The novel coronavirus identified as severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Our aim in this study is to assess the incidence of life-threatening complications like pneumothorax, haemothorax, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema, probable risk factors and effect on mortality in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) ARDS patients treated with mechanical ventilation (MV). Data from 96 adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit with COVID-19 ARDS diagnosis from 11 March to 31 July 2020 were retrospectively assessed. A total of 75 patients abiding by the study criteria were divided into two groups as the group developing ventilator-related barotrauma (BG) (N = 10) and the group not developing ventilator-related barotrauma (NBG) (N = 65). In 10 patients (13%), barotrauma findings occurred 22 ± 3.6 days after the onset of symptoms. The mortality rate was 40% in the BG-group, while it was 29% in the NBG-group with no statistical difference identified. The BG-group had longer intensive care admission duration, duration of time in prone position and total MV duration, with higher max positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) levels and lower min pO2/FiO2 levels. The peak lactate dehydrogenase levels in blood were higher by statistically significant level in the BG-group (P < 0.05). The contribution of MV to alveolar injury caused by infection in COVID-19 ARDS patients may cause more frequent barotrauma compared to classic ARDS and this situation significantly increases the MV and intensive care admission durations of patients. In terms of reducing mortality and morbidity in these patients, MV treatment should be carefully maintained within the framework of lung-protective strategies and the studies researching barotrauma pathophysiology should be increased.

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Plasma 13,14-dihydro-15-keto prostaglandin F2alpha (PGFM) and progesterone levels were determined in actively ovulating, 1- to 2-yr-old female geese (Anser anser domesticus) at hourly intervals during the oviposition cycle, using the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) technique. The plasma PGFM concentration showed a peak at the time of oviposition and decreased to a basal level after oviposition. Progesterone levels began to surge approximately 12 to 13 h before ovulation and reached a peak 2 to 3 h before ovulation. The plasma progesterone concentrations returned to basal level at the time of ovulation. The present method of EIA was found to have practical application in analyses of progesterone and PGFM in plasma of birds.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ram introduction after the second prostaglandin F2alpha (PG F2alpha) injection on day 11 on the secretion characteristics of pre-ovulatory LH surge of fat-tailed ewes. Multiparous Morkaraman ewes (n=12) were divided into three groups by balancing the groups for liveweight (BW) and body condition score (BCS). On the day of second PGF2 alpha injection (0 h), performance tested rams (n=2) were either introduced to the ewes at 0 h (ram 0 group, n=4) or at 18 h (ram 18 group, n=4) or were not introduced (control group, n=4). Blood samples were collected at 6, 18, 42, 48, 56, 62, 66, 70, 74, 78 and 90 h for the determination of pre-ovulatory LH surge. BCS and BW during the experimental period were 2.2 +/- 0.2 units and 50.9 +/- 2.3 kg, 2.4 +/- 0.4 units and 49.2 +/- 6.2 kg, 2.1 +/- 0.3 units and 45.9 +/- 4.4 kg, respectively for the ram 0, ram 18 and control groups (p > 0.05). No significant difference was observed in LH surge characteristics for the experimental groups. Peak LH concentrations were also not different between groups (p > 0.05) and they were 12.2 +/- 8.3, 29.1 +/- 9.9 and 15.8 +/- 9.5 microg/l for the ram 0, ram 18 and control groups, respectively. There was, however, a significant correlation between peak LH concentrations and BCS (p < 0.05, R2=0.373). In conclusion, it appears that, compared with ram introduction, variability in body condition of the ewe has much pronounced effect on the amount of LH secreted after the usage of two PGF2 alpha injections (11 days apart) as a tool for oestrus synchronization.