This is an older men's world: A qualitative study of men's experiences with prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: Prostate cancer is highly prevalent and invasive among older men. Not knowing their experiences hampers care and support to men with prostate cancer and prostate cancer survivors. This study aims to provide insight into older men's experiences with prostate cancer in order to improve personalised care. METHODS: A qualitative research design through semi-structured interviews with 22 older men with prostate cancer was conducted in two areas of the Netherlands in 2015. Patients were selected through systematic non-probabilistic sampling. The transcripts were analysed with conventional content analysis and affinity diagramming. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the data: impact of prostate cancer, dealing with prostate cancer and treatment, involvement of and with others, and experiences with professional care and the care trajectory. The way patients dealt with prostate cancer and their experiences with the care they received varied. Overall, hospital care was rated positively, and communication was a crucial determinant of the patient's satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Some patients lacked information about their health status, which may have influenced decision-making processes. Some were reluctant to talk about their disease with other people and sometimes hesitated to ask for help. CONCLUSION: Despite many positive care experiences, some patients felt that the communication, information provision and decision-making were inadequate. Vulnerable patients with severe complications or limited social support may need additional psychosocial care. Lowering the threshold for patients to ask for help and the availability of a professional with expert knowledge about prostate cancer and ageing may decrease unnecessary hardship and increase personal strengths.

Psychosocial health of cochlear implant users compared to that of adults with and without hearing aids: Results of a nationwide cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the psychosocial health status of adult cochlear implant (CI) users, compared to that of hearing aid (HA) users, hearing-impaired adults without hearing aids and normally hearing adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study, using both self-reported survey data and a speech-in-noise test. SETTING: Data as collected within the Netherlands Longitudinal Study on Hearing (NL-SH) between September 2011 and June 2016 were used. PARTICIPANTS: Data from 1254 Dutch adults (aged 23-74), selected in a convenience sample design, were included for analyses. MEAN OUTCOME MEASURES: Psychosocial health measures included emotional and social loneliness, anxiety, depression, distress and somatisation. Psychosocial health, hearing status, use of hearing technology and covariates were measured by self-report; hearing ability was assessed through an online digit triplet speech-in-noise test. RESULTS: After adjusting for the degree of hearing impairment, HA users (N = 418) and hearing-impaired adults (N = 247) had significantly worse scores on emotional loneliness than CI users (N = 37). HA users had significantly higher anxiety scores than CI users in some analyses. Non-significant differences were found between normally hearing (N = 552) and CI users for all psychosocial outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial health of CI users is not worse than that of hearing-impaired adults with or without hearing aids. CI users' level of emotional loneliness is even lower than that of their hearing-impaired peers using hearing aids. A possible explanation is that CI patients receive more professional and family support, and guidance along their patient journey than adults who are fitted with hearing aids.

Patient navigation and activation interventions for elderly patients with cancer: A systematic review.

Patient navigation (PN) and patient activation (PA) interventions are widely used to help patients with cancer to manage the disease and the care trajectory. However, the usability and impact of these interventions on older patients and their well-being are unclear. This study aims to show which PN and PA interventions are being used and what impact they have. After systematically searching the literature, we assessed the quality of the publications we found. The publications had to involve at least a subgroup of older people with minimally one abnormal oncologic test result each, and they had to focus on PN or PA interventions. Six PA publications examined the interventions exclusively for elderly patients. Each of the 11 PN and PA publications contained at least one comment about the impact on older patients. The types of impact varied substantially, but there was scant attention to the quality of life. The type of intervention, the outcome measures and the quality of publications also varied considerably. Generally, age is not an important factor in PN and PA studies. To facilitate adjustment of navigation and activation interventions to the individual patient, more rigorous research into the impact of PN and PA interventions on older patients is necessary.

Person-centred care and job satisfaction of caregivers in nursing homes: a systematic review of the impact of different forms of person-centred care on various dimensions of job satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: The positive effects of person-centred care on older clients have been demonstrated. However, relatively little is known about the effect that giving person-centred care has on caregivers. This literature review examines the job satisfaction of caregivers who deliver person-centred care in nursing homes. DESIGN: The research questions are: Do the various forms of person-centred care affect job satisfaction differently? Which particular dimensions of job satisfaction have been evaluated in studies on person-centred care, and does their sensitivity to person-centred care differ? Using the search engines Pubmed, Cinahl, Psychinfo and Embase up to August 2010, 46 efficacy studies were found, seven of which satisfied our criteria. RESULTS: Emotion-oriented care, snoezelen, and small-scale care most often show positive effects on job satisfaction. Person-centred care has been shown to have positive effects on general job satisfaction, job demands at psychogeriatric wards, emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment. CONCLUSIONS: Taking into account the fair-to-moderate quality of the studies included, it is concluded that there are limited indications that person-centred care has a positive effect on a number of dimensions of caregivers' job satisfaction. Further study is required to expand and to support these tentative conclusions.

Black tea reduces diarrhoea prevalence but decreases growth performance in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli-infected post-weaning piglets.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a main cause of diarrhoea in humans and piglets. In vitro, black tea extract (BTE) has anti-pathogenic properties. Anti-diarrhoeal properties of BTE were assessed in a pig model of gastrointestinal infection. At weaning (day 0), piglets (n = 96) were randomly assigned to a diet containing 0% (control), 0.4% or 0.8% (wt/wt) BTE during 27 days. Piglets were orally infected with 6.4 × 10(6) cfu of ETEC on day 6. Faecal consistency, feed intake and body weight were measured. In a sub-study (n = 30 piglets), the effect of BTE palatability on feed intake was assessed. Additionally, the effect of BTE on ETEC growth in the presence or absence of iron was studied in vitro. The 0.8% BTE diet reduced diarrhoea prevalence by 20% but also decreased feed intake by 16% and feed efficiency by 12% over the total period. The 0.4% BTE diet decreased feed efficiency and weight gain from day 13 onwards. The palatability study demonstrated that piglets preferred the control to the BTE diets. In vitro, BTE delayed ETEC exponential growth, which was reversed by iron addition. Although BTE had anti-diarrhoeal properties, this effect was accompanied by impaired performance. The absence of a correlation between diarrhoea prevalence and feed intake suggests that reduced diarrhoea directly results from BTE rather than from reduced feed intake caused by BTE astringency.

Cochlear implantation after bacterial meningitis in infants younger than 9 months.

Objective. To describe the audiological, anesthesiological, and surgical key points of cochlear implantation after bacterial meningitis in very young infants. Material and Methods. Between 2005 and 2010, 4 patients received 7 cochlear implants before the age of 9 months (range 4-8 months) because of profound hearing loss after pneumococcal meningitis. Results. Full electrode insertions were achieved in all operated ears. The audiological and linguistic outcome varied considerably, with categories of auditory performance (CAP) scores between 3 and 6, and speech intelligibility rating (SIR) scores between 0 and 5. The audiological, anesthesiological, and surgical issues that apply in this patient group are discussed. Conclusion. Cochlear implantation in very young postmeningitic infants is challenging due to their young age, sequelae of meningitis, and the risk of cochlear obliteration. A swift diagnostic workup is essential, specific audiological, anesthesiological, and surgical considerations apply, and the outcome is variable even in successful implantations.

[Cognitive behavioural therapy for schizophrenia]. / Cognitieve gedragstherapie bij schizofrenie.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND The publication of the Dutch multidisciplinary guidelines Schizophrenia and the launching of the Breakthrough project on schizophrenia led by the Trimbos Institute in 2006 aroused considerable interest in the Netherlands for the implementation of cognitive behavioural therapy for patients with schizophrenia. One of the reasons was that pharmacotherapy has its limitations in the treatment of schizophrenia; an antipsychotic drug does not lead to an adequate decrease in psychotic symptoms in all patients; cognitive behavioural therapy is then added as a form of psychotherapy. The effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy has been described in meta-analyses. AIM: To ascertain the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy for the treatment of schizophrenia and to give advice on how this therapy can be implemented. METHOD: We reviewed relevant articles and meta-analyses via PubMed and Ovid using the search terms: 'cognitive behavioural therapy', 'continuity/psychosis', 'implementation', 'metaanalysis', 'nurse therapist', 'psychosis' , 'schizophrenia'. results Many randomised controlled trials show the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy in the treatment of schizophrenia. At the moment, the encouraging results of scientific research are not being adequately transferred to clinical practice. However, the performance of special interventions by trained nurses is making implementation feasible. CONCLUSION: Cognitive behavioural therapy is an effective treatment for schizophrenia. It is advisable that this type of therapy be made available to patients, in accordance with their specific needs.

[Combined vision and hearing impairment: in an estimated 30,000-35,000 people aged 55 years or over in The Netherlands]. / Gecombineerde visus- en gehoorbeperking: naar schatting bij 30,000-35,000 55-plussers in Nederland.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the number of older people with acquired dual sensory impairment (DSI) in The Netherlands. DESIGN: Combination of studies in the general population and in relevant subpopulations. METHOD: Eight databases derived from recent studies on older persons with vision and hearing data on Dutch subjects aged 55 years or over were selected for further analysis. The measurement methods included self-reports, clinical measurements and observations. The prevalences of DSI were calculated for the general population, the non-institutionalised population, and subgroups such as older people in nursing homes and homes for the elderly. The calculated prevalences were extrapolated to the overall Dutch population. RESULTS: For the non-institutionalised population of 55 years and older, the prevalences of acquired DSI in two different data sets were 0.4% (95% CI: 0.2-0.6) and 0.6% (95% CI: 0.3-0.8), respectively. Among the inhabitants of homes for the elderly these percentages were 5.4% (95% CI: 0.9-9.9) and 5.5% (95% CI: 3.8-7.2), and in nursing homes they were 12.7% (95% CI: 9.7-15.7) and 16.7% (95% CI: 14.6-18.8). Acquired DSI was most common in persons 85 years of age and older. It was estimated that the number of people aged 55 years and over with acquired DSI in The Netherlands is 30,000 to 35,000. CONCLUSION: DSI is particularly a problem of the oldest old. An integrated approach to the visual and hearing problems of these subjects is essential.

[Postmeningitis deafness in young children: action warranted before obliteration of the cochlea]. / Doofheid na bacteriële meningitis bij jonge kinderen: ingrijpen vóór de cochlea is geoblitereerd.

Meningitis may cause inflammation of the cochlea, which may result in deafness and also in rapid obliteration ofthe cochlea with fibrous tissue or even ossification, conditions that obstruct the placement ofa cochlear implant. In the first of two cases of postmeningitis deafness, in a boy aged 6 months and a girl aged 1 year and 9 months, ignorance about the time of audiological follow-up threatened the options for restoration of hearing. In the other case, a long diagnostic programme and an unsuccessful attempt at cochlear implantation caused a long delay in optimal restoration of hearing. Both cases illustrate the difficulties in connection with postmeningitis deafness in relation to the option of a cochlear implant operation. To increase the chances of a successful implantation, the time span between meningitis and audiological and radiological follow-up must be short. Auditory brain stem responses (ABR) and MRI are the keystones of the work-up.

Bim, Bad and Bmf: intrinsically unstructured BH3-only proteins that undergo a localized conformational change upon binding to prosurvival Bcl-2 targets.

All BH3-only proteins, key initiators of programmed cell death, interact tightly with multiple binding partners and have sequences of low complexity, properties that are the hallmark of intrinsically unstructured proteins (IUPs). We show, using spectroscopic methods, that the BH3-only proteins Bim, Bad and Bmf are unstructured in the absence of binding partners. Detailed sequence analyses are consistent with this observation and suggest that most BH3-only proteins are unstructured. When Bim binds and inactivates prosurvival proteins, most residues remain disordered, only the BH3 element becomes structured, and the short alpha-helical molecular recognition element can be considered to behave as a 'bead on a string'. Coupled folding and binding is typical of many IUPs that have important signaling roles, such as BH3-only proteins, as the inherent structural plasticity favors interaction with multiple targets. This understanding offers promise for the development of BH3 mimetics, as multiple modes of binding are tolerated.

How we do it: The Dutch functional hearing-screening tests by telephone and internet.

Keypoints * The Dutch National Hearing Test is a reliable and very successful functional hearing-screening test by telephone. An internet version of the National Hearing Test was also implemented. * The National Hearing Test is a fully automatic adaptive speech-in-noise test that uses digit-triplets as speech material. The result of the test is given as 'good,''insufficient,' or 'poor.' * The test by telephone performs better in reaching older subjects, who are more likely to suffer from hearing loss, than the test by internet. * More than 50% of the participants who scored 'insufficient' or 'poor' followed the recommendation to visit a GP, hearing-aid dispenser, ENT specialist or Audiological Center. * The tests contribute to increase the identification and treatment of older hearing-impaired subjects.

[Searching for rest in one's soul: the experience of mental health complaints in older Moroccan immigrants]. / Op zoek naar rust in de ziel Rahat el baal. De beleving van problemen met de geestelijke gezondheid van Marokkaanse ouderen.

The number of Moroccan elderly in the Netherlands is growing. Although many have mental health problems, the mental health services have difficulties in reaching them. This study reports on the experience of mental health problems of elderly Moroccan migrants, their search for help and their view on the role of the mental health services. Twenty-two Moroccan elderly (11 men, 11 women) aged 55-75 were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. From the interviews and observations it appeared that these elderly experience their health as bad. When asked, they deny mental health problems. Stress and dejection are not experienced as relating to mental health but as part of life associated with ageing, living in a foreign country, having physical, social and financial problems. The elderly feel that God sets them these tasks to overcome by themselves. Achieving rest in one's soul is central in this process. There is a taboo on serious mental health problems and people are ashamed of them. Only people who neglect religious prescriptions can to be affected by mental health problems. The elderly Moroccans hardly consult mental health services for these problems because then it would become clear that they cannot overcome their problems by themselves. Furthermore, the mental health services are unknown. Therefore, those services have to pay attention to the specific experience of mental complaints of elderly Moroccans. By offering psycho-education the mental health services may come within reach of those elderly.

Preslaughter handling effects on pork quality and glycolytic potential in two muscles differing in fiber type composition.

The objective of the present experiment was to investigate the effects of transportation, lairage, and preslaughter stressor treatment on glycolytic potential and pork quality of the glycolytic longissimus and the oxidative supraspinatus (SSP) or serratus ventralis (SV) muscles. In a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design, 384 pigs were assigned randomly either to short (50 min) and smooth or long (3 h) and rough transport, long (3 h) or short (< 45 min) lairage, and minimal or high preslaughter stress. Muscle samples were taken from the LM at 135 min and from the SSP at 160 min postmortem for determination of the glycolytic potential and rate of glycolysis. At 23 h postmortem, pork quality was assessed in the LM and the SV. Effects of transport and lairage conditions were similar in both muscle types. Long transport increased (P < 0.01) the glycolytic potential and muscle lactate concentrations compared with short transport. Both long transportation and short lairage decreased (P < 0.01) redness (a* values) and yellowness (b* values) of the LM and SV. In combination with short lairage, long transport decreased (P < 0.05) pork lightness (lower L* values), and electrical conductivity was increased (P < 0.05) after long transport. Several interactions between stress level and muscle type (P < 0.001) were observed. High preslaughter stress decreased (P < 0.001) muscle glycogen in both the LM and SSP, but this decrease was greater in the LM. Lactate concentrations were increased (P < 0.001) only in the LM by high preslaughter stress. Increases in ultimate pH (P < 0.001) and decreases in a* values (P < 0.01) were greatest in the SV, whereas increases in electrical conductivity (P < 0.001) were greatest in the LM. The lack of interactions among transportation, lairage, and muscle type was attributed to the relatively minor differences in stress among treatments. It was concluded that, in glycolytic muscle types such as the LM, the high physical and psychological stress levels associated with stress in the immediate preslaughter period have a greater effect on the water-holding capacity of the meat and may promote PSE development. Conversely, oxidative muscle types tend to have higher ultimate pH values and produce DFD pork in response to intense physical activity and/or high psychological stress levels preslaughter.

Negative effects of stress immediately before slaughter on pork quality are aggravated by suboptimal transport and lairage conditions.

The objectives of the present experiment were 1) to study the effects of transport conditions and lairage duration on stress level, muscle glycolytic potential, and pork quality; and 2) to investigate whether the negative effects of high stress immediately preslaughter are affected by preceding handling factors (transport and lairage). In a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design, halothane-free pigs (n = 384) were assigned to either short (50 min) and smooth or long (3 h) and rough transport; long (3 h) or short (<45 min) lairage; and minimal or high preslaughter stress. Pigs were processed in eight groups (48 pigs per group) on various days at a commercial plant. Blood samples were taken at exsanguination to measure plasma cortisol and lactate concentrations. Muscle pH and temperature were measured at 30 and 40 min, respectively, and both were measured at 3 h, postmortem. A LM sample was taken 135 min postmortem to estimate glycogen content and rate of glycolysis. Pork quality attributes were assessed 23 h postmortem. Short transport increased cortisol when followed by short lairage (transport x lairage; P < 0.01). Long transport, but not lairage (P > 0.30), tended to increase (P = 0.06) muscle glycolytic potential. Long transport tended to increase (P = 0.08) electrical conductivity, and decreased a* (P < 0.01) and b* (P < 0.02) values. Decreasing lairage from 3 h to <45 min decreased (P < 0.05) the L* value, but it did not (P > 0.10) affect other pork quality traits. High stress decreased (P < 0.001) muscle glycolytic potential, and increased (P < 0.001) plasma lactate, cortisol, muscle temperature, rate of pH decline, and ultimate pH. Except for decreased (P < 0.001) b* values, pork color was not (P > 0.40) affected by high stress, but water-holding properties (measured by electrical conductivity, filter paper moisture, and drip loss) were impaired (P < 0.001) by high stress. Fiber optic-measured light scattering and Warner-Bratzler shear force were not (P > 0.12) affected by any treatment. Comparisons with the "optimal" handling (short transport, long lairage, and minimal stress) revealed that, with regard to water-holding properties, the negative effects of high stress were aggravated by suboptimal transport and lairage conditions. High stress alone increased electrical conductivity by 56%, whereas high stress in combination with short lairage led to an 88% increase. However, high preslaughter stress contributed most and was the major factor responsible for reductions in pork quality.

Op zoek naar rust in de ziel Rahat el baal : De beleving van problemen met de geestelijke gezondheid van Marokkaanse ouderen.

Searching for rest in one's soul: the experience of mental health complaints in older Moroccan immigrants The number of Moroccan elderly in the Netherlands is growing. Although many have mental health problems, the mental health services have difficulties in reaching them. This study reports on the experience of mental health problems of elderly Moroccan migrants, their search for help and their view on the role of the mental health services. Twenty-two Moroccan elderly (11 men, 11 women) aged 55-75 were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. From the interviews and observations it appeared that these elderly experience their health as bad. When asked, they deny mental health problems. Stress and dejection are not experienced as relating to mental health but as part of life associated with ageing, living in a foreign country, having physical, social and financial problems. The elderly feel that God sets them these tasks to overcome by themselves. Achieving rest in one's soul is central in this process. There is a taboo on serious mental health problems and people are ashamed of them. Only people who neglect religious prescriptions can to be affected by mental health problems. The elderly Moroccans hardly consult mental health services for these problems because then it would become clear that they cannot overcome their problems by themselves. Furthermore, the mental health services are unknown. Therefore, those services have to pay attention to the specific experience of mental complaints of elderly Moroccans. By offering psycho-education the mental health services may come within reach of those elderly.

Prevalence and risk-factors for depression in elderly Turkish and Moroccan migrants in the Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: Western societies host increasing number of elderly labour migrants from Turkey and Morocco. The article studied the prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms among elderly Turkish and Moroccan migrants compared with native Dutch elderly and if differences in prevalence rates were explained by known risk factors for depression and/or ethnic, migration-related factors. METHODS: 330 Turkish, 299 Moroccan, and 304 Dutch elderly (55-74 years) were interviewed (cross-sectionally) using the Center for Epidemiologic Depression Scale (CES-D). Potential risk factors included sex, income level, marital status, ethnic origin, chronic physical illnesses, limitations in daily functioning, migration and acculturation questions. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported depressive symptoms (CES-D>or=16) was very high in elderly migrants, 33.6% for Moroccan and 61.5% for Turkish elderly. The prevalence of depressive symptoms in the native Dutch sample was similar to earlier studies in the Netherlands and abroad: 14.5%. Among migrants education and income level was very low and they had a high number of physical limitations and chronic medical illnesses. This only explained part of the ethnic differences found. In all three samples, depressive symptoms were associated with sex, chronic physical illness and physical limitations. In multivariate analysis, ethnic origin was uniquely associated with the presence of clinically significant depressive symptoms. Only a small number of remigration and acculturation items were associated with depressive symptoms in bivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms among elderly migrants from Turkey and Morocco in the Netherlands is very high. Ethnicity was a strong independent risk factor.

Depression in first generation labour migrants in Western Europe: the utility of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).

OBJECTIVE: The number of elderly migrants from Turkish and Moroccan descent in Western Europe will increase sharply in the coming decades. Identifying depressed elderly migrants necessitates a screening instrument that is both acceptable and has good psychometric properties. This study examines the utility of Turkish and Arabic translations of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) among elderly labour migrants from Turkish and Moroccan descent in the Netherlands. METHOD: The data were derived from a community based health survey among 304 native Dutch, 330 Turkish and 299 Moroccan migrants, aged 55-74 years, living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Acceptability, reliability, convergent and construct validity were studied. RESULTS: Acceptability of the CES-D was satisfactory, although Moroccan migrants and Turkish females had difficulty answering one or more of the (interpersonal) items from the CES-D. Translated versions of the CES-D proved to be highly internal consistent and have good convergent validity in both Turkish and Moroccan elderly. Depressed and somatic items were much more intermingled in Turkish and Moroccan elderly compared to earlier studies and native Dutch elderly. This fits to the hypothesis that Turkish and Moroccan elderly migrants tend to somatize their depressive symptoms much more than native Western elderly. CONCLUSION: The utility of the CES-D for elderly migrants of Turkish and Moroccan descent was found to be satisfactory.

Preslaughter stress and muscle energy largely determine pork quality at two commercial processing plants.

The objective of the present experiment was to study physiological changes elicited in response to stress in the immediate preslaughter period and to link them to pork quality characteristics. Crossbred, halothane-free pigs (n = 192) were processed in eight groups (24 pigs per group) on various days at one of two commercial processing plants operating different stunning systems (electrical and CO2 stunning in Plants A and B, respectively). In each group, half the pigs were exposed to either minimal or high preslaughter stress. Blood samples were taken at exsanguination, and lactate, cortisol, and catecholamines, as well as blood pH and temperature, were assessed and linked to various longissimus muscle quality attributes. Additionally, muscle pH and temperature were measured 30 min postmortem, and muscle glycolytic potential was determined 22 h postmortem. At both processing plants, high preslaughter stress resulted in higher (P < 0.05) blood cortisol and lactate; however, the effects of preslaughter stress on catecholamines and blood pH were believed to be biased by the different stunning methods employed at the plants. High preslaughter stress increased (P < 0.05) blood temperature at Plant A but not at Plant B. At both plants, high stress increased (P < 0.05) 30-min muscle temperature and decreased (P < 0.05) 30-min muscle pH. Ultimate pH was increased (P < 0.05) and muscle glycolytic potential was decreased (P < 0.05) by high preslaughter stress. At both plants, high stress resulted in inferior pork quality attributes (P < 0.05), including reflectance, electrical conductivity, filter paper moisture, drip loss, and L* value. The effect of stress was greater on water-holding capacity than on pork color, with drip losses increased by 56%. Of all stress indicators measured at exsanguination, only blood lactate was strongly correlated with pork quality attributes. Regression analyses revealed that blood lactate and glycolytic potential accounted for 52 and 48% of the variation in drip loss and L* value, respectively. In combination with high preslaughter stress, high glycolytic potentials were related to increased drip losses. We conclude that high preslaughter stress leads to impaired pork quality, with high muscle energy levels aggravating the negative effects of preslaughter stress. Monitoring stress level by blood lactate measurement in combination with strategies to control muscle energy present at slaughter may help to improve meat quality.

Rapid chilling cannot prevent inferior pork quality caused by high preslaughter stress.

The present experiment investigated whether increasing chilling rate could improve meat quality in pigs exposed to either minimal or high stress immediately preslaughter. Pigs (n = 192) were offspring of halothane-free lines. On various days, four groups of 48 pigs were processed at a commercial plant. Within each group, half the pigs were exposed to either minimal or high preslaughter stress. Before entering the cooler at 45 min postmortem, carcasses of both minimal and high preslaughter stress treatments were allocated randomly to either conventional (+4 degrees C for 22 h) or rapid (three-phase chilling tunnel: -15, -10, and -1 degrees C for 15, 38, and 38 min, respectively, followed by storage at 4 degrees C until 22 h postmortem) chilling. Temperature and pH were measured in the blood at exsanguination and in the longissimus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) muscle at 0.5, 2.5, 4.5, 6.5, and 22 h postmortem. Meat quality attributes (water-holding capacity and objective color measurements) were assessed on the LL. Preslaughter stress level affected pH and temperature in both blood and muscle, with lower (P < 0.001) pH values and higher (P < 0.001) temperatures for pigs exposed to high vs. minimal stress. Rapid chilling led to a faster (P < 0.001) temperature decline regardless of preslaughter stress level. Rapid chilling did not (P > 0.05) influence the rate of pH decline in the LL muscle, but reduced (P = 0.061) pH decline in the SM. Rapid chilling, as opposed to conventional chilling, decreased (P < 0.05) electrical conductivity in the LL, regardless of preslaughter stress; however, it could not compensate for the detrimental effect (P < 0.05) of stress on drip loss, filter paper moisture absorption, and meat color (L* value). Results from the present study indicated that increasing chilling rate is not a suitable method to resolve pork quality problems caused by inadequate preslaughter handling.