Effects of red grape, wild grape and black raspberry wines on ground pork during refrigerated storage

The effects of red grape, wild grape and black raspberry wines on the quality of ground pork during a 15 days refrigerated storage period were investigated. The levels of phenolic compounds were the highest in black raspberry wine (P0.05). The addition of 5% and 10% wine influenced the quality of ground pork by decreasing pH, inhibiting the progression of lipid oxidation and the formation of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and stabilizing the red colour of the ground pork compared to control samples to which no wine was added. In ground pork, addition of red grape wine led to lower concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS, 0.19–0.39 mg kg−1) and TVB-N values (69.1–119.9 mg kg−1) than wild grape (0.16–0.43 mg kg−1 and 72.0–194.1 mg kg−1, respectively) or black raspberry wine (0.33–0.58 mg kg−1 and 81.7–225.4 mg kg−1, respectively) up to 10 days of storage. Results from the present study suggested that the quality of ground pork was affected by wine type and storage period. These effects could be due to phenolic compounds as well as other chemical components of the wines

Psychological, physical, and social situation of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma undergoing radical chemoradiotherapy

Purpose: To assess the physical and psychosocial situation and needs of Polish patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), who had undergone radical chemoradiotherapy.Materials and methods: 50 Hodgkin lymphoma patients were asked to complete an institution-developed questionnaire concerning their physical, emotional and social well-being, as well as their perceptions regarding the medical care they had received. Results:The physical and psychosocial quality of life of patients with HL was diminished by the disease and its treatment. The most frequently reported side effects of both chemo- and radiotherapy were fatigue and loss of taste. The observed symptoms were slight or moderate. Although 36% of participants reported feelings of depression and 52% - were concerned about their future functioning in society, more than half of patients reported that were happy (60%). 20% of respondents were unable to work at all, but more than half had some difficulties with their employment. 20-40% of the patients complained about having received insufficient dietary instructions and lack of information about the late adverse effects of treatment. Although the majority of respondents assessed the quality of medical care as very high emotional problems preferred to share with relatives (90%).Conclusions:Although the physical and psychosocial situation of HL patients may be affected by the disease and its treatment, for the majority of patients, these impediments did not cause serious deterioration in functioning. Medical care was positively assessed by the HL patients, but more emotional and informative support is needed to decrease patients’ anxiety regarding future functioning in society

Fraser's dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser, 1956) in southern Brazil

The Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser, 1956, is distributed in tropical oceanic waters worldwide. There is little information on the biology and distribution of this species in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. From September to November 1997, 10 stranded Fraser's dolphins were collected along the northern Rio Grande do Sul coast, southern Brazil. The reproductive status was determined for seven animals; the sample was comprised mainly of sexually mature dolphins. Total length varied from 241.0 to 245.0cm for females and 216.0 to 258.0cm for males. Several fetal bones were found in the vaginal channel of one female. Analyses of stomach contents from six animals revealed remains of coastal species of cephalopods, fishes and crustaceans, suggesting that these dolphins were feeding nearshore prior to stranding. Five dolphins had large quantity of the parasite Phyllobotrium delphini (larval stage) in the blubber layer, particularly in the genital region. Although this species is considered to be tropical in distribution, the records from the Southwestern Atlantic are concentrated in temperate areas (30-35°S). Fraser's dolphin strandings in Rio Grande do Sul were not isolated events, and several other were recorded for the Brazilian, Uruguayan and Argentinean coast in the same and subsequent years. This may represent a complex phenomenon involving several causes, such as transient oceanographic events, diseases and other variables

Distribution and relative abundance of large whales in a former whaling ground off eastern South America

Ship-based sighting surveys for cetaceans were conducted in the former whaling ground off the northeastern coast of Brazil. The cruises took place in winter and spring of 1998-2001 with the objectives of investigating current distribution and abundance of cetaceans, particularly large whale species taken during whaling. In 1998 the survey were conducted between the parallels 5°30'W and 9°S and the 200 m isobath and the meridian 033°W. A total of about 3,100 nm were surveyed between 1998 and 2001 Surveys were conducted using line transect methods from about 5-10°S, and from the coast to 33°W. A total of 151 sightings (203 individuals) of large whales were recorded on effort. The Antarctic minke whale - Balaenoptera bonaerensis (Burmeister, 1867) was the most frequently sighted species (97 groups/132 individuals; Sighting Rate [SR] = 0.031 groups/nm), being recorded only in offshore waters. Density gradually increased from August to October. Minke whales were distributed throughout the area, both to the north and the south of former whaling ground. Sighting data indicate this is the most abundant species, particularly in the area beyond the continental shelf break. Breeding behavior was observed for Antarctic minke whales, but few groups containing calves were recorded (4.3% of the groups sighted on effort). Three other large whale species were recorded in low numbers: the Bryde's whale - Balaenoptera edeni (Anderson, 1879)¹; the sei whale, B. borealis (Lesson, 1828), and the sperm, Physeter macrocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758). Sei, Bryde and sperm whales were regularly caught during whaling operations, but are rare in the area, suggesting they were depleted by whaling and have yet to recover to their pre-explotation abundance. In contrast, minke whales are abundant in this area, suggesting that either they were not substantially depleted, or that they have recovered rapidly. Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758), and fin whale, B. physalus (Linnaeus, 1758), not recorded on our surveys, have always been extremely rare in the area

Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) return to a former wintering calving ground: Fowlers Bay, South Australia

© 2019 Society for Marine Mammalogy Southern right whales (SRW), Eubalaena australis, have reoccupied historically important winter habitat ranges (calving grounds) in recent years along the southern Australian coast. Here we present findings of increased abundance of SRW at Fowlers Bay, South Australia, a previous shore-based whaling station. This study investigates: SRW inter- and intraseasonal trends in relative abundance; changes to the relative proportion of the southwestern subpopulation represented by SRW at Fowlers Bay; distribution; and occupancy. Sighting and photo identification data were collected during annual aerial (1993–2016) and vessel surveys (2014–2016). The total number of female and calf pairs was 3 during 1993–2003 and 63 during 2004–2014. Despite high variability in annual relative abundance, the rate of mean increase from 1993 to 2016 (29.0%/yr, 95% CI = 0, 54.2) exceeded the maximum biological rate for the species (6%–7%/yr). Peak relative abundance was recorded in July and August. SRW at Fowlers Bay represent an increasing proportion of the southwestern subpopulation (range = 0.9%–7.4%). Mean occupancy was 23 d (range = 1–75) for female and calf pairs and 2 d (range = 1–15) for unaccompanied adults. Reduced sightings in 2015 and 2016 demonstrate plasticity in SRW abundance at Fowlers Bay. Research into the movement and connectivity of SRW is needed to understand drivers of habitat dispersal in Australia