A pre- and postpartum study of selected biochemical parameters in ewes for the early detection of pregnancy toxemia

Ερευνήθηκαν οι μεταβολές διάφορων βιοχημικών παραμέτρων στον ορό του αίματος προβάτων, από δυο επιλεγμένα αντιπροσωπευτικά ποίμνια της περιοχής της Θεσσαλίας κατά την περίοδο των τοκετών για τη διερεύνηση πιθανής υποκλινικής υπερκετοναιμίας. Εξήντα τέσσερα πρόβατα χωρίστηκαν σε δυο ομάδες . Η πρώτη ομάδα (ομάδα Μ) αποτελούνταν από 29 προβατίνες που δεν ήταν έγκυες και η δεύτερη ομάδα (ομάδα Π) από 35 προβατίνες που βρίσκονταν στο τελευταίο στάδιο της εγκυμοσύνης. Πάρθηκαν δείγματα αίματος σε εβδομαδιαία διαστήματα, από δυο εβδομάδες, περίπου, πριν από τον τοκετό μέχρι δυο εβδομάδες μετά τον τοκετό και προσδιορίστηκαν οι συγκεντρώσεις του β-υδροξυβουτυρικου οξέος, του ακετοξικου οξέος, της γλυκόζης, της ολικής και άμεσης χολερυθρίνης, του ασβεστίου,του ανόργανου φωσφόρου, του νατρίου, του καλίου,του μαγνησίου και της δραστηριότητος της δεϋδρογονάσης της σορβιτόλης και της γ-γλουταμυλοτρανσφεράσης. Ολα τα ζώα παρέμειναν υγιή καθ' όλη τη διάρκεια του πειραματισμού και ο τοκετός ήταν ομαλός. Δεκαοχτώ προβατίνες 51,4% γέννησαν από έναν αμνό, 12 (34.3%) από δυο αμνούς, 4 (11,4%) από τρεις και 1(2,9%) τέσσερις αμνούς. Από την ερμηνεία των αποτελεσμάτων της βιοχημικής ανάλυσης δε φαίνεται να υπάρχει υποκλινική κέτωση. Η γλυκόζη του αίματος των προβατίνων της ομάδας Π παρέμενε σημαντικά χαμηλότερη (Ρ<0,05) αυτής των μαρτύρων, ενώη χαμηλότερη συγκέντρωση της (2,3±0,34 mmol/L) παρατηρήθηκε μια εβδομάδα πριν από τον τοκετό. Μπορεί όμως να εμφανιστεί μικρός αριθμός περιστατικών με υποκλινική κέτωση παρά τις καλές συνθήκες διαβίωσης των ποιμνίων.A field investigation on the incidence of subclinical ovine ketosis was performed in two large sheep flocks in an agricultural region of central Greece. Sixty - four animals were allocated in 2 study groups: group C, consisted of 29 non-pregnant females and group S of 35 end-term pregnant ewes. The trial lasted 6 weeks, including the immediate pre- and postpartal period. Blood samples were collected on weekly intervals and used for determining the concentrations of ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), acetoacetate (AcAc), glucose, total (TB) and conjugated (CB) bilirubin, calcium (Ca), inorganic phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and the activity of sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) and γ-glutamyl transferase (yGT). All the animals remained clinically healthy throughout the trial and parturition was uneventful. Eighteen group S ewes (51.4%) delivered 1 lamb, 12 (34,3%) twins, 4 (11.4%) triplets and 1 (2.9%) 4 lambs. Although the overall evaluation of the biochemical analysis did not support the existence of subclinical ketosis, blood glucose remained significantly lower (P<0.05) in group S sheep, with its lowest value (2.3±0.34 mmol/1) recorded 1 week prior to parturition. Sporadic cases of subclinical hyperketonemia may occur, despite optimal flock management

Cause of Death and Predictors of All-Cause Mortality in Anticoagulated Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation : Data From ROCKET AF

M. Kaste on työryhmän ROCKET AF Steering Comm jäsen.Background-Atrial fibrillation is associated with higher mortality. Identification of causes of death and contemporary risk factors for all-cause mortality may guide interventions. Methods and Results-In the Rivaroxaban Once Daily Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibition Compared with Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF) study, patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were randomized to rivaroxaban or dose-adjusted warfarin. Cox proportional hazards regression with backward elimination identified factors at randomization that were independently associated with all-cause mortality in the 14 171 participants in the intention-to-treat population. The median age was 73 years, and the mean CHADS(2) score was 3.5. Over 1.9 years of median follow-up, 1214 (8.6%) patients died. Kaplan-Meier mortality rates were 4.2% at 1 year and 8.9% at 2 years. The majority of classified deaths (1081) were cardiovascular (72%), whereas only 6% were nonhemorrhagic stroke or systemic embolism. No significant difference in all-cause mortality was observed between the rivaroxaban and warfarin arms (P=0.15). Heart failure (hazard ratio 1.51, 95% CI 1.33-1.70, P= 75 years (hazard ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.51-1.90, P Conclusions-In a large population of patients anticoagulated for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, approximate to 7 in 10 deaths were cardiovascular, whereasPeer reviewe

Selenium concentration in blood and hair of Holstein dairy cows

Four-hundred Holstein cows in 40 dairy farms in north Greece were included in this study, and blood (n=400), black hair (n=400), white hair (n=40), and feed (n=40) samples were obtained. Although the feeding regime in these farms was similar, the selenium content of feeds was variable. The Se content of concentrate feeds was 0.104+/-0.086 mg/kg dry matter (DM), and of silage, it was 0.025+/-0.018 mg/kg. A significantly positive correlation was found between the Se concentration in black hair and the Se concentration in blood (r(2)=0.610, p<0.001), the Se concentration in white hair and the Se concentration in blood (r(2)=0.770, p<0.001), and the Se concentration in white hair and the Se concentration in black hair (r(2)=0.921, p<0.001). The Se concentration in white hair was significantly smaller than that in black hair (p<0.001)