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Barrows and gilts (n = 128) from four breed crosses were used to investigate the effect of age at slaughter on carcass traits, proteolytic enzyme activity, and meat and fat quality. Pigs were blocked by breed cross into four blocks, and within blocks, one pen (eight barrows and eight gilts) was assigned randomly to be slaughtered at either 8 or 10 mo of age. Pigs were fed a corn-barley-soybean meal finisher diet from 104 +/- 2.5 d of age (37.7 +/- 0.33 kg BW) to the appropriate slaughter age. Carcasses from older (10 mo) pigs had lower (P < 0.01) muscularity indexes and lean cut yields than those of younger (8 mo) pigs, but dressing percentage and longissimus muscle area increased (P < 0.01) with age. Older pigs produced a redder (P < 0.01) and darker (P < 0.05) semimembranosus, with lower (P < 0.01) ultimate pH and cathepsin B and B + L activities, as well as higher (P < 0.01) aminopeptidase hydrolyzing activity than younger pigs. Moreover, the longissimus muscle of pigs slaughtered at 10 mo of age had lower (P < 0.01) drip and cooking loss percentages than that from pigs slaughtered at 8 mo of age. Ham subcutaneous fat from 10-mo-old pigs had greater (P < 0.05) percentages of oleic acid and lower (P < 0.01) proportions of moisture, linoleic, and linolenic acids than subcutaneous fat from pigs slaughtered at 8 mo of age. Results from this study indicate that fresh hams from pigs slaughtered at 10 mo of age would be more suitable for the production of high-quality, Italian, dry-cured hams.

Four hundred and thirty-seven pigs (223 purebred Italian Large White, 97 Italian Landrace, and 117 Duroc), were studied to examine the effect of breed on meat quality and assess the possibility of relating proteolysis of dry-cured hams to raw meat quality. The Duroc pigs had intramuscular fat contents and water holding capacities (M. Semimembranosus) significantly higher than those of the Large White and Landrace. The latter had a significantly higher pH(24h) and cathepsin B activities significantly lower than the Duroc breed. The dry-cured hams (M. Biceps femoris) from the three breeds were significantly different in proximate composition, proteolysis and weight loss at the end of ageing. Data for green hams (including salt content) were used to compute a model to fit the proteolysis of the corresponding dry-cured hams. The variables included in the model (R(2)=0.53 and P<0.01) were cathepsin B activity of raw ham, pH(24h), weight loss after the first salting step, and the salt content of the dry-cured ham. The raw hams with the highest cathepsin B activities, the lowest pH(24h), and the highest weight loss after the first salting were those in which greatest proteolysis occured.

In the management of moderately severe lymphedema of the extremities, two types of "physiological" surgery have been employed with acceptable results. The methods involve (1) subcutaneous drainage of lymph by a synthetic suture network or loops of #2 prolene and (2) lymphatic-venous anastomosis of lymphatic channels into adjacent superficial veins. In 126 patients treated by the first method, there was an average reduction of edema of approximately 60%. In 77 patients the second method (306 anastomoses) resulted in an average reduction of edema of 75% in follow-up rangeing up to 11 years. These procedures are contraindicated in patients with limb paralysis or frequent recurrent skin infection.

The authors introduce a new technique of lymphatic-venous anastomosis in cases of lymphedema of the limbs. The anastomosis is of buried type and is described in detail. The procedure is easy, practical and can be indicated for both the upper and lower limbs, and also for thoracic duct or anyone blocked lymphatic of the abdomen. In all cases, we did lymphangioadenography and phlebography and in some cases arteriography. Our experience consists of 81 patients with 89 operations with 302 anastomoses of lymphatic vessels blocked by some disease or surgical resection of benign tumors or consequent to plastic surgery (abdomen pendulous, resection of lipomas of the inguinal region of the thigh, plastic surgery of the thigh), orthopedic operations on the knee or to the stripping of varicose veins. The purpose of the procedure is to divert the lymph to the vein in cases of blocked lymphatic vessels, particularly when lymphographic findings demonstrate good functional and good permeability of lymphatic vessels. Six operations failed in five patients (in one patient: two operations); the anastomoses failure occurred in the first cases operated on, when we did one or two anastomoses and had not learned some faulty details of technique. An average reduction of 76% of the edema was achieved. The reduction is in proportion to the number of anastomoses. Anastomoses as a routine, whenever possible, must be over five in number. We insist in the number of anastomoses because we must consider that some of them can be lost by thrombosis or by faulty technique.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The treatment of lymphoedema of the lower limbs is often rather disappointing, at the present time. However, two simple surgical techniques, lympho-venous anastomosis and lymphatic drainage, seem to complement existing methods and should improve the clinical course of constitutional and secondary lymphoedema. These simple techniques are based on the pathophysiology of the lymphoedema and certainly represent a hope in the treatment of some swollen legs.