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The research was conducted with the apple ( Malus domestica) cultivars Krameri Tuviõun and Talvenauding at the Estonian Agricultural University during 2003–2005. The aim was to study the effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment (1 ppm, at room temperature, 24 h) on the biochemical content and physiological disorders of apples and on external quality after 4 months of storage. The apples were stored in a normal atmosphere at 2–5°C and 80–85% RH. In the first storage season 1-MCP treatment did not improve apple quality in general; only the peel background colour of treated apples remained greener. In the second storage season 1-MCP treatment influenced the biochemical content of the apples and improved apple quality: treated fruits were firmer (increase from 4.7 kg/cm 2to 8.1 kg/cm 2) and contained more vitamin C; also, the SSC decreased and the loss of titratable acids was delayed. Consequently fruit spoilage decreased by 30%.

Background: The interventricular septum is a complex structure, both anatomically and functionally, which limits the use of Doppler tissue imaging in the assessment of radial septal function. In this study we investigated whether strain (@e) and @e rate (SR) imaging can improve the measurement of the septal function. Methods: Thirty healthy participants (18 women; age 60 +/- 11 years, range 42-72) were randomly selected from the population. Systolic @e and SR measurements were made of the radial motion from right endocardial layer (RE), left endocardial layer (LE), and middle layer of septum. Furthermore, we also compared RE and longitudinal right ventricular free wall and left ventricular longitudinal and LE septal motion. Results: In both the endocardial sampling sites, LE and RE, we found negative radial @e (myocardial shortening), -20.1 +/- 11.5% for RE and -25.0 +/- 14.1% for LE during systole. However, in the middle layer we found a positive radial @e (myocardial lengthening), +11.5 +/- 13.2%, significantly different from the two endocardial layers (P < .001 for both). SR was negative in the two endocardial layers and significantly higher for LE, (-2.9 +/- 1.8 1/s) than for RE (-1.2 +/- 1.8 1/s, P < .001) and positive for the middle layer (+1.1 +/- 1.0 1/s), significantly different in comparison with the two endocardial layers (P < .001). Finally, there was a higher longitudinal @e compared with radial endocardial @e for right ventricle (-26.5 +/- 11.5 vs -20.1 +/- 11.5, P < .05) whereas there was significantly higher left ventricular radial @e and SR compared with the longitudinal @e and SR (-25.0 +/- 14.1 vs -16.8 +/- 9.5, P < .05; and -2.9 +/- 1.8 vs -1.1 +/- 0.4, P < .001). Conclusion: Systolic @e and SR imaging indicate differences in the radial deformation in different layers of the interventricular septum, which might be explained by the complexity of the septal fiber arrays and function. It might also explain why using Doppler tissue imaging technique is limited in assessing radial myocardial septal velocities. Furthermore, these results suggest that longitudinal shortening dominates in the right ventricle whereas the radial shortening dominates in the left ventricle.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the extent of atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with a disease duration of considerable length, and in age and sex matched individuals. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with RA (30 women, 9 men) with disease onset occurring between 1974 and 1978, and less than 65 years of age at the time of investigation, were enrolled together with 39 sex and age matched controls. Quantitative measurement of intima-media thickness (IMT) and semiquantitative assessment of the presence of plaque were undertaken by B-mode ultrasound of the common carotid artery (CCA-IMT) and the common femoral artery on the right-hand side. Echo Doppler cardiography was performed with an Accuson Aspen. The results were related to disease activity variables and accumulated disease activity, to lipid levels [i.e., cholesterol, high density lipoproteins, low density lipoproteins, triglycerides (TG)], to hemostatic factors [tissue plasminogen activator antigen (tPAag), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), von Willebrand factor (vWF)], and to soluble adhesion molecules (sICAM-1 and sE-selectin). RESULTS: Patients with RA had higher maximal and mean IMT values compared with controls. The difference concerning mean CCA-IMT reached statistical significance in patients with RA and correlated significantly with lipids (cholesterol, LDL, LDL/HDL ratio, TG) and tPAag. The prevalence of plaques, as well as of aortic cusp sclerosis, was higher in RA but only the difference in aortic cusp sclerosis was statistically significant. Patients with plaques had significantly higher levels of lipids (cholesterol, LDL, LDL/HDL ratio) than patients without plaques, while patients with cusp sclerosis had significantly higher cholesterol and TG levels. sICAM-1 was significantly higher both in patients with plaques and in those with aortic cusp sclerosis compared to patients without. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest an accelerated atherosclerosis in patients with RA that is related mainly to lipid levels.

The total plasma clearance of iohexol at urography and 51Cr-EDTA was compared in 31 patients with di- or tetraparesis. A reference 51Cr-EDTA clearance was also performed 24 hours prior to the urography. The GFR was calculated from one, 2 or 4 plasma samples collected 180, 210, 240 and 270 min after the injection. An X-ray fluorescence analyzer was used for the analysis of iohexol in plasma as well as the contrast medium clearance calculations. It was shown that single or multiple sample clearance of iohexol and 51Cr-EDTA were equivalent methods for measurement of the GFR. The GFR was not affected by iohexol in a dose routinely used for urography. It was concluded that the patient comfort is improved if 51Cr-EDTA clearance is replaced by contrast medium clearance in association with urography.

The total plasma clearance as well as the renal clearance of iohexol were evaluated for determination of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in 16 anesthetized pigs. The iohexol levels in urine and plasma were measured by X-ray fluorescence. The total plasma clearance of 1 and 4 mlkg b.w. of iohexol 300 mg Iml was compared to the simultaneously as well as nonsimultaneously calculated total plasma clearance of 51Cr-EDTA. The total plasma clearance of 51Cr-EDTA and of iohexol turned out to be equal and independent of the injected dose of iohexol. The injected dose did not have any effect on the renal clearance of iohexol either. It is concluded that iohexol and 51Cr-EDTA are similar as marker substances for determination of the GFR.

The total plasma clearance of iohexol at urography and 51Cr-EDTA was compared in 31 patients with di- or tetraparesis. A reference 51Cr-EDTA clearance was also performed 24 hours prior to the urography. The GFR was calculated from one, 2 or 4 plasma samples collected 180, 210, 240 and 270 min after the injection. An X-ray fluorescence analyzer was used for the analysis of iohexol in plasma as well as the contrast medium clearance calculations. It was shown that single or multiple sample clearance of iohexol and 51Cr-EDTA were equivalent methods for measurement of the GFR. The GFR was not affected by iohexol in a dose routinely used for urography. It was concluded that the patient comfort is improved if 51Cr-EDTA clearance is replaced by contrast medium clearance in association with urography.

The total plasma clearance as well as the renal clearance of iohexol were evaluated for determination of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in 16 anesthetized pigs. The iohexol levels in urine and plasma were measured by X-ray fluorescence. The total plasma clearance of 1 and 4 ml/kg b.w. of iohexol 300 mg I/ml was compared to the simultaneously as well as nonsimultaneously calculated total plasma clearance of 51Cr-EDTA. The total plasma clearance of 51Cr-EDTA and of iohexol turned out to be equal and independent of the injected dose of iohexol. The injected dose did not have any effect on the renal clearance of iohexol either. It is concluded that iohexol and 51Cr-EDTA are similar as marker substances for determination of the GFR.