The effect of blast chilling on fresh pork quality in cuts from the Longissimus dorsi, Psoas major, Semimembranosus, and Triceps brachii

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of blast chilling on sensory and proteolysis in cuts from the Longissimus dorsi (LM), Psoas major (PM), Semimembranosus (SM), and the Triceps brachii (TB). The SM was further divided into a superficial (SMS) and the deep (SMD) portions. Carcasses were selected for fat-free lean (FFL) and HCW approximately 45 minutes postmortem. Carcasses were split and sides were assigned to either blast chill (BC, -32° C for 90 minutes) or conventional chill (CC, spray chilled at 2°C for 24 h) regimens. BC sides had lower (P\u3c0.05) temperature exiting chilling treatment (CC 21.8°C approximately 2 h postmortem, BC 9.7°C BC), 4 h (CC 13.3°C, 3.8°C BC), 22 h (CC 4.2°C, BC 1.4°C), and 30 h (CC 0.4°C, BC -0.2°C) as measured at the tenth rib in the LM. This was associated with a higher (P\u3c0.05) pH in BC sides 4 h (CC 6.09, BC 6.34), 22 h (CC 5.81, BC 5.89) and 30 h (CC 5.68, BC 5.74) postmortem. Chilling regime resulted in higher (P\u3c0.05) 30 h postmortem pH in the SM from BC sides (CC 5.68, BC 5.74). Cuts from BC sides had increased (P\u3c0.05) purge loss in the PM (CC 0.48%, BC 0.74%) and increased (P\u3c0.05) cook loss in chops from the LM (CC 22.37%, BC 24.24%). Trained sensory analysis (n=4) found that the PM from BC sides was more juicy (CC 7.50, BC 8.30), less chewy (CC 2.80, BC 2.10), and more tender (CC 7.90, BC 8.60). Chops from the LM of BC sides had greater Warner-Bratzler shear force (CC 2.00, BC 2.30). Color was affected in the SM with BC sides showing darker color score (CC 3.00, BC 3.20) and reduced Hunter a value (CC 16.35, BC 16.02). Chilling treatment did not have an effect on postmortem proteolysis across muscle groups. This study confirmed that chilling has different impacts across muscle groups which may be caused by location, rate of chilling, and fiber type

Studies of the genetics and physiology of a nitrate non-utilizing strain of Neurospora

Studies of the genetics andphysiology of a nitrate non-utilizing strain of Neurospor

Social Functioning: A Sociological Common Base for Social Work Practice

This article describes the experience of a social work mental health agency with Social Role Theory (SRT), that is an organizing concept for the delivery of its assessment and treatment program. SRT has been called the process variable of the program, meaning how services are delivered. Social functioning, a concept taken from SRT, is a treatment outcome. The overall purposes of the article are to describe the contribution of sociology to social work practice, and to advance the argument that social functioning is a common base for social work practice generally

Rapid Bursts of \u3ci\u3eAndrogen-Binding Protein (Abp)\u3c/i\u3e Gene Duplication Occurred Independently in Diverse Mammals

Background The draft mouse (Mus musculus) genome sequence revealed an unexpected proliferation of gene duplicates encoding a family of secretoglobin proteins including the androgen-binding protein (ABP) α, β and γ subunits. Further investigation of 14 α-like (Abpa) and 13 β- or γ-like (Abpbg) undisrupted gene sequences revealed a rich diversity of developmental stage-, sex- and tissue-specific expression. Despite these studies, our understanding of the evolution of this gene family remains incomplete. Questions arise from imperfections in the initial mouse genome assembly and a dearth of information about the gene family structure in other rodents and mammals. Results Here, we interrogate the latest \u27finished\u27 mouse (Mus musculus) genome sequence assembly to show that the Abp gene repertoire is, in fact, twice as large as reported previously, with 30 Abpa and 34 Abpbg genes and pseudogenes. All of these have arisen since the last common ancestor with rat (Rattus norvegicus). We then demonstrate, by sequencing homologs from species within the Mus genus, that this burst of gene duplication occurred very recently, within the past seven million years. Finally, we survey Abp orthologs in genomes from across the mammalian clade and show that bursts of Abp gene duplications are not specific to the murid rodents; they also occurred recently in the lagomorph (rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus) and ruminant (cattle, Bos taurus) lineages, although not in other mammalian taxa. Conclusion We conclude that Abp genes have undergone repeated bursts of gene duplication and adaptive sequence diversification driven by these genes\u27 participation in chemosensation and/or sexual identification

Quantification of Plasma and Urine Thymidine and 2'-Deoxyuridine by LC-MS/MS for the Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of Erythrocyte Encapsulated Thymidine Phosphorylase in Patients with Mitochondrial Neurogastrointestinal Encephalomyopathy.

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE) is an ultra-rare disorder caused by mutations in TYMP, leading to a deficiency in thymidine phosphorylase and a subsequent systemic accumulation of thymidine and 2'-deoxyuridine. Erythrocyte-encapsulated thymidine phosphorylase (EE-TP) is under clinical development as an enzyme replacement therapy for MNGIE. Bioanalytical methods were developed according to regulatory guidelines for the quantification of thymidine and 2'-deoxyuridine in plasma and urine using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for supporting the pharmacodynamic evaluation of EE-TP. Samples were deproteinized with 5% perchloric acid (v/v) and the supernatants analyzed using a Hypercarb column (30 × 2.1 mm, 3 µm), with mobile phases of 0.1% formic acid in methanol and 0.1% formic acid in deionized water. Detection was conducted using an ion-spray interface running in positive mode. Isotopically labelled thymidine and 2'-deoxyuridine were used as internal standards. Calibration curves for both metabolites showed linearity (r > 0.99) in the concentration ranges of 10-10,000 ng/mL for plasma, and 1-50 µg/mL for urine, with method analytical performances within the acceptable criteria for quality control samples. The plasma method was successfully applied to the diagnosis of two patients with MNGIE and the quantification of plasma metabolites in three patients treated with EE-TP