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Fresh fruit from northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) and rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) are highly perishable, so reaching distant markets while maintaining superior quality and value is a challenge. Although firmness is one of the most critical traits of blueberries (Vaccinium sp.), most of the industry relies on a subjective-tactile assessment or on the use of low-cost texture analyzers, whereas scientists tend to rely on the FirmTech II instrument. In the present study, the FirmTech II was evaluated as a texture analyzer and compared with tactile estimation, two other FirmTech II devices, and three relatively inexpensive durometers (Penefel, Durofel, and DM1600). Tests were run for fruit previously segregated by tactile (T) measurements into three classes of firmness: Soft-T, Moderate-T, and Firm-T; fruit were classified into instrument-based (I) categories of texture: Soft-I, Moderate-I, and Firm-I using the FirmTech II instrument. The level of coincidence between T and I assessments were higher in the soft (90.7% to 92.6%) and moderate (69.6% to 78.2%) classes compared with the firm class (51.6% to 61.4%). Among firmness categories, T and I assessments tended to agree; none of the Soft-T fruit were classed as Firm-I. In comparisons between equivalently calibrated FirmTech II devices, concordance always decreased as fruit firmness increased, indicating that more reproducible readings for a given instrument could be expected from softer fruit. Dual measurements on a single fruit for FirmTech II and a second device yielded variable, but significant correlation coefficients (Penefel: r2 = 0.61 to 0.67; Durofel: r2 = 0.48 to 0.61; DM1600: r2 = 0.08 to 0.49). The highest correlation existed between two FirmTech II devices (r2 = 0.94 to 0.95). However, correlations between the FirmTech II and second devices among the three firmness classes yielded very low correlation coefficients (Penefel: r2 = 0.09 to 0.40; Durofel: r2 = 0.05 to 0.32; DM1600: r2 = 0.00 to 0.25; FirmTech II: 0.03 to 0.33), suggesting that although all instruments were suitable for evaluating across broad ranges of fruit firmness, they were all similarly unsuitable within a narrow firmness range (e.g., for all soft or all firm fruit). Given the subjectivity of the tactile measurement and the range of variability between the evaluated alternatives, both FirmTech II and Penefel performed better in soft fruit but not as well in moderate or firm fruit. Therefore, among the more economical durometer devices, Penefel could be used by the industry to discriminate soft fruit from moderately firm or firm fruit. The results highlight the relevance of studying the predictive capacity of a particular instrument and to understand the performance of that instrument within a particular range of firmness values.

For blueberry, harvest readiness is based on skin color, with fruit being considered ready to pick when the berry skin reaches 100 % blue coverage. The extended bloom period for the blueberry inflorescence and uneven developmental rates, yield 100 % blue fruit that often vary widely in physiological maturity at any given harvest date. The objective of this study was to determine the inherent variability in the firmness of a synchronized cohort of blueberry fruit and the effects of harvest delay and position within the canopy on fruit characteristics at harvest and after refrigerated storage. During two seasons, regions of the canopy of 'Duke' and 'Brigitta' plants were designated as east (E) and west (W) sides. Fruit of a specific developmental stage from each side were either harvested when reaching 100 % blue coverage (ripe fruit: B100) or allowed to stay on the plant for six additional days (over-ripe fruit: B100+6). Despite the narrow period of time elapsed between harvests of ripe and over-ripe fruit, variation in firmness was extensive, with drops up to 24 %, depending on year and cultivar. The six days of additional development were enough to increase the amount of soft and very soft fruit at harvest and after storage, demonstrating the importance of frequent harvests to improve firmness at final destinations. Both the percentage of blue fruit at each harvest date and total fruit produced were higher on the E side of the plant. Year-to-year variation in firmness exceeded that caused by the imposed treatment, which highlights the need to understand the environmental factors contributing to fruit softening. This is the first report on in-plant fruit variability for blueberry and its effect on postharvest performance. We truly thank AMS Family S.A. (Curicó, Chile), especially to Mr. Críspolo Gutiérrez and Mr. José Salinas, for providing field plots, technical assistance, fruit samples, and constant support. In Chile, this work was funded by the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research CONICYT (FONDECYT 11130539) and Universidad de Talca (research programs “Adaptation of Agriculture to Climate Change (A2C2)”, “Fondo Proyectos de Investigación” and “Núcleo Científico Multidisciplinario”). In Spain this work was partially supported by Fundación Carolina and Universitat de Lleida (“Programa de Doctorado en Ciencia y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria”).

Fresh Chilean blueberries take in average 20-50 days to reach overseas markets, so a better knowledge of their postharvest behavior would help maintaining their quality for longer periods. Quality of highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Duke’ and ‘Brigitta’) was assessed at six stages based on color: 100% green (100G), 75% green + 25% pink (25P), 50% green + 50% pink (50P), 25% green + 75% pinkblue (75B), 90-100% blue (100B), 100% blue+5 extra days on plant (100B+5). Also, 75P, 100B and 100B+5 fruit were evaluated after storage at 2°C for 45 days + 1 d at 18°C. Over berry maturation from 100G to 100B, color developed steadily while firmness and TA decreased. Respiration and ethylene production rates peaked early, at 25P and 50P, respectively, and were higher for ‘Duke’ than for ‘Brigitta’. After harvest, cultivar- and maturity-related differences were found. ‘Brigitta’ fruit retained higher firmness and had lower weight loss than ‘Duke’. In general, 100B+5 fruit were over-ripe and showed low quality. Additional physiological, morphological and biochemical studies for a wider range of cultivars will be needed. This work was supported by the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT) of Chile (grants FONDECYT 11130539 and PCHA/Doctorado Nacional/2013-63130042), and by the research program “Adaptation of Agriculture to Climate Change (A2C2)”, from Universidad de Talca, Chile. The work in Spain was supported partially by “Fundación Carolina” and “Programa de Doctorado en Ciencia y Tecnologı́a Agraria y Alimentaria”, from Universitat de Lleida, Spain.

Background In US and European literature, Legionella pneumophila is reported as an important etiologic agent of severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), but in Chile this information is lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and identify predictors of severe CAP caused by L pneumophila in Santiago, Chile. Methods A multicenter, prospective clinical study lasting 18 months was conducted; it included all adult patients with severe CAP admitted to the ICUs of four hospitals in Santiago. We excluded patients who were immunocompromised, had been hospitalized in the previous 4 weeks, or presented with another disease during their hospitalization. All data for the diagnosis of severe CAP were registered, and urinary antigens for L pneumophila serogroup 1 were determined. Results A total of 104 patients with severe CAP were included (mean ± SD age, 58.3 ± 19.3 years; men, 64.4%; APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) II score, 16.7 ± 6.3; Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment score, 6.1 ± 3.2; Pitt Bacteremia Score, 3.4 ± 2.5; Pao2/Fio2, 170.8 ± 87.1). An etiologic agent was identified in 62 patients (59.6%), with the most frequent being Streptococcus pneumoniae (27 patients [26%]) and L pneumophila (nine patients [8.6%]). Logistic regression analysis showed that a plasma sodium level of ≤ 130 mEq/L was an independent predictor for L pneumophila severe CAP (OR, 11.3; 95% CI, 2.5-50.5; P = .002). Global mortality was 26% and 33% for L pneumophila. The Pitt bacteremia score and pneumonia score index were the best predictors of mortality. Conclusions We found that in Santiago, L pneumophila was second to S pneumoniae as the etiologic agent of severe CAP. Severe hyponatremia at admission appears to be an indicator for L pneumophila etiology in severe CAP.

Introducción: La incontinencia urinaria en el adulto mayor es definida como una condición en la que se produce una perdida involuntaria de orina que se constituye en un problema social/ médico. Es un síntoma heterogéneo que con frecuencia se puede encontrar en los adultos mayores y se asocia entre otras variables al tipo de actividad y la calidad de vida. Objetivo: Determinar la relación entre actividad física, incontinencia urinaria de esfuerzo y calidad de vida de las mujeres de tercera edad de la comuna de Talca (Chile). Metodología: Esta investigación fue de tipo descriptiva-correlacional, con un diseño transversal. Se incluyeron un total de 386 mujeres adultas mayores de diferentes sectores de la comuna de Talca. Se aplicaron tres instrumentos: cuestionario internacional de actividad física (IPAQ), el cuestionario de incontinencia urinaria y el cuestionario de evaluación de calidad de vida (AQoL). Resultados: El 61,9% de las mujeres tenía un bajo nivel de incontinencia urinaria, un 65% estaba entre un nivel alto o moderado de actividad física, y 87% de las mujeres reportó una muy buena calidad de vida. Conclusión: Los datos, en función del objetivo, reflejan que la incontinencia urinaria se asocia de forma significativa con las variables actividad física y calidad de vida.

Following exposure to aerosols of depleted uranium (DU), biological samples show the presence of a synthetic mixture of natural uranium and DU. By partitioning the uranium in the 24-h urine sample along the isotopic fractions of natural uranium and DU, one can study the kinetics of these subpopulations independently. A linear model is developed to estimate the lung burden of DU from measurements of DU in 24-h urine samples, years after inhalational exposure to aerosols of DU. This model takes into account the intracellular dissolution of the retained particles and the precipitation of a significant fraction of the dissolved DU as insoluble uranyl phosphates.