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Abstract Background Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) has become a widely performed technique in neurocritical care, which is however known to be accompanied by some risks to the patient. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the derecruitment effects of PDT with the electric impedance tomography (EIT) during the PDT procedure in neurocritical care. Methods The prospective observational pilot study investigated 11 adult, intubated, mechanically ventilated patients with acute brain disease. We recorded EIT data to determine regional ventilation delay standard deviation (RVD SD), compliance win (CW) and loss (CL), end-expiratory lung impedance (EELI), with the EIT belt placed at the level of Th 4 before, during and after the PDT, performed in the standard PDT position ensuring hyperextension of the neck. Results From 11 patients, we finally analyzed EIT data in 6 patients - EIT data of 5 patients have been excluded due to the insufficient EIT recordings. The mean RVD SD post-PDT decreased to 7.00 ± 1.29% from 7.33 ± 1.89%. The mean post-PDT CW was 27.33 ± 15.81 and PDT CL 6.33 ± 6.55. Only in one patient, where the trachea was open for 170 s, was a massive dorsal collapse (∆EELI − 25%) detected. In other patients, the trachea was open from 15 to 50 s. Conclusions This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of EIT to detect early lung derecruitment occurring due to the PDT procedure. The ability to detect regional changes in ventilation could be helpful in predicting further progression of ventilation impairment and subsequent hypoxemia, to consider optimal ventilation regimes or time-schedule and type of recruitment maneuvres required after the PDT.

Introduction: Dysphagia is a risk factor for aspiration pneumonia and acute respiratory failure in acute stroke patients. Dysphagia lusoria is caused by compression on the esophagus from artery lusoria, when the aberrant right subclavian artery arises from the descending aortic arch. We present a rare case report of pre-stroke undiagnosed dysphagia lusoria as a cause of aspiration pneumonia with acute respiratory failure in a 67-year-old female patient admitted with a minor left intracerebral hemorrhage in the left basal ganglia. On admission to the stroke unit, she had Glasgow Coma Scale of 15, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale of 8, and a negative screening test for dysphagia, dysphasia, and right-sided hemiparesis. After 16 h of admission, dyspnea suddenly occurred with a decrease in SpO 2 (72%). X-ray of the lungs showed less ventilated areas of the lung due to aspiration pneumonia and a broad disfigured shadow of the anterior mediastinum on the base of the lusoria artery. Dysphagia lusoria was confirmed by spiral computed tomography angiography. Conclusion: One aim of neurocritical care is the prevention of pneumonia from dysphagia due to risk of acute respiratory failure and secondary brain damage. Pre-stroke undiagnosed dysphagia lusoria could be one very rare cause. A broad disfigured shadow of the anterior mediastinum in X-ray of the lungs gives rise to the first suspicion of the possibility of dysphagia lusoria.

Phytochemicals affect metabolic changes as well as organ changes. With their effects, they can prevent diseases or, in the case of established disease, affect speeding up conventional treatment. Low-calorie diets and other restrictive diets are challenging to follow for an extended period. As a result, they are less popular than non-restrictive programs that instead encourage good eating habits. In our experiment, we dealt with the health problems of 8 probands with the following health problems: high blood sugar level, overweight, high blood cholesterol level, high blood pressure. Before and after the end of the restrictive diet, we determined changes in the organism. Blood sugar levels, body weight, changes in blood pressure, subjective expression of pain, physiological values in the blood (cholesterol, hemoglobin, white blood cells, glucose, urea, cholesterol, thyroid function and hormones (T3 – triiodothyronine, T4 – thyroxine)) and urine (urine pH, urine proteins, glucose, ketones, urobilinogen, blood in urine and hemoglobin) were determined. As for blood biochemical parameters, positive changes were observed in almost all probands, except for the decreased creatinine level. After completing the restrictive diet, the participants' blood pressure moved towards normal values (120/80). In addition, the participants' body weight decreased by an average of 3-4.5 kg, which led to a change in their BMI (Body Mass Index). During the entire 7-day period of the diet, most of the participants initially reported negative subjective experiences, but at the end of the restrictive diet, they generally felt good.

During the transformation process of matter is produced energy, which afterwards interacts with matter itself, and other forms of energy. Energy induced electromagnetic appliances may affect the processes occurring in biological systems. In our study we have evaluated the wine fermentation process of the magnetic field with different amplitudes of electromagnetic induction, the constant exposure of 30 minutes a day for 10 days. The device for inducing magnetism was constructed at the Department of Fruit Growing, Viticulture and Enology at Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra for research purposes. Essence of the device lies in the way of the management of direct current, which flows through the coil. Volume of direct current is regulated by network auto-transformer. Output of network autotransformer is rectified by two-way bridge rectifier. The coil is powered by a direct current voltage pulse. This device has a maximum value of the magnetic induction at 150 mT. At full power it must be supplied from three-phase socket with a rated current of 32 A. For our experiment, we chose wine grape variety of Hibernal, from Nitra wine region. The magnetic field induced by the electromagnetic device has an impact on the process of fermentation and sensory characteristics of a young wine. As part of the sensory profile, we noticed higher levels of residual sugar and speed up of the fermentation process and the process of purifying of the young wine. The influence of magnetic field on grape juice during the entire fermentation process and production of wine is a convenient way to improve the quality of wine without side effects or any chemical additives.

We examined the effect of two different technological processes for wine production on qualitative parameters of wine. We used the reductive method, which is currently considered to be the conventional method, and a targeted must oxidation method. We evaluated the basic physicochemical parameters and sensory attributes of wine as well as the content of phenolic substances in wine, which are responsible for the oxidation processes. The vegetable materials used were the grape varieties, Welschriesling, Chardonnay, and Rheinriesling. The content of phenolic substances was determined by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography), and the basic analytical parameters of wine were determined by FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) spectrometry. The sensory analysis was evaluated according to the International Union of Oenologists. For each of the wines examined, the total content of phenolic substances decreased after the targeted oxidation method was applied. For the Welschriesling variety produced by the reduction method, the total content of the 19 monitored phenolic substances in the year 2015 was 88.37 mg·L−1, and for the wine produced by target oxygenation, it was 68.63 mg·L−1. This represents a decrease of 21.5%. In the year 2016, the decrease was 20.91%. By reducing the content of phenolic substances, the oxidation processes in wines are eliminated after bottling. Thus, there is less need for sulphating wines with a reduced content of phenols.

We have focused on the influence evaluation of the locality, the vintage year and fermentation process on the volume of copper and lead into grape must and wine. First of all copper and lead volume was assessed into fresh grape musts. Subsequently the musts were fermented. During the wines analyses we found great decrease of copper by the fermentation process. Assessed Cu2+ values vary from 0.07 to 0.2 mg.L-1 and represent a decrease of the original copper volume from 90 to 97%. On the copper content into grape has probably the significant influence also the precipitation amount, which falling in the second part of the vegetation half a year. Total rainfall in the period before the grape harvesting (the months of August - September) was for the first year 153 mm and for second year 137,5 mm. During both observed vintage years it was concerning to the above average values. Copper is not possible to eliminate totally in the protection of the vine against fungal diseases, because against it does not come into existence resistance into a pathogen. For resolution of this problem it is suitable to combine the copper and organic products. Fermentation affect as a biological filter and influence also lead volume. Into analysed wines we found the decrease of the lead volume from 25 to 94%. Maximal assessed Pb2+ value into wine was 0.09 mg.L-1. The linear relationship between lead and copper into grape must in relationship to the lead and copper into wine was not statistically demonstrated. We found the statistically significant relationship in lead content into grape must by the influence of the vintage year, which as we supposed, it was connected with the atmospheric precipitation quantity and distribution during the vegetation. On the base of the assessed results of the lead and copper volume into wine, we state that by using of the faultless material and appropriate technological equipment during the wine production, it is possible to eliminate almost completely the problems with these heavy metals content into our wines and it is from the view of technological as well as hygienic.