and sometimes disrupt our daily life and even prevent us from enjoying and experiencing life to the fullest.
Disruptions in the functioning of the thyroid gland can initially cause silent storms that gradually increase.
There are ways of coping that allow you to continue and experience life to the fullest.