The effect of dietary faba bean and non-starch polysaccharide degrading enzymes on the growth performance and gut physiology of young turkeys.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary replacement of soya bean meal (SBM) with faba bean (FB) and a blend of non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) degrading enzymes on the gastrointestinal function, growth performance and welfare of young turkeys (1 to 56 days of age). An experiment with a 2×2 factorial design was performed to compare the efficacy of four diets: a SBM-based diet and a diet containing FB, with and without enzyme supplementation (C, FB, CE and FBE, respectively). In comparison with groups C, higher dry matter content and lower viscosity of the small intestinal digesta were noted in groups FB. The content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the small intestinal digesta was higher in groups FB, but SCFA concentrations in the caecal digesta were comparable in groups C and FB. In comparison with control groups, similar BW gains, higher feed conversion ratio (FCR), higher dry matter content of excreta and milder symptoms of footpad dermatitis (FPD) were noted in groups FB. Enzyme supplementation increased the concentrations of acetate, butyrate and total SCFAs, but it did not increase the SCFA pool in the caecal digesta. The enzymatic preparation significantly improved FCR, reduced excreta hydration and the severity of FPD in turkeys. It can be concluded that in comparison with the SBM-based diet, the diet containing 30% of FB enables to achieve comparable BW gains accompanied by lower feed efficiency during the first 8 weeks of rearing. Non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes can be used to improve the nutritional value of diets for young turkeys, but more desirable results of enzyme supplementation were noted in the SBM-based diet than in the FB-based diet.

Assessment of speed distribution of red blood cells in the microvascular network in healthy volunteers and type 1 diabetes using laser Doppler spectra decomposition.

We applied a recently reported method of decomposition of laser Doppler power density spectra for in vivo monitoring of speed distributions of red blood cells (RBCs) in the microvascular network. The spectrum decomposition technique allows us to derive the distribution of RBC speed (in absolute units (mm s(-1))) versus RBC concentration (in arbitrary units). We carried out postocclusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH) test in 15 healthy volunteers and 21 diabetic patients in which the duration of type 1 diabetes was longer than 10 years. Measurements were carried out simultaneously with the use of a typical laser Doppler commercial instrument and speed resolved laser Doppler instrument utilizing the new technique based on decomposition of the laser Doppler spectra. We show that for the classical laser Doppler instrument, none of the PORH parameters revealed a statistical significance of difference between the groups analyzed. In contrast, the RBC speed distributions obtained from laser Doppler spectra during rest in the control group and type 1 diabetes are statistically significant. This result suggests that speed distribution measurements in the rest state (without any kind of stimulation test) allows for the assessment of microcirculation disorders. Measurements carried out in healthy subjects show that the first moment of speed distributions (mean speed of the distributions) is 2.32 ± 0.54 mm s(-1) and 2.57 ± 0.41 mm s(-1) for optodes located on the toe and finger of the hand, respectively. Respective values in type 1 diabetes were higher: 3.00 ± 0.36 mm s(-1) and 3.10 ± 0.48 mm s(-1).

Gastrointestinal morphology and function in turkeys fed diets diluted with whole grain wheat.

The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that moderate dilution of turkey diets with whole grain wheat (up to 22.5%) improves gastrointestinal function, thus contributing to sustained growth performance. A total of 900 male turkeys were allocated to 5 dietary treatments: basal diet (BD), BD diluted with low levels of ground and pelleted wheat or whole wheat, and BD diluted with high levels of ground and pelleted wheat or whole wheat (GH and WH, respectively). At successive stages of the experiment, diets containing 5 and 15%, 7.5 and 17.5%, 10 and 20%, 12.5 and 22.5% of wheat in different physical form were fed to turkeys aged 5 to 8, 9 to 12, 13 to 16, and 17 to 18 wk, divided into subgroups with low and high dietary levels of wheat, respectively. Dietary dilution with different levels of wheat did not reduce the BW gain of turkeys and did not deteriorate feed conversion despite a decrease in the amino acid content of diets. In comparison with BD, diet GH increased the thickness of the muscularis externa and the depth of cecal crypts (P < 0.05), increased Bacteria domain, and decreased Salmonella counts (P < 0.001), increased butyric acid concentrations, and decreased the levels of putrefactive compounds in the cecal digesta (P < 0.001). In comparison with BD, diet WH improved feed efficiency (P = 0.002) and contributed to significant (P < 0.01) changes in the parameters of gastrointestinal function, including lower pH of gizzard digesta, increased depth of jejunal crypts, lower ammonia concentrations, and lower pH of intestinal digesta, increased Bacteria and Bifidobacterium counts, decreased Salmonella counts, and higher concentrations of butyric acid and total short-chain fatty acids. In comparison with diet GH, diet WH enhanced the activity of bacterial α-glucosidase and ß-glucosidase as well as α-galactosidase, reduced the activity of ß-glucuronidase, and increased total fatty acid concentrations, mainly acetic acid levels, in the cecal digesta (P < 0.01). The observed changes indicate that diet supplementation with wheat grain enhances gastrointestinal function, thus improving feed conversion in turkeys.

Pleuritis as the first symptom of pulmonary embolism: a case report.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common problem but its diagnosis is challenging since clinical signs and symptoms are not specific. Given the significant overlap between the presentation of PE and other not life threatening entities/diseases, it is important to be acquainted with diagnostic tests and treatment of PE. It is of vital importance to suspect PE in case of chest pain. We would like to present the patient complaining of acute left-sided chest pain, referred to the hospital after being unsuccessfully treated in outpatient clinic for chest infection.

[A role of hemodialysis in the treatment of acute renal failure in children less than 5 years of age]. / Rola hemodializy w leczeniu ostrej niewydolnosci nerek u dzieci ponizej 5 roku zycia.

Mortality in acute renal failure (ARF) still exceeds 50%. However, while the outcome data for ARF in adults are readily available, similar data for pediatric population are scarce. Children survival rate varies between centres, particularly in regard to age and size of a child, and cause of ARF. Dialysis continues to be a major supportive intervention in severe acute renal failure. There are few data available that address treatment modality impact on ARF outcome. The youngest patients are usually treated with peritoneal dialysis, though sometimes hemodialysis is used even in children with very low birth body weight. We reviewed a 9-year experience with hemodialysis in children under 5 years of age. 33 children (13 boys, 10 girls) were treated with hemodialysis in the analysed period. Their mean age was 26.8 +/- 23.0 years, mean body weight 10.6 +/- 4.6 kg. Cardiac surgery and haemolytic-uremic syndrome were the major causes of ARF in the studied group. Dialysis duration, ultrafiltration rate, maximum blood flow, mortality and its risk factors were analysed. 232 dialyses were conducted in the studied group, mean 6 dialyses per patient. Mean dialysis time was 85 +/- 42 min for the first and 135 +/- 38 min for consecutive procedures. Urea reduction rates in the first and following dialyses were 50% and 58% respectively. Maximum blood flow was 7.4 ml/kg/min, i.e. higher than recommended. However, no adverse events were caused by that. Mortality rate was 38%. Hemodialysis may be used in small children, when indicated, with no higher death rate than standard peritoneal dialysis.

[Mortality from cardiovascular diseases in patients with type 2 diabetes]. / Umieralnosc z powodu chorób ukladu krazenia u chorych na cukrzyce typu 2.

In the period 1973/74-1995 a prospective observation was carried out on 4420 diabetic patients (1990 males and 2430 females) aged 30-68 years, with type 2 (non-insulin dependent diabetes) of 1-10 years duration. During the 22-year period nearly 80% of the initial cohort died. The risk of death was 2-times higher in diabetes than in the samples of general population observed at the same time. The death risk from cardiovascular diseases was over 3.0 times higher than in general population. The relevant risk ratio was found over 5-times higher for coronary heart disease, which was unlike to result from the differences in death ascertainment between diabetics and the city dwellers. The all-causes ratio of death and cardiovascular diseases was the same for women and men but it was selectively higher for females than males group for coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases, and for males 50% higher for atherosclerosis and other heart diseases. The highest cumulation of risk factors was observed for deaths from cardiovascular diseases, and coronary heart disease. There were risk factors typical for cardiovascular disease and typical for poor metabolic control of diabetes (hyperglycaemia, glucosuria) and presence of complications of diabetes (nephropathy).

[Risk factors of the incidence of late vascular complications of diabetes]. / Czynniki ryzyka zapadalnosci z powodu powiklan naczyniowych cukrzycy.

From the follow-up examination of 1329 out of 4420 type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes followed for 17 years, the incidence of micro and macrovascular complications (proteinuria and nephropathy, symptoms of leg vascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular events, was estimated and related to the levels of baseline-risk variables using logistic regression. For new cases of proteinuria and heavy proteinuria, hyperglycemia was the common predictor (alongside diastolic hypertension, smoking and overweight); hyperglycemia and glycosuria were among significant predictors of leg vascular disease (with duration of diabetes, smoking, male sex, diastolic hypertension, and proteinuria). On the other hand, systolic hypertension and male sex prevailed among factors predicting both ischemic heart disease (with high cholesterol and overweight), and stroke. The data confirm the higher involvement of diabetic milieu in micro than macrovascular incidents, with diabetic foot disease placed in between.

[Mortality of diabetic patients in Warsaw--22 year prospective observation (1973/74-1995). I. Mortality of diabetic patients with type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent-diabetes)]. / Umieralnosc chorych na cukrzyce w Warszawie--22-letnia obserwacja prospektywna (1973/74-1995). Czesc I. Umieralnosc chorych na cukrzyce typu 2 (insulinoniezalezna).

In the period 1973/74-1995 a prospective observation was carried out on 4420 diabetic patients (1990 males and 2430 females) aged 30-68 years, with type 2 (non-insulin dependent diabetes) of 1-10 years duration. During the 22-years period nearly 80% of initial cohort died. The risk of death were 2-times higher in diabetes than in the samples of general population observed at the same time. The death risk from cardiovascular disease were over 3-times higher than in general population. The relevant risk ratio has been found over 5-times higher for coronary heart disease, which were unlike to results from the differences in death ascertainment between diabetics and the city dwellers. The all-causes ratio of death and cardiovascular diseases were the same for women and men but it was selectively higher for females then males group for coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases. Among diabetic cohort the risk of death was also higher for neoplasms, especially in women.

[Mortality of diabetic patients in Warsaw--22 year prospective observation (1973/74-1995). II. Mortality of patients with type I diabetes (insulin-dependent-diabetes)]. / Umieralnosc chorych na cukrzyce w Warszawie--22-letnia obserwacja prospektywna (1973/74-1995) czesc II. Umieralnosc chorych z cukrzyca typu 1 (insulinozalezna).

During the follow-up 1973/74-1995 years 171 subjects with type 1 (insulin dependent diabetes) (105 males and 66 females) aged 18-30 years died 31.6% (32.4% males and 30.3% females). The relative risk of mortality for all causes in the compared to the general population was 5.0 (3.5 for men and 7.5 for women). Almost 30% deaths were from renal disease, 17% from ischemic heart disease, and 3 death in women from carcinoma of breast.