Objectives. To evaluate the presence and extent of cardiac calcifications and aortic stiffness in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Patients and methods. The study group consisted of 60 patients with ESRD with a mean age of 51.7 years, treated with peritoneal dialysis. In all patients transthoracic echocardiogram was performed to assess the following parameters: left ventricular end-systolic diameter, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), interventricular septum end-diastolic diameter (IVSDd), posterior wall end-diastolic diameter (PWDd), ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), aortic maximal and minimal diameter, aortic valve area, mitral valve area (MVA), left ventricular ejection time (LVET), maximal aortic velocity. Aortic stiffness index (AS) was calculated. Aortic and mitral valve calcifications were assessed. Results. Patients with ESRD had a larger left ventricle (LVEDd 5.4 cm vs. 4.76 cm) and its wall was thicker (IVSDd 1.36 cm vs. 1.02 cm; PWDd 1.31 cm vs. 0.94 cm). Patients had poorer left ventricle contractility (EF 56.1 vs. 61.6%; FS 28.5 vs. 33.2%). Atherosclerotic plaques, calcified plaques and valvular calcifications were more frequently detected in patients with ESRD. Patients with ESRD had significantly higher values of the AS index: (5.34 vs. 3.24). Among ESRD subjects with the stiffer aorta, atherosclerotic plaques including calcificones and the aortic valve damage were more frequently detected. Conclusions. Patients with ESRD are characterized by increased aortic stiffness. Atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta as well as cardiac and large vessels calcifications are more common among patients with ESRD. In patients with ESRD there is a correlation between an increase in aortic stiffness and damage of aortic valvular leaflets as well as calcifications of atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta. The degree of aortic stiffness is not related to impairment of mitral valvular leaflets and extravalvular calcifications. A relationship between aortic stiffness and aortic or aortic valve calcifications suggest a different pathogenesis of aorta calcification as compared to that underlying calcifications of other localizations.

The objective of the study was to analyse selected physical properties and chemical indicators of internal organs obtained from fattening pigs and Central European wild boars (Sus scrofa scrofa). Each group consisted of 12 animals. The tongue, heart, lungs, liver and kidneys were examined for physical properties, basic chemical composition, macro- and micromineral content, and fatty acid profile. The atherogenic index (AI) and the thrombogenic index (TI) were also determined. Pig offal was found to be a rich source of protein and collagen, and to contain large amounts of potassium and sodium. Liver had a high content of iron, zinc, and manganese. Pig liver and wild boar heart were characterised by favourable PUFA /SFA ratios (above 0.4%). In addition, the content of neutral and hypocholesterolemic acids (DFA ) and hypercholesterolemic acids (OFA ) in pig offal was comparable to that in pig meat. The results presented in this study provide an extensive evaluation of the nutritional quality of pig offal, which allows an increase in the scope of its use in the food industry, among others for production of offal products, including traditional and regional products that are increasingly demanded by consumers.

No abstract

These results suggest that the applied method of renal replacement therapy has no significant influence on global activity of cardiac sympathetic nervous system.

Głównym zadaniem hodowli świń ras zachowawczych jest utrzymanie odpowiedniego poziomu zmienności genetycznej cech użytkowych w obrę-bie niewielkich populacji aktywnych loch i knurów. Rasy te różnią się od obecnie preferowanych trendów użytkowych, jednak utrzymywane są jako rezerwa genetyczna ze względu na szereg korzystnych cech, takich jak: wysoka jakość mięsa, odporność na czynniki stresogenne, możliwość utrzymania w warunkach ekstensywnych, wysoki poziom cech macierzyńskich, łagodny temperament. Pod względem użytkowym świnie rasy puławskiej spełniają kryteria standardu hodowlanego komponentu matecznego, gdyż charakteryzują się wysoką płodnością, plennością, wczesną dojrzałością rozpłodową i dobrymi cechami macierzyńskimi. Określenie potencjału genetycznego świń rasy puławskiej, w oparciu o badania cytogenetyczne i molekularne, umożliwi doskonalenie metod selekcji, które mogą gwarantować uzyskanie większego postępu hodowlanego. Charakterystyka świń rasy puławskiej na podstawie markerów chromosomowychIstotne znaczenie dla poznania wartości genetycznej gatunku Sus scrofa domestica, a także charakterystyki genetycznej poszczególnych ras świń, ma analiza cytogenetyczna dotycząca budowy i organizacji kariotypu. Stale doskonalone techniki cytogenetyczne, wzbogacane metodami genetyki molekularnej, umożliwiają precyzyjną identyfikację mutacji chromosomowych Cytogenetic and molecular studies in conservation breeding of Pulawska breed pigs Summary The paper presents the genetic characteristics of Pulawska breed pigs carried out on the basis of cytogenetic and molecular studies. Among chromosome markers, polymorphic variants of specific chromosome structures such as centromeric heterochromatin areas (C bands) and nucleolar organizing regions (NOR bands) were taken into account. The described breed-specific tendencies concerning size polymorphism of these structures are the source of chromosome markers that are useful for identifying the linkage with genes controlling important production traits. On the other hand, molecular studies presented in this work included DNA markers of the STR and SNP type (with particular consideration of the PRL, FST, MC4R, TNNT3, MTTP and DIO3 genes), which are useful in determining the genetic background of functional traits, as well as the characteristics of the breeds for terms of genetic variation, especially conservative breeds, where it is appropriate to maintain the existing genetic diversity and intra-breed variability.