Somatic cell count in milk of Finnsheep ewes and relation with production results

Finnsheep ewes were tested for milk quality and productivity (lambs and wool) on an experimental farm in two years. Milk samples were taken in first, second and third month of lactation to qualify somatic cell count (SCC) and percentage of fat (F %), protein (P %) and lactose (L %). For the calculation, logarithmic SCC (LSCC) was used. Data concerning rearing of lambs and wool production were calculated with each sample during lactation. Differences in all tested traits were found. Season 1981 proved to be better than 1983. For all observations LSCC was 2.16 and milk composition as follows: F % 5.38, P % 5.42 and L % 4.74. From average ewe there were 2.42 born lambs (6.18 kg), 1.14 weaned lambs (20.09 kg) and 1.24 kg of wool for six months. Correlation coefficients between LSCC and traits tested were; F % 0.07, P % —0.02, L %— 0.53, wool yield — 0.09, number of weaned lambs — 0.01, weight of weaned lambs 0.00. For all above coefficients the error was 0.05. Those tests concerned limited number of animals and will be continued

Meat, wool and milk utilization together with comparison of F1 coming from Finnsheep rams with F1 coming from other prolific breeds

The effect of crossing of Polish Corriedale (C) sheep with East Friesian, Finnsheep (F), and Polish Heath sheep was analyzed. The utility of F1 crossbreds coming from C and prolific breed rams (given above) was confirmed. The F, crosses of C ewes and F rams were characterized by the best reproductive performance, high level of milk production and the small decrease of wool quality and quantity produced by the ewes, and good carcase quality of ram lambs

Plasma progesterone concentration during oestrus cycle and pregnancy in Finnsheep and other prolific sheep breeds

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the litter size and plasma progesterone (PP) concentration during the breeding season and pregnancy in some prolific sheep breeds. Investigations were performed during two consecutive reproductive cycles. PP concentrations were determined in Finnsheep (n = 16), Polish Heath (n = 13), Friesian (n = 10), Zelazna (n = 12) and Karakul (n = 14). Prolificacy was 3.14, 2.0, 2.0, 1.8 and 1.12, resp. Highly significant differences in PP levels during pregnancy were found between the prolific breeds and breed with the lowest litter size. There was also a significant effect of pregnancy stage on the PP concentration. Breed differences in PP levels during the oestrus cycle were the most pronounced on the 10th day of the cycle. However, due to a considerable variation within breeds they were statistically insignificant

High-Resolution, In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Drosophila at 18.8 Tesla

High resolution MRI of live Drosophila was performed at 18.8 Tesla, with a field of view less than 5 mm, and administration of manganese or gadolinium-based contrast agents. This study demonstrates the feasibility of MR methods for imaging the fruit fly Drosophila with an NMR spectrometer, at a resolution relevant for undertaking future studies of the Drosophila brain and other organs. The fruit fly has long been a principal model organism for elucidating biology and disease, but without capabilities like those of MRI. This feasibility marks progress toward the development of new in vivo research approaches in Drosophila without the requirement for light transparency or destructive assays

Stress analysis in a layered aortic arch model under pulsatile blood flow

BACKGROUND: Many cardiovascular diseases, such as aortic dissection, frequently occur on the aortic arch and fluid-structure interactions play an important role in the cardiovascular system. Mechanical stress is crucial in the functioning of the cardiovascular system; therefore, stress analysis is a useful tool for understanding vascular pathophysiology. The present study is concerned with the stress distribution in a layered aortic arch model with interaction between pulsatile flow and the wall of the blood vessel. METHODS: A three-dimensional (3D) layered aortic arch model was constructed based on the aortic wall structure and arch shape. The complex mechanical interaction between pulsatile blood flow and wall dynamics in the aortic arch model was simulated by means of computational loose coupling fluid-structure interaction analyses. RESULTS: The results showed the variations of mechanical stress along the outer wall of the arch during the cardiac cycle. Variations of circumferential stress are very similar to variations of pressure. Composite stress in the aortic wall plane is high at the ascending portion of the arch and along the top of the arch, and is higher in the media than in the intima and adventitia across the wall thickness. CONCLUSION: Our analysis indicates that circumferential stress in the aortic wall is directly associated with blood pressure, supporting the clinical importance of blood pressure control. High stress in the aortic wall could be a risk factor in aortic dissections. Our numerical layered aortic model may prove useful for biomechanical analyses and for studying the pathogeneses of aortic dissection

The serum zinc concentration as a potential biological marker in patients with major depressive disorder

Despite many clinical trials assessing the role of zinc in major depressive disorder (MDD), the conclusions still remain ambiguous. The aim of the present clinical study was to determine and comparison the zinc concentration in the blood of MDD patients (active stage or remission) and healthy volunteers (controls), as well as to discuss its potential clinical usefulness as a biomarker of the disease. In this study 69 patients with current depressive episode, 45 patients in remission and 50 controls were enrolled. The zinc concentration was measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET AAS). The obtained results revealed, that the zinc concentration in depressed phase were statistically lower than in the healthy volunteers [0.89 vs. 1.06 mg/L, respectively], while the zinc level in patients achieve remission was not significantly different from the controls [1.07 vs. 1.06 mg/L, respectively]. Additionally, among the patients achieve remission a significant differences in zinc concentration between group with and without presence of drug-resistance in the previous episode of depression were observed. Also, patients in remission demonstrated correlation between zinc level and the average number of depressive episodes in the last year. Serum zinc concentration was not dependent on atypical features of depression, presence of psychotic symptoms or melancholic syndrome, age, age of onset or duration of disease, number of episodes in the life time, duration of the episode/remission and severity of depression measured by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS), and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Concluding, our findings confirm the correlation between zinc deficit present in the depressive episode, and are consistent with the majority of previous studies. These results may also indicate that serum zinc concentration might be considered as a potential biological marker of MDD

Comprehensive 4D velocity mapping of the heart and great vessels by cardiovascular magnetic resonance

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Phase contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is able to measure all three directional components of the velocities of blood flow relative to the three spatial dimensions and the time course of the heart cycle. In this article, methods used for the acquisition, visualization, and quantification of such datasets are reviewed and illustrated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Currently, the acquisition of 3D cine (4D) phase contrast velocity data, synchronized relative to both cardiac and respiratory movements takes about ten minutes or more, even when using parallel imaging and optimized pulse sequence design. The large resulting datasets need appropriate post processing for the visualization of multidirectional flow, for example as vector fields, pathlines or streamlines, or for retrospective volumetric quantification.</p> <p>Applications</p> <p>Multidirectional velocity acquisitions have provided 3D visualization of large scale flow features of the healthy heart and great vessels, and have shown altered patterns of flow in abnormal chambers and vessels. Clinically relevant examples include retrograde streams in atheromatous descending aortas as potential thrombo-embolic pathways in patients with cryptogenic stroke and marked variations of flow visualized in common aortic pathologies. Compared to standard clinical tools, 4D velocity mapping offers the potential for retrospective quantification of flow and other hemodynamic parameters.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Multidirectional, 3D cine velocity acquisitions are contributing to the understanding of normal and pathologically altered blood flow features. Although more rapid and user-friendly strategies for acquisition and analysis may be needed before 4D velocity acquisitions come to be adopted in routine clinical CMR, their capacity to measure multidirectional flows throughout a study volume has contributed novel insights into cardiovascular fluid dynamics in health and disease.</p

somatic cell count in milk of Finnsheep ewes and relation with production results

vokKirjasto Aj-

Meat, wool and milk utilization together with comparison of F1 coming from Finnsheep rams with F1 coming from other prolific breeds

vokKirjasto Aj-