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We created a neck trauma model by injecting blood into the sheath of rabbits' carotid bodies (CBs). Then we determined the relationship between neuronal degeneration of the CB due to hemorrhage of this organ and its clinical effects such as blood pH and heart rhythm. The present study included 24 adult male New Zealand rabbits. The animals were divided into 3 groups: control (n = 5); sham (0.5 mL saline injected into CBs; n = 5); and study (CB trauma model; n = 14). pH values and heart rhythms were recorded before the experiment to determine the values under normal conditions, and measurements were repeated thrice in the days following the experiment. The number of normal and degenerated neuron density of CBs was counted. The relationship between the blood pH values, heart rhythms, and degenerated neuron densities was analyzed. Heart rhythms were 218 ± 20 in the control group, 197 ± 16 in the sham group (P = 0.09), and 167 ± 13 in the study group (P < 0.0005). pH values were 7.40 ± 0.041 in the control group, 7.321 ± 0.062 in the sham group (P = 0.203), and 7.23 ± 0.02 in study group (P < 0.0005). Degenerated neuron densities were 12 ± 4/mm3 in the control group, 430 ± 74/mm3 in the sham group (P < 0.005), and 7434 ± 810/mm3 in the study group (P < 0.0001). A high degenerate neuron density in the CB can decrease blood pH and hearth rhythm after neck trauma, and there might be a close relationship between the number of degenerated neurons and clinical findings (such as heart rhythm and blood pH). This relationship suggests that injury to the glossopharyngeal nerve−CB network can cause acidosis by disturbing the breathing-circulating reflex and results in respiratory acidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there is an urgent need to establish the optimal dosing of TREO in conditioning prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, especially in children. For that purpose, pharmacokinetic analyses are ongoing within clinical phase II and III trials. In this paper, HPLC methods for determination of prodrug treosulfan and/or its biologically active epoxides in human plasma or serum are reviewed for the first time, including the spectrum of analytes being quantified, detection type, and derivatization methodology. The major focus is addressed to the stability of TREO and its monoepoxide related with different strategies of patients’ blood processing, e.g. blood pH lowering to different values, no pH adjustment; centrifugation of blood immediately after collection or within a few hours later. This issue is crucially important for the robust bioanalysis because the epoxytransformation of TREO is a nonenzymatic, highly pH and temperature-dependent reaction. In-depth analysis of the literature results demonstrates that some methodologies of blood treatment could produce the systematic underestimation of TREO concentrations. Consequently, the drug clearance and volume of distribution will be overestimated, which might false the association of the drug exposure with the regimen-related toxicity and clinical outcomes. The paper indicates the deficiencies of the blood processing strategies and offers hints for their refinement. The provided information ought to be important in the current investigations of the personalized TREO pharmacokinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Diverse variables are involved in apheresis platelet collection, processing and storage. This survey shows how these are realized in Spain. Method An analysis of collected data was performed in a questionnaire completed by ten Transfusion Centers (TC) which perform between 50 and 520 apheresis procedures per month. This information comprises the procedures used to collect, inspect and store apheresis platelet concentrates (PC), and quality control data. Results Macroscopic inspection of PC is performed in all TC, especially during the first few hours post-collection and before distribution. The type of processor, duration of post-collection resting periods and temperature from the time of collection until distribution are similar in all TC. In 80% of TC, PC with small and scarce aggregates are distributed to transfusion services. The presence of clumps is influenced by type of processor, female donor, cold ambient temperature and collection of hyperconcentrated platelets, and is often recurrent in the same donor, although some TC have not found any influential variables. Overall, no objective inspection methods are followed, although there are exceptions. The degree of compliance with quality control parameters, such as the number of units studied, mean platelet yield, residual leukocyte counts and pH at expiry date, is acceptable in all TC. Compliance in terms of number of microbiological culture samples is variable. Discussion The usual practice in Spanish TC with respect to the collection, post-collection handling and storage of apheresis PC can be considered uniform, although some specific aspects of analyses should follow more objective methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenteral products should aim toward being isotonic and euhydric (physiological pH). Yet, due to other considerations, this goal is often not reasonable or doable. There are no clear allowable ranges related to pH and osmolality, and thus, the objective of this review was to provide a better understanding of acceptable formulation pH, buffer strength, and osmolality taking into account the administration route (i.e., intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous) and administration technique (i.e., bolus, push, infusion). This evaluation was based on 3 different approaches: conventional, experimental, and parametric. The conventional way of defining formulation limits was based on standard pH and osmolality ranges. Experimental determination of titratable acidity or in vitro hemolysis testing provided additional drug product information. Finally, the parametric approach was based on the calculation of theoretical values such as (1) the maximal volume of injection which cannot shift the blood's pH or its molarity out of the physiological range and (b) a dilution ratio at the injection site and by verifying that threshold values are not exceeded. The combination of all 3 approaches can support the definition of acceptable pH, buffer strength, and osmolality of formulations and thus may reduce the risk of failure during preclinical and clinical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction In complementary medicine, chronic, subclinical imbalance of acid-base regulation is considered a risk factor for chronic diseases. It is, however, unclear how this can be detected diagnostically.The objective was to study the reliability of an acid-base titration method according to Joergensen and van Limburg Stirum. Method The pH values before and after gradual titration using HCl was measured in two venous blood samples (day-1 and day-3) in healthy volunteers (n = 57). The blood test on day 3 was analysed twice. Results Data could was available from 48 subjects. Comparison of data from day 1 and day 3 showed a statistically significant difference in the blood pH before titration with average values of 7.45 (day 1) and 7.46 (day 3), respectively. Comparison of day 3/measurement 1 with day 3/measurement 2 showed no significant differences in the blood pH values. Conclusion The difference between days 1 and 3 is likely due to changes in setting factors which could not be controlled for. The blood titration method according to Joergensen and van Limburg Stirum seems to have an acceptable retest-reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To establish the efficacy and tolerability of inhaled 5% carbon dioxide/95% oxygen as a treatment for paediatric non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE). Methods In an open label clinical trial, children in NCSE were given high flow inhaled 5% carbon dioxide/95% oxygen by face mask for 120 s under EEG control. Results Six children (five male; ages 3–13; all with severe underlying epilepsy and disability) were recruited. Inhalation was well tolerated in all cases. Capillary blood gasses showed no significant derangements at the end of the inhalation. Effects on EEG normalisation were limited and transient, and no clinical improvements were noted. No adverse effects occurred. Conclusion Inhaled 5% carbon dioxide/95% oxygen has been suggested as a potent, well tolerated anticonvulsant. An anticonvulsant without sedating and respiration-depressing effects would be particularly welcome in the management of NCSE where the justification for aggressive anticonvulsant therapy is often uncertain, however it appears that 5% carbon dioxide is of limited efficacy in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oreochromis mossambicus were exposed to two different temperature and carbon dioxide partial pressure levels for about two weeks, as the ambient (Control; 25 °C, 3.3 mg/L CO 2 ), high CO 2 (25 °C, 14 mg/L CO 2 ), high temperature (30 °C, 3 mg/L CO 2 ) and combined (30 °C, 14.1 mg/L CO 2 ) groups. No mortality was observed during the experiments. As a result of the study, elevated CO 2 concentrations cause negative effects on the hematological parameters. At the end of the study, while the blood Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) activity, in the high CO 2 group (25 °C, 14 mg/L CO 2 ), statistically increased at the 7th day compared to the control group, it decreased at the 14th day (p < 0.05). In addition, the blood CA activity, in the combined (30 °C, 14.1 mg/L CO 2 ) group, showed a decrease at the 14th day compared to the control group (p < 0.05). At the end of study, unlike the blood CA activity, gill, liver and kidney CA activity showed an increase in the tissues compared to the control groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the Na + , K + -ATPase activities were stimulated significantly in the gills in both high CO 2 and temperature groups at day 7, but it showed a significant amount of inhibition at the 14th day compared to the control groups. Overall, increasing carbon dioxide concentration in different temperatures has negative effects on the hematological parameters and respiratory enzyme of the tilapia fish. In addition, it is observed that the fish survive at negative conditions with adaptation mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] H+ regulation and ventilation are mutually interactive at rest and exercise. [•] Impairment of heart and lung function does not mitigate exercise pH regulation. [•] Arterial pH is regulated by ventilating CO2from the venous return. [•] Ventilation increases with exercise V D/ V T, while maintaining normal pHa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is one of the key treatments after cardiac arrest (CA). Selection of post-CA patients for TH remains problematic, as there are no clinically validated tools to determine who might benefit from the therapy. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate retrospectively whether laboratory findings or other patient data obtained during the early phase of hospital admission could be correlated with neurological outcome after TH in comatose survivors of CA. Methods: Medical charts of witnessed CA patients admitted between June 2003 and July 2009 who were treated with TH were reviewed retrospectively. The subjects were grouped based on their cerebral performance category (CPC) 6 months after CA, as either good recovery (GR) for CPC 1–2 or non-good recovery (non-GR) for CPC 3–5. The following well-known determinants of outcome obtained during the early phase of hospital admission were evaluated: age, gender, body mass index, cardiac origin, presence of ventricular fibrillation (VF), time from collapse to cardiopulmonary resuscitation, time from collapse to return of spontaneous circulation, body temperature, arterial blood gases, and blood test results. Results: We analyzed a total of 50 (25 GR and 25 non-GR) patients. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that initial heart rhythm and pH levels were significantly higher in the GR group than in the non-GR group (ventricular tachycardia/VF rate: p = 0.055, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.768–84.272, odds ratio [OR] 8.047; pH: 7.155 ± 0.139 vs. 6.895 ± 0.100, respectively, p < 0.001, 95% CI 1.838–25.827; OR 6.89). Conclusion: These results imply that in addition to initial heart rhythm, pH level may be a good candidate for neurological outcome predictor even though previous research has found no correlation between initial pH value and neurological outcome. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Herein, we describe a case of a now 28-month-old boy who presented at the age of 17 months with four episodes of recurrent vomiting and somnolence during a period of four months with increasing severity. A comprehensive clinical and metabolic evaluation revealed normal blood pH and blood glucose, normal cerebral computed tomography and electroencephalogram but an elevated plasma ammonia concentration, which raised the suspicion of a urea cycle disorder. The combination of elevated urinary orotic acid and plasma glutamine with normal citrulline suggested the diagnosis of ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency, which was confirmed by molecular genetic testing revealing the novel hemizygous mutation c.535C > T (p.Leu179Phe) of the OTC gene. After restitution of anabolism by administration of parenteral glucose, substitution of citrulline and detoxification of ammonia with sodium benzoate, the patient recovered rapidly and is in a stable metabolic and neurological state since then. This case underlines that the diagnosis of a urea cycle defect should be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent idiopathic vomiting in combination with unexplained neurological symptoms also beyond the neonatal period due to the possibility of mild or atypical late-onset presentation (e.g. OTC deficiency in hemizygous males). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Most athletic horses are fed a high-starch diet despite the risk of health problems. Replacing starch concentrate with high-energy forage would alleviate these health problems, but could result in a shift in major substrates for muscle energy supply from glucose to short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) due to more hindgut fermentation of fibre. Dietary fat inclusion has previously been shown to promote aerobic energy supply during exercise, but the contribution of SCFA to exercise metabolism has received little attention. This study compared metabolic response with exercise and lactate threshold (VLa4) in horses fed a forage-only diet (F) and a more traditional high-starch, low-energy forage diet (forage–concentrate diet - FC). The hypothesis was that diet F would increase plasma acetate concentration and increase VLa4 compared with diet FC. Six Standardbred geldings in race training were used in a 29-day change-over experiment. Plasma acetate, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), lactate, glucose and insulin concentrations and venous pH were measured in samples collected before, during and after a treadmill exercise test (ET, day 25) and muscle glycogen concentrations before and after ET. Plasma acetate concentration was higher before and after exercise in horses on diet F compared with diet FC, and there was a tendency (P = 0.09) for increased VLa4 on diet F. Venous pH and plasma glucose concentrations during exercise were higher in horses on diet F than diet FC, as was plasma NEFA on the day after ET. Plasma insulin and muscle glycogen concentrations were lower for diet F, but glycogen utilisation was similar for the two diets. The results show that a high-energy, forage-only diet alters the metabolic response to exercise and, with the exception of lowered glycogen stores, appears to have positive rather than negative effects on performance traits. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The objective was to measure the effects of VC (a uterotonic drug with vasodilator effects) in eutocic and dystocic sows, on the acid–base balance and some vitality traits of piglets at birth. Farrowing was induced with prostaglandin F2α. Four groups of sows (20 sows/group) were monitored; Groups 1 and 2 were eutocic sows, whereas Groups 3 and 4 were dam-fetal dystocic sows. Groups 1 and 3 (control) were given saline, whereas Groups 2 and 4 were given VC im (1.66 mg/kg of body weight) after the first piglet was born. Piglets'' physio-metabolic performance was monitored peripartum. Treatment with VC reduced (P < 0.0001) the percentage of intrapartum stillbirths in sows either with eutocic (5.2 vs. 10.0%) and dystocic (7.6 vs. 16.7%) farrowings and increased (P < 0.0001) the number of pigs born alive without any evidence of AFS (89.9 vs. 79.9%, eutocic and 81.6 vs. 65.2%, dystocic). In addition, for the group of pigs with no acute fetal suffering (AFS), VC treatment enhanced survival responses with a half point grater vitality score in Group 4; it also reduced the latency to first teat contact by 6 min (P < 0.05) in both treated groups compared to controls; and it improved the condition of the pigs'' umbilical cord, with more adhered (98 vs. 86% in eutocic and 88 vs. 80% in dystocic; P < 0.05) and less ruptured cords. Moreover, VC reduced the severity of adverse physio-metabolic indicators and the acid–base balance of piglets with AFS at birth by lowering blood lactate (89.8 vs. 93.5 mmol/L in eutocic groups and 94.6 vs. 100.2 mmol/L in dystocic groups; P < 0.05), P a co 2 and Ca2+, and by increasing blood pH, HCO3 and P a o 2 levels (P < 0.05). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Drip loss of 374 samples taken from porcine M. longissimus dorsi and M. semimembranosus was measured by using the “bag method” (BM), EZ-DripLoss (EZ-DL) from premium cuts (PC) and in retail tray (case-ready meat; CRM). This provided a comparison between these methods and their relationships to other meat quality and carcass traits. Samples were prepared at 24h post-mortem (pm) and were measured 24 and 48h after preparation (at 48 and 72h pm) using the BM and after 48h (at 72h pm) with the EZ-DL and PC. Drip loss of meat kept in retail trays was measured after 7 days (CRM7) and daily within a week (CRM1–7). Average drip loss was 1.80% and 3.10% using the BM after 24 and 48h, respectively. EZ-DL and CRM7 showed higher drip losses of 4.71% and 4.00%. Daily loss of CRM1–7 showed a concavely shaped curve and increased from 1.57% to 5.64% after 7 days. High correlations were obtained between drip loss of CRM7 and BM (r =0.88) or the EZ-DL (r =0.91). The development of drip loss in case-ready meat fitted by linear-quadratic regression (y =0.439+1.245x −0.072x 2) showed that high drip loss measured earlier by bag and EZ-DripLoss methods was highly associated with a high intercept (r =0.63–0.72), a high linear increase (r =0.77–0.81), but larger decrease in increments (r =−0.82 to −0.86) during weekly stored meat in retail trays as supplied at consumer level. Because the positive linear regression coefficient was substantially higher than the negative quadratic regression coefficient, the development of drip loss is mainly dependent on the initial drip loss. Therefore, animals with high drip loss within 72h post-mortem also showed undesirable high drip loss curves over the entire retail period. Relationships between drip loss and other meat quality traits were similar for BM, EZ-DL and CRM7. Of these the correlation between pH24 and drip loss was highest with r =−0.54, −0.49 and −0.47 for BM, EZ-DL and CRMH7, respectively. Interestingly, a correlation of r =−0.35 between blood pH value and CRML7 was obtained. Carcass traits such as loin, ham, shoulder, belly weight or loin eye area showed only marginal correlations to drip loss. In conclusion, EZ-DL was the most appropriate method to predict drip loss of case-ready meat in retail trays and its development during a 7 day storage period. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Anionic diets are fed to non-lactating pre-parturient cows to lower the dietary cation–anion difference index (DCAD), thereby limiting their risk of contracting milk fever, and other associated metabolic diseases, in early lactation. Data from 21 studies (86 dietary treatments) with dry dairy cows, published in referred scientific journals, were identified for meta-analysis to predict urinary and blood pH (pHu and pHb) change as a response to anionic diet feeding. All studies reported pHu, while only in 13 (46 treatments) was pHb measured. The pHu was predicted from three DCAD indexes, as calculated from three combinations of dietary ions (i.e. DCAD1: Na, K, Cl; DCAD2: Na, K, Cl, S; DCAD3: Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, S) and expressed as dietary concentration (mequiv./100 g DM). The best prediction of pHu, adjusted for the study effect, was obtained with the equation: pHu=5.868+0.0904DCAD1-0.0008DCAD12 (r2=0.86; S.E.=±0.373). Poorer predictions occurred with DCAD2 (r2=0.81; S.E.=±0.402) and DCAD3 (r2=0.73; S.E.=±0.481), while using daily equivalent intake did not improve the predictions. A smaller dataset of 46 dietary treatments was used to predict pHb on the basis of pHu. A linear regression (r2=0.76), after data correction for study effect, was obtained: pHb=7.26+0.020pHu. These equations predict the impact of DCAD on pHu and pHb allowing accurate anionic salt supplementations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus are the site of the main circadian clock in mammals. Synchronization of the SCN to light is achieved by direct retinal inputs. The present study performed in rats transferred to constant darkness shows that blood glucose, pH and PCO2 display significant diurnal changes when measurements were made during the subjective day, the early subjective night or the late subjective night. The effects of a 30-min light exposure (100 lx) on these metabolic parameters at each of these circadian times were assessed. Regardless of the circadian time, light induced an increase in blood glucose, but did not affect plasma pH and PCO2. This study suggests that blood glucose, PCO2 and acid-base state are under circadian control, most likely mediated by the SCN, while the hyperglycemic response to light seems not to be gated by a circadian clock and may thus involve retinal inputs to non-SCN retino-recipient areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Juvenile tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, were exposed to sulfide and hypoxia for 12, 24, 48 and 96 h. Hemoglobin concentrations, red blood cell counts, and mean cell hemoglobin, were higher at 12 h in fish exposed to hypoxia. However, control fish and those exposed to sulfide and hypoxia had lower red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit at 96 h. Methemoglobin was higher than in the controls, probably due to the hypoxemia induced by these stressors. Sulfhemoglobin was not detected in significant amounts in the blood of fish exposed to sulfide (in vivo), yet hemoglobin converted into sulfhemoglobin at 1–15 mM sulfide in vitro. Anaerobic metabolism seemed to be an important mechanism for adapting to sulfide exposure and blood pH returned to control values after 24 h of sulfide, preventing acidosis. The high sulfide tolerance in tambaqui is associated with its high tolerance to hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate occupational radiation doses inside and outside the houses that have used remnants of depleted uranium weapons (RDUW) to establish the roofs of their house and estimating their risks to the population health. Survey radiation dosimeter used to estimate average radiation doses inside and outside the houses with RDUW (25houses) and without RDUW (25 houses). Health risks are evaluated through analysis of complete blood tests and concentration of Potassium ion K＋, Sodium ions Na＋ with pH test for the 50 male donor blood samples. The maximum average radiation dose was 1.093 ± 0.07 Sv/hr measured inside the exposed houses of Shwan location/ Kirkuk governorate, and this makes the health risk more significant in that location. Elevated levels of radiation affected the results of the CBC tests and K＋, Na＋concentration with pH levels in the blood samples. The concentration of potassium ions (K＋) and pH increases with a high radiation dose. In contrast to that, the concentration of sodium ions (Na＋) declines with increasing radiation dose. • Remnants of depleted uranium weapons have significant risks on human health. • Exposure to ionizing radiation has an effect on the complete blood cells and biochemical tests. • High radiation doses have more impacts on biochemical tests than the hematological tests • The concentration of K+ rose rapidly due to exposure of ionizing radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]