Correlación entre eco-intensidad muscular y salto vertical en escolares / Correlation between Muscle Eco-Intensity and Vertical Jump in Schools

Objetivo: analizar las correlaciones entre la eco-intensidad (EI) del músculo cuádriceps medido por ecografía cuantitativa, y el salto vertical en niños en edad escolar. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio transversal, comparativo y no aleatorio. Se utilizó una muestra intencional compuesta por 184 niños escolares, entre 7 y 10 años. Imágenes transversales fueron obtenidas del cuádriceps femoral derecho por ecografía para determinar la eco-intensidad del recto femoral o anterior, vasto intermedio o crural y vasto lateral o externo. La fuerza explosiva fue medida mediante las pruebas de Salto con contra-movimiento (CMJ) y saltos repetidos por quince segundos (RJ15). Resultados: La EI de los componentes evaluados del cuádriceps se correlacionan significativamente con las mediciones derivadas del salto vertical tipo CMJ y RJ15 en niños y niñas entre 7 y 10 años (PP15R vs Dif 1C, Dif 2C, Dif 3C, r= 0,53-0,59). (AU)

Objective: to analyze the correlations between the quadriceps muscle eco-intensity (IE) measured by quantitative ultrasound and the vertical jump in school-age children. Methodology: a cross-sectional, comparative and non-randomized study was carried out. An intentional sample composed of 184 school children, between 7 and 10 years old, was used. Transversal images of the right femoral quadriceps were obtained by ultrasound to determine the echo intensity of the rectus femoris or anterior, vastus intermedius and vastus lateralis. Explosive force was measured by with countermovement jump (CMJ) and repeated jumps for fifteen seconds (RJ15). Results: The EI of the evaluated components of the quadriceps correlates significantly with the measurements derived from the vertical jump type CMJ and RJ15 in boys and girls between 7 and 10 years (PP15R vs .Dif 1C, Dif 2C, Dif 3C, r= 0,53-0,59). (AU)

Effect of a quality improvement intervention to reduce the length of stay in appendicitis.

AIM: Determine the effect of an intervention to reduce the length of stay (LOS) in appendectomies. METHODS: A four-quarter quality improvement initiative was developed after approval by the facility Quality Management Department, including educational sessions about the best practices regarding the hospital care for patients with appendicitis and recommendations to limit the LOS for no complicated appendicitis unless associated conditions were present, monitoring of the LOS and feedback to the staff and leaders. RESULTS: 692 appendectomies were performed, 365 (52.7%)) of them during the intervention. The mean LOS was 3.94 days with a decreasing trend during the study period. The complicated appendicitis had a mean LOS of 6.42 days (SD, 3.85) during the baseline and 5.27 days (SD 2.50) during the intervention (p=0.03), representing a 17.9% reduction. The not complicated appendicitis during baseline had LOS of 3.82 days (SD 4.17) with a subsequent reduction to 2.95 days (SD 1.53) in the intervention. The total saving bed days during the intervention were 338.04 days, which 254.04 days (75.2%) were in non complicated appendectomies. One patient required readmission during the intervention because of an organ space surgical site infection, with proper recovery after antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence about the possibility to optimize the bed use with a simple educational intervention, and should be considered a step to achieve additional reductions in the hospital stay of patients who undergo laparoscopic appendectomies.

Antioxidant effect rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) extracts on TBARS and colour of model raw pork batters.

Herbs and spices are traditional used as food ingredients as well as for their antioxidant properties. The objective of this work was to study the concentration of carnosol, rosmarinic and carnosic acids in rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and oregano leaves (Origanum vulgare L.), and their effect on the oxidation and colour of model pork batters. Extracts were obtained by maceration with ethanol and reflux with chloroform. Rosemary extracts showed higher antioxidant activity, even more than the phenol compounds separately. These extracts also showed the highest antioxidant capacity, possibly due to the presence of high concentrations of carnosic acid and carnosol and unidentified active compounds. However, ethanol oregano extracts containing high concentrations of phenols, mainly rosmarinic acid, efficiently prevented colour deterioration. The antioxidant effect of the studied extracts depends, not only on the concentration of phenol compounds (rosmarinic acid, carnosol and carnosic acid), but also on the extraction method and solvent.