STUDY ON THE CULINARY AND TECHNOLOGICAL QUALITY APPRECIATION OF NEW VARIETIES OF POTATO OBTAINED AT NIRDPSB BRASOV

This study, conducted during 2015-2016 at NIRDPSB Brasov, was initiated in need of acquiring information on new potato varieties created in the institute and pursued their culinary and technological quality appreciation. The biological material analyzed is represented by potato varieties with improved genetic characteristics, both in terms of cultural qualities as well as resistance to diseases and pests.The culinary and technological quality of a potato variety must satisfy the requirements necessary to obtain raw material suitable for the purpose of use. The culinary quality was established by assessing the traits of overall appearance of tubers boiled, taste, crushing on boiling, pulp consistency, mealiness, pulp moisture, structure of starch granules, pulp color, tuber after-cooking darkening. The technological quality was determined by measuring the tuber starch content and establishing the suitability for processing into chips

Total phenolic content in several potato cultivars (Brasov, 2015-2016)

Potato tubers are a valuable source of bioactive nutrients such starch, amino-acids, dietary fibers, vitamins, minerals and phenolic compounds. Some of these phenolics could have beneficial effects on humans health. The present study evaluated the total phenolic compounds (TPC) in skin and flesh of thirty potato genotypes grown in Brasov trials, over two years. Lower levels of TPC were found in the flesh than in the skin of the tubers. Blue varieties Salad Blue had the highest values for all parameters excepting the TPC in flesh which was higher in the genotype Blue Purple of Galanesti. For TPC, maximum values find in flesh and skin tissue were 3.76 and 10.79 mg / gallic acid equivalents (values reported on dry weight)

STUDIES REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF Rosmarinus officinalis OIL TREATMENTS IN HEALTHY AND POTATO VIRUS Y (PVY) INFECTED PLANTS Solanum tuberosum L

Abstract. The potato virus Y cause loss in yield and quality of tubers. Hydrogen peroxide, ascorbic acid and antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid present in oils extracted from Rosmarinus officinalis plants are implicated in signaling against stress. The effects of these chemicals on tuber yield and pigments content were evaluated in plants testing positive after virus mechanical infection. Without chemical treatment, positive plants showed significant reductions in leaf pigments content and tuber weights compared to uninfected controls. Hydrogen peroxide, ascorbic acid and oil treatments of PVY infected plants significantly reduced the number of minitubers, enhancing their weights, while leaf pigment content also increased. This research demonstrates potential benefits of treatments with oils extracted from Rosmarinus officinalis plants and hydrogen peroxide or ascorbic acid in enhancing the yield and quality of tubers

Post-anaesthesia pulmonary complications after use of muscle relaxants (POPULAR): a multicentre, prospective observational study

Background Results from retrospective studies suggest that use of neuromuscular blocking agents during general anaesthesia might be linked to postoperative pulmonary complications. We therefore aimed to assess whether the use of neuromuscular blocking agents is associated with postoperative pulmonary complications. Methods We did a multicentre, prospective observational cohort study. Patients were recruited from 211 hospitals in 28 European countries. We included patients (aged ≥18 years) who received general anaesthesia for any in-hospital procedure except cardiac surgery. Patient characteristics, surgical and anaesthetic details, and chart review at discharge were prospectively collected over 2 weeks. Additionally, each patient underwent postoperative physical examination within 3 days of surgery to check for adverse pulmonary events. The study outcome was the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications from the end of surgery up to postoperative day 28. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for surgical factors and patients’ preoperative physical status, providing adjusted odds ratios (ORadj) and adjusted absolute risk reduction (ARRadj). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01865513. Findings Between June 16, 2014, and April 29, 2015, data from 22803 patients were collected. The use of neuromuscular blocking agents was associated with an increased incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients who had undergone general anaesthesia (1658 [7·6%] of 21694); ORadj 1·86, 95% CI 1·53–2·26; ARRadj –4·4%, 95% CI –5·5 to –3·2). Only 2·3% of high-risk surgical patients and those with adverse respiratory profiles were anaesthetised without neuromuscular blocking agents. The use of neuromuscular monitoring (ORadj 1·31, 95% CI 1·15–1·49; ARRadj –2·6%, 95% CI –3·9 to –1·4) and the administration of reversal agents (1·23, 1·07–1·41; –1·9%, –3·2 to –0·7) were not associated with a decreased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Neither the choice of sugammadex instead of neostigmine for reversal (ORadj 1·03, 95% CI 0·85–1·25; ARRadj –0·3%, 95% CI –2·4 to 1·5) nor extubation at a train-of-four ratio of 0·9 or more (1·03, 0·82–1·31; –0·4%, –3·5 to 2·2) was associated with better pulmonary outcomes. Interpretation We showed that the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs in general anaesthesia is associated with an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Anaesthetists must balance the potential benefits of neuromuscular blockade against the increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications