Relationship between pH of ruminal fluid during subacute ruminal acidosis and physiological response of the Polish Holstein-Friesian dairy cows.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of ruminal fluid pH depression on biochemical indices of blood, urine, feces, and milk, and to determine which of them may be helpful as a marker for the diagnosis of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA). Ruminal fluid samples were obtained by rumenocentesis from 305 cows representing 13 commercial dairy herds. The herds were selected based on percentages of cows with an assigned value of ruminal fluid pH segregated into three groups as: SARA-positive herd, if at least 25% of the ruminal fluid samples indicated a pH < 5.6; SARA-risk herd, if less than 25% of ruminal fluid samples indicated a pH < 5.6, but at least 33% showed a pH ≤ 5.8; and SARA-negative herd, if less than 25% of the ruminal fluid samples indicated a pH < 5.6, but less than 33% exhibited a pH = 5.8. Moreover, the dairy cows were divided according to the ruminal fluid pH into three groups as follows: healthy cows (HC, pH>5.80, n = 196), risk cows (RC, pH 5.8 - 5.6, n = 51), and acidotic cows (AC, pH < 5.6, n = 58). Almost 19% (58/305) of the cows were classified as acidotic (pH < 5.6) and 46.2% of the herds as SARA-positive. In the AC group, higher concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), rectal temperature and lower blood pH, compared with those of the HC group, were recorded. Moreover, in the SARA-positive herds, higher concentrations of IGF-I and the lowest blood pH, compared with SARA-negative herds, were observed. The lowering of ruminal fluid pH increased the blood IGF-I and NEFA concentrations and the rectal temperature and decreased the blood pH. These measures are indicators of the physiological changes that occur as part of the pathogenesis of the condition and may be helpful for the diagnosis of the SARA syndrome when serial measurements are conducted.

Computed tomography angiography intraluminal filling defect is predictive of internal carotid artery free-floating thrombus.

INTRODUCTION: Filling defects at the internal carotid artery (ICA) origin in the work-up of stroke or transient ischemic attack may be an ulcerated plaque or free-floating thrombus (FFT). This may be challenging to distinguish, as they can appear morphologically similar. This is an important distinction as FFT can potentially embolize distally, and its management differs. We describe a series of patients with suspected FFT and evaluate its imaging appearance, clinical features, and evolution with therapy. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2013, we prospectively collected consecutive patients with proximal ICA filling defects in the axial plane surrounded by contrast on CT/MR angiography. We defined FFT as a filling defect that resolved on follow-up imaging. We assessed the cranial-caudal dimension of the filling defect and receiver operating characteristics to identify clinical and radiological variables that distinguished FFT from complex ulcerated plaque. RESULTS: Intraluminal filling defects were identified in 32 patients. Filling defects and resolved or decreased in 25 patients (78 %) and felt to be FFT; there was no change in 7 (22 %). Resolved defects and those that decreased in size extended more cranially than those that remained unchanged: 7.3 mm (4.2-15.9) versus 3.1 mm (2.7-3.7; p = 0.0038). Receiver operating characteristic analysis established a threshold of 3.8 mm (filling defect length), sensitivity of 88 %, specificity of 86 %, and area under the curve of 0.86 (p < 0.0001) for distinguishing FFT from plaque. CONCLUSION: Filling defects in the proximal ICA extending cranially >3.8 mm were more likely to be FFT than complex ulcerated plaque. Further studies evaluating filling defect length as a predictor for FFT are warranted.

Fano and Kondo resonance in electronic current through nanodevices.

Electronic transport through a quantum dot strongly coupled to electrodes is studied within a model with two conduction channels. It is shown that multiple scattering and interference of transmitted waves through both channels lead to Fano resonance associated with Kondo resonance. Interference effects are also pronouncedly seen in transport through the Aharonov-Bohm ring with the Kondo dot, where the current characteristics continuously evolve with the magnetic flux.

[Strategies for early detection of the risk of type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes in 1st degree relatives of patients with this disease]. / Model postepowania umozliwiajacego wczesne wykrywanie zagrozenia cukrzyca typu 2 (insulinoniezalezna) u krewnych I stopnia osób ze znana postacia tej choroby.

UNLABELLED: The present study included two groups of subjects: I. the adult offspring of parents with conjugal type 2 diabetes (n = 77; age range 18-59 yrs and mean age 38 +/- 0.8 yrs; BMI range 18.9-40.3 kg/m2 and mean value 26.6 +/- 0.6 kg/m2); and II. the adult offspring having one parent with type 2 diabetes: either father (n = 83-53%) or mother (n = 74-47%). The age range of the latter group was 21-64 yrs, mean age 41 +/- 0.8 yrs; BMI range was 17.6-46.4 kg/m2, and mean value 26.8 +/- 0.4 kg/m2. The normal glucose tolerance of the "healthy" parent was verified with the OGGT evaluated by the WHO and ADA criteria. In all offspring the same test (75 g) was performed, and glucose in venous blood and insulin (IRI) in serum were determined on fasting and at 30, 60 and 120 min of the test. In fasting state the levels of serum lipids (triglycerides, total and LDL and HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein AI and B) were also measured. In the group I unknown diabetes mellitus was discovered in 4 cases (4%): in 3 according to the WHO/ADA criteria and in one case evaluated by the ADA criteria), in 19 subjects (25%) IGT was found in 16 isolated and in 3 associated with isolated fasting glycaemia (IFG), and only in one case (1%) the isolated IFG was ascertained. In the group II diabetes was discovered according to the ADA criteria in 4 persons (2.5%), IGT in 29 subjects (18.5%), of whom 8 had also IFG. In this subgroup 16 subjects had diabetic father and 13 diabetic mother. The isolated IFG had 7 offspring (4.4%), of whom 2 had diabetic father and 5 diabetic mother. Apart from glycaemia, other parameters didn't disclose difference between the offspring of diabetic father and diabetic mother. However, considering these parameters together for the whole group II, it was found that the offspring with IGT, isolated and associated with IFG, differed from the remaining ones with significantly higher BMI, higher systolic blood pressure, higher 2-h serum IRI, and higher levels of serum triglycerides, total cholesterol and ApoB. CONCLUSION: Measurement of isolated fasting glycaemia and its interpretation by the ADA criteria is inadequate in studies aiming at early detection of glucose intolerance in subjects with familial increased risk of type 2 diabetes and should include also the determination of the 2-h glycemia of the OGTT evaluated according to the WHO criteria. On the other hand, the determination of fasting glycaemia and its evaluation by the ADA criteria is a valuable in diabetes screening, as its elevated level may identify other metabolic disorders associated with diabetes, and unfavorable risk of cardiovascular complications of this disease.

Some physico-chemical properties micelle--benzalkonium chloride (BAC) adduct on interface in selected eye drops.

In selected eye drops the value of surface tension coefficient delta 25 and critical micelle concentration (cmc) was determined. Calculation of the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance level (HLBcmc) and the solution of the surface state f.Am = K.T form of Gibbs equation enables the estimation of the type of action of micelle with lipid corneal epithelium. Particular attention has been paid to the forms of eye drops which contain benzalkonium chloride (BAC).