The Quality of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.) After Pre Storage CaCl2 and Edible Coating Treatment

Tomatoes are a high-value crop all over the world, including Ethiopia. Tomato ripening is highly dependent on ethylene action as a climacteric fruit, making this fruit highly perishable in a short period of time. Pre-storage treatments such as CaCl2 and edible coatings are essential for preserving fruit quality after harvest and extending shelf life. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of CaCl2 and edible coatings on tomato postharvest quality and shelf life. The experiment was set up in the form of a Complete Randomized Design with three replications. The results revealed that both CaCl2 and edible coatings had a highly significant (p˂0.01) effect on tomato shelf life and quality. Fruits treated with 6% CaCl2 and coated with aloe Vera gel and beeswax significantly reduced physiological weight loss (PLW), percentage decay, TSS, pH of tomato juice, and ascorbic acid loss during storage, and increased the shelf life of the fruits by 15 days when compared to the control. The combination of treatments (6 percent CaCl2 with AG and BW coating) resulted in the highest fruit marketability, firmness, and ascorbic acid levels over the storage period. According to the findings of the study, the combination of treatments 6 percent CaCl2 with aloe Vera gel or bees wax can be recommended for Shanty tomato in terms of shelf life and quality. Keywords: fruit marketability, pre storage, shelf life, tomato, quality DOI: 10.7176/ALST/89-02 Publication date:August 31st 202

A close look at the effects of the current Courses of Study on Kanagawa University students\u27 English learning

The present study tried to investigate the difference between 2005 and 2006 Freshmen of Business Administration at Kanagawa University in their attitude toward their own English learning. It was expected that the current Courses of Study, which introduce

Type of error and teacher treatment in ESL classrooms

When and how teachers should treat errors has been a controversial issue. This study was conducted to explore in what situation teachers tend to treat learners\u27 oral errors. Four cases of ESL classroom observations were carried out The errors made by the students and treated by the teachers was counted and classified into the three dimensions: form/structure, meaning/semantics, and pragmatics (Larsen-Freeman, 1991). It was found that error treatment varied in lesson types, and that there was an overall tendency that errors in form were produced and treated most frequently. Moreover, type of classroom task seems to have affected type of error and teacher treatment. The role-playing activities seem to have provided meaningful contexts for the students so that they made errors in all the three dimensions. It is argued that identifying and diagnosing errors based on the three dimensions might have a potential for effective error treatment, especially in the task which guides learners to interact in a meaningful context. Further studies for the effectiveness of error treatment through the three dimensions would be needed

System for Dynamically-Controlled Growth of Hybrid Nanostructure Arrays

Final report of Team 22 of ME450, Fall 2008 semester.Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nanowires (NWs) have been applied in multiple fields due to their high strength, electrical conductivity, and optical properties. New types of nanostructure materials could be suitable for new applications. Our project is therefore to build a machine capable of growing two species of nanostructures on the same substrate. Currently, there exist multiple methods of growing nanostructures such as NWs and CNTs. However, little work has been done to combine methods and grow a hybrid structure.John Hart, Jong-Girl Ok, Yongyi Zhang (Mechanical Engineering, U of M)http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62489/1/ME450 Fall2008 Final Report - Team 22 - Hybrid Nanostructure Arrays.pd

Prospective, population-based surveillance of the burden of Streptococcus pneumoniae in community-acquired pneumonia in older adults, Chrzanów County, Poland, 2010 to 2012

INTRODUCTION: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality among older adults. This study estimated incidences of CAP, chest x-ray−confirmed CAP (CXR+CAP), S pneumonia- positive CAP, S pneumonia-positive CXR+CAP, and S. pneumoniae serotype distribution among 46,000 at-risk adults aged ≥ 50 years residing in Chrzanów County, Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 2010 to January 2012, all facilities providing ambulatory and inpatient care enrolled all consenting resident patients with suspicion of CAP. Chest x-rays, urine, blood, and sputum samples were analyzed. Annualized incidence rates were determined. Presence of S pneumonia-positive CAP and/or S. pneumoniae serotype distribution was determined using the urine antigen detection assay (capable of detecting the serotypes in the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [PCV13]), BinaxNOW®, and/or microbiology cultures. RESULTS: Among 5055 enrolled patients, 1195 (23.7%) were diagnosed with CAP and 1166 (23.4%) had CXR+CAP. S. pneumoniae was detected in 144 (12.1%) and 131 (11.2%) patients from the CAP and CXR+CAP cohorts, respectively. Annualized incidence rates of CAP, CXR+CAP, S pneumonia-positive CAP, and S. pneumonia-positive CXR+CAP were 12.8, 12.5, 1.6, and 1.4 per 1000 residents, respectively. Among CXR+CAP patients, 39.7% were aged 50 to 64 years and 60.3% were aged ≥ 65 years. Incidence rates generally increased with age. The most common serotypes in S. pneumoniae-positive CXR+CAP patients were 3 (n = 15), 23F (n = 10), 18C (n = 9), and 9V (n = 6). CONCLUSIONS: CAP due to PCV13 serotypes is a source of morbidity among adults >50 years and may be reduced by greater access to pneumococcal vaccines.INTRODUCTION: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality among older adults. This study estimated incidences of CAP, chest x-ray−confirmed CAP (CXR+CAP), S pneumonia- positive CAP, S pneumonia-positive CXR+CAP, and S. pneumoniae serotype distribution among 46,000 at-risk adults aged ≥ 50 years residing in Chrzanów County, Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 2010 to January 2012, all facilities providing ambulatory and inpatient care enrolled all consenting resident patients with suspicion of CAP. Chest x-rays, urine, blood, and sputum samples were analyzed. Annualized incidence rates were determined. Presence of S pneumonia-positive CAP and/or S. pneumoniae serotype distribution was determined using the urine antigen detection assay (capable of detecting the serotypes in the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [PCV13]), BinaxNOW®, and/or microbiology cultures. RESULTS: Among 5055 enrolled patients, 1195 (23.7%) were diagnosed with CAP and 1166 (23.4%) had CXR+CAP. S. pneumoniae was detected in 144 (12.1%) and 131 (11.2%) patients from the CAP and CXR+CAP cohorts, respectively. Annualized incidence rates of CAP, CXR+CAP, S pneumonia-positive CAP, and S. pneumonia-positive CXR+CAP were 12.8, 12.5, 1.6, and 1.4 per 1000 residents, respectively. Among CXR+CAP patients, 39.7% were aged 50 to 64 years and 60.3% were aged ≥ 65 years. Incidence rates generally increased with age. The most common serotypes in S. pneumoniae-positive CXR+CAP patients were 3 (n = 15), 23F (n = 10), 18C (n = 9), and 9V (n = 6). CONCLUSIONS: CAP due to PCV13 serotypes is a source of morbidity among adults >50 years and may be reduced by greater access to pneumococcal vaccines

Predictive importance of left ventricular myocardial stiffness for the prognosis of patients with congestive heart failure

SummaryObjectivesThis study was designed to determine the prognostic importance of left ventricular (LV) myocardial stiffness, a hemodynamic index which is closely related to B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentration in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).BackgroundWhile elevated BNP, an abnormality of cardiac neurohormones, is known to be an independent marker of death or re-admission, it remains to be clarified whether there is also a strong predictor directly related to cardiac dysfunction.MethodsLV performance variables and stress–strain analyses including diastolic myocardial stiffness constant (Km) were obtained from 37 patients with initial CHF by the combined simultaneous measurement of echocardiographic and hemodynamic data. Survivors were monitored for a mean of 23 months, with the main endpoint being combined death or first re-admission for CHF.ResultsTen patients (27%) were primary endpoint cases. Both Km and plasma BNP levels were higher in the event than in the event-free group. By Cox proportional hazards analysis, Km≥4.0 was identified as the only variable with significant and independently incremental predictive power to affect the primary endpoint (adjusted hazard ratio=7.354, 95% confidence interval 1.379–39.232, p=0.02).ConclusionsIn patients with CHF, increased myocardial stiffness may have greater prognostic significance compared to other conventional predictors. Increased myocardial stiffness may be considered to be an important prognostic factor independent of the loading conditions