Evaluation of the effectiveness of three sticky traps to monitor four species of cockroaches (Hexapoda: Blattaria) with simulated use tests.

Background: Cockroaches are the pest of major concern for the disinfestation programs of the sanitary system in Italy. Hygienic-sanitary interest is linked to the role of mechanical vectors of pathogens and to their allergological potential. Sticky traps are the best tool to monitor the presence of these insects and several types of them are available on the market. In most of the cases the traps are not indicated for a given species, but, instead, generically for cockroaches. Domestic cockroaches differ in morphology, size and habits. Consequently, the effectiveness of the trap can change in relation to the target species. Materials and methods: In this study three of the most employed traps in Italy were compared: the INDIA trap with and without its attractant tablet (hereafter mentioned as INDIA-A and INDIA-E, respectively), the ZAPI Simply trap and the CATCHMASTER Spider & Insect Glue trap. We chose the four most common species of cockroach (Blattodea) in Italy, Blatta orientalis (L.), Periplaneta americana (L.) (Blattidae), Blattella germanica (L.) and Supella longipalpa (F.) (Blattellidae). Each species of cockroach was tested separately inside arenas containing one of the traps. Each test (one species with one kind of trap) was replicated five times. Results and discussion: The INDIA-A trap collected more cockroaches of every species, followed by the INDIA-E. The ZAPI trap caught less specimens of each species in respect to the INDIA traps, with the only exception of B. orientalis, for which the ZAPI trap caught more than the INDIA-E. The CATCHMASTER trap performed significantly less for all the species. B. orientalis was the species most abundantly caught by all traps, followed by B. germanica, S. longipalpa and P. americana. No significant difference was observed in the catch according to the developmental stage. In general, there was no particular predisposition of any trap to catch a particular species. Conclusions: It is not possible to indicate a model of trap for each species of cockroach, but it is clear that different traps have different performances in terms of attractiveness and capture. Therefore, the choice of the trap affects the results of the monitoring, and as consequence, the evaluation of the infesting population of the pest.

Insects and SARS-CoV-2: Analysis of the Potential Role of Vectors in European Countries.

ABSTRACT: SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus responsible for the pandemic that developed in China in late 2019. Transmission of the virus is predominantly direct, through exposure to infected respiratory secretions. As far as we know, arthropods play a key role in the transmission and spread of several viruses, and thus their role in the spread of COVID-19 deserves to be studied. The biological transmission of viral agents through insects is very complex. While mechanical transmission is more likely to happen, biological transmission is possible via blood-sucking arthropods, but this requires a high grade of compatibility between the vector and the pathogen. If the biological and mechanical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by blood-sucking arthropods is excluded, a mechanical transmission by urban pests could take place. This risk is very low but it could be important in isolated environmental conditions, where other means of transmission are not possible. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in non-blood-sucking arthropods in infected buildings, like hospitals and retirement homes, should be investigated.

Smoking among female daily smokers in Surabaya, Indonesia.

OBJECTIVES: Nationally representative studies suggest 1-2% of Indonesian women (2.3 million) smoke various tobacco products daily; however, in recent years, there has been concern that the tobacco industry has successfully increased female smoking. Our objective was to describe current cigarette smoking behaviors, past quit attempts, and intention to quit of female daily smokers in Surabaya, Indonesia. STUDY DESIGN: Survey. METHODS: Female daily smokers (n = 112) in Surabaya, Indonesia, the country's second largest city, were recruited to participate in a survey during 2018. Convenience sampling was utilized in two malls. Potential participants were intercepted in or near designated smoking areas and invited to the nearby data collection site. Survey items from Global Adult Tobacco Survey and the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project were utilized. RESULTS: Participants self-reported smoking 13.8 cigarettes per day (7.3 white machine-rolled cigarettes per day, 4.2 kreteks per day, and 2.4 roll-your-own cigarettes per day). Over 75% smoked their first cigarette within 30 min of waking. Over 53% had a heaviness of smoking index score suggesting moderate or high addiction. Approximately half (51%) did not attempt to quit smoking in the previous 12 months, and 55% planned to quit beyond 6 months or not at all. CONCLUSIONS: Our sample smoked five to six more cigarettes per day than female daily smokers in previous national surveys. Relative to previous studies, our data suggest an unexpected preference for white machine-rolled cigarettes and that there could be, at a minimum, pockets of increased smoking and addiction among female daily smokers in Indonesia.

A simplified regimen of targeted antifungal prophylaxis in liver transplant recipients: A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Invasive fungal infection (IFI) is a severe complication of liver transplantation burdened by high mortality. Guidelines recommend targeted rather than universal antifungal prophylaxis based on tiers of risk. METHODS: We aimed to evaluate IFI incidence, risk factors, and outcome after implementation of a simplified two-tiered targeted prophylaxis regimen based on a single broad-spectrum antifungal drug (amphotericin B). Patients presenting 1 or more risk factors according to literature were administered prophylaxis. Prospectively collected data on all adult patients transplanted in Turin from January 2011 to December 2015 were reviewed. RESULTS: Patients re-transplanted before postoperative day 7 were considered once, yielding a study cohort of 581 cases. Prophylaxis was administered to 299 (51.4%) patients; adherence to protocol was 94.1%. Sixteen patients developed 18 IFIs for an overall rate of 2.8%. All IFI cases were in targeted prophylaxis group; none of the non-prophylaxis group developed IFI. Most cases (81.3%) presented within 30 days after transplantation during prophylaxis; predominant pathogens were molds (94.4%). Only 1 case of candidemia was observed. One-year mortality in IFI patients was 33.3% vs 6.4% in patients without IFI (P = .001); IFI attributable mortality was 6.3%. At multivariate analysis, significant risk factors for IFI were renal replacement therapy (OR = 8.1) and re-operation (OR = 5.2). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a simplified targeted prophylaxis regimen appeared to be safe and applicable and was associated with low IFI incidence and mortality. Association of IFI with re-operation and renal replacement therapy calls for further studies to identify optimal prophylaxis in this subset of patients.

Cavitation clusters in lipid systems - surface effects, local heating and streamer formation.

Cavitation clusters and streamers are characterised in lipid materials (specifically sunflower oil) and compared to water systems. The lipid systems, which are important in food processing, are studied with high-speed camera imaging, laser scattering and pressure measurements. In these oils, clusters formed at an aged (roughened) tip of the sound source (a piston like emitter, PLE) are shown to collapse with varied periodicity in relation to the drive amplitude employed. A distinct streamer (an area of increased flow emanating from the cavitation cluster) is seen in the lipid media which is collimated directly away from the tip of the PLE source whereas in water the cavitation plume is visually less distinct. The velocity of bubbles in the lipid streamer near the cluster on the order of 10 m s-1. Local heating effects, within the streamer, are detected using a dual thermocouple measurement at extended distances. Viscosity, temperature and the outgassing within the oils are suggested to play a key role in the streamer formation in these systems.

PKCε is a regulator of hypertrophic differentiation of chondrocytes in osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common and highly debilitating degenerative disease whose complex pathogenesis and the multiplicity of the molecular processes involved, hinder its complete understanding. Protein Kinase C (PKC) novel isozyme PKCε recently proved to be an interesting molecule for further investigations as it can represent an intriguing, new actor in the acquisition of a OA phenotype by the chondrocyte. DESIGN: PKCε was modulated in primary chondrocytes from human OA patient knee cartilage samples by means of short hairpin RNA (ShRNA) and the expression of cartilage specific markers observed at mRNA and protein level. The involvement of Histone deacetylases (HDACs) signaling pathway was also investigated through the use of specific inhibitors MS-275 and Inhibitor VIII. RESULTS: PKCε loss induces up-regulation of Runt-domain transcription factor (RUNX2), Metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and Collagen X (COL10) as well as an enhanced calcium deposition in OA chondrocyte cultures. In parallel, PKCε knock-down also leads to SOX9 and Collagen II (COL2) down-modulation and to a lower deposition of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the extracellular matrix (ECM). This novel regulatory role of PKCε over cartilage hypertrophic phenotype is exerted via an HDAC-mediated pathway, as HDAC2 and HDAC4 expression is modulated by PKCε. HDAC2 and HDAC4, in turn, are at least in part responsible for the modulation of the master transcription factors RUNX2 and SOX9, key regulators of chondrocyte phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: PKCε prevents the phenotypic progression of the OA chondrocyte, acting on cartilage specific markers through the modulation of the transcription factors SOX9 and RUNX2. The loss of PKCε enhances, in fact, the OA hypertrophic phenotype, with clear implications in the pathophysiology of the disease.

PKCε as a novel promoter of skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration.

INTRODUCTION: Satellite cells are muscle resident stem cells and are responsible for muscle regeneration. In this study we investigate the involvement of PKCε during muscle stem cell differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Here, we describe the identification of a previously unrecognized role for the PKCε-HMGA1 signaling axis in myoblast differentiation and regeneration processes. METHODS: PKCε expression was modulated in the C2C12 cell line and primary murine satellite cells in vitro, as well as in an in vivo model of muscle regeneration. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, RT-PCR and shRNA silencing techniques were used to determine the role of PKCε and HMGA1 in myogenic differentiation. RESULTS: PKCε expression increases and subsequently re-localizes to the nucleus during skeletal muscle cell differentiation. In the nucleus, PKCε blocks Hmga1 expression to promote Myogenin and Mrf4 accumulation and myoblast formation. Following in vivo muscle injury, PKCε accumulates in regenerating, centrally-nucleated myofibers. Pharmacological inhibition of PKCε impairs the expression of two crucial markers of muscle differentiation, namely MyoD and Myogenin, during injury induced muscle regeneration. CONCLUSION: This work identifies the PKCε-HMGA1 signaling axis as a positive regulator of skeletal muscle differentiation.

Comparison of milk oxidation by exposure to LED and fluorescent light.

Light-induced oxidation of milk has been well studied. Exposure of milk to UV light facilitates the oxidation of fats to aldehydes, and the degradation of sulfur-containing amino acids, both of which contribute to off-flavors. In addition, vitamin A and riboflavin are easily degraded by UV light. These reactions occur rapidly and are exacerbated by bright fluorescent lights in retail dairy cases. The invention of white light-emitting diodes (LED) may provide a solution to this oxidation problem. In this study, fresh milk containing 1% fat and fortified with vitamin A and riboflavin was exposed to LED at 4,000 lx, or fluorescent light at 2,200 lx for 24 h. Milk samples exposed to LED or fluorescent light, as well as milk protected from light, were analyzed by a consumer acceptance panel, and a trained flavor panel. In addition, vitamin A, riboflavin, and the production of volatile compounds were quantified. Exposure to light resulted in a reduction of cooked/sweet, milkfat, and sweet flavors and increased the intensity of butterscotch, cardboard, and astringency. In general, exposure to fluorescent light resulted in greater changes in the milk than exposure to LED even though the LED was at higher intensity. Consumers were able detect off-flavors in milk exposed to fluorescent light after 12 h and LED after 24 h of exposure. The riboflavin and vitamin A content was reduced by exposure to fluorescent light, whereas there was no significant reduction caused by LED compared with the non-light-exposed control. Production of hexanal, heptanal, 2-heptanal, octanal, 2-octanal nonanal, dimethyl sulfide, and caproic acid vinyl ester from the light-induced degradation of fats was significantly higher with fluorescent than LED. Production of these compounds was significantly higher with both light treatments than in the control milk. This study indicates that LED is less destructive to milk than fluorescent light.

Increasing stringiness of low-fat mozzarella string cheese using polysaccharides.

When fat content of pasta filata cheese is lowered, a loss of fibrous texture occurs and low-fat (LF) mozzarella cheese loses stringiness, making it unsuitable for the manufacture of string cheese. We investigated the use of various polysaccharides that could act as fat mimetics during the stretching and extruding process to aid in protein strand formation and increase stringiness. Low-fat mozzarella cheese curd was made, salted, and then 3.6-kg batches were heated in hot (80°) 5% brine, stretched, and formed into a homogeneous mass. Hot (80°C) slurries of various polysaccharides were then mixed with the hot cheese and formed into LF string cheese using a small piston-driven extruder. Polysaccharides used included waxy corn starch, waxy rice starch, instant tapioca starch, polydextrose, xanthan gum, and guar gum. Adding starch slurries increased cheese moisture content by up to 1.6% but was not effective at increasing stringiness. Xanthan gum functioned best as a fat mimetic and produced LF string cheese that most closely visually resembled commercial string cheese made using low-moisture part skim (LMPS) mozzarella cheese without any increase in moisture content. Extent of stringiness was determined by pulling apart the cheese longitudinally and observing size, length, and appearance of individual cheese strings. Hardness was determined using a modified Warner-Bratzler shear test. When LF string cheese was made using a 10% xanthan gum slurry added at ~1%, increased consumer flavor liking was observed, with scores after 2wk of storage of 6.44 and 6.24 compared with 5.89 for the LF control cheese; although this was lower than an LMPS string cheese that scored 7.27. The 2-wk-old LF string cheeses containing xanthan gum were considered still slightly too firm using a just-about-right (JAR) test, whereas the LMPS string cheese was considered as JAR for texture. With further storage up to 8wk, all of the LF string cheeses softened (JAR score was closer to 3.0); however, much of the stringiness of the LF string cheeses was also lost during storage. We have demonstrated the potential feasibility of increasing stringiness in LF string cheese using polysaccharides with xanthan gum, although further research is needed to develop quantitative methodology for measuring stringiness and to maintain stringiness through the extended refrigerated shelf life needed for string cheese.

Fortification of cheese with vitamin D3 using dairy protein emulsions as delivery systems.

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that is synthesized when the body is exposed to sunlight or after the consumption of fortified foods and supplements. The purpose of this research was to increase the retention of vitamin D(3) in Cheddar cheese by incorporating it as part of an oil-in-water emulsion using a milk protein emulsifier to obtain a fortification level of 280 IU/serving. Four oil-in-water vitamin D emulsions were made using sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, nonfat dry milk (NDM), or whey protein. These emulsions were used to fortify milk, and the retention of vitamin D(3) in cheese curd in a model cheesemaking system was calculated. A nonemulsified vitamin D(3) oil was used as a control to fortify milk. Significantly more vitamin D(3) was retained in the curd when using the emulsified vitamin D(3) than the nonemulsified vitamin D(3) oil (control). No significant differences were observed in the retention of vitamin D(3) when emulsions were formulated with different emulsifiers. Mean vitamin D(3) retention in the model system cheese curd was 96% when the emulsions were added to either whole or skim milk compared with using the nonemulsified oil, which gave mean retentions of only 71% and 64% when added to whole and skim milk, respectively. A similar improvement in retention was achieved when cheese was made from whole and reduced-fat milk using standard manufacturing procedures on a small scale. When sufficient vitamin D(3) was added to produce cheese containing a target level of approximately 280 IU per 28-g serving, retention was greater when the vitamin D(3) was emulsified with NDM than when using nonemulsified vitamin D(3) oil. Only 58±3% of the nonemulsified vitamin D(3) oil was retained in full-fat Cheddar cheese, whereas 78±8% and 74±1% were retained when using the vitamin D(3) emulsion in full-fat and reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, respectively.

The use of platelet gel in postero-lateral fusion: preliminary results in a series of 14 cases.

Over the last few years, some hemocomponents have been used advantageously in clinical neurosurgical practice, not systemically via transfusion but topically as a sealant (fibrin glue). This has diverted the attention of many authors to the role of platelets in the healing process. The combination of hyper-concentrated platelets and fibrin glue (fibrinogen, XIII factor, fibronectin) with activated thrombin produces a platelet gel that can be easily applied to "difficult" wounds. This topical use of hemocomponents has gained an important role in regenerative medicine. The authors have considered the possibility of using a preparation with a high autologous platelet concentration applied in addition to autologous bone during vertebral postero-lateral fusion. The aim of the procedure is to induce a higher rate of vertebral fusion. Between November 2007 and November 2008, 14 patients (9 men and 5 women, mean age 58.9) underwent laminectomy, vertebral stabilization and postero-lateral fusion. The number of vertebral levels involved in stabilization was: 1 in 2 patients, 2 in 5 patients, 3 in 5 patients, 4 in 1 patient and 5 in 1 patient. Platelet gel was obtained by taking 16 ml of peripheral venous blood from the patient. For this procedure two patented test tubes were used for each patient, with a capacity of 8 m each. These make up the REGEN-THT(®) (Thrombocyte Harvesting Tube) system that makes it possible to obtain 8 ml of autologous platelet gel in 40-45 min. The addition of Ca gluconate and ethanol at 95% makes it possible to obtain a preparation of plasma rich in platelets and activated thrombin with a platelet concentration five times superior to the haematic one. The platelet gel is combined with fragments of autologous bone and synthetic bone during surgical operation. To allow a comparative assessment of the degree of fusion achieved with and without application of the platelet preparation in each patient, it was arbitrarily decided to use it in only one half of the operative field. All patients underwent serial CT scans 3 and 6 months after surgery as well as plain X-rays to evaluate bone fusion. The reconstructed CT images, especially in sagittal and axial planes, permitted an evaluation of the degree of vertebral fusion and "bone growth". The fusion rate was calculated measuring the increment of bone density on CT images, by means of an evaluation of the ROI (HU) in the newly formed bone, and comparing bone density within the bone callus formed by autologous and synthetic bone alone in the one to which the platelet preparation had been added. A good rate of fusion was observed in all patients. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of ROI at 3 and 6 months after surgery demonstrated a high increase in the fusion rate during the first 3 months after surgery. After 6 months the differences in ROI between the two sides had balanced out. However, at 6-month follow-up examination, bone density in the half of the surgical field in which platelet gel had been added to autologous-heterologous bone was higher in comparison to the contralateral one. Bony neoformation after posterior-lateral arthrodesis is well-evident 3 months after surgery and usually continues gradually for the following 18-24 months. The autologous platelet preparation used seems to accelerate bony deposition and to promote tissue healing, increasing bone density at the level of posterior-lateral arthrodesis. Moreover, this preparation has low production costs and is easy to apply.

Cavitation clusters in lipid systems - Ring-up, bubble population, and bifurcated streamer lifetime.

The processing of oils is vital to their ultimate use within the food industry. Control over the physical properties of such materials could be achieved through the application of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU). However, the exact mechanism, centred upon acoustic cavitation, is currently unclear. To investigate the cavitation environment in oils further, the ring-up of a HIU source in an oil media is studied in the presence and absence of a pre-existing bubble population. High-speed imaging and acoustic measurements within the system is demonstrated to be extremely useful in characterising the dynamics present under non steady-state conditions. The behaviour of the clusters generated in the first 1000 ms under these conditions is shown to be significantly different depending on the bubble population. A bifurcated streamer (BiS), originating from a unique bi-cluster event, is only observable in the presence of a bubble population during the ring-up process to higher cluster orders. In addition, the lifetime of this BiS event is highly temperature dependent and is shown to be a good marker for the viscosity of the oil employed.

Exo-Ocean Exploration with Deep-Sea Sensor and Platform Technologies.

One of Saturn's largest moons, Enceladus, possesses a vast extraterrestrial ocean (i.e., exo-ocean) that is increasingly becoming the hotspot of future research initiatives dedicated to the exploration of putative life. Here, a new bio-exploration concept design for Enceladus' exo-ocean is proposed, focusing on the potential presence of organisms across a wide range of sizes (i.e., from uni- to multicellular and animal-like), according to state-of-the-art sensor and robotic platform technologies used in terrestrial deep-sea research. In particular, we focus on combined direct and indirect life-detection capabilities, based on optoacoustic imaging and passive acoustics, as well as molecular approaches. Such biologically oriented sampling can be accompanied by concomitant geochemical and oceanographic measurements to provide data relevant to exo-ocean exploration and understanding. Finally, we describe how this multidisciplinary monitoring approach is currently enabled in terrestrial oceans through cabled (fixed) observatories and their related mobile multiparametric platforms (i.e., Autonomous Underwater and Remotely Operated Vehicles, as well as crawlers, rovers, and biomimetic robots) and how their modified design can be used for exo-ocean exploration.

Increasing omega fatty acid content in cow's milk through diet manipulation: effect on milk flavor.

Milk with an increased content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was obtained by incorporating fish oil into the feed of cows. The 4 feed treatments used were a control diet of 57% forage and 43% concentrate mix with EnerGII fat supplement at 1.65% of dietary DM, or EnerGII in the basal diet was partially replaced with 1) 0.21% partially ruminally inert calcium salts of 71% fish oil given at 0.41% of DM; 2) 0.41% inert calcium salts of 71% fish oil given at 0.83% of DM; or 3) 0.83% inert calcium salts of 43% fish oil given at 0.83% of DM. The cows were milked after 5 and 8 wk and the EPA, DHA, and CLA contents in the pasteurized whole milk were determined. The presence of off-flavors in the milk was investigated after 3 and 10 d of storage. Twelve judges were trained to evaluate the presence of grassy, fishy, oily, oxidized, and rancid off-flavors. Although levels of EPA, DHA, vaccenic acid, and CLA increased for all 4 treatments, a trained sensory panel detected no difference in milk flavor between treatments and the control, with little or no intensity of off-flavors. Results suggest that feeding fish oil and EnerGII at varying levels enhanced CLA, EPA, DHA, and total n-3 fatty acids in milk over the length of the experiment without negatively affecting milk flavor. This creates the potential for a more marketable and healthful product.

Fortification of reduced-fat Cheddar cheese with n-3 fatty acids: effect on off-flavor generation.

The objective of this study was to fortify 50% reduced fat Cheddar cheese with n-3 fatty acids and evaluate whether this fortification generated specific off-flavors in the cheese. Docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) fatty acids were added to the cheese to obtain 3 final fortification levels [18, 35, and 71 mg of DHA/EPA per serving size (28 g) of cheese] representing 10, 20, and 40% of the suggested daily intake level for DHA/EPA. The presence of oxidized, rancid, and fishy flavors as a function of fortification level and cheese aging (6 mo) was evaluated using a sensory descriptive panel. No differences were found in the oxidized and rancid flavors as a consequence of DHA/EPA fortification, with only slight intensities of these flavors. The presence of fishy off-flavor was dependent on the fortification level. Cheeses with low fortification levels (18 and 35 mg of DHA/EPA per serving size) did not develop significant fishy off-flavor compared with the control, whereas at the highest fortification level (71 mg of DHA/EPA per serving size) the fishy off-flavor was significantly stronger in young cheeses. The fishy flavor decreased as a function of age and became nonsignificant compared with the control at 3 mo of storage. Even though fishy flavors were detected in the fortified cheeses, the DHA/EPA content during storage remained constant and complied with the suggested values for food fortification. Results obtained from this research indicate that 50% reduced-fat Cheddar cheese aged for 3 mo can be used as a vehicle for delivery of n-3 fatty acids without generation of off-flavors.

Nitrogen recovery from wastewater using gas-permeable membranes: Impact of inorganic carbon content and natural organic matter.

Gas-permeable membranes coupled with low-rate aeration is useful to recover ammonia (NH4+) from livestock effluents. In this study, the role of inorganic carbon (bicarbonate, HCO3-) to enhance the N recovery process was evaluated using synthetic effluents with various NH4+ to HCO3- molar ratios of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0. The study also evaluated the effect of increased organic matter on the NH4+ recovery using humic acids (3000-6000 mg L-1), and the N recovery from high-strength swine manure. The release of hydroxide from the HCO3- with aeration increased the wastewater pH and promoted gaseous ammonia formation and membrane uptake. At the same time, the recovery of gaseous ammonia (NH3) through the membrane acidified the wastewater. Therefore, an abundant inorganic carbon supply in balance with the NH4+ is needed for a successful operation of the technology. NH4+ removal efficiencies >96% were obtained with NH4+ to HCO3- ratios ≤1. However, higher molar ratios inhibited the N recovery process resulting in lower efficiencies (<65%). Fortunately, most swine manures contain ample supply of endogenous inorganic carbon and the process can be used to more economically recover the ammonia using the natural inorganic carbon instead of expensive alkali chemicals. In 4 days, the recovered NH4+ from swine manure contained 48,000 mg L-1. Finally, it was found the process was not inhibited by the increasing levels of organic matter in the wastewater evaluated.

Apolipoprotein C-II deficiency syndrome. Clinical features, lipoprotein characterization, lipase activity, and correction of hypertriglyceridemia after apolipoprotein C-II administration in two affected patients.

Two patients (brother and sister, 41 and 39 yr of age, respectively) have been shown to have marked elevation of plasma triglycerides and chylomicrons, decreased low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL), a type I lipoprotein phenotype, and a deficiency of plasma apolipoprotein C-II (apo C-II). The male patient had a history of recurrent bouts of abdominal pain often accompanied by eruptive xanthomas. The female subject, identified by family screening, was asymptomatic. Hepatosplenomegaly was present in both subjects. Analytical and zonal ultracentrifugation revealed a marked increase in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins including chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins, a reduction in LDL, and the presence of virtually only the HDL3 subfraction. LDL were heterogeneous with the major subfraction of a higher hydrated density than that observed in plasma lipoproteins of normal subjects. Apo C-II levels, quantitated by radioimmunoassay, were 0.13 mg/dl and 0.12 mg/dl, in the male and female proband, respectively. A variant of apo C-II (apo C-IIPadova) with lower apparent molecular weight and more acidic isoelectric point was identified in both probands by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The marked hypertriglyceridemia and elevation of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins were corrected by the infusion of normal plasma or the injection of a biologically active synthesized 44-79 amino acid residue peptide fragment of apo C-II. The reduction in plasma triglycerides after the injection of the synthetic apo C-II peptide persisted for 13-20 d. These results definitively established that the dyslipoproteinemia in this syndrome is due to a deficiency of normal apo C-II. A possible therapeutic role for replacement therapy of apo C-II by synthetic or recombinant apo C-II in those patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia and recurrent pancreatitis may be possible in the future.

Consumer sensory evaluation and chemical composition of beef gluteus medius and triceps brachii steaks from cattle finished on forage or concentrate diets.

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of cattle finishing diet and muscle type on meat quality. Consumer sensory response, proximate composition, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), fatty acid composition, and volatile compounds were assessed from the gluteus medius (GM) and triceps brachii (TB) muscles of cattle ( = 6 per diet) which were grain-finished (USUGrain) on conventional feedlot or 2 forage diets, a perennial legume, birdsfoot trefoil-finished (USUBFT; ), and grass-finished (USUGrass; ). Diet had an interacting effect with muscle for all sensory attributes ( ≤ 0.002), except aroma and flavor ( ≥ 0.078). In forage-finished beef, tenderness, fattiness, overall liking, and WBSF tenderness of GM was greater ( < 0.05) than TB, whereas for USUGrain, the tenderness, fattiness, overall liking, and WBSF tenderness of both muscles were similar ( > 0.05) but the juiciness of TB was more liked than USUGrain GM ( < 0.05). The juiciness of forage-finished beef did not differ ( > 0.05) between GM and TB. Lower ( < 0.05) intramuscular fat (IMF) percent was determined for USUGrass beef in comparison with USUGrain beef. The IMF percent of USUBFT beef was similar ( > 0.05) to both USUGrass and USUGrain beef. However, IMF percent was not impacted by muscle type ( = 0.092). The ratio of -6:-3 fatty acids was affected by muscle dependent on diet ( = 0.016). The ratio of -6:-3 fatty acids was affected by the interaction of muscle × diet ( = 0.016). Between forage diets (USUGrass and USUBFT), -6:-3 ratios were similar ( > 0.05) between GM and TB, whereas within USUGrain, the GM was greater ( < 0.05) than the TB. Cumulative MUFA was greater ( < 0.05) in USUGrain compared with both USUGrass and USUBFT, which were similar ( > 0.05). Strecker aldehydes, ketones, pyrazines, and methional were affected ( ≤ 0.036) by muscle and found to have a greater concentration in GM compared with TB. Overall, consumers determined that USUGrain GM and TB had similar ( > 0.05) quality ratings. However, within forage-finished beef, the GM was perceived more frequently ( < 0.05) to be of premium quality and the forage-finished TB was more frequently ( < 0.05) rated as having unsatisfactory quality. These findings were in agreement with ratings of tenderness and overall liking. Therefore, in the context of our consumer group grilled GM and TB steaks, grain-finished beef provided more uniform quality and eating experience compared with forage-finished beef.