Sensory characteristics and consumer preference for meat from guinea fowl fed hevea seed meal or cashew nut meal supplemented diets.

This study is part of a series of studies on the possibility of substituting alternative protein source supplements to the diet of guinea fowl in order to improve food security in the fight against poverty on the African Continent. This study assesses the identified sensory characteristics of guinea fowl meat and consumer preferences to determine if the possible alternative supplements identified result in a product acceptable to consumers and if consumer preference was evident. Indigenous guinea fowl or selected breed (Galor animals) were fed a control diet C, a commercial diet I (diet used for guinea fowl in Côte d'Ivoire), or one of 2 experimental diets N (diet C supplemented with 15% cashew nut meal) or diet H (diet C supplemented with 15% detoxified hevea seed meal). Meat samples were assessed by 120-trained people using 18 sensory attributes. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that meats from guinea fowl fed diet C or diet I were clearly distinguished from guinea fowl fed N or H diets and that meat of indigenous guinea fowl or Galor animals were also clearly distinguished. The results of the hierarchical group analysis showed that meat from guinea fowl fed diet H was the preferred guinea fowl meat. A first partial least squares regression PLSR1 identified the relationships between guinea fowl meat samples, their sensory attributes and consumer preference and showed that 82.6% of the sensory data of the first 2 principal components accounted for 95.5% of the preference. The PLSR2 identified the relationships between guinea fowl samples, their sensory attributes, and their biochemical characteristics and showed that the fat content of the meat determined the intensity of flavor, odor, juiciness, and tenderness of the meat. Our results showed that meat from birds fed diet H was preferred, and thus emphasized the existence of a place for the use of hevea seed meal in guinea fowl diet in Côte d'Ivoire.

Effect of Hevea brasiliensis seed meal or Euphorbia heterophylla seed supplemented diets on performance, physicochemical and sensory properties of eggs, and egg yolk fatty acid profile in guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).

A total of 144 French selected breed (Galor) female guinea fowl (GF) of 42 wk of age were enrolled for a feeding trial of 15, 30, and 45 D duration. The birds were randomly assigned to 18 cages, each containing 8 birds. A total of 3 isonitrogenous and isocaloric dietary treatments were trialed, each diet comprising 6 replications (cages), which meant a total of 48 birds per diet. The GF were fed either a control diet C (commercial diet "FACI ponte 20", SIPRA, Ivory Coast, usually used for all poultry species) or the diet C supplemented with 5% Euphorbia heterophylla seeds (diet E) and the diet C supplemented with 5% Hevea seed meal (Hevea brasiliensis) (diet H). Animal performance were assessed for 3 periods (days 0 to 15, 0 to 30, and 0 to 45), and egg quality and composition were assessed at 15, 30, and 45 D of the trial. The results indicated no mortality during the trial. The laying rate was the highest (43.9%) with diet E and the lowest with diet C (32.5%), the laying rate with diet H being intermediate (38.5%). Diet E containing Euphorbia seeds led to a reduced cholesterol content of the eggs. Additionally, inclusion of Euphorbia seeds and, to a lesser extent, of the Hevea seed meal in the diet led to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid enriched GF eggs, with thereby, improved nutritional value. A sensory test did not find any difference between the 3 diets on trial.

Performance of guinea fowl fed hevea seed meal or cashew nut meal as a partial substitute for soya bean meal.

Guinea fowl production is increasing in developing countries and has a crucial role in the fight against poverty. However, the feed cost is very high, especially the soya bean meal cost, and farmers cannot afford to buy commercial feed. Consequently, animals do not receive feed adapted to their nutritional needs and they exhibit poor performance. The aim of this paper is to partially substitute soya bean meal by local by-products, discarded, in abundant supply and not used in human nutrition. French Galor guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) and local African guinea fowl (150 birds per breed) were reared for 16 weeks and fed the same starter diet for the initial 4 weeks. From 4 weeks of age, experimental birds from each breed were randomly assigned to three grower isoproteic and isolipidic dietary treatments, each containing five replications (floor pens); each replication included 10 birds of the same breed. The guinea fowl of each breed were fed either control grower diet using soya bean meal as the protein supplement GS, or trial grower diet GN (soya bean meal supplement partially substituted by 15% cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale) meal) or trial grower diet GH (soya bean meal supplement partially substituted by 15% hevea seed (Hevea brasiliensis) meal). The results indicated that hevea seed meal contained a high content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (21.2% of total fatty acids (FAs)). The use of hevea seed meal in guinea fowl grower diet was found to exert no adverse effect on growth performance and carcass yield. However, the use of cashew nut meal led to negative effects on performance like daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Therefore, cashew nut meal cannot be considered as a suitable partial substitute for soya bean meal in diets. The use of hevea seed meal led to a very low abdominal fat proportion and low blood triglyceride and cholesterol content. Additionally, inclusion of dietary hevea seed meal resulted in guinea fowl meat enriched in PUFAs, especially n-3 FAs, thereby significantly improving the nutritional value.

Diagnostic of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) farming in Ivory Coast.

In order to promote farming of guinea fowl and to diversify the sources of income of Ivorian farmers, a survey was conducted in 2016 in 15 regions (197 farmers) out of a total of 31 regions in Ivory Coast. The aims were 1) to establish a better knowledge of guinea fowl farming; 2) to assess the level of technical knowledge of farmers; and 3) to establish a global typology of farmers based on their socio-economic profile, the goal of the farming (sale or consumption), and their level of technical knowledge. The sampling was realized according to a snowball type design (chain referral sampling method) a non-probabilistic method where farmers were selected not from a sampling frame but from the friendship network of existing farmers of the sample. Guinea fowl farming was undertaken by persons from all the social levels with no distinctions due to sex, religion, ethnic group, or level of education. For farmers with more than 48 guinea fowl and farmers who were Muslims, farming was a source of income. Owners of guinea fowl under 60 yr old, Christians and atheists kept a part of their production for their own consumption and marketed the remainder of the flock. Incubation was primarily accomplished by a laying hen, with an estimated hatching rate of 72%. In our survey, 68.5% of the farmers had a good practical knowledge of guinea fowl farming. The identified weaknesses of guinea fowl farming in the regions where the survey took place were the absence of knowledge of guinea fowl farming and the poverty of farmers who could not afford incubators nor provide a good nutrition to their animals. The future development of this farming will have to take into account all these weaknesses that are also limitations to this development.

[Severe dysphagia and erythrodermia in a 59-year-old man]. / Schwere Dysphagie und flammende Hautrötung bei einem 59-jährigen Patienten.

A 59-year-old man presented with a history of dysphagia and generalized myalgia and muscle weakness and a rash on the face, neck, and upper arms. Serum muscle enzymes, myoglobin, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were elevated and antinuclear antibodies positive. Electromyographic conduction studies showed pathological changes on arm and leg muscles and magnetic resonance imaging of the oral and neck muscles. A diagnosis of dermatomyositis with severe esophageal involvement was established. Treatment with prednisolone was started and methotrexate added. Enteral feeding with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was started and a therapy with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) initiated, which caused a rapid improvement of the patient's ability to swallow. This case demonstrates a patient with polymyositis/dermatomyositis who showed steroid-resistant life-threatening esophageal impairment. IVIG resulted in a dramatic improvement of symptoms.

Metabolic adaptation of two pig muscles to cold rearing conditions.

Cold environment represents an external stress modulating animal growth and energy use. At muscle level, adaptation to cold conditions potentially involves energy homeostasis regulation gauged by the adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Our study aimed at evaluating the bare effects of short- and long-term cold exposure on growth performance, carcass traits, and metabolic characteristics of the oxidative semispinalis (SS) muscle and glycolytic LM and to evaluate the reversibility of short-term effects, with a special emphasis on AMPK activity. A total of 84 pigs fed ad libitum and individually housed were submitted after weaning to either Cold (from 23 ± 1 to 15 ± 3°C) or thermoneutral (T; from 28 ± 1 to 23 ± 1°C) temperature up to 24.7 ± 1.6 kg BW (25 BW). Twelve Cold and 12 T piglets were then slaughtered the same day. Eighteen remaining Cold piglets were reared at 12 ± 2°C (CC) whereas 18 Cold and 24 T piglets were reared at 23 ± 4°C (CT and TT, respectively) and slaughtered at 114.3 ± 5.9 kg (115 BW). The LM and SS samples were analyzed to determine glycolytic potential (GP), activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), citrate synthase (CS), and ß-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HAD) and to quantify AMPK phosphorylation Threonine 172 phosphorylated form of AMPK α1+α2 isoforms (pAMPK) / total AMPK α1+α2 isoforms (AMPK). Despite a greater ADFI (P < 0.001), Cold piglets exhibited less ADG (P < 0.001) and body fatness (P < 0.03) attesting an acute adaptation to a short-term cold exposure. A long-term cold adaptation evaluated on 115 BW pigs increased ADFI (P < 0.001) but did not influence ADG and carcass lean meat content. Cold environment influenced the dynamic of muscle metabolism in a muscle type dependent manner corresponding to an earlier and acute adaptation in SS from 8 kg onward and a belated adaptation in LM from 25 BW to 115 BW. Cold exposure was associated with a progressive increase of muscle oxidative capacity, first in the SS with greater HAD (P = 0.002) and CS activities (P = 0.03) at 25 BW and then both in SS and LM at 115 BW (P < 0.001). Conversely, in LM of CC pigs, increased GP (P < 0.001) and LDH activity (P = 0.03) were observed in addition to increased CS and HAD activities, highlighting the ability of LM to increase both its glycolytic and oxidative metabolism and to diversify its energy substrates. Pigs from CC group exhibited also less pAMPK/AMPK (P < 0.01) specifically in red SS muscle, denoting a reduced metabolic stress of this muscle after a long-term cold adaptation.

Consequences of divergent selection for residual feed intake in pigs on muscle energy metabolism and meat quality.

Selection to decrease Residual Feed Intake (RFI) is a relevant way to improve feed efficiency in growing pigs. However, RFI criterion is correlated with body composition and muscle characteristics. Present study evaluated adaptive responses to divergent selection on RFI on muscle metabolism and homeostasis through AMP-activated protein kinase pathway. Consequences on technological and sensory meat quality were also analyzed in two lines of Large White pigs after six generations of divergent selection on RFI. RFI(-) pigs (n=60) exhibited similar growth rate but lower feed intake and conversion ratio, and were leaner than RFI(+) pigs (n=57). Despite higher glycogen content, metabolic enzyme capacities involved in glycolytic, fatty acid oxidation pathway and energy balance were reduced in the Longissimus muscle of the RFI(-) pigs. Reduced muscle homeostasis in the RFI(-) line influenced post-mortem metabolism and impaired technological quality traits of loin and ham but had only slight effects on meat eating quality.

[Hepatitis-B reactivation during treatment with tumor necrosis factor-α blocker adalimumab in a patient with psoriasis arthritis]. / Hepatitis-B-Reaktivierung unter TNF-α-Blocker-Therapie mit Adalimumab bei Psoriasis-Arthritis.

HISTORY AND ADMISSION FINDINGS: A 66-year-old man with acute fever, myalgia, arthralgia, restricted movement and neck stiffness was admitted to our emergency unit. Three weeks earlier treatment with adalimumab, a tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-alpha antagonist was started by the patient's dermatologist because of a psoriasis vulgaris with associated psoriasis arthritis. All previous laboratory tests where without pathological findings. INVESTIGATIONS: The imaging procedures showed no pathological findings. Transaminase and CRP levels were markedly elevated. Hepatitis serology revealed reactivation of a chronic hepatitis B infection, while a combined viral and toxic hepatitis was detected by liver biopsy. TREATMENT AND COURSE: On the day of admittance acute neurological symptoms developed including muscular cramps and dyskinesia. Hypotonia and tachyarrhythmia were treated with parenteral infusions and digitoxin. Reactivation of a chronic hepatitis B infection with subfulminant liver failure was diagnosed, caused by immunosuppressive therapy with adalimumab. The patient was transferred to be treated with the antiviral drug entecavir. CONCLUSION: The exclusion of acute and/or chronic hepatitis before using TNF-alpha antagonists is recommended but in daily routine often ignored. The presented case demonstrates the risk of reactivating a chronic hepatitis B during therapy with a TNF-alpha antagonist.

Effect of a linseed diet on lipogenesis, fatty acid composition and stearoyl-CoA-desaturase in rabbits.

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of a linseed diet on meat quality and on lipogenesis in rabbits. Twelve rabbits were fed a control or a linseed diet. There was no diet effect on growth, food consumption, carcass characteristics and meat ultimate pH and colour. Feeding the linseed diet increased the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) levels in perirenal and interscapular fats, in the Longissimus dorsi muscle and in the liver. The linseed diet produced lower linoleic acid/α-linolenic acid ratios in adipose tissues and in the Longissimus dorsi muscle, but not in the liver. Diet did not affect lipogenic enzyme activities in the Longissimus dorsi muscle, whereas the linseed diet decreased the lipogenic potential in perirenal and interscapular fats, and in the liver. Feeding rabbits with a high n-3 PUFA diet led to a decrease in the oxidative stability of perirenal fat and the Longissimus dorsi muscle, and to an inhibition of stearoyl-CoA-desaturase activity in liver and in adipose tissues, but not in muscle.

[Severe corticoid-refractory autoimmune thrombocytopenia associated with mixed connective tissue disease (Sharp's syndrome). Treatment with rituximab]. / Schwere corticoidrefraktäre Autoimmunthrombozytopenie bei Sharp-Syndrom. Therapie mit Rituximab.

HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: An 18-year-old woman with mixed connective tissue disease (Sharp's syndrome), diagnosed two years earlier, was admitted because of severe thrombocytopenia. At that time the only symptom typical for collagen disease was Raynaud;s syndrome. The patient was in good general condition, the clinical examination revealed no signs of bleeding or of splenomegaly. INVESTIGATIONS: Imaging procedures showed no abnormality. The platelets were decreased to 5 Gpt/l (normal range 150 - 400 Gpt/l). The bone marrow biopsy showed a secondary immunological thrombocytopenia with an increased number of megakaryocytes. TREATMENT AND CLINICAL COURSE: Treatment with prednisolone, 100 mg/day, had no significant effect. As the patient refused splenectomy, treatment with rituximab 500 mg (375 mg/m2) per week was given over a period of four weeks, followed by azathioprine 2 x 50 mg/d. All tests demonstrated continuing increase of the platelet count up to 70 Gpt/l (normal range 150 - 400 Gpt/l). The signs of Raynaud;s syndrome also regressed. CONCLUSION: Immunologic thrombocytopenia is a potentially life-threatening hematological manifestation of mixed connective tissue disease. If high-dosage prednisolone brings no response, a splenectomy is an efficacious treatment. B-cell depletion with rituximab offers another safe and adequate option.

KIR genes and KIR ligands affect occurrence of acute GVHD after unrelated, 12/12 HLA matched, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Interactions of polymorphic killer Ig-like receptor (KIR) receptors with KIR ligands have been shown to modify the outcome of hematopoietic SCT (HSCT). The association of these genetic factors with different transplantation endpoints, however, varies substantially, depending on clinical and study setup variables. We aimed to assess whether KIR ligands, KIR genes and KIR haplotypes are associated with HSCT outcome of 124 patients with various hematological malignancies, transplanted with 12/12 HLA matched grafts from unrelated donors. For this purpose, patient and donor KIR gene and KIR ligand polymorphisms were determined and correlated with clinical data in simple and multiple models. We found that a missing HLA-C2 ligand for donor inhibitory KIR2DL1 was significantly associated with an increased risk of acute GVHD (aGVHD) (II-IV) (hazard ratio (HR)=2.23, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.21-4.10, P=0.010), as were the AA KIR haplotypes in patients and donors in HLA-C1CX (HR=2.37, 95% CI: 1.16-4.84, P=0.018) and in HLA-Bw4(-) (HR=3.20, 95% CI: 1.35-7.60, P=0.008) patients. On the contrary, transplantation of HLA-C1C2 patients with KIR2DS2 positive grafts were associated with a decreased risk of aGVHD (II-IV) (HR=0.24, 95% CI: 0.07-0.85, P=0.027). Thus, our single center study provides evidence for the modification of aGVHD risk by KIRs and their ligands.

Compared development of intermuscular and subcutaneous fat in carcass and primal cuts of growing pigs from 30 to 140kg body weight.

A total of twenty two Large White X Landrace castrated males were slaughtered at 30, 70, 110 or 140kg BW. Carcasses were weighed and cut into four primal cuts (belly, ham, loin, and shoulder). Each cut was weighed and dissected into bone, muscle, skin, and intermuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissues. Kidney fat was also taken and weighed. Kidney fat grew more rapidly than subcutaneous or intermuscular fat averaged over all four cuts. In the shoulder and loin, about one third of total adipose tissue was in the intermuscular fraction. In the belly, there was as much (in 30-110kg BW pigs) or more (in 140kg BW pigs) intermuscular than subcutaneous adipose tissue. In the ham, the intermuscular fraction of adipose tissue grew more slowly than the subcutaneous one, so that it represented less than one fourth of total ham adipose tissue in 140kg BW pigs. Intermuscular adipose tissue exhibited a lower lipid content than subcutaneous adipose tissue, whatever the body weight, but the differences in lipid content between the adipose tissues decreased with increasing weight. These results show that the relative development of intermuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissues differs according to anatomical location.

Effect of a linseed diet on lipid composition, lipid peroxidation and consumer evaluation of French fresh and cooked pork meats.

Twenty castrated pigs [(Large-White×Landrace)×(Pietrain)] (52.9±5.1kg initial body weight) were fed a control or a linseed diet containing 4.2% of extruded linseed. Animals were slaughtered at 106.6±3.7kg live weight. There was no effect of diet on pig performance. Feeding the linseed diet increased the contents of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in chops (raw and cooked), chitterlings sausages, country style pâté, garlic sausages, liver pâté, and smoked belly. However, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) level was not affected by the linseed diet. The linseed diet produced a robust decrease in the n-6/n-3 and linoleic acid (LA)/α-linolenic acid (ALA) ratios (<4). Feeding pigs with a high n-3 PUFA diet led to a decrease in the oxidative stability of chops, in contrast to smoked bellies for which thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) values were not affected by the diet. However, there was no deleterious effect on consumer overall appreciation of the meat.

[Treatment of invasive candidiasis--recommendations of professional]. / Lécba invazivní kandidózy--doporucení odborných spolecností.

National working group representing clinicians (hematologists, oncologists, infection diseases and ICU specialists), microbiologists, and different special medical societies and working groups prepared evidence-based guidelines for the treatment established fungal infection--invasive candidiasis in the adult hematology and ICU patients. These guidelines updated those published in the Czech Republic in 2003-2004. Evidence criteria of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) were used for assessing the quality of clinical trials, and EORTC/MSG Consensus Group for definitions of invasive fungal disease.

[Treatment for invasiveness aspergillosis--recommendations of professionals]. / Lécba invazivní aspergilózy--doporucení odborných spolecností.

An increasing incidence of invasive aspergillosis is observed in most immunocompromised patients, and especially patients with acute leukemia and after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In order to decrease the mortality due to this infection, the clinicians need to optimise their treatment choice. The objective of these guidelines is to summarize the current evidence for treatment of invasive aspergillosis. The recommendations have been developed by an expert panel following an evidence-based search of literature with regard to current recommendation of European Conference in Infections in Leukemia and Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Effect of a linseed diet on lipid oxidation, fatty acid composition of muscle, perirenal fat, and raw and cooked rabbit meat.

Forty Californian×New Zealand rabbits (1kg initial body weight) were fed a control or a linseed isoenergetic diet containing 30g of extruded linseed/kg. Twenty rabbits for each dietary treatment were slaughtered at 11 weeks of age, at 35 days after the start of the experiment. Feeding the linseed diet increased (P<0.005) the content of 18:2n-3 in muscles, perirenal fat, and raw and cooked meat. The long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents were also increased (P<0.01) in the meat. The linseed diet produced a robust decrease in the n-6/n-3 ratio. Cooking did not alter n-3 PUFA more than saturated fatty acids (SFA) or monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). However, n-6 PUFA were altered by cooking. The oxidative stability of Longissimus dorsi was not affected by the linseed diet, even after 300min of forced-oxidation. Inclusion of linseed in rabbit diets is a valid method of improving the nutritional value of rabbit meat.

Failure of multiple antivirals to affect high HHV-6 DNAaemia resulting from viral chromosomal integration in case of severe aplastic anaemia.

We report a fifty-year-old woman presenting with severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) and prolonged high Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) variant A DNAeamia detected by quantitative PCR. Multiple antiviral treatments failed to affect the HHV6 DNAemia and subsequent immunosuppressive treatment reached only partial improvement as judged by bone marrow examinations. The patient remained dependent on thrombocyte transfusions and G-CSF treatment. After one year of steady high HHV6 DNA load in blood, viral chromosomal integration was proved by demonstrating the viral DNA in hair follicles. This condition appeared to be unconnected with, and to have no effect, on the original SAA.

Comparison of the lipid content and fatty acid composition of intermuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissues in pig carcasses.

Lipid contents and compositions were measured in 35 pigs from seven genotype-sex groups with large variations in body composition. The animals were slaughtered at 115kg live weight, and the left side was separated into four primal cuts: belly, ham, loin, and shoulder. Samples of adipose tissues were taken from flare fat and from subcutaneous and intermuscular adipose tissues in each of the four cuts. In the loin, the outer and inner layers of subcutaneous adipose tissue were sampled separately. Total lipid content was lower in intermuscular than in subcutaneous adipose tissue. It was the highest in flare fat. There was a gradient of decreasing unsaturation from the outer layer of subcutaneous adipose tissue, to the inner layer, to intermuscular adipose tissue, to flare fat. The monounsaturated fatty acid concentrations followed the same pattern. There was a statistically positive correlation between the linoleic acid concentration of the different adipose tissues and the half carcass muscle content.

Quantification of muscle, subcutaneous fat and intermuscular fat in pig carcasses and cuts by magnetic resonance imaging.

The aim of this study was to determine the suitability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to predict tissue composition of pig carcasses and cuts. Twenty-four pig carcasses were cut into the four primary cuts that were analyzed with a low field MRI imager before a total dissection. Images were then processed to identify and quantify pixels representing muscle, subcutaneous fat and intermuscular fat fractions. MRI provided a good prediction of muscle content in cuts and carcasses, with R(2) ranging from 0.970 to 0.997. The prediction was slightly less accurate for total fat (0.951⩽R(2)⩽0.986) or subcutaneous fat (0.918⩽R(2)⩽0.994). Finally, the prediction of intermuscular fat content in considering intermuscular fat classified pixels was acceptable only for the belly (R(2)=0.837).

Muscle and fat quantification in MRI gradient echo images using a partial volume detection method. Application to the characterization of pig belly tissue.

Complete dissection is the current reference method to quantify muscle and fat tissue on pig carcasses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an appropriate nondestructive alternative method that can provide reliable and quantitative information on pig carcass composition without losing the spatial information. We have developed a method to quantify the amount of fat tissue and muscle in gradient echo MR images. This method is based on the method proposed by Shattuck et al. [12]. It provides segmentation of pure tissue and partial volume voxels, which allows separation of muscle and fat tissue including the fine insertions of intermuscular fat. Partial volume voxel signal is expected to be proportional to the signals of pure tissue constituting them or at least to vary monotonously with the proportion of each tissue. However, it is not always the case with gradient echo sequence due to the chemical shift effect. We studied this effect on a fat tissue/muscle interface model with variable proportion of water in the fat tissue and variable TE. We found that at TE=8 ms, for a 0.2-T MRI system, the requirement of Shattuck's method were filled thanks to the presence of water in fat tissue. Moreover, we extended the segmentation method with a simple correction scheme to compute more accurately the proportions of each tissue in partial volume voxels. We used this method to evaluate the fat tissue and muscle on 24 pig bellies using a gradient echo sequence (TR 700 ms, TE 8 ms, slice thickness 8 mm, number of averages 8, flip angle 90 degrees , FOV 512 mm, matrix 512*512, Rect. FOV 4/8, 19 slices, space between slices 2 mm). The image analysis results were compared with dissection results giving a prediction error of the muscle content (mean=2.7 kg) of 88.9 g and of the fat content (mean=2.7 kg) of 115.8 g without correction of the chemical shift effect in the computation of partial volume fat content. The correction scheme improved these results to, respectively, 81.5 and 107.1 g.