The influence of rumen volatile fatty acids on protein metabolism in growing lambs

The effect of acetic or propionic acid rumen fermentation patterns on whole-body protein turnover, tissue protein synthetic rates and body composition was investigated in growing lambs. Protein turnover was assessed using a continuous intravenous infusion of [2,3-³H]tyrosine and tissue protein fractional synthetic rates (FSR) from the specific activities of plasma free, intracellular free and tissue bound tyrosine. Only the FSR of muscle tissue approached significance. The high FSR in the propionic group was attributed to the high plasma insulin concentration. Values for whole-body protein synthesis, corrected for tyrosine oxidation, were similar to those obtained by summating protein synthesis in individual tissues, confirming that tyrosine oxidation should be measured accurately if reliable whole-body protein synthesis values are required. Tyrosine oxidation and flux were high in the acetic acid group, suggesting that amino acids are used for gluconeogenesis. The high protein turnover rate probably ensures an adequate supply of gluconeogenic amino acids and that the penalty of mobilizing body proteins for gluconeogenic amino acids is minimal. In the propionic acid group, high plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were associated with a low protein turnover rate, high ratio of deposited: synthesized protein and a high body fat content. It is concluded that changing the proportion of ruminal volatile fatty acids influences protein turnover, protein synthesis and the efficiency of protein retention. Such factors probably contribute, indirectly, to the observed differences in body composition

Prediction of lamb tenderness using combined quality parameters and meat surface characteristics

The objectives of the present study were: to investigate the predictability of cooked lamb tenderness from textural parameters extracted from lamb chops images using GLRM and GLDM techniques. To study the combined effects of texture features, marbling and ultimate pH on the prediction models

Cancer risk in 680 000 people exposed to computed tomography scans in childhood or adolescence: Data linkage study of 11 million Australians

Objective To assess the cancer risk in children and adolescents following exposure to low dose ionising radiation from diagnostic computed tomography (CT) scans. Design Population based, cohort, data linkage study in Australia. Cohort members 10.9 million people identified from Australian Medicare records, aged 0-19 years on 1 January 1985 or born between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 2005; all exposures to CT scans funded by Medicare during 1985-2005 were identified for this cohort. Cancers diagnosed in cohort members up to 31 December 2007 were obtained through linkage to national cancer records. Main outcome Cancer incidence rates in individuals exposed to a CT scan more than one year before any cancer diagnosis, compared with cancer incidence rates in unexposed individuals. Results 60 674 cancers were recorded, including 3150 in 680 211 people exposed to a CT scan at least one year before any cancer diagnosis. The mean duration of follow-up after exposure was 9.5 years. Overall cancer incidence was 24% greater for exposed than for unexposed people, after accounting for age, sex, and year of birth (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.24 (95% confidence interval 1.20 to 1.29); P<0.001). We saw a dose-response relation, and the IRR increased by 0.16 (0.13 to 0.19) for each additional CT scan. The IRR was greater after exposure at younger ages (P<0.001 for trend). At 1-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15 or more years since first exposure, IRRs were 1.35 (1.25 to 1.45), 1.25 (1.17 to 1.34), 1.14 (1.06 to 1.22), and 1.24 (1.14 to 1.34), respectively. The IRR increased significantly for many types of solid cancer (digestive organs, melanoma, soft tissue, female genital, urinary tract, brain, and thyroid); leukaemia, myelodysplasia, and some other lymphoid cancers. There was an excess of 608 cancers in people exposed to CT scans (147 brain, 356 other solid, 48 leukaemia or myelodysplasia, and 57 other lymphoid). The absolute excess incidence rate for all cancers combined was 9.38 per 100 000 person years at risk, as of 31 December 2007. The average effective radiation dose per scan was estimated as 4.5 mSv. Conclusions The increased incidence of cancer after CT scan exposure in this cohort was mostly due to irradiation. Because the cancer excess was still continuing at the end of follow-up, the eventual lifetime risk from CT scans cannot yet be determined. Radiation doses from contemporary CT scans are likely to be lower than those in 1985-2005, but some increase in cancer risk is still likely from current scans. Future CT scans should be limited to situations where there is a definite clinical indication, with every scan optimised to provide a diagnostic CT image at the lowest possible radiation dose

Deriving and critiquing an empirically-based framework for pharmaceutical ethics.

Background: The pharmaceutical industry has been responsible for major medical advances, but the industry has also been heavily criticized. Such criticisms, and associated regulatory responses, are no doubt often warranted, but do not provide a framework for those who wish to reason systematically about the moral dimensions of drug development. We set out to develop such a framework using Beauchamp and Childress’s “four principles” as organizing categories. Methods: We conducted a qualitative interview study of people working in the “medical affairs” departments of pharmaceutical companies to determine: (1) whether our data could meaningfully be organized under the headings of “autonomy,” “beneficence,” “nonmaleficence,” and “justice”; (2) how principles might be expressed in this particular commercial setting; and (3) if these principles are expressed, whether and how competing principles are balanced. We then critiqued these findings using existing normative theory. Results: Our interviews demonstrated that three of Beauchamp and Childress’ four principles were salient to our participants: beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Within each of these principles, participants had two broad ethical orientations: an altruistic public focus (“other-ness”) and a commitment to their companies (“firm-ness”). Our participants also demonstrated efforts to balance these principles and highlighted the importance of phronesis (or practical wisdom) in balancing and enacting principles. Notably, however, our participants did not spontaneously emphasize the importance of autonomy. Conclusions: It is possible to use qualitative empirical research, together with normative analysis, to derive a framework for pharmaceutical ethics. We suggest that our framework would be useful for those who wish to reason ethically within, or in collaboration with, the pharmaceutical industry. Keywords: Empirical ethics, principle-based ethics, pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical ethics, qualitative researchNHMRC Career Development Fellowship APP106356

The Theory/Applications Balance in Management Pedagogy: Where Do We Stand?

Business schools are expected to be "professional" in the sense that their mission is primarily to prepare people to practice their skills in the business world. Various critics, however, claim that management professors overemphasize theory and research and neglect the practice and applications students need to transfer classroom theory to the world of practice. This study compared an earlier sample with a more recent sample of Academy of Management members concerning the relative emphasis they believed should be placed on theory and applications in management pedagogy and the techniques they used to bring applications into the classroom. Current respondents believed that more emphasis should be placed on applications than the earlier respondents. An unexpected finding, however, was that the more recent respondents reported a lower mean usage of pedagogical techniques that are appropriate for developing students' ability to apply course concepts than the previous group. Possible reasons for these incongruent findings are discussed as well as the implications for management pedagogy.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Currents issues in cardiorespiratory care of patients with post-polio syndrome

ABSTRACT Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a condition that affects polio survivors years after recovery from an initial acute attack of the poliomyelitis virus. Most often, polio survivors experience a gradual new weakening in muscles that were previously affected by the polio infection. The actual incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in individuals suffering from PPS is not known. However, there is a reason to suspect that individuals with PPS might be at increased risk. Method A search for papers was made in the databases Bireme, Scielo and Pubmed with the following keywords: post polio syndrome, cardiorespiratory and rehabilitation in English, French and Spanish languages. Although we targeted only seek current studies on the topic in question, only the relevant (double-blind, randomized-controlled and consensus articles) were considered. Results and Discussion Certain features of PPS such as generalized fatigue, generalized and specific muscle weakness, joint and/or muscle pain may result in physical inactivity deconditioning obesity and dyslipidemia. Respiratory difficulties are common and may result in hypoxemia. Conclusion Only when evaluated and treated promptly, somE patients can obtain the full benefits of the use of respiratory muscles aids as far as quality of life is concerned