Application of Hyperspectral imaging to predict the pH, intramuscular fatty acid content and composition of lamb M. longissimus lumborum at 24h post mortem.

Cost-effective, rapid and objective measurement of lamb quality on a routine basis is an important step for lamb value chains wishing to manage lamb product quality. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology has shown promise as a solution for objective non-invasive prediction of meat quality. The performance of HSI applied 24h post mortem to lamb M. longissimus lumborum (LL) within a processing plant environment was assessed over two sampling years to evaluate its suitability for an objective lamb meat quality assurance tool. Calibration and validation steps were undertaken to evaluate HSI prediction performance for predicting fatty acid content and composition (n=1020 lambs) and pH (n=2406 lambs). Practical considerations of reference meat quality data quality and validation strategies are discussed. HSI can be used to predict meat quality parameters of lamb LL with varying accuracy levels, but ongoing calibration and validation across seasons is required to improve robustness of HSI for objective non-invasive assessment of lamb meat quality.

Effect of pre-slaughter handling, exercise and the presence of a dog on lamb welfare and meat quality.

Before slaughter, lambs may experience several stressors such as feed and water deprivation, handling and transport that have the potential to negatively impact welfare and meat quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pre-slaughter handling, exercise and the presence of a dog on the behaviour and physiology of lambs and meat quality at slaughter. At 6 months of age, 60 lambs (n=20 lambs/replicate; three replicates) were allocated to one of the two treatment groups (n=30 lambs/treatment): low (LOW) intensive handling or high (HIGH) intensive handling. LOW lambs were moved short distances, quietly and without the use of a dog before transport. HIGH lambs were moved quickly, long distances and with a dog present before transport. Lamb behaviour (standing, lying, rumination and panting) was recorded for 1 h before (post-treatment) and after transport (post-transport), and for 30 min before slaughter (pre-slaughter). Blood samples were collected before (baseline), after transport (post-transport) and at exsanguination (at slaughter) to assess cortisol, lactate and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations. At slaughter, lamb carcases (M. longissimus lumborum) were evaluated for pH levels, drip and cook loss, and tenderness. HIGH lambs spent more time standing (P<0.001) and panting (P<0.001) and less time lying (P<0.001) and ruminating (P<0.001) post-treatment than LOW lambs, but more (P<0.001) time ruminating post-transport. All lambs spent more time standing (P<0.001) and less time lying (P<0.001) and panting (P<0.001) post-transport and pre-slaughter than post-treatment. Cortisol concentrations were greater (P<0.001) in lambs post-transport and at slaughter compared with baseline values. Lactate concentrations were lower (P=0.002) in HIGH than LOW lambs. In addition, NEFA concentrations were higher (P<0.001) post-transport and at slaughter in HIGH compared with LOW lambs. Ultimate pH was higher (P<0.001) in HIGH than LOW lambs and pH declined quicker (P=0.012) in LOW than HIGH lambs. Cook loss, drip loss and shear force were lower (P⩽0.05) in HIGH than LOW lambs. The HIGH intensive pre-slaughter handling regime used in the present study caused stress in lambs and increased ultimate pH that could potentially negatively impact welfare, product quality and consistency.

Coping with Stressors in Late Adolescence Young Adulthood : a Salutogenic Perspective

Literature indicates that globally young people are increasingly experiencing life as hopeless and meaningless. It is thus beneficial to investigate factors facilitating well-being in young people; as they are required to cope with multiple stressors whilst simultaneously negotiating the transition from childhood to adulthood. Health practitioners need to establish ways to enhance adequate coping in young people in order to minimise stress and ward off negative consequences such as addiction; depression and other pathologies that compromise health. This study aimed to ascertain whether discovering meaning in life and developing a strong sense of coherence may predict coping with stressors in a group of male and female South Africans in late adolescence/young adulthood (N=258). Three self-report measures were used: the Purpose in Life Questionnaire to measure the extent to which one has found meaning; the Sense of Coherence Scale to assess the extent to which individuals view life as comprehensible; manageable and meaningful; and the Adolescent Coping Scale to determine ability to cope. Logistic regression analysis results indicate that the extent to which one has discovered meaning in life and developed a sense of coherence predict ability to cope in young people. This suggests that intervention strategies that encourage individuals to search for meaning and strengthen sense of coherence may be effective in facilitating coping and may contribute positively to the overall health of young people

Adolescents' Experience of a Parental Traumatic Brain Injury

This study explores the experiences of four adolescents; each living with a parent who has sustained a traumatic brain injury; against the theoretical backdrop of existential-phenomenological psychology. In-depth interviews were conducted and analysed within the context of the existential phenomenology; in an attempt to gain a deep understanding of the psychologically complex themes and patterns embedded in the experience. The phenomenon of parental traumatic brain injury was characterised by denial; anger; grief; guilt; anxiety; over-protectiveness; social isolation; and change in many areas of the participants' lives. The adolescents coped using both approaches and avoidance styles of coping. Religion was a theme in the lives of all four adolescents. Despite the professed negative impact of the experience of having a traumatically brain-injured parent; the adolescents in the current study managed to find some degree of positive meaning in having to cope with such a traumatic event and its consequences. The results are interpreted within an existential-phenomenological psychology framework

The Epstein-Barr virus encoded cytokine viral interleukin-10 enhances transformation of human B lymphocytes.

In vitro infection of human B lymphocytes with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) results in their growth transformation and establishment of immortalised lymphoblastoid cell lines. The virus was recently found to encode a homologue of the pleitropic cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10), which has wide ranging effects on the immune system. We have investigated the effect of this virally encoded growth factor on the ability of EBV to immortalize B lymphocytes from tonsils and from adult and neonatal blood. Recombinant viral interleukin-10 (vIL-10) was found to increase dramatically the growth transformation of B cells from all three populations infected with either the highly transforming type 1 strain B95-8 or the less efficient type 2 strain BL16. This striking enhancement of transforming ability in the presence of viral IL-10 may be in part due to increased viability of the B cells during infection and decreased levels of interferon-gamma, a cytokine known to inhibit EBV transformation. Thus viral IL-10 influences a number of cell types of the immune system to allow the enhanced outgrowth of EBV transformed cells.

Human cytomegalovirus UL97 open reading frame encodes a protein that phosphorylates the antiviral nucleoside analogue ganciclovir.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV, a betaherpes virus) is the cause of serious disease in immunologically compromised individuals, including those with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. One of the compounds used in the chemotherapy of HCMV infections is the nucleoside analogue 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl)-guanine (ganciclovir). The mechanism of action of this drug is dependent on the formation of the nucleoside triphosphate, which is a strong inhibitor of the viral DNA polymerase. Thymidine kinase, which is encoded by many of the herpesviruses, catalyses the initial phosphorylation of ganciclovir. But there is no evidence for the coding of this enzyme by HCMV, and DNA sequence analysis of the HCMV genome has shown that there is no open reading frame characteristic of a herpesvirus thymidine kinase. Here we present biochemical and immunological evidence that the HCMV UL97 open reading frame codes for a protein capable of phosphorylating ganciclovir. This protein seems to be responsible for the selectivity of ganciclovir and will be useful tool in the understanding and refinement of the antiviral activity of new selective anti-HCMV compounds.