The purpose of the study was to determine the difference in extrahepatic bile duct (EBD) size measured by magnetic resonance (MR) compared with those measured by ultrasound (US). Changes of EBD size related to aging were analyzed too. Size of EBD was measured in 76 randomly selected healthy individuals. Three radiologists blinded to the result of other study preformed measurements by US and three different T2 weighted MR sequences. Correlation and linear regression analysis of obtained data were performed. The mean diameter of EBD measured by US was 3.17 mm and by MR was 3.14 mm on thick slab rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (TSE), 3.26 mm on thin section single-shot TSE (HASTE) and 3.30 mm on coronal fully rewound gradient echo (True FISP). There was no statistical difference between US and different MR sequences (p < 0.05). A trend of increase of EBD with age (0.0155 mm per year, p = 0.0954) was observed. Size of EBD highly correlated for each MR sequence with US measurement validating use of MR as a reliable method for evaluation of EBD size. This conclusion is stressed by increase of EBD size with age demonstrated by all measuring methods.

Turopoljska pasmina svinja je u statusu obnove i zastite od 1996 godine. U 2006 godini velicina uzgojne populacije od 137 krmaca i 13 nerqstova ukazuje da je pasmina u statusu kriticne ugroženosti (standardi FAO). Cilj rada bio je istražiti mase i preživljavanje prasadi kroz sedmodnevna razdoblja 1., 7., 14., 21., 28., 35., i 42. dana života. Dobiveni rezultati analizirani prema distribuciji porodnih masa pokazuju da je 29, 4% s manjom, 35.3 u granicama, a 35.3% iznad prosjecne vrijednosti od 1, 25kg koja je standardna vrijednost za svojstvo porodne mase prasadi kod Turopoljske pasmine svinja. Porodna masa prasadi ima utjecaj na promjene mase u razdoblji od 1. do 42. dana života, a posebno do 21 dan života. Preživljavanje prasadi od 1. do 42 . dana života bilo je 73.3%.

The aim of the study was to determine the variance of longissimus muscle area (LMA) measurements associated with the standard use of polar planimeter (REISS Precision 3005, Germany) and "Image tool" software program. Measurements were conducted on six dorsal samples taken between 7th and 9th rib of the right halfs of beef carcasses. Firstly, LMA was traced on acetate paper and measured using a planimeter. Secondly, the images of longissimus muscles for computer analysis were obtained by scanning (UMAX PowerLook II) dorsal samples in ratio 1:1. LMA size was determined with "Image tool" software. Triplicate measurements of LMA were performed by six measurers for each sample and method. Variance components for LMA measurement method associated with measurer, sample and measurement replicates were estimated by REML. The proportion of the total variance in LMA measurement beetwen samples was greater with "Image tool" (99.79 %) than with planimeter (96.49 %). The proportion of variance between measurers was 0.12 % with "Image tool" and 0.34 % with planimeter. The proportion of error variance due to measurement replicates associated with the use of "Image tool" program was smaller (0.09 %) than with the planimeter (3.17 %). The application of "Image tool" showed greater precision in measuring LMA than standard planimetry method.

Regarding nutritional recommendations for humans, pork in general has too high ratio of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The n-6/n-3 index is particularly high if animals were intensively fed concentrate feeds, because the cereals like corn are rich in linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6). Traditional Black Slavonian pig production is an outdoor grazing system, which includes utilization of the natural resources of pasture and oak woodland with supplement of small amounts of corn or some other grains. However, fattening with corn-based concentrate mixtures before slaughter is common. In this study, the influence of finishing diet of acorn or corn-based mixture on fatty acid profile of longissimus muscle of Black Slavonian pigs was investigated. The indication of beneficial effects of acorn was found when Black Slavonian pigs were fed acorn instead of concentrate feed during pre-slaughter fattening. Feeding acorn ad libitum for a period of three weeks prior slaughter significantly increased the content of alpha linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) in the longissimus muscle in comparison to concentrate fed pigs (0.37 vs. 0.12, respectively ; expressed as % of total fatty acid methyl esters, P ≤ 0.01). As a consequence, the n-6/n-3 ratio in the muscle of acorn finishing pigs was nearly threefold lower than in concentrate finishing pigs (24.1 vs. 69.3, P ≤ 0.01).