Thorough Characterization of ETHQB3.5, a QTL Involved in Melon Fruit Climacteric Behavior and Aroma Volatile Composition.

The effect of the QTL involved in climacteric ripening ETHQB3.5 on the fruit VOC composition was studied using a set of Near-Isogenic Lines (NILs) containing overlapping introgressions from the Korean accession PI 16375 on the chromosome 3 in the climacteric 'Piel de Sapo' (PS) genetic background. ETHQB3.5 was mapped in an interval of 1.24 Mb that contained a NAC transcription factor. NIL fruits also showed differences in VOC composition belonging to acetate esters, non-acetate esters, and sulfur-derived families. Cosegregation of VOC composition (23 out of 48 total QTLs were mapped) and climacteric ripening was observed, suggesting a pleiotropic effect of ETHQB3.5. On the other hand, other VOCs (mainly alkanes, aldehydes, and ketones) showed a pattern of variation independent of ETHQB3.5 effects, indicating the presence of other genes controlling non-climacteric ripening VOCs. Network correlation analysis and hierarchical clustering found groups of highly correlated compounds and confirmed the involvement of the climacteric differences in compound classes and VOC differences. The modification of melon VOCs may be achieved with or without interfering with its physiological behavior, but it is likely that high relative concentrations of some type of ethylene-dependent esters could be achieved in climacteric cultivars.

Effects of noninvasive ventilation with bilevel positive airway pressure on exercise tolerance and dyspnea in heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome that results in inadequate blood supply, leading to a number of structural and functional changes. Noninvasive ventilatory support (NIVS) is used as an adjuvant treatment to improve the functional capacity of these patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of NIVS with bilevel positive airway pressure ventilation (BiPAP) on exercise tolerance and dyspnea in HF patients. METHODS: Forty patients with New York Heart Association class I/II/III HF were randomly assigned either to a NIVS group (n = 20) or control group (n = 20). All patients underwent two 6-min walk tests (6MWT), with a 30-min interval between them. In the NIVS group, the patients performed the BiPAP with an inspiratory positive airway pressure of 12 cmH2O and expiratory positive airway pressure of 6 cmH2O for 30 min. At baseline, and after the first and second 6MWT, the heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, peripheral oxygen saturation (SaO2), and dyspnea were evaluated. RESULTS: Forty patients completed the study safely according to the randomization protocol, and no adverse events were reported during the tests. The NIVS group showed a significant improvement in the 6MWT distance (68.3 vs. 9.8 m) and dyspnea (1.3 vs. 3.1) compared with the control group. No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: NIVS/BiPAP showed beneficial effects on exercise tolerance and dyspnea. It was safe and well tolerated by HF patients and should be considered for inclusion in cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Non-Destructive Assessment of Aroma Volatiles from a Climacteric Near-Isogenic Line of Melon Obtained by Headspace Stir-Bar Sorptive Extraction.

A climacteric aromatic near-isogenic line (NIL) of melon (Cucumis melo L.) SC3-5-1 contained an introgression of the non-climacteric Korean cultivar "Shongwan Charmi" accession PI 161375 (SC) in the genetic background of the non-climacteric cultivar "Piel de Sapo" (PS). The aroma production was monitored during ripening at 21 °C in intact fruit using headspace sorptive bar extraction (HSSE). Bars were composed of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and aromas were desorbed and analyzed by gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry. The aromatic profile was composed of 70 aromatic compounds plus 21 alkanes with a predominance of esters, particularly acetate (2-methylbutyl acetate, 2-methylpropyl acetate, hexyl acetate, and phenylmethyl acetate). Some compounds were severely affected by postharvest time. The acetate esters (3-methylbutyl acetate, butan-2-yl acetate and phenylmethyl acetate) decreased with ripening and sulfur-derived compounds (S-methyl butanethioate and S-methyl 3-methylbutanethioate) increased gradually with ripening. A few compounds increased at the senescence phase (propyl ethanoate). Other compounds such as hexadecanoic acid showed a marked decrease after harvest, some decreasing from a relative maximum at harvest (2-methylpropyl hexanoate; n-hexanoic acid; nonanoic acid).

Effects of neuromuscular electrostimulation in patients with heart failure admitted to ward.

BACKGROUND: Neuromuscular electrostimulation has become a promising issue in cardiovascular rehabilitation. However there are few articles published in the literature regarding neuromuscular electrostimulation in patients with heart failure during hospital stay. METHODS: This is a randomized controlled pilot trial that aimed to investigate the effect of neuromuscular electrostimulation in the walked distance by the six-minute walking test in 30 patients admitted to ward for heart failure treatment in a tertiary cardiology hospital. Patients in the intervention group performed a conventional rehabilitation and neuromuscular electrostimulation. Patients underwent 60 minutes of electrostimulation (wave frequency was 20 Hz, pulse duration of 20 us) two times a day for consecutive days until hospital discharge. RESULTS: The walked distance in the six-minute walking test improved 75% in the electrostimulation group (from 379.7 ± 43.5 to 372.9 ± 46.9 meters to controls and from 372.9 ± 62.4 to 500 ± 68 meters to electrostimulation, p<0.001). On the other hand, the walked distance in the control group did not change. CONCLUSION: The neuromuscular electrostimulation group showed greater improvement in the walked distance in the six-minute walking test in patients admitted to ward for compensation of heart failure.

Cell wall polysaccharides of near-isogenic lines of melon (Cucumis melo L.) and their inbred parentals which show differential flesh firmness or physiological behavior.

We characterized differences in cell wall material and polysaccharide structures, due to the quantitative trait loci associated with higher flesh firmness in a nonclimacteric near-isogenic line (NIL) SC7-2, and with the climacteric behavior of the NIL SC3-5-1, using their nonclimacteric inbred parentals, "Piel de Sapo" (PS) and PI 161375 (SC). PS was firmer and had a higher ripening index and greater hemicellulosic content than SC, with its lower wall material yield, and uronic acid, neutral sugar, cellulose and free sugar content and higher pectic content. SC3-5-1 showed lower uronic acid values, a higher soluble solid content, and similar flesh firmness to PS. SC3-5-1 yielded mainly high molecular weight polysaccharides in the imidazole-soluble fraction than PS. SC7-2 showed greater flesh firmness, a higher neutral sugar (especially galactose and mannose) and uronic acid content, together with a larger cellulose and α-cellulose residue than PS. SC7-2 also contained more polysaccharides of low molecular weight in the first pectic fraction and shifted toward higher molecular weights in the main peak of the 4 M potassium-soluble fraction compared with PS.

Candidate genes and QTLs for fruit ripening and softening in melon.

Different factors affect the quality of melon fruit and among them long shelf life is critical from the consumer's point of view. In melon, cultivars showing both climacteric and non-climacteric ripening types are found. In this study we have investigated climacteric ripening and fruit softening using a collection of near-isogenic lines (NILs) derived from the non-climacteric melon parental lines PI 161375 (SC) and "Piel de Sapo" (PS). Surprisingly, we found that QTL eth3.5 in NIL SC3-5b induced a climacteric-ripening phenotype with increased respiration and ethylene levels. Data suggest that the non-climacteric phenotypes from PI 161375 and "Piel de Sapo" may be the result of mutations in different genes. Several QTLs for fruit flesh firmness were also detected. Candidate genes putatively involved in ethylene regulation, biosynthesis and perception and cell wall degradation were mapped and some colocations with QTLs were observed. These results may provide additional data towards understanding of non-climacteric ripening in melon.