Effects of Dietary Energy Source and Corn Oil Inclusion on Plasma Metabolite and Lipid Profiles and Intramuscular Adipose and Muscle Accretion in Beef Cattle

The objectives of this research were to evaluate 1) fluctuations in plasma metabolites and lipid profiles and 2) differences in satellite cell differentiation and proliferation in cattle with differences in marbling relative to total fatness. Dietary starch is thought to optimize accumulation of marbling. In this experiment, readily fermentable fiber or corn oil were substituted for starch from corn in an effort to alter adipose tissue accretion. Crossbred yearling steers (n = 144) were used in a 131 d finishing trial. The trial was designed as a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of dietary energy source by corn oil inclusion. Dietary energy sources were the high starch diet which contained 8.5% roughage and 81.2% corn or a higher fiber diet in which chopped, high moisture ear corn (43.7%) and dried corn gluten feed (18.2%) were substituted for corn. Corn germ was included in the diet to provide 0, 2, or 6% corn oil in both the starch and fiber diets. Growth performance and carcass characteristics were recorded and blood samples were collected from each animal on d 96 and 131 of the feeding trial. Previously reported carcass data indicated that dietary energy source (starch vs. fiber) did not influence carcass characteristics. However, as the percentage of corn oil increased with additional amounts of corn germ, marbling scores decreased (P \u3c 0.05) at a constant subcutaneous fat thickness. Compositional analyses support a tendency (P ≤ 0.10) for decreased marbling relative to total carcass fat. Feeding germ increases (P \u3c 0.05) in all components of serum cholesterol. Earlier in the feeding period, GERM also caused higher (P \u3c 0.05) circulating glucose and NEFA concentrations. A sub‐population of steers that were highest (n = 12) and lowest (n = 12) for the relationship of marbling to total carcass fatness (M2Ratio) were scrutinized more closely. Differences in M2Ratio were not associated with HCW or fatness, but were associated with marbling (P \u3c 0.001). Serum collected early in the feeding period from high M2Ratio steers resulted in higher (P \u3c 0.05) satellite cell proliferation and differentiation rates in vitro than serum from low M2Ratio steers. This response diminished with additional days on feed. These results indicate that dietary carbohydrate source has minimal influence on carcass fat distributions, but that dietary oil dramatically alters circulating metabolites and is antagonistic to the production goal of high marbling‐high cutability carcasses

Old and new physics interpretations of the NuTeV anomaly

We discuss whether the NuTeV anomaly can be explained, compatibly with all other data, by QCD erects (maybe, if the strange sea is asymmetric, or there is a tiny violation of isospin), new physics in propagators or couplings of the vector bosons (not really), loops of supersymmetric particles (no), dimension six operators (yes, for one specific SU(2)(L)-invariant operator), leptoquarks (not in a minimal way), extra U(1) gauge bosons (maybe: an unmixed Z' coupled to B - 3L(mu) also increases the muon g - 2 by about 10(-9) and gives a 'burst' to cosmic rays above the GZK cutoff)

Two randomised and placebo-controlled studies of an oral prostacyclin analogue (Iloprost) in severe leg ischaemia [The Oral Iloprost in severe Leg Ischaemia Study Group]

Two separate studies are described using the same prostacyclin analogue in a similar group of patients. Objectives: to assess the tolerability and efficacy of two dose regimens of oral Iloprost compared with placebo in the treatment of patients with ischaemic ulcers, gangrene or rest pain due to severe arterial disease over a period of 4 weeks (Study A) and one year (Study B). Design: multicentre, placebo controlled, double-blind, randomized prospective studies. Subjects & Methods: 178 (study A) and 624 (study B) patients with trophic skin lesions (ulcers or gangrene) or ischaemic rest pain due to severe arterial disease. To confirm severe arterial disease patients were required to have a systolic ankle Doppler pressure of 70 mmHg or less or a toe systolic Doppler pressure of 50 mmHg or less in one leg.In both studies patients were randomly allocated to three treatment groups: placebo, low dose Iloprost (50\u2013100 g twice a day) or high dose (150\u2013200 g twice a day) In Study A the main outcome measures were tolerability of different doses of Iloprost and death, major amputation, healing of trophic lesions and relief of rest pain at the end of the follow up, which was 5 months after the end of the treatment. In Study B the primary end point was time to major amputation and stroke or death up to 12 months. Secondary pre-defined end points included the combined end point of patients alive without amputation, no trophic skin changes, no rest pain and not on regular analgesics. Results: the proportion of patients who completed the 4-week treatment period in Study A at the intended dose was 58%, 43%, 45% respectively in the placebo, low dose and high dose Iloprost groups. In an intention to treat analysis the proportion of patients who survived without major amputation, ulcers or gangrene and had no rest pain was 11% in the placebo group, 19% in the low dose iloprost group and 28% in the high dose Iloprost group. The pooled Iloprost groups showed a statistically significantly better result than the placebo group (p=0.04), as did the high dose Iloprost group compared to the placebo (p=0.014). In Study B there was no treatment benefit in terms of a primary end point of amputation and death. However the secondary combined end point of patients who survived without a major amputation, ulcers or gangrene and had no rest pain, nor a need for regular analgesia was favourable for Iloprost, with 18% of patients in the placebo group reaching this optimal secondary end point, compared to 23% in the low dose Iloprost group and 26% in the higher dose Iloprost group (p<0.05). Conclusions: oral Iloprost administered for a year showed no clear benefit in patients with advanced severe leg ischaemia (PAOD III and IV). The results obtained with 4 weeks\u2019 treatment in Study A and in previous trials of intravenous Iloprost could not be reproduce