COMPARISON OF WEARABLES FOR SELF-MONITORING OF HEART RATE IN CORONARY REHABILITATION PATIENTS

The leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world is ischemic heart disease. Physical activity is a major approach in prevention and therapy of cardiac diseases. Self-heart-rate-monitoring in daily life is an important point for health awareness of cardiac patients. Aim of this study was validation of measurement accuracy of seven different devices against ECG-monitoring during cardiac rehabilitation training on a bicycle ergometer. Tested devices were: Garmin Forerunner 35 (Garmin), Mio Fuse (Mio), Fitbit Charge HR (FitbitHR), Fitbit Surge (FitbitS), Withings Pulse™ Ox (Withings), Apple Watch Series 1 (Apple) and Pearl Fitness-Tracker (FBT-50.HR PRO.V4). All devices were tested on 35 participants with six timed measurements during 20 minutes constant load bicycle ergometer workout for each. Simultaneousely, ECG measurements were recorded. Pearson´s correlations were assessed. Apple, Mio, and Garmin showed excellent accuracy with close correlation to ECG for self-monitoring of heart rate (HR) during cycling. FitbitHR, Pearl and FitbitS presented reasonable results. In contrast, Withings showed poor correlation to ECG with significant differences. We found significant differences between the tested devices. Since accuracy is of major importance for cardiac patients, only Apple, Mio and Garmin could be recommended. However, further research within distinct clinical and non-clinical settings is necessary and should take different types of physical activities into account.

Evaluation of the fermentability of oat fractions obtained by debranning using lactic acid bacteria

AIMS

The overall kinetics of the fermentation of four oat fractions obtained by debranning using three potentially probiotic lactic acid bacteria were investigated. The main objective was to study the suitability of these fractions as fermentation media for the growth and the metabolic production of bacteria isolated from human intestine.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The cell growth, lactic acid production and substrate uptakes of the three lactobacilli was monitored for 30 h. An unstructured mathematical model was used to describe and fit the experimental data. In the medium from fraction B (1-3% pearlings or beta-glucan-rich fraction) all strains reached the highest cell populations, maximum growth rates and maximum lactic acid productions. This could be because of the high levels of total fibre and beta-glucan of this fraction. Limited growth and lactic acid formation was found in medium A (0-1% pearlings or bran-rich fraction).

CONCLUSIONS

Medium B (1-3% pearling fraction) is the most suitable for fermentation and produces considerably higher probiotic cell concentrations.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Debranning technology could be used to separate fractions from cereal grains for the production of functional formulations with higher probiotic levels than the ones that were obtained with the whole grain.

[Evaluation of blood and breath alcohol measurement in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma during procedures in intubated patients with percutaneous ethanol instillation]

The accuracy of breath alcohol measurements in intubated patients with assisted ventilation was evaluated. The breath alcohol concentration was measured in 24 patients undergoing percutaneous alcohol injection therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma with Alcotest 7410 med, from Dräger, Germany. The blood ethanol concentrations (BACs) were determined in each blood serum applying the German forensic criteria standard, namely, two alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and two gas chromatography (GC) measurements. The blood alcohol concentrations were between 0.07 and 1.51 per thousand in the central venous samples and 0.02-1.66 per thousand in the arterial samples. An excellent correlation between both the venous and arterial blood alcohol concentrations (r2=0.94), as well as between the breath alcohol concentrations and the venous (r2=0.84) or arterial alcohol concentration (r2=0.89), p<0.01 for both parameters was revealed. Determination of breath alcohol concentration using the Alcotest in intubated patients is reliable and reflects the blood alcohol values.

Study of incidence of measles and vaccination coverage in Ahmedabad urban slums

Measles incidence and vaccination coverage survey was carried out in Ahmedabad urban slums in February 2000. A total of 3073 children between 9 to 59 months were studied. The incidence rate of measles was 11.2% (95% C.I-10.04-12.36). Measles vaccination coverage was only 59.88%. There was no gender difference in vaccine coverage or measles incidence rate. Diarrhoea was the most common complication observed among both vaccinated and unvaccinated children and it was significantly more among unvaccinated children. Among 1840 vaccinated children only 529 (28.75%) children received vitamin A along with measles vaccination.

[Spontaneous ruptures of the urinary bladder in the routine forensic examination]

This article analyses three cases of death following a spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder. One case is based on an extensive tamponade of the bladder eight days after a transurethral resection of the prostate gland. Two other cases of death by spontaneous rupture resulted from increased alcohol consumption. The paper presents an overview of pathomorphological findings such as the typical intraperitoneal rupture localisation at the posterior wall of the urinary bladder or bladder dome and the subsequent diagnosed causes of death. In addition predisposing (anamnestic) influencing factors such as chronic alcoholism are highlighted and their relevance for the clinical urologist and the forensic pathologist are discussed.