Characterizing TIA and stroke symptomatology in a population-based study: implications for and diagnostic value of FAST-based public education.

Background: Urgent medical treatment is crucial after stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA), but hindered by extensive prehospital delays. Public education campaigns based on FAST (Face-Arm-Speech-Time) have improved response after major stroke, but not minor stroke and TIA. We aimed to provide strategies to improve public education on a national level, by characterizing TIA and stroke symptoms in a population-based cohort, and extrapolating findings to the general Dutch population.

Late diagnosis of Marfan syndrome is associated with unplanned aortic surgery and cardiovascular death.

Background: Marfan syndrome (MFS) guidelines recommend optimal pharmacologic therapy (OPT) and replacement of the ascending aorta (RAA) at 5.0 cm in diameter to prevent acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) and death. The effect of early MFS diagnosis and initiation of therapy on outcomes is not known.

Carcass chilling method and electrical stimulation effects on meat quality and color in lamb.

Five treatments: Control (C), Pre-evisceration Electrical Stimulation (CES: 15 Hz, 700 mA, 500 μs pulse width, 45 s pulse duration), vascular Rinse & Chill® (RC), CES + RC (ESRC), and RC with ES after evisceration (RCES:15 Hz, 600 mA, 1000 μs, 45 s), were applied to 21 lambs each. After being excised from the carcass, muscles were vacuum packaged and aged (Longissimus lumborum, LL, 3 and 22 d postmortem; Semimembranosus, SM, 3 d postmortem). Temperature, pH, purge, cooking loss, color, Warner-Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF), and consumer sensory evaluations were determined.