Simple platelet markers: Mean platelet volume and congestive heart failure coexistent with periodontal disease. Pilot studies

Background: Conducted pilot study concerning mean platelet volume (MPV) parameter among patients suffering from congestive heart failure and periodontal disease. Methods: Examination of dynamic changes of platelet and periodontal markers in group of 50 patients before and an average of 6 months subsequent to professional periodontal treatment. Results: Both platelet and periodontal parameters decreased after periodontal treatment, what is more, the decrease of MPV value due to periodontal disease/mm improvement was shown to be statistically significant (p = 0.05). Conclusions: Improvement of periodontal status may influence decrease of MPV value and increase of congestive heart failure treatment efficacy and effect patient comfort. It is a new, not frequently used pattern of chronic disease treatment optimalization

Procjena varijabli stanja sustava s gorivnim člankom i uzlaznim pretvaračem metodom brzog uzorkovanja signala

Estimation of state variables of a peak current mode (PCM) controlled DC-DC boost converter supplied by a PEM fuel cell is described in this paper. Since this system is highly nonlinear and non-minimum phase, its state variables are estimated by using fast output sampling method. Estimated state variables are the converter output voltage and its first derivative, and they are suitable for model reference adaptive control or sliding mode based control techniques. The estimator has been designed in a way that it gives a good estimate of the state variables in the continuous and in the discontinuous conduction mode of the converter, and in the presence of measurement and process noise caused by converter switching-mode operation. Experimental results of estimating the state variables on a 450 W boost converter supplied by the emulator of the PEM fuel cell BCS 64-32 show good results of the estimation, regardless of the conduction mode of the converter, i.e. the operating point determined by its output current.U ovom radu obrađena je procjena varijabli stanja sustava s istomjernim uzlaznim pretvaračem u vršnom strujnom načinu upravljanja napajanim PEM gorivnim člankom. Budući da je taj sustav izrazito nelinearan te neminimalno-fazan, za procjenu njegovih varijabli stanja upotrebljena je metoda brzog uzorkovanja izlaznog signala. Procjenjene varijable stanja su izlazni napon uzlaznog pretvarača te njegova prva derivacija, te su pogodne za adaptivno upravljanje s referentnim modelom i upravljanje temeljeno na kliznim režimima. Procjenitelj je projektiran na način da daje dobru procjenu varijabli stanja u kontinuiranom i diskontinuiranom režimu rada pretvarača, te u uvjetima mjernog i procesnog šuma uzrokovanog sklopnim načinom rada pretvarača. Eksperimentalni rezultati procjene varijabli stanja na uzlaznom pretvaraču snage 450 W napajanim emulatorom gorivnog članka BCS 64-32 pokazuju dobre rezultate procjene, neovisno o režimu rada pretvarača, odnosno radnoj točki određenoj njegovom izlaznom strujom

Comparison of Hepatic and Nephric Total Mercury Concentrations Between Feral and Ranch American Mink (Neovison vison) from Northwestern Poland

For many years the American mink (Neovison vison) has been used in North America (where it originates from) as a sensitive indirect bioindicator in assessing the degree of mercury (Hg) contamination in terrestrial ecosystems. The aim of this paper was the determination of total concentrations of Hg in the liver and kidneys of feral and ranch mink from the Warta Mouth National Park (WMNP) and from farms located in northwestern Poland, for comparison with similar data on American mink from North America. In road-killed feral mink from the WMNP, the mean concentrations were 11.8 and 14.1 mg/kg dry weight in the liver and kidney, respectively. Mean Hg concentrations in feral mink were from 240 to 90 times higher in these two respective tissues than in ranch mink. The feral mink from northwestern Poland had concentrations of hepatic and nephric Hg similar to the highest concentrations that have been recorded over the past several decades in wild American mink from certain areas of Canada and the USA