Effects of deep-bedded finishing system on market pig performance, composition and pork quality

The purpose of this study was to compare effects of finishing environment on growth performance, pork quality and lipid composition of pork. Environments compared were standard confinement (CON) and deep-bedded semi-outdoor systems. The deep-bedded method employed in the current study was the use of hoop structures. Hoops are large, tent-like shelters with cornstalks or straw for bedding. Gilts ranging in weight from 59 to 71 kg were randomly assigned to treatments of Hoop (n = 50) and CON (n = 18) environments. Gilts were fed a two-phase dietary sequence, ad libitum for 45 days. Six gilts per treatment were selected for carcass composition and quality evaluation. The experiment was replicated a total of five times. Pigs raised in the Hoop environment gained significantly less and required significantly more feed for growth than pigs raised in the CON environment. Carcasses from CON-finished pigs were significantly fatter at the 10th rib, which lowered carcass percentage fat-free lean(FFL) and they also had greater loin marbling scores compared with carcasses from Hoop-finished pigs (P \u3c 0.05). Significant replication effects were noted on beginning weight, live weight, carcass weight, percentage FFL, backfat, lipid content and adipose firmness. Carcasses from Hoop pigs had lower proportions of palmitic acid (P \u3c 0.05), and higher proportions of oleic and linoleic acid (P \u3c 0.05) in the inner layer of adipose tissue. The proportion of saturated fatty acid was lower, and that of mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acid was higher in the inner layer of the adipose tissue of Hoop pigs. Variations in fatty acid composition and lipid deposition may have been caused by environmental temperature, since decreases in environmental temperature accompanied compositional variation of the adipose, leading to higher proportions of monounsaturated fatty acid and lower proportions of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid in adipose tissue, regardless of treatment. Volatile profile analysis revealed that adipose tissue of Hoop pigs had significantly higher amounts of 3-butanal and heptanal compared with CON pigs, which may be related to the amount of oleic and linoleic acids composing the adipose tissue. These data indicate finishing pigs in hoop structures allows for exposure to fluctuating temperatures, which may influence the growth of pigs, as well as fatty acid composition and firmness of pork products

Preface

1. The issue The present special issue is developed from a workshop entitled Bantu Universals and Variation at the 10th World Congress of African Linguistics (WOCAL10) held online at Leiden University in June 2021. It includes a selection of papers presented at the workshop, as well as papers submitted in response to an open call for papers. The resultant special issue brings together new perspectives on universals and variation in the Bantu language family, with regards to morphosyntax, sema..

Bantu word order between discourse and syntactic relations

Discourse function has often been noticed to be a strong factor in conditioning Bantu word order. The importance of discourse function for determining the word order of Bantu languages is visible for example in locative inversion and dedicated focus positions. As a result of such phenomena, it has been proposed that Bantu word order is best captured by reference to discourse roles, e.g. Topic-Verb-Nontopic. Nevertheless, we typically see statements describing Bantu word order in relation to grammatical roles (e.g. “SVO”), and the notions “subject” and “object” remain core in analyses of Bantu. In this paper we present the result of a study reconsidering Bantu word order from a discourse-configurational perspective, asking how far we can get without reference to grammatical roles. We use a parametric approach to investigate this syntactic variation, presenting new discourse-oriented field data collected on 9 Bantu languages. We show how these parameters highlight variation within the family, with each language sitting at a different point on a continuum between grammatical role-oriented and discourse role-oriented. We therefore argue against a one-size-fits-all account of Bantu word order and advocate for approaches that include both grammatical and discourse roles.La fonction discursive a souvent été identifiée comme un facteur important dans le conditionnement de l’ordre des mots en bantou. L’importance de la fonction discursive dans la détermination de l’ordre des mots des langues bantoues est visible par exemple dans l’inversion locative et les positions du focus. À la suite de tels phénomènes, il a été proposé que l’ordre des mots en bantou est mieux représenté par les rôles discursifs, par ex. Topique-Verbe-Non-topique. Néanmoins, nous observons généralement des déclarations décrivant l’ordre des mots bantou par rapport aux rôles grammaticaux (par exemple « SVO »), et les notions de « sujet » et « objet » restent au cœur des analyses du bantou. Dans cet article, nous présentons les résultats d’une étude reconsidérant l’ordre des mots bantou dans une perspective des configurations discursives, en nous demandant jusqu’où nous pouvons aller sans référence aux rôles grammaticaux. Nous utilisons une approche paramétrique pour étudier cette variation syntaxique, en présentant de nouvelles données de terrain, axées sur le discours, recueillies sur 9 langues bantoues. Nous montrons comment ces paramètres mettent en évidence la variation au sein de la famille, chaque langue se situant à un point différent sur un continuum entre les rôles grammaticaux et les rôles discursifs. Nous nous opposons donc à une description unique de l’ordre des mots bantou et préconisons des approches qui incluent à la fois les rôles grammaticaux et discursifs

Expert opinion on NSCLC small specimen biomarker testing - Part 2: Analysis, reporting, and quality assessment

The diagnostic work-up for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) requires biomarker testing to guide therapy choices. This article is the second of a two-part series. In Part 1, we summarised evidence-based recommendations for obtaining and processing small specimen samples (i.e. pre-analytical steps) from patients with advanced NSCLC. Here, in Part 2, we summarise evidence-based recommendations relating to analytical steps of biomarker testing (and associated reporting and quality assessment) of small specimen samples in NSCLC. As the number of biomarkers for actionable (genetic) targets and approved targeted therapies continues to increase, simultaneous testing of multiple actionable oncogenic drivers using next-generation sequencing (NGS) becomes imperative, as set forth in European Society for Medical Oncology guidelines. This is particularly relevant in advanced NSCLC, where tissue specimens are typically limited and NGS may help avoid tissue exhaustion compared with sequential biomarker testing. Despite guideline recommendations, significant discrepancies in access to NGS persist across Europe, primarily due to reimbursement constraints. The use of increasingly complex testing methods also has implications for the reporting of results. Molecular testing reports should include clinical interpretation with additional commentary on sample adequacy as appropriate. Molecular tumour boards are recommended to facilitate the interpretation of complex genetic information arising from NGS, and to collaboratively determine the optimal treatment for patients with NSCLC. Finally, whichever testing modality is employed, it is essential that adequate internal and external validation and quality control measures are implemented

Expert opinion on NSCLC small specimen biomarker testing - Part 1: Tissue collection and management

Biomarker testing is crucial for treatment selection in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the quantity of available tissue often presents a key constraint for patients with advanced disease, where minimally invasive tissue biopsy typically returns small samples. In Part 1 of this two-part series, we summarise evidence-based recommendations relating to small sample processing for patients with NSCLC. Generally, tissue biopsy techniques that deliver the greatest quantity and quality of tissue with the least risk to the patient should be selected. Rapid on-site evaluation can help to ensure sufficient sample quality and quantity. Sample processing should be managed according to biomarker testing requirements, because tissue fixation methodology influences downstream nucleic acid, protein and morphological analyses. Accordingly, 10% neutral buffered formalin is recommended as an appropriate fixative, and the duration of fixation is recommended not to exceed 24-48 h. Tissue sparing techniques, including the 'one biopsy per block' approach and small sample cutting protocols, can help preserve tissue. Cytological material (formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded [FFPE] cytology blocks and non-FFPE samples such as smears and touch preparations) can be an excellent source of nucleic acid, providing either primary or supplementary patient material to complete morphological and molecular diagnoses. Considerations on biomarker testing, reporting and quality assessment are discussed in Part 2

Associations of sitting accumulation patterns with cardio-metabolic risk biomarkers in Australian adults

Backgroun

Toward a Global View of Alcohol, Tobacco, Cannabis, and Cocaine Use: Findings from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys

Louisa Degenhardt and colleagues report an international survey of 17 countries that finds clear differences in drug use across different regions of the world

Survival-Related Profile, Pathways, and Transcription Factors in Ovarian Cancer

Ate van der Zee and colleagues analyze the gene expression profiles of ovarian cancer samples from 157 patients, and identify an 86-gene expression profile that seems to predict overall survival

Analysis of exome data for 4293 trios suggests GPI-anchor biogenesis defects are a rare cause of developmental disorders.

Over 150 different proteins attach to the plasma membrane using glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors. Mutations in 18 genes that encode components of GPI-anchor biogenesis result in a phenotypic spectrum that includes learning disability, epilepsy, microcephaly, congenital malformations and mild dysmorphic features. To determine the incidence of GPI-anchor defects, we analysed the exome data from 4293 parent-child trios recruited to the Deciphering Developmental Disorders (DDD) study. All probands recruited had a neurodevelopmental disorder. We searched for variants in 31 genes linked to GPI-anchor biogenesis and detected rare biallelic variants in PGAP3, PIGN, PIGT (n=2), PIGO and PIGL, providing a likely diagnosis for six families. In five families, the variants were in a compound heterozygous configuration while in a consanguineous Afghani kindred, a homozygous c.709G>C; p.(E237Q) variant in PIGT was identified within 10-12 Mb of autozygosity. Validation and segregation analysis was performed using Sanger sequencing. Across the six families, five siblings were available for testing and in all cases variants co-segregated consistent with them being causative. In four families, abnormal alkaline phosphatase results were observed in the direction expected. FACS analysis of knockout HEK293 cells that had been transfected with wild-type or mutant cDNA constructs demonstrated that the variants in PIGN, PIGT and PIGO all led to reduced activity. Splicing assays, performed using leucocyte RNA, showed that a c.336-2A>G variant in PIGL resulted in exon skipping and p.D113fs*2. Our results strengthen recently reported disease associations, suggest that defective GPI-anchor biogenesis may explain ~0.15% of individuals with developmental disorders and highlight the benefits of data sharing