Needle-free injection enhancement of beef improves tenderness but slightly increases microbial translocation

Blade tenderization has been used for decades to increase tenderness in beef cuts that are highly variable in tenderness or predicted to be “tough.” Injection enhancement also is commonly used in industry to increase tenderness, juiciness, and flavor of some beef muscles. These processes have the potential to translocate microbial organisms on the exterior to interior portions of whole muscles. One research study reported that 3 to 4% of surface bacteria are transferred into the interior of muscles but only penetrate an average of ¼ inch deep into the surface. Even though the frequency of subprimal surfaces being contaminated with pathogens is low, translocation of these contaminants into the interior of subprimals by tenderization or injection procedures poses a public health risk. Microbial contamination on beef surfaces generally is eliminated during typical cooking; however, given the low infectious doses of pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, internalized contamination may survive if adequate temperatures are not reached at the center of cuts (i.e., rare and medium rare endpoints) and lead to illness. Industry groups have developed a guide, Best Practices: Pathogen Control During Tenderizing/Enhancing of Whole Muscle Cuts to minimize any hazard that may be present with such technologies. Although needle injection enhancement currently is common in beef processing, there may be alternative, safer, or more effective means to apply these technologies. One potential method involves utilizing an air-pressured needle-free injection system similar to an instrument currently being investigated for use in vaccinating cattle. In theory, eliminating the need for physical penetration of the muscle with a needle-free instrument using air-pressure fluid streams would reduce the translocation of surface microbial contamination to the interior and would additionally minimize carryover contamination from subprimal to subprimal during continuous injection operations. Therefore, we investigated use of needle-free injection enhancement as an alternative strategy to needle injection enhancement. Our objectives were to determine the safety and efficacy of using needle-free injection for enhancing beef muscles and the application of needle-free injection enhancement for improving beef quality

Investigating web-based recruitment sources: Employee testimonials vs word-of-mouse

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Reproducibility in the absence of selective reporting : An illustration from large-scale brain asymmetry research

Altres ajuts: Max Planck Society (Germany).The problem of poor reproducibility of scientific findings has received much attention over recent years, in a variety of fields including psychology and neuroscience. The problem has been partly attributed to publication bias and unwanted practices such as p-hacking. Low statistical power in individual studies is also understood to be an important factor. In a recent multisite collaborative study, we mapped brain anatomical left-right asymmetries for regional measures of surface area and cortical thickness, in 99 MRI datasets from around the world, for a total of over 17,000 participants. In the present study, we revisited these hemispheric effects from the perspective of reproducibility. Within each dataset, we considered that an effect had been reproduced when it matched the meta-analytic effect from the 98 other datasets, in terms of effect direction and significance threshold. In this sense, the results within each dataset were viewed as coming from separate studies in an "ideal publishing environment," that is, free from selective reporting and p hacking. We found an average reproducibility rate of 63.2% (SD = 22.9%, min = 22.2%, max = 97.0%). As expected, reproducibility was higher for larger effects and in larger datasets. Reproducibility was not obviously related to the age of participants, scanner field strength, FreeSurfer software version, cortical regional measurement reliability, or regional size. These findings constitute an empirical illustration of reproducibility in the absence of publication bias or p hacking, when assessing realistic biological effects in heterogeneous neuroscience data, and given typically-used sample sizes

Tocilizumab in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of tocilizumab in adult patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 with both hypoxia and systemic inflammation. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. Those trial participants with hypoxia (oxygen saturation <92% on air or requiring oxygen therapy) and evidence of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein ≥75 mg/L) were eligible for random assignment in a 1:1 ratio to usual standard of care alone versus usual standard of care plus tocilizumab at a dose of 400 mg–800 mg (depending on weight) given intravenously. A second dose could be given 12–24 h later if the patient's condition had not improved. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treat population. The trial is registered with ISRCTN (50189673) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04381936). Findings: Between April 23, 2020, and Jan 24, 2021, 4116 adults of 21 550 patients enrolled into the RECOVERY trial were included in the assessment of tocilizumab, including 3385 (82%) patients receiving systemic corticosteroids. Overall, 621 (31%) of the 2022 patients allocated tocilizumab and 729 (35%) of the 2094 patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days (rate ratio 0·85; 95% CI 0·76–0·94; p=0·0028). Consistent results were seen in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including those receiving systemic corticosteroids. Patients allocated to tocilizumab were more likely to be discharged from hospital within 28 days (57% vs 50%; rate ratio 1·22; 1·12–1·33; p<0·0001). Among those not receiving invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, patients allocated tocilizumab were less likely to reach the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilation or death (35% vs 42%; risk ratio 0·84; 95% CI 0·77–0·92; p<0·0001). Interpretation: In hospitalised COVID-19 patients with hypoxia and systemic inflammation, tocilizumab improved survival and other clinical outcomes. These benefits were seen regardless of the amount of respiratory support and were additional to the benefits of systemic corticosteroids. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: Many patients with COVID-19 have been treated with plasma containing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]) is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 177 NHS hospitals from across the UK. Eligible and consenting patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either usual care alone (usual care group) or usual care plus high-titre convalescent plasma (convalescent plasma group). The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936. Findings: Between May 28, 2020, and Jan 15, 2021, 11558 (71%) of 16287 patients enrolled in RECOVERY were eligible to receive convalescent plasma and were assigned to either the convalescent plasma group or the usual care group. There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between the two groups: 1399 (24%) of 5795 patients in the convalescent plasma group and 1408 (24%) of 5763 patients in the usual care group died within 28 days (rate ratio 1·00, 95% CI 0·93–1·07; p=0·95). The 28-day mortality rate ratio was similar in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including in those patients without detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at randomisation. Allocation to convalescent plasma had no significant effect on the proportion of patients discharged from hospital within 28 days (3832 [66%] patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 3822 [66%] patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·94–1·03; p=0·57). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at randomisation, there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients meeting the composite endpoint of progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or death (1568 [29%] of 5493 patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 1568 [29%] of 5448 patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·93–1·05; p=0·79). Interpretation: In patients hospitalised with COVID-19, high-titre convalescent plasma did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research

Needle-free injection enhancement of beef strip loins with phosphate and salt has potential to improve yield, tenderness, and juiciness but harm texture and flavor

Meat tenderness is the most important palatability attribute affecting consumers’ overall eating experience. Injection enhancement and blade tenderization have long been used to improve this important trait. Injection enhancement has been shown to improve tenderness, juiciness, color stability, and cooking yield, but not all solutions have been adequately evaluated. Thus, there is a need to conduct research on the effectiveness of common enhancement solutions. We published results from an extensive study comparing a solution of phosphate, salt, and rosemary with a solution of calcium lactate and rosemary injected by using traditional needle injection. There were no differences in Warner-Bratzler shear force values between treatments, but trained panelists scored steaks enhanced with calcium lactate and rosemary to be less tender and juicy than steaks enhanced with phosphate, salt, and rosemary. However, steaks enhanced with the phosphate solution had a higher incidence of metallic and salty off-flavors, a darker initial color, and more color deterioration. Because needle-free injection enhancement is relatively similar to traditional needle-injection enhancement with regard to food safety, it should be evaluated for its effects on meat color, instrumental tenderness, sensory traits, and yields. Objectives of this research were to determine the effects of injection method (needlefree vs. needle injection) and solution (calcium lactate vs. phosphate solution) on meat color, instrumental tenderness, sensory traits, pump yield, and cooking loss of beef Longissimus lumborum muscles