Besides heat pump dehumidifier (HP) and solar-assisted systems (SAS) at the drying air speed of 2 m/s on average, natural drying (ND) was also used for drying experiments. Drying performance of HP was the best. In terms of drying time, HP was 50% better than ND and 30% better than SAS. The highest moisture extraction rate (MER) was 0.237 kg(w)/h in tomato quarters dried in HP, the lowest value was 0.125 kg(w)/h tomato quarters dried in ND.

The highest specific moisture extraction rate (SMER) (1.573 kg(w)/kWh) was found for tomato quarters dried in SAS while the lowest one (0.078 kg(w)/kWh) was for tomato halves dried in HP. In general, SMER values of tomato high throughput screening quarters were higher than those of tomato halves dried under same conditions. Heat pump system presents great advantages for tomatoes such as faster drying speed, less influence by environmental factors (rain, dust, insects) and less dependence on environmental conditions.”
“Aim. The Multicentre Olmesartan atherosclerosis Regression Evaluation (MORE) study was a double-blind trial in patients with hypertension at increased cardiovascular risk with carotid wall thickening and a defined

atherosclerotic plaque that used non-invasive 2- and 3-dimensional (D) ultrasound (US), to compare the effects of a 2-year treatment Vorinostat based on either olmesartan medoxomil or atenolol on common carotid (CC) intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque volume (PV).\n\nMethods. A total of 165 patients (with systolic/diastolic blood pressure 140-180/90-105 mm Hg) were randomized to receive either olmesartan (20-40 mg/day) or atenolol (50-100 mg/day). US was performed at baseline and 28, 52 and 104 weeks. The primary efficacy outcome was the change from baseline (Delta) in CC-IMT assessed by 2D US. Secondary outcomes included Delta PV assessed by 3D US and blood pressure (BP).\n\nResults. Olmesartan and atenolol produced comparable significant reductions in CC-IMT; mean Delta IMT (SEM) was -0,090 (0,015) mm for olmesartan and

-0,082 (0,014) mm for atenolol. Selleck CYT387 Mean Delta PV was -4,4 (2,3) mu l and 0,1 (1,5) mu l in the olmesartan and atenolol treated subjects, respectively, without significant between-treatment differences. In the subgroup of patients with baseline PV >= median (33,7 mu l), significant between-treatment differences existed in Delta PV (p=0,023), because PV regressed significantly with olmesartan (Delta PV: -11,5 (4,4) mu l) but not with atenolol (Delta PV: 0,6 (2,5) mu l). In these patients BP reductions were comparable.\n\nConclusion. Carotid IMT and BP decreased similarly with olmesartan and atenolol, but only olmesartan reduced the volume of larger atherosclerotic plaques.”
“Background Adult anopheline mosquitoes transmit Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria. Some fish species eat mosquito larvae and pupae.