Physicochemical changes in cubiu fruits (Solanum sessiliflorum Dunal) at different ripening stages

Cubiu shrubs (Solanum sessiliflorum Dunal) have drawn the attention of researchers for their biological versatility (preferential heliophilous or facultative ombrophilous shrubs), their capacity to grow in upland or lowland areas, and the good technological quality of their fruits for the food industry. The aim of this study was to verify physicochemical changes in cubiu fruits during maturation. The fruits were harvested from the experimental station of olericulture of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Brazil. The analyses were performed in whole cubiu fruits (peel, pulp, and placenta) at four traditional ripening stages (green, turning, ripe, and fully ripe) for the determination of weight, moisture, total solids, total carotenoids, proteins, lipids, and ash. Cubiu fruits showed large weight variation, with amodal distribution. The ripe stage was critical to maintain moisture, and from that stage on, water loss became evident. The lipids increased steadily over the four ripening stages, maintaining, however, insignificant calorie content. Total carotenoids, proteins, and ash reached the maximum level at the fully ripe stage. With the exception of weight and moisture, all physicochemical changes exhibited the same general behavior, i.e. they increased as the fruits ripened at the four investigated stages

Relationship between the Initial Systolic Time Interval and RR-interval during an exercise stimulus measured with Impedance Cardiography

The Initial Systolic Time Interval (ISTI), obtained from the electrocardiogram and impedance cardiogram, is considered to be a measure for the time delay between the electrical and mechanical activity of the heart and reflects an active period of the heart cycle. The relationship between ISTI and the total heart cycle (RR-interval) was studied in three groups of young, healthy volunteers: low, moderately and highly trained subjects. The three groups were exposed to an exercise stimulus on a cycle ergometer with an increasing work load to increase the heart rate. ISTI was decreased with decreasing RR-interval. However, the relative proportion of ISTI, ISTI/RR, was found to increase with decreasing RR-interval. This relationship was found to be inversely proportional. The rate of this increase in ISTI/RR was significantly higher in highly trained subjects. Also, over the whole range of heart rates ISTI was longer in these subjects. It is concluded that ISTI can be used to evaluate cardiac performance during physical exercise non-invasively and in an extramural setting

Dynamic response of the Initial Systolic Time Interval to a breathing stimulus measured with impedance cardiography

The Initial Systolic Time Interval (ISTI) is a measure for the time delay between the electrical and mechanical activity of the heart. The present study reports about the dynamic response of ISTI to a Valsalva manoeuvre. This response was investigated in 22 young healthy volunteers, having different levels of training in sports. The time course of the ISTI during the Valsalva manoeuvre was found to follow a distinct pattern and to be analogous to the course of the Pre-Ejection Period (PEP), also obtained from ECG and ICG signals, reported earlier. The recordings show a definite influence of the Frank-Starling mechanism and are to some extent consistent with reports on the time course of sympathetic activation. The highly trained subjects showed an ISTI that was systematically longer at all moments of the manoeuvre

The Purchasing Behavior of Public Organizations and its Impact on City Logistics

AbstractThis paper presents three studies on public procurement and its impact on city logistics. The studies aimed to give an insight into the transport volume related to the delivery of products and services - at a university in Newcastle, two academic institutions in Amsterdam, and the municipality of Rotterdam. Furthermore, the role of the public organisations as large receivers and promoters of sustainable transport is discussed. The paper concludes that public organisations play a key role in the organisation and extent of city logistics planning, albeit they may not be making beneficial use of their impact. Key barriers are the lack of standardised logistics information in procurement information systems, and incentives that promote sustainable and efficient delivery among purchasers

QUIT EMR trial: a prospective, observational, multicentre study to evaluate quality and 24 hours post-transport morbidity of interhospital transportation of critically ill patients: study protocol

INTRODUCTION: It is widely accepted that transportation of critically ill patients is high risk. Unfortunately, however, there are currently no evidence-based criteria with which to determine the quality of various interhospital transport systems and their impact on the outcomes for patients. We aim to rectify this by assessing 2 scores which were developed in our hospital in a prospective, observational study. Primarily, we will be examining the Quality of interhospital critical care transportation in the Euregion Meuse-Rhine (QUIT EMR) score, which focuses on the quality of the transport system, and secondarily the SEMROS (Simplified EMR outcome score) which detects changes in the patient's clinical condition in the 24 hours following their transportation. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A web-based application will be used to document around 150 pretransport, intratransport and post-transport items of each patient case.To be included, patients must be at least 18-years of age and should have been supervised by a physician during an interhospital transport which was started in the study region.The quality of the QUIT EMR score will be assessed by comparing 3 predefined levels of transport facilities: the high, medium and low standards. Subsequently, SEMROS will be used to determine the effect of transport quality on the morbidity 24 hours after transportation.It is estimated that there will be roughly 3000 appropriate cases suitable for inclusion in this study per year. Cases shall be collected from 1 April 2015 until 31 December 2017. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This trial was approved by the Ethics committees of the university hospitals of Maastricht (Netherlands) and Aachen (Germany). The study results will be published in a peer reviewed journal. Results of this study will determine if a prospective randomised trial involving patients of various categories being randomly assigned to different levels of transportation system shall be conducted. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NTR4937

Muscles in motion:a randomized controlled trial on the feasibility, safety and efficacy of an exercise training programme in children and adolescents with juvenile dermatomyositis

Objective. To study for the first time in a randomized controlled trial the feasibility, safety and efficacy of an exercise training programme in children and adolescents with JDM. Methods. Patients were randomly assigned to the Intervention Group (IG; n = 14) or Waiting Control Group (WCG; n = 12). The intervention comprised an individually tailored 12-week home-based exercise programme of treadmill interval training and strength exercises. The efficacy of the IG over usual care (WCG) was examined with mixed linear regression (intention-to-treat). Effect sustainability during 12 weeks follow-up was also examined. Results. Seventy-five percent of the participants completed the intervention. Reasons for discontinuation were motivation/fatigue, recurrent infections and increasing physical complaints. No hospitalizations occurred and immune suppressive therapy remained stable or decreased in the patients who participated in the intervention. The estimated marginal means after the intervention period were significantly in favour of the IG compared with the WCG for standing long jump distance [difference between groups (95% CI): 13 cm (2-23)], the 30-s number of push-ups [8 (3-13)] and sit-ups [4 (0.4-8)], and the parent Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire 30 + 8 score [-0.13 (-0.24 to - 0.01)] and effects sustained at follow-up. A trend was seen for the maximal oxygen uptake divided by body mass during maximal exercise treadmill testing; the IG scored 3.0 ml/kg/min (-1.3 to 7.3) higher compared with the WCG. Other outcomes (e.g. isometric muscle strength and perception of fatigue) did not differ between IG and WCG. Conclusion. Exercise training is of value in the clinical management of JDM