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Copyright of European Poultry Science / Archiv für Geflügelkunde is the property of Verlag Eugen Ulmer and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Broiler eggs were either incubated at 37.8°C during the whole incubation period (control), or at higher (38.8°C, group H) and lower temperatures (36.8°C, group L) from embryonic day (ED) 7 up to ED 10 (ED 7 to 10) or from ED 10 up to ED 13 (ED 10 to 13). Before and after this temperature treatment the eggs were incubated at 37.8°C. The day-old chicks were weighted, sexed and fed up to day 35. On days 1 and 35 samples were taken from the breast and leg muscles for analyzing of the mitochondrial respiratory activity (MRA) and from the breast muscles for analysis of the cross-sectional areas (CSA) and the glycogen phosphorylase (GP), phosphofructokinase (PFK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), citrate synthase (CS) and cytochrome oxidase (COX) activities. Statistical analysis showed that treatment (control, group H, group L), sex and their interaction, but not the treatment period (ED 7 to 10; ED 10 to 13), significantly influenced the results. Group H chicks had lower (P ⩽0.05) body and heart weights but higher (P ⩽0.05) liver weights, CSA values, leg MRA as well as PFK, LDH, CS, GP and COX activities compared with the group L chicks. The results of the control chicks differ (P ⩽0.05) from those of the group H (body, heart weight, COX), the group L chicks (liver weight, PFK, LDH, CS, GP) or the birds of both other groups (CSA). The group H broiler had higher (P ⩽0.05) body and leg weights as well as LDH, CS, COX and GP activities than the group L broilers. The BWs and the LDH and GP results of the control broiler differ (P ⩽0.05) from those of both other groups or from the results of the group H (CS) and group L broiler (COX). Female broilers had lower (P ⩽0.05) body, breast and leg weights, but higher (P ⩽0.05) CSA, LDH, CS and GP activities than the male animals. Analysis of treatment×sex interaction showed that group H hens had higher (P ⩽0.05) body and breast weights, LDH and GP activities compared with the group L hens, whereas in the male broiler no effect of the interaction could be found, except for the lower (P ⩽0.05) CSA values in the group H than group L cocks. The treatment effects are probably due to altered embryonic activity and related molecular mechanisms. The sex-related differences in the broiler indicate that these alterations already occur in the embryos and chicks, but become significant with the sexual dimorphism after hatch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives The solvent/detergent treatment enables effective and robust inactivation of all lipid-enveloped viruses, but also inactivates partly sensitive plasma proteins such as protein S. The aim of this study was to investigate the thrombin generation capacity of octaplas LG®, in particular focusing on the function of protein S in thrombin generation assay and the impact of assay settings. Materials and Methods Sixteen octaplas LG® batches and 32 units of single donor fresh frozen plasma ( FFP) were investigated. For protein S, both functional activity and free antigen levels were measured. Thrombin generation assay was performed using two fluorogenic tests with different triggers. Finally, rotational thromboelastometry was performed. Results Mean protein S levels were lower in octaplas LG®, but a wider range of values was found for FFP. Clotting parameters and thrombin generation capacities overlapped between the two plasma groups as demonstrated using both thrombin generation assays and different triggers. Spiking studies with protein S-depleted plasma, human purified protein S or antibodies against protein S confirmed a correlation between protein S and thrombin generation capacity under specific assay conditions, especially in an assay with low tissue factor concentration. Conclusion Correlation between protein S and thrombin generation capacity was demonstrated in the TGA. Due to higher variability in protein S content in the FFP group, overlapping haemostatic potentials of the two plasma groups were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. An experiment was conducted to compare different meat quality parameters, especially colour development, in the breast muscle of turkeys and broilers. 2. A total of 160 broilers (Ross 308) with a mean age of 32 d and 120 turkeys (BUT Big 6) with a mean age of 147 d were slaughtered at 4 (broilers) or three (turkeys) dates at two commercial abattoirs and the slaughter characteristics (slaughter and breast weight, breast yield) were determined. 3. The Musculus pectoralis superficialis (MPS) was collected and different meat quality parameters (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), colour (L * a * b*), grill loss, shear force) were analysed 24 h after slaughter; the colour development during cold storage of the MPS was also analysed. 4. The turkeys had greater carcase and breast weights as well as breast yields. The pH was significantly lower and the EC as well as the grill loss significantly higher in the MPS of the turkey, whereas the shear force values were comparable. 5. Considering the colour of the breast muscle the broiler MPS had significantly higher L* and b* but lower a* values. During cold storage the L* and b* values of the MPS increase in both investigated poultry species, whereas a* increased in the turkey but decreased in the broiler birds. The L* and b* of the broiler and turkey MPS thereby increased in parallel. 6. From the results of this and previously published studies that investigated only broilers or turkeys it can be concluded that chemical (or biochemical) differences between these poultry species exist that specifically influence the muscle-to-meat transition process after slaughter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After a 48-hour rehydration period 28 of 31 patients with cancer-associated hypercalcemia (serum calcium ≥2.8 mmol/1) were treated intravenously with the bisphosphonate pamidronate. In three patients fluid repletion with 0.9% saline solution had already normalized serum calcium levels. Pamidronate was given in a single infusion on day 0, the dose of pamidronate adapted to the severity of hypercalcemia. If the serum calcium concentration was ≥2.8 mmol/1 on day 3, application of pamidronate was repeated. In all patients normocalcemia was restored; mean serum calcium decreased from 3.2±0.35 on day 0 to 2.15±0.32 on day 12. Hypercalcemia recurred in 11 patients, seven of these underwent pamidronate treatment according to the same therapeutical regimen. Normal calcium levels were attained in five cases. Side effects were of minor gravity:brief hyperthermia occurred in four patients and transient, asymptomatic hypocalcemia was noticed in nine cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]