The effects of storage temperature and storage time on the somatic cell count of anatolian buffaloes

This research examined the effects of storage temperature and storage time on the somatic cell count (SCC) of milk from Anatolian buffaloes, which was measured with the DeLaval cell counter (DCC). Storage temperature and time are among the different factors that potentially affect the SCC of Anatolian buffalo milk. In this context, 20 milk samples were collected from Anatolian Buffaloes and analyzed. The milk samples were divided into two groups according to their measured level of SCC. These two groups were the low score (?3.16 cell/ml) group and the high score (>3.16 cell/ml) group. The mean logSCC values of the low score and the high score groups were determined as 2.27±0.045 and 4.06±0.019 cells/ml, respectively. In this research, the effects of storage temperature (4ºC, 21ºC) and storage time (fresh milk, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 24 h) on logSCC were determined to be statistically significant (P<0.01). Thus, increases in storage temperature and storage time were associated with an increase in the logSCC of the milk samples. © 2019, International Buffalo Information Center, Kasetsart University. All rights reserved

Učinak broja somatskih stanica na prinos i sastav mlijeka u krava holštajnske pasmine

This study was conducted to assess the impact of somatic cell count (SCC) on the test day milk yield (TDMY) and milk composition parameters (fat, solids-not-fat, protein and lactose) of Holstein cows raised in the Kırşehir province of Turkey. A total of 1194 raw milk samples were collected from 195 Holstein cows at different stages of lactation (from 1 to 7), parities (from 1 to 3) and calving seasons (autumn, winter, spring and summer). Also, TDMY and milk composition traits were tested by SCC in four groups (500×103 cells/mL). For statistical evaluation, SCC data were converted to log10 base. The overall means of log10SCC, TDMY, fat, solids-not-fat (SNF), protein and lactose were determined as 4.95 ± 0.016, 33.36 ± 0.232 kg/day, 3.39 ± 0.021%, 9.04 ± 0.013%, 3.32 ± 0.005% and 4.92 ± 0.007%, respectively. Log10SCC, TDMY, fat, SNF, protein and lactose were significantly affected by the stage of lactation, parity and calving seasons (P201×103 cells/mL) had a lower TDMY than milk with lower SCC (500×103 cells/mL. It was concluded that SCC in milk should not exceed 500×103 cells/mL for Holstein cows, suggesting that monthly control of SCC may be effective for improving milk production and milk quality in Holstein cows.Ovim se istraživanjem želio ustanoviti utjecaj broja somatskih stanica (SCC) na dnevni prinos mlijeka (TDMY) i sastav mlijeka (masnoća, suha tvar, bjelančevine i laktoza) krava holštajnske pasmine u Kirşehiru u Turskoj. Ukupno 1194 uzoraka sirova mlijeka prikupljeno je od 195 krava holštajnske pasmine u različitim fazama laktacije (od 1 do 7), pariteta (od 1 do 3) i različitim razdobljima teljenja (jesen, zima, proljeće i ljeto). Također, ispitivan je broj somatskih stanica s obzirom na dnevni prinos i sastav mlijeka u četiri skupine (500×103 stanica po mililitru). Za statističku obradu podaci o broju stanica prikazani su u bazi 10 logaritma (log10). Ukupna srednja vrijednost log10 za SSC iznosila je 4.95 ± 0.016, za TDMY 33.36 ± 0.232 kg/day, za masnoću 3.39 ± 0.021 %, za suhu tvar 9.04 ± 0.013 %, za bjelančevine 3.32 ± 0.005 % i za laktozu 4.92 ± 0.007 %. Na ukupnu srednju vrijednost log10SCC, dnevnog prinosa, masnoće, suhe tvari, bjelančevina i laktoze statistički znakovito (P201×103 stanica po mililitru) imale su manji dnevni prinos mlijeka nego one s manjim brojem somatskih stanica (<100×103 i 100-200 stanica po mililitru). Smanjen dnevni prinos i manja količina masnoće, suhe tvari, bjelančevina i laktoze utvrđeni su u mlijeku s brojem somatskih stanica većim od 500×103 stanica po mililitru. Zaključeno je da broj somatskih stanica u mlijeku ne bi trebao biti veći od 500× 103 stanica po mililitru te da bi mjesečna kontrola broja somatskih stanica u mlijeku krava holštajnske pasmine mogla povećati proizvodnju i poboljšati njegovu kakvoću

Fatty acid profilies and some meat quality traits at different slaughter weights of Brown Swiss bulls

This research was done to detect some meat quality traits and tissue fatty acid combination of the longissimus dorsi thoracis (LT) muscle of Brown Swiss bulls at the different slaughter weights (SW). The animal material of the study comprised 20 Brown Swiss bulls. In the study, Brown Swiss bulls were divided into two groups according to their SW as low (LSW (n = 10); 431–503 kg) and high (HSW (n = 10); 504–583 kg). In the study, the LSW group showed the lowest final pH value (pHF) (5.44) (P 0.05). In the research, the differences observed between the SW groups considering a* (redness) and C (chroma) values were found significant (P 0.05). Freeze–thaw loss (FL) and ether extract (PEE) were found 4.35% and 1.01% higher, respectively, in the HSW group than the LSW group (P 0.05) in the LT muscle decreased with the increase of SW. As a result, when LSW and HSW slaughter weight groups were evaluated considering the water losses causing financial losses in meat and fatty acids having beneficial effects on human health, it was seen that the LSW group came to the fore. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V

Thyroid gland disease as a comorbid condition in COPD

Introduction. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The disease is characterized by progressive airway inflammation, which not only affects the airways but also has systemic effects that are associated with comorbidities. Although comorbid conditions such as hypertension and coronary artery disease are very well-known in COPD patients, diseases of the thyroid gland have not been sufficiently studied. Therefore, thyroid diseases are not considered among the comorbid conditions of COPD. The purpose of this study was to determine the thyroid gland disease (TGD) prevalence in COPD and associated factors. Materials and Method. The study included 309 (297 (96%) male) patients. The patients were subjected to spirometry and thyroid function tests (TFT) in the stable period. The thyroid gland disease they were diagnosed with was recorded after face-to-face meetings and examining their files. Results. The mean age of the patients who were included in the study was 65.9 +/- 9.8 (40-90). Thyroid disease was determined in 68 (22%) individuals. There were hypothyroidism in 7 (2%), euthyroidism in 45 (15%), and hyperthyroidism in 16 (%5) patients. No relationship was found between the severity of airflow limitation and the prevalence of TGD. Conclusion. Thyroid abnormalities are commonly observed in COPD. The most frequently encountered TGDs are euthyroid multinodular goiter, euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS), and toxic multinodular goiter

Estimation of genetic and phenotypic parameters for body condition score, milk yield and milk composition, and factors affecting related traits during the first 150 days of lactation in Holstein cows

This study aimed to estimate the genetic and phenotypic parameters for BCS, milk yield and its composition in Holstein cows. The data were collected in the first 150 days in milk (DIM) of 317 Holstein cows calved between 2017 and 2018 raised at a pri-vate dairy cattle farm located in Kırşehir of Turkey. In this study, parity and DIM were included as fixed factors in the model. The cows were grouped according to their BCS: low (BCS≤2.50), moderate (BCS=2.75-3.00) and high (BCS≥3.25). The results showed that effects of parity and DIM on BCS, test-day milk yield (TDMY), solids-non-fat (SNF), protein content (PC), lactose (LACT), fat yield (FY) and protein yield (PY) were significantly important (P<0.05), whereas fat content (FC) was not. The highest TDMY, FY and PY were determined in cows with low BCS. FC, SNF, PC and LACT were the highest in cows with high BCS compared to those with low BCS and moderate BCS. The estimated heritability were 0.188, 0.301, 0.184, 0.197, 0.194, 0.223, 0.196 and 0.342 for BCS, TDMY, FC, SNF, PC, LACT, FY and PY, respectively. Repeatability for these traits was estimated to vary from 0.257 to 0.521. Genetic correlations between BCS and milk yield traits were generally low and ranged from-0.175 to 0.191. Low to moderate phenotypic correlations were also observed between BCS and milk yield traits (-0.234 to 0.217). Despite estimated low heritability and correlations during the early lactation period in our study, these results showed that cows with lower BCS had higher milk yield and lower milk contents, and selection programs including BCS will lead to slight improvements of milk yield traits in Holstein cows. © 2022, Massimo Morgante. All rights reserved

Common variable immunodeficiency at adult age

Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) is a heterogeneous group of diseases progressing with recurrent infections. This disease should be considered in cases experiencing recurrent lung infection, otitis media, rhinosinusitis, and urinary tract infection. Since it is generally seen in the childhood age group, the diagnosis in adults may be delayed. A Common Variable Immunodeficiency case, which was followed up in our clinic and characterized by recurrent upper respiratory tract infection and pneumonia, was presented to raise awareness on this issue. CVID should be kept in mind in patients who are admitted to outpatient clinics with recurrent infections, who do not respond despite appropriate treatments, and who develop complications

Is it worth using thrombolytic therapy in elderly patients with pulmonary embolism

Objective: Antithrombotic treatment is avoided in geriatric population owing to its side effects. Thus, we aimed to examine complication rates related to thrombolytic treatment in geriatric patients with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). Materials and Methods: The study included patients aged >65 years who received thrombolytic treatment for a diagnosis of PTE. Patient files were screened retrospectively to extract data on etiology, clinical risk scores, laboratory values, thrombolytic treatment-related complications, and early mortality development. Results: The study included 68 patients (female: 70.6%; mean age: 77.8 years). The Simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index score was high in all patients. Early mortality risk classification at admission was high, medium-high, and medium-low risk in 64.7%, 23.5%, and 11.8% patients, respectively. In-hospital mortality was 30.9%. The causes of death were secondary to PTE in 85.7% patients, respiratory failure in 9.6%, and sepsis in 4.7%. Complication-related mortality was not observed. The only independent risk factor for mortality was change in consciousness. Conclusion: Mortality and complication rates in geriatric patients receiving thrombolytic treatment are not as high as expected

A novel biomarker in the diagnosis of parapneumonic effusion: neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin

Background: The protein neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a mediator synthesized and released by neutrophils. Its physiological function is as yet unclear. Levels in blood increase in several inflammatory diseases. High serum values indicate poor prognosis for several diseases. Pleural effusion may appear as the result of various pathologies. The most common cause is heart failure (HF). Other common causes include parapneumonic (PPE) and malignant (MPE) pleural effusions, and pulmonary embolism. Tubercular effusion (TE) is commonly encountered in Turkey and similar developing countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of NGAL, a current inflammation marker, in discriminating between different etiological diseases that cause pleural effusion. Methods: The study was performed at the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Faculty of Medicine Chest Diseases Clinic. One hundred patients were included in the study, 25 with parapneumonic effusion, 25 with heart failure-related effusion, 25 with tubercular effusion and 25 with cancer-related effusion. NGAL was measured in patients' serum and pleural fluids. Results: Serum NGAL levels in PPE (171 ± 56 ng/ml) were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than those in HF (86 ± 31 ng/ml), CA (103 ±42 ng/ml) and TE (63 ± 19 ng/ml). Pleural NGAL levels were also significantly higher in PPE compared to HF, MPE and TE (p < 0.001). Serum NGAL levels exhibited a positive correlation with white blood cel (WBC), neutrophil, C-reactive protein (CRP), sedimentation, serum LDH, creatinine, pleural leukocyte and pleura neutrophil numbers. The most significant correlation was between NGAL level and WBC (p < 0.001, r= 0.579). Both serum and pleural NGAL levels are highly effective in differentiating patients with PPE from those without PPE (AUC: 0.910 and 0.790, respectively). Conclusions: NGAL can be used in the diagnosis of diseases with an acute inflammatory course. Serum and pleural NGAL levels can differentiate PPE from other diseases causing pleural fluid with high sensitivity and specificity. © 2014 Gümüs et al

The effect of a single hemodialysis session on pulmonary functions in patients with end-stage renal disease

Objective: Changes in pulmonary functions have not been thoroughly investigated in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a single HD session on pulmonary functions, measured by spirometry, in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing chronic hemodialysis (CHD) treatment. Methods: Thirty patients with ESRD who were on CHD treatment for at least 12 months between January 2018 and January 2020 were enrolled. The pre-dialysis and post-dialysis spirometric measurements were recorded by a portable spirometry device. Results: The mean age and HD vintage of 30 patients (70% male, 20% diabetic, mean BMI: 26.0 +/- 4.7 (kg/m(2))) were 55.6 +/- 11.4 years and 117.6 +/- 66.3 months, respectively. Half of the patients (50%) were smokers (mean 11.5 +/- 13.59 packs/year). The spirometric measurements of most of the patients were abnormal (40% restrictive, 30% obstructive respiratory disorder, 30% normal). The FEV3(L), predicted FEV1(%), FEF25(L), and predicted FEF25(%) values were significantly increased after the HD session. A positive correlation between BMI and Delta FEV3 (L) values (r = 0.377, P =.04) was observed. A significant improvement in FEV3 values after a single HD session was recorded, which was independently related to higher BMI (beta = 0.501, P <.01) and non-smoking (beta = 0.495, P <.05). Conclusion: Spirometric measurements are abnormal in most CHD patients, and a considerable improvement in pulmonary functions is possible with a single HD session. Having a high BMI and being a non-smoker appear to have significant positive effects on amelioration in FEV3 (L). Larger trials are needed to evaluate pulmonary functions in CHD patients

Strain relatedness in gram-negative bacteremia: Cause or contamination?

Aim: Bloodstream infections are a major cause of mortality, 25% of which are associated with gram-negative bacteremia. To avoid the inappropriate use of antibiotics, it is important to differentiate the bacteremia from contamination. In general, gram-positive bacteria were more likely to be contaminants than gram-negative-bacteria. There is little information in the literature concerning the epidemiology of gram-negative bacteria isolated from sequential blood cultures. Therefore, we aimed to examine the molecular epidemiology of gram-negative bacteria isolated from sequential blood cultures. Material and Methods: A total of 56 patients (112 samples and strains) with two or more sequential positive blood cultures for gram-negative bacteria with the same antibiogram were included in the study. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) were performed for the determination of strain relatedness. Results: While PFGE analysis demonstrated relatedness in 6 isolates, AP-PCR demonstrated 9 relatedness in 112 isolates. Discussion: The results of our study suggest that, although the possibility of contamination is very low in gram-negative bacteremia, this can still take place, as shown in sequential blood cultures with the same antibiogra