Studies on Growth, Carcass Traits and Body Composition of Goats Raised either in Intensive or Pasture Conditions (2- Body Composition and Carcass Tissue Distribution)

A total of 32 weaned (90 days) males (16) and females (16) native kids were randomly allocated into two equal groups to be fed either concentrate or to be raised on pasture, and then slaughtered at 20 or 30 kg live body weight. Animals were slaughtered when each kid reached its target body weight. After chilling at 4?C for 24h, the carcass was split along the vertebral column in to two halves. The muscular tissue of the left half- carcass was separated into nine groups. Carcass fat and bones was also, separated and weighed. Lean, fat, bone, lean: fat and lean: bone ratio averaged 64.08± 0.62%, 13.31±0.94%, 22.59±0.45%, 6.02± 0.58 and 2.98±0.09 respectively. Male kids had significantly (p<0.05) higher lean, lean: fat ratio and MG3 and MG4 than females. Kids raised on pasture had significantly (p<0.05) higher proportion of lean, bone and lean: fat ratio and lower proportion of MG3 than kids fed concentrate. Also, kids slaughtered at 30kg yielded significantly (p<0.05) lower lean,bone and higher fat than kids slaughtered at 20kg. Total non- carcass fat, carcass fat and total body fat as a percent of empty body weight averaged 1.856± 0.194% , 3.581± 0.261%  and 5.437± 0.429%,  respectively. Female kids , kids received concentrate and kids slaughtered at 30kg had significantly (p<0.05) higher proportion of total non carcass fat , total carcass fat and total body fat than male kids, kids raised on pasture and kids slaughtered at 20kg. Male kids had higher proportions of bone than females. Significant difference (p<0.05) was observed between the two feeding regimens in the weight of bones. Keywords: Carcass Ttissue Distribution, Feeding Regimens, Goat

Studies on Growth, Carcass Traits and Body Composition of Goats Raised either in Intensive or Pasture Conditions (1-Growth Performance and Carcass Traits).

Thirty two weaned (90 days) males (16) and females (16) native kids with an average live weight of 16.22±0.80 for males and 17.00 ±0.7 kg for females were used in this experiment. Each sex was divided randomly into two groups, the first (8 males and 8 females) was penned individually and fed on concentrate, and the second group (8 males and 8 females) was raised on pasture to be fattened and slaughtered at 20 kg or 30 kg. Result revealed that daily gain in weight averaged 75.65±5.54 g/day. No significant differences were observed due to the effect of sex, feeding system and slaughter weight on this trait. Male kids and those slaughtered at 30 kg were more efficient in converting feed than females and kids slaughtered at 20kg. Dressing percentage based on live weight and on empty body weight averaged 46.54 ±0.50 and 56.76 ± 0.44 %, respectively. Kids received concentrate and those slaughtered at 30 kg had significantly (p<0.05) higher dressing percentage than kids raised on pasture or slaughtered at 20kg. Kids slaughtered at 30kg had significantly (p<0.05) larger rib eye area and thicker fat than kids slaughtered at 20kg. Kids raised on pasture had significantly higher proportion of leg (31.8 vs. 29.98%) and lower proportion of shoulder (17.72vs. 19.92%) than kids received concentrate. Key words: growth, carcass, feeding regimens, goat

Dynamic Changes in Brain Mesenchymal Perivascular Cells Associate with Multiple Sclerosis Disease Duration, Active Inflammation, and Demyelination

Vascular changes, including blood brain barrier destabilization, are common pathological features in multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions. Blood vessels within adult organs are reported to harbor mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) with phenotypical and functional characteristics similar to pericytes. We performed an immunohistochemical study of MSCs/pericytes in brain tissue from MS and healthy persons. Post-mortem brain tissue from patients with early progressive MS (EPMS), late stage progressive MS (LPMS), and healthy persons were analyzed for the MSC and pericyte markers CD146, platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRβ), CD73, CD271, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and Ki67. The MS samples included active, chronic active, chronic inactive lesions, and normal-appearing white matter. MSC and pericyte marker localization were detected in association with blood vessels, including subendothelial CD146+PDGFRβ+Ki67+ cells and CD73+CD271+PDGFRβ+Ki67– cells within the adventitia and perivascular areas. Both immunostained cell subpopulations were termed mesenchymal perivascular cells (MPCs). Quantitative analyses of immunostainings showed active lesions containing increased regions of CD146+PDGFRβ+Ki67+ and CD73+CD271+PDGFRβ+Ki67– MPC subpopulations compared to inactive lesions. Chronic lesions presented with decreased levels of CD146+PDGFRβ+Ki67+ MPC cells compared to control tissue. Furthermore, LPMS lesions displayed increased numbers of blood vessels harboring greatly enlarged CD73+CD271+ adventitial and perivascular areas compared to control and EPMS tissue. In conclusion, we demonstrate the presence of MPC subgroups in control human brain vasculature, and their phenotypic changes in MS brain, which correlated with inflammation, demyelination and MS disease duration. Our findings demonstrate that brain-derived MPCs respond to pathologic mechanisms involved in MS disease progression and suggest that vessel-targeted therapeutics may benefit patients with progressive MS

MSK-Mediated Phosphorylation of Histone H3 Ser28 Couples MAPK Signalling with Early Gene Induction and Cardiac Hypertrophy

Heart failure is a leading cause of death that develops subsequent to deleterious hypertrophic cardiac remodelling. MAPK pathways play a key role in coordinating the induction of gene expression during hypertrophy. Induction of the immediate early gene (IEG) response including activator protein 1 (AP-1) complex factors is a necessary and early event in this process. How MAPK and IEG expression are coupled during cardiac hypertrophy is not resolved. Here, in vitro, in rodent models and in human samples, we demonstrate that MAPK-stimulated IEG induction depends on the mitogen and stress-activated protein kinase (MSK) and its phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 28 (pH3S28). pH3S28 in IEG promoters in turn recruits Brg1, a BAF60 ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling complex component, initiating gene expression. Without MSK activity and IEG induction, the hypertrophic response is suppressed. These studies provide new mechanistic insights into the role of MAPK pathways in signalling to the epigenome and regulation of gene expression during cardiac hypertrophy

Forensic dentistry now and in the future

Forensic dentistry (odontology) deals with the examination, handling and presentation of dental evidence for the legal system. In the UK this work mainly involves criminal cases but in many other countries its remit also extends to civil litigation. There are four main aspects to forensic dentistry: single body identification, Disaster Victim Identification (DVI), age estimation and bite mark identification and analysis. This article provides a brief introduction to the topics and discusses potential future developments that aim to reduce the subjectivity in the analysis process and simplify presentation of evidence to non-dental parties. CPD/Clinical Relevance: This article highlights ways that dental practitioners can assist legal investigations and, in particular, forensic dentists

Rib biomechanical properties exhibit diagnostic potential for accurate ageing in forensic investigations

Age estimation remains one of the most challenging tasks in forensic practice when establishing a biological profile of unknown skeletonised remains. Morphological methods based on developmental markers of bones can provide accurate age estimates at a young age, but become highly unreliable for ages over 35 when all developmental markers disappear. This study explores the changes in the biomechanical properties of bone tissue and matrix, which continue to change with age even after skeletal maturity, and their potential value for age estimation. As a proof of concept we investigated the relationship of 28 variables at the macroscopic and microscopic level in rib autopsy samples from 24 individuals. Stepwise regression analysis produced a number of equations one of which with seven variables showed an R2=0.949; a mean residual error of 2.13 yrs ±0.4 (SD) and a maximum residual error value of 2.88 yrs. For forensic purposes, by using only bench top machines in tests which can be carried out within 36 hrs, a set of just 3 variables produced an equation with an R2=0.902 a mean residual error of 3.38 yrs ±2.6 (SD) and a maximum observed residual error 9.26yrs. This method outstrips all existing age-at-death methods based on ribs, thus providing a novel lab based accurate tool in the forensic investigation of human remains. The present application is optimised for fresh (uncompromised by taphonomic conditions) remains, but the potential of the principle and method is vast once the trends of the biomechanical variables are established for other environmental conditions and circumstances

A new model for the estimation of time of death from vitreous potassium levels corrected for age and temperature

International audienceAnalysis of potassium concentration in the vitreous fluid of the eye is frequently used by forensic pathologists to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI), particularly when other methods commonly used in the early phase of an investigation can no longer be applied. The postmortem rise in vitreous potassium has been recognized for several decades and is readily explained by a diffusion of potassium from surrounding cells into the vitreous fluid. However, there is no consensus regarding the mathematical equation that best describes this increase. The existing models assume a linear increase, but different slopes and starting points have been proposed. In this study, vitreous potassium levels, and a number of factors that may influence these levels, were examined in 462 cases with known postmortem intervals that ranged from 2 hours to 17 days. We found that the postmortem rise in potassium followed a non-linear curve and that decedent age and ambient temperature influenced the variability by 16% and 5%, respectively. A long duration of agony and a high alcohol level at the time of death contributed less than 1% variability, and evaluation of additional possible factors revealed no detectable impact on the rise of vitreous potassium. Two equations were subsequently generated, one that represents the best fit of the potassium concentrations alone, and a second that represents potassium concentrations with correction for decedent age and/or ambient temperature. The former was associated with narrow confidence intervals in the early postmortem phase, but the intervals gradually increased with longer PMIs. For the latter equation, the confidence intervals were reduced at all PMIs. Therefore, the model that best describes the observed postmortem rise in vitreous potassium levels includes potassium concentration, decedent age, and ambient temperature. Furthermore, the precision of these equations, particularly for long PMIs, is expected to gradually improve by adjusting the constants as more reference data are added over time. A web application that facilitates this calculation process and allows for such future modifications has been developed

Analysis of radiocarbon, stable isotopes and DNA in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents, in "PLoS ONE

Abstract The characterization of unidentified bodies or suspected human remains is a frequent and important task for forensic investigators. However, any identification method requires clues to the person's identity to allow for comparisons with missing persons. If such clues are lacking, information about the year of birth, sex and geographic origin of the victim, is particularly helpful to aid in the identification casework and limit the search for possible matches. We present here results of stable isotope analysis of 13 C and 18 O, and bomb-pulse 14 C analyses that can help in the casework. The 14 C analysis of enamel provided information of the year of birth with an average absolute error of 1.861.3 years. We also found that analysis of enamel and root from the same tooth can be used to determine if the 14 C values match the rising or falling part of the bomb-curve. Enamel laydown times can be used to estimate the date of birth of individuals, but here we show that this detour is unnecessary when using a large set of crude 14 C data of tooth enamel as a reference. The levels of 13 C in tooth enamel were higher in North America than in teeth from Europe and Asia, and Mexican teeth showed even higher levels than those from USA. DNA analysis was performed on 28 teeth, and provided individual-specific profiles in most cases and sex determination in all cases. In conclusion, these analyses can dramatically limit the number of possible matches and hence facilitate person identification work