Optimal management of oil content variability in olive mill batches by NIR spectroscopy.

Total oil content (OC) is one of the main parameters used to characterize the whole of olives entering a commercial mill, quantified by the total fresh weight of the lot and the oil concentration (%) assessed in a representative sample on olive paste, by means of chemical extraction. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and NIR spectroscopy are alternative methods even at individual olives. This work evaluates several strategies to calibrate precise NIR models for the estimation of the total OC. To this end, 278 olives were analysed covering whole season variability in terms of olive fresh-weight and the corresponding OC by chemical extraction in 31 batches. The average spectra from hyperspectral NIR images (1003-2208 nm) were computed for each fruit and the actual OC (g) of those olives determined by NMR (0.09 to 1.29 g with a precision of 0.017 g). According to the results, current batch based assessment of the OC (Soxhlet, %) in mills only reproduces 44% of the underlying heterogeneity, despite being the factory standard. The incorporation of individual NIR spectra (278) to the 31 Soxhlet values of the batches allows a 67% explanation of the OC (%) of olives. When estimating OC (g) gathering individual fresh weight and the estimation of oil concentration in olives, a standard error of prediction of 0.061 g is reached (r2 = 0.93), a precision value that approaches the potential limit according to the NMR reference (0.017 g).

The Brazilian database on pregnancy in multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: To report the results from the Brazilian database on multiple sclerosis (MS) and pregnancy. METHODS: Retrospective data from MS patients who became pregnant at any time of their disease were sent to a Brazilian database, using a specific file for this purpose. RESULTS: Data on 128 women (142 pregnancies) from 30 neurologists working in 21 cities in Brazil were collected. Patients' average age at pregnancy was 29.8 years (range 16-42). EDSS at start of pregnancy was 1.5±1.4; and the relapse rate in the year preceding pregnancy was 1.2±1.5. Exposure to medication at any time during pregnancy was high (69.7%): 48.6% to interferon beta; 14.1% to glatiramer acetate; and 7% to other immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive drugs. There was a significant decrease in relapse rate during pregnancy. The prevalence of complications was relatively low, with 4.9% of obstetric and 1.4% neonatal unfavorable outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our patients had low degrees of disability, short histories of disease, high drug exposure, and relatively high relapse rate in the year previous to pregnancy. Obstetric and neonatal outcomes were successful in over 90% of our patients.

Avaliação da mecânica ventilatória em indivíduos com disfunção têmporo-mandibular e assintomáticos / Evaluation of ventilatory mechanics in individuals with temporomandibular dysfunction and in asymptomatic individuals

CONTEXTO: A relação entre disfunções respiratórias e têmporo-mandibulares tem sido recentemente constatada pela incidência de dor orofacial entre indivíduos com história de doenças respiratórias obstrutivas tanto de vias aéreas superiores como nas inferiores. OBJETIVO: Avaliar comparativamente a mecânica ventilatória em indivíduos com disfunção têmporo-mandibular (DTM) e em indivíduos assintomáticos. MÉTODO: Participaram do estudo 35 voluntários, sendo 20 indivíduos com DTM e 15 assintomáticos. Os participantes foram avaliados para verificação da presença e grau de disfunção têmporo-mandibular. Realizou-se avaliação respiratória, por meio de inspeção do padrão e tipo ventilatório, medida dos perímetros torácicos, teste de força dos músculos respiratórios e histórico de enfermidade respiratória. RESULTADOS: Nos indivíduos com DTM, o modo respiratório bucal (30 por cento) e misto (15 por cento), bem como o padrão ventilatório apical (45 por cento) foram predominantes. Observou-se uma menor expansibilidade torácica e uma redução estatisticamente significante no índice de amplitude abdominal nos indivíduos com DTM. Estes indivíduos também apresentaram maior incidência de patologias respiratórias obstrutivas tanto de vias aéreas superiores (70 por cento) como inferiores (45 por cento) em relação aos assintomáticos. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados indicam que existe uma influência da mecânica ventilatória sobre a ocorrência de disfunção têmporo-mandibular.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between respiratory and temporomandibular dysfunctions has recently been brought to light through the incidence of orofacial pain among individuals with a history of obstructive respiratory diseases in the upper and lower airways. OBJECTIVE: To comparatively evaluate the ventilatory mechanics in individuals with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) and in asymptomatic individuals. METHOD: Thirty-five volunteers took part in the study: 20 individuals with TMD and 15 asymptomatic individuals. The participants were evaluated to verify the presence and degree of TMD. A respiratory evaluation was carried out by means of inspecting the ventilatory pattern and type, measuring the chest perimeter, testing the respiratory muscle strength and investigating the history of respiratory diseases. RESULTS: The mouth (30 percent) and mixed (15 percent) breathing types and the apical ventilatory pattern (45 percent) predominated in individuals with TMD. There was less chest expandability and a statistically significantly smaller abdominal amplitude index in individuals with TMD. These individuals also presented higher incidence of obstructive respiratory diseases in the upper (70 percent) and lower (45 percent) airways, in relation to the asymptomatic individuals. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that there is an influence from ventilatory mechanics on the occurrence of temporomandibular dysfunction.