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Ebstein anomaly is the most common form of tricuspid valve congenital anomalies. The tricuspid valve is abnormal with different degrees of displacement of the septal leaflet and abnormal rotation of the valve towards the right ventricular outflow tract. In severe forms, it results in significant tricuspid regurgitation and requires surgical repair. There is an increased interest in understanding the anatomy of the tricuspid valve in this lesion as the surgical repair has evolved with the invention and wide adoption of the cone operation. Multimodality imaging plays an important role in diagnosis, follow-up, surgical planning and post-operative care. This review provides anatomical tips for the cardiac imagers caring for patients with Ebstein anomaly and will help provide image-based personalized medicine.

Mitral regurgitation in the neonatal period is relatively rare. It can be secondary to a congenital malformation of the valve apparatus or mitral valve dysfunction and deformation secondary to myocardial dysfunction or volume load of the left ventricle. Less commonly, it can be due to coronary artery abnormalities leading to mitral valve papillary muscle ischaemia and subsequent dysfunction. Such coronary artery abnormalities include anomalous left coronary artery from pulmonary artery, left main coronary artery atresia, or a thromboembolic phenomenon. In this study, we describe a newborn with a dysplastic aortic valve causing obstruction of the os of the left coronary artery leading to progressive mitral insufficiency.

Summary Multi‐omics approach was adopted to investigate the modulation of bacterial microbiota and metabolome as well as their interactions in whole crop corn ensiling systems by inoculating homofermentative Lactobacillus plantarum or heterofermentative Lactobacillus buchneri. Inoculations of the two different inoculants resulted in substantial differences in microbial community and metabolic composition as well as their dynamics in ensiled corn. Inoculants also altered the correlations of microbiota in different manners, and various keystone species were identified in corn silages with different treatments. Many metabolites with biofunctional activities like bacteriostatic, antioxidant, central nervous system inhibitory and anti‐inflammatory were found in the present silage. A constitutive difference in microbiota dynamics was found for several pathways, which were upregulated by specific taxa in middle stage of fermentation, and widespread associations between metabolites with biofunctions and the species of lactic acid bacteria dominated in silage were observed. Multiple microbial and metabolic structures and dynamics were correlated and affected the fermentation process of the corn ensiling systems. Results of the current study improve our understanding of the complicated biological process underlying silage fermentation and provide a framework to re‐evaluate silages with biofunctions, which may contribute to target‐based regulation methods to produce functional silage for animal production., Multi‐omics approach was adopted to investigate the modulation of bacterial microbiota and metabolome as well as their interactions in whole crop corn ensiling systems by inoculating homofermentative Lactobacillus plantarum or heterofermentative Lactobacillus buchneri. Results of the current study improve our understanding of the complicated biological process underlying silage fermentation, and provides a framework to re‐evaluate silages with biofunctions, which may contribute to target‐based reglation methods to produce functional silage for animal production.

Microbial population dynamics associated with corn silage, with and without Lactobacillus plantarum treatment, was studied. Whole crop corn was ensiled using laboratory silos and sampled at different times, up to 3 months. The dominant bacteria, before ensiling, were Acinetobacter (38.5%) and Klebsiella (16.3%), while the dominant fungi were Meyerozyma (53.5%) and Candida (27.7%). During ensiling, the microbial population shifted considerably, and Lactobacillus (> 94%) and Candida (> 74%) became the most dominant microbial genera in both treated and untreated silages. Yet, lactic acid content was higher in the treated silage, while the microbial diversity was lower than in the untreated silage. Upon aerobic exposure, spoilage occurred more rapidly in the treated silage, possibly due to the higher abundance of lactic acid-assimilating fungi, such as Candida. Our study is the first to describe microbial population dynamics during whole-crop corn ensiling and the results indicate that microbial diversity may be an indicator of aerobic stability.

The first objective of this study was to examine effects of adding Escherichia coli O157:H7 with or without chemical or microbial additives on the bacterial diversity and composition of alfalfa silage. The second objective was to examine associations between the relative abundance of known and unknown bacterial species and indices of silage fermentation quality. Alfalfa forage was harvested at 54% dry matter, chopped to a theoretical length of cut of 19 mm, and ensiled in quadruplicate in laboratory silos for 100 d after the following treatments were applied: (1) distilled water (control); (2) 1 × 10 5 cfu/g of E. coli O157:H7 (EC); (3) EC and 1 × 10 6 cfu/g of Lactobacillus plantarum (EC+LP); (4) EC and 1 × 10 6 cfu/g of Lactobacillus buchneri (EC+LB); and (5) EC and 0.22% propionic acid (EC+PA). After 100 d of ensiling, the silage samples were analyzed for bacterial diversity and composition via the Illumina MiSeq platform (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA) and chemically characterized. Overall, Firmicutes (74.1 ± 4.86%) was the most predominant phylum followed by Proteobacteria (20.4 ± 3.80%). Relative to the control, adding E. coli O157:H7 alone at ensiling did not affect bacterial diversity or composition but adding EC+LP or EC+LB reduced the Shannon index, a measure of diversity (3.21 vs. 2.63 or 2.80, respectively). The relative abundance of Firmicutes (69.2 and 68.8%) was reduced, whereas that of Proteobacteria (24.0 and 24.9%) was increased by EC+LP and EC+PA treatments, relative to those of the control (79.5 and 16.5%) and EC+LB (77.4 and 18.5%) silages, respectively. Compared with the control, treatment with EC+LP increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Sphingomonas, Pantoea, Pseudomonas , and Erwinia by 426, 157, 200, 194, and 163%, respectively, but reduced those of Pediococcus, Weissella , and Methylobacterium by 5,436, 763, and 250%, respectively. Relative abundance of Weissella (9.19%) and Methylobacterium (0.94%) were also reduced in the EC+LB silage compared with the control (29.7 and 1.50%, respectively). Application of propionic acid did not affect the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Weissella , or Pediococcus. Lactate concentration correlated positively (r = 0.56) with relative abundance of Lactobacillus and negatively (r = −0.41) with relative abundance of Pediococcus . Negative correlations were detected between ammonia-N concentration and relative abundance of Sphingomonas (r = −0.51), Pantoea (r = −0.46), Pseudomonas (r = −0.45), and Stenotrophomonas (r = −0.38). Silage pH was negatively correlated with relative abundance of Lactobacillus (r = −0.59), Sphingomonas (r = −0.66), Pantoea (r = −0.69), Pseudomonas (r = −0.69), and Stenotrophomonas (r = −0.50). Future studies should aim to speciate, culture, and determine the functions of the unknown bacteria detected in this study to elucidate their roles in silage fermentation.

The Canadian government decision to cancel the mandatory long-form census in 2010 (subsequently restored in 2015), along with similar discussions in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA), have brought the purpose and use of census data into focus for epidemiologists and public health professionals. Policy decision-makers should be well-versed in the public health importance of accurate and reliable census data for emergency preparedness planning, controlling disease outbreaks, and for addressing health concerns among vulnerable populations including the elderly, low-income, racial/ethnic minorities, and special residential groups (e.g., nursing homes). Valid census information is critical to ensure that policy makers and public health practitioners have the evidence needed to: (1) establish incidence rates, mortality rates, and prevalence for the full characterization of emerging health issues; (2) address disparities in health care, prevention strategies and health outcomes among vulnerable populations; and (3) plan and effectively respond in times of disaster and emergency. At a time when budget and sample size cuts have been implemented in the UK, a voluntary census is being debated in the US. In Canada, elimination of the mandatory long-form census in 2011 resulted in unreliable population enumeration, as well as a substantial waste of money and resources for taxpayers, businesses and communities. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of recent international trends and to review the foundational role of the census in public health management and planning using historical and current examples of environmental contamination, cancer clusters and emerging infections. Citing a general absence of public health applications of the census in cost-benefit analyses, we call on policy makers to consider its application to emergency preparedness, outbreak response, and chronic disease prevention efforts. At the same time, we call on public health professionals to improve published estimates of monetary benefit (via either cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness analysis) to a given public health intervention.

Summary Background Cabotegravir (GSK1265744) is an HIV-1 integrase strand transfer inhibitor with potent antiviral activity and a long half-life when administered by injection that prevented simian-HIV infection upon repeat intrarectal challenge in male macaques. We aimed to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of long-acting cabotegravir injections in healthy men not at high risk of HIV-1 infection. Methods We did this multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2a trial at ten sites in the USA. Healthy men (aged 18–65 years) deemed not at high risk of acquiring HIV-1 at screening were randomly assigned (5:1), via computer-generated central randomisation schedules, to receive cabotegravir or placebo. Participants received oral cabotegravir 30 mg tablets or matching placebo once daily during a 4 week oral lead-in phase, followed by a 1 week washout period and, after safety assessment, three intramuscular injections of long-acting cabotegravir 800 mg or saline placebo at 12 week intervals. Study site staff and participants were masked to treatment assignment from enrolment through week 41 (time of the last injection). The primary endpoint was safety and tolerability from the first injection (week 5) to 12 weeks after the last injection. We did analysis in the safety population, defined as all individuals enrolled in the study who received at least one dose of the study drug. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02076178. Findings Between March 27, 2014, and Feb 23, 2016, we randomly assigned 127 participants to receive cabotegravir (n=106) or placebo (n=21); 126 (99%) participants comprised the safety population. Most participants were men who have sex with men (MSM; n=106 [83%]) and white (n=71 [56%]). 87 (82%) participants in the cabotegravir group and 20 (95%) participants in the placebo group completed the injection phase. Adverse events (n=7 [7%]) and injection intolerability (n=4 [4%]) were the main reasons for withdrawal in the cabotegravir group. The frequency of grade 2 or higher adverse events was higher in participants in the long-acting cabotegravir group (n=75 [80%]) than in those in the placebo group (n=10 [48%]; p=0·0049), mostly due to injection-site pain (n=55 [59%]). No significant differences were noted in concomitant medications, laboratory abnormalities, electrocardiogram, and vital sign assessments. Geometric mean trough plasma concentrations were 0·302 μg/mL (95% CI 0·237–0·385), 0·331 μg/mL (0·253–0·435), and 0·387 μg/mL (0·296–0·505) for injections one, two, and three, respectively, indicating lower than predicted exposure. The geometric mean apparent terminal phase half-life estimated after the third injection was 40 days. Two (2%) MSM acquired HIV-1 infection, one in the placebo group during the injection phase and one in the cabotegravir group 24 weeks after the final injection when cabotegravir exposure was well below the protein-binding-adjusted 90% inhibitory concentration. Interpretation Despite high incidence of transient, mild-to-moderate injection-site reactions, long-acting cabotegravir was well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile. Pharmacokinetic data suggest that 800 mg administered every 12 weeks is a suboptimal regimen; alternative dosing strategies are being investigated. Our findings support further investigation of long-acting injectable cabotegravir as an alternative to orally administered pre-exposure prophylaxis regimens. Funding ViiV Healthcare.

Knowledge regarding bacterial dynamics during crop ensiling is important for understanding of the fermentation process and may facilitate the production of nutritious and stable silage. The objective of this study was to analyze the bacterial dynamics associated with whole crop wheat silage with and without inoculants. Whole crop wheat was ensiled in laboratory silos, with and without Lactobacillus inoculants (L. plantarum, L. buchneri), for 3 months. Untreated and L. plantarum-treated silages were sampled at several times during ensiling, while L. buchneri-treated silage was sampled only at 3 months. Bacterial composition was studied using next generation sequencing approach. Dominant bacteria, before ensiling, were Pantoea (34.7%), Weissella (28.4%) and Pseudomonas (10.4%), Exiguobacterium (7.8%), and Paenibacillus (3.4%). Exogenous inoculants significantly affected bacterial composition and dynamics during ensiling. At 3 months of ensiling, Lactobacillus dominated the silage bacterial population and reached an abundance of 59.5, 92.5, and 98.2% in untreated, L. plantarum- and L. buchneri-treated silages, respectively. The bacterial diversity of the mature silage was lower in both treated silages compared to untreated silage. Functional profiling of the bacterial communities associated with the wheat ensiling demonstrated that the abundant pathways of membrane transporters, carbohydrate and amino acids metabolisms followed different pattern of relative abundance in untreated and L. plantarum-treated silages. Only three pathways, namely base-excision repair, pyruvate metabolism and transcription machinery, were significantly different between untreated and L. buchneri-treated silages upon maturation. Lactic acid content was higher in L. plantarum-treated silage compared to untreated and L. buchneri-treated silage. Still, the pH of both treated silages was lower in the two Lactobacillus-treated silages compared to untreated silage. Aerobic stability test demonstrated that L. plantarum-, but not L. buchneri-supplement, facilitated silage deterioration. The lower aerobic stability of the L. plantarum-treated silage may be attributed to lower content of acetic acid and other volatile fatty acids which inhibit aerobic yeasts and molds. Indeed, high yeast count was recorded, following exposure to air, only in L. plantarum-treated silage, supporting this notion. Analysis of bacterial community of crop silage can be used for optimization of the ensiling process and the selection of appropriate inoculants for improving aerobic stability.

Willow (Salix spp.) is grown for energy biomass in temperate regions and is also a promising source of feed for ruminants. Willow fodder contains high concentrations of beneficial plant specialized metabolites (PSMs). We investigated the efficacy of ensiling willow fodder in 1.5 L jars without (control-C) or with silage additives (lactobacilli-LAB, molasses-M, or the combination MLAB), and the effects on nutritional attributes of ensiling willow in 60 L drums with LAB. We also assessed the effect of ensiling willow fodder on PSMs by liquid chromatography / time-of-flight / mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS). Exact or tentative compound identification was established, depending on availability of appropriate standards. In jars, LAB-supplemented silages reached lowest pH (4.2). M-supplemented silages had lower aNDF and aADF contents. IVDMD was higher in M than in C, and the contents of crude protein (CP) were not affected by silage treatments. Ensiling in drums did not affect the major nutritional components of willow fodder. Even though phenylalanine, arginine, tyrosine, histidine, and methionine, but not tryptophan, were increased 3.8–7.9-fold by ensiling, the finding is of low importance, as free amino acids are totally degraded in the rumen. In contrast, the main PSM, i.e., the salicinoid salicin was 74 % de-glycosylated, concomitantly with a ten-fold increase in salicylic acid concentration and with the appearance of acetyl-salicylic acid; likewise, the flavonoids hyperin and rutin were 66 % de-glycosylated, consequent with a 48-fold increase in quercetin concentration. As the bio-availability of the quercetin aglycone is inferior to that of its glycosylated counterparts, ensiling might affect the nutraceutical value of willow fodder. Likewise, catechin, gallocatechin and epicatechin were totally metabolized by ensiling. Overall, ensiling willow fodder (with LAB) does not affect the nutritional attributes of willow fodder but it greatly alters its PSM concentrations and, possibly impairs its nutraceutical value. However, as anti-oxidative activity is supposed to increase, following de-glycosylation, further research is needed to evaluate a possible trade-off on nutraceutical value between the glycosylated and aglycone forms of phenolics contained in willow fodder.

The tensile strength (TS) of four warm-season and three cool-season forage grasses was measured with an Instron Universal machine, along with cell-wall analysis and determination of in vitro organic matter digestibility. The mean TS of the warm-season grasses was significantly higher than that of the cool season grasses (22 vs. 9 kg, respectively, p .05). The concentrations of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) were significantly greater in the warm- than in the cool-season grasses (p .05), whereas ash concentration was greater in the cool-season grasses. Among the warm-season grasses that were studied, elephant grass had the highest and bermuda grass had the lowest TS (34.4 and 14.9 kg, respectively, p .05); Among the cool-season grasses triticale had greater TS than wheat and oats (12.6 vs. 6.8 and 7.5 kg, respectively, p .05). TS was significantly correlated with NDF, ADF, and ADL, and negatively correlated with in vitro organic matter digestibility (correlation coefficients were 0.64, 0.73. 0.41, and -0.64, respectively).Grass tensile strength may have implications on animal preference and on the energy that animals must spend during grazing, and consequently on animal performance (feed intake, daily weight gain and milk, and meat production). Information on grass TS would help to select and screen improved forage cultivars and enable to improve grassland management with better animal performance.

Many plants contain valuable compounds which could be used as pharmaceuticals, nutrients, or cosmetics, etc. The objective of the current review is to describe the ENLAC process (enzyme-assisted solid-state lactic acid fermentation) which enables the preservation of plant biomass and enhances the recovery of valuable natural compounds from plants. The advantages attributed to ENLAC include the possibility of preserving the plant biomass until extraction under mild temperature conditions. Using fibrolytic enzymes, it was possible to increase the yield of extracted protein, chlorophyll and β-carotene from alfalfa silages, and to enhance the extraction of polyphenols from ensiled sage and rosemary. A further development of the process included the use of enzymes produced in situ by fungi under aerobic solid-state fermentation, which lowered the estimated costs of ENLAC considerably. We hope that the review will encourage researchers to pursue ENLAC and develop useful applications for it.

Paneth cell metaplasia of the rectal epithelium is a common histologic finding in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease. However, the clinical significance of isolated Paneth cells in otherwise unremarkable rectal mucosa has not been extensively examined. This study examined the frequency and clinical correlates of rectal Paneth cells in 245 biopsies obtained from patients between the ages of 2 weeks to 20 years in a pediatric tertiary care facility from 2010 to 2011. The specimens comprised 193 endoscopic pinch biopsies and 52 rectal suction biopsies. All 245 cases were endoscopically and histologically unremarkable with no prominence of eosinophils, no altered mucosal architecture, and no inflammation. Paneth cells were present in 42 cases (17.1%), which is higher than previous reports. Only 1 of 42 patients with rectal Paneth cells was subsequently diagnosed with Crohn disease. In our study population, the finding of Paneth cells was associated with young age, and the incidence of Paneth cell cases decreased with increasing age (χ=13.69, P=0.0002). Constipation was the most common presenting symptom in patients with rectal Paneth cells and was highly associated with the presence of Paneth cells (odds ratio 4.5, 95% confidence interval: 2.2-9.0). Paneth cells in otherwise unremarkable pediatric rectal biopsies are not rare and frequently occur in common conditions such as idiopathic constipation.

UNLABELLED Previous studies have shown that silages treated with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculants enhance ruminants' performance. The objective of the current experiments was to develop an in vitro model to study interactions between LAB silage inoculants and inoculated silages and Escherichia coli (EC) in rumen fluid (RF). Our hypothesis was that some inoculants inhibit EC in RF. For that purpose buffered RF was incubated under anaerobic conditions at 39°C with commercial strains of LAB silage inoculants or with laboratory corn and wheat silages treated with these LAB, an EC strain and with various ruminant feed ingredients. The EC strain was originally isolated from cattle manure and tagged with a plasmid expressing the green fluorescence protein and kanamycin and streptomycin resistance. Results indicate that the LAB or the treated silages did not suppress EC numbers in the RF. When the pH of the RF decreased below 5·0 the EC disappeared. We conclude that both LAB inoculants for silage and EC survived in RF for several days; however, the inoculants and silages treated with such inoculants did not inhibit EC in RF in vitro. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Forage crops, silage and hay are initial stages of the food chain for humans. Cattle harbours and sheds enterobacteria regularly, some strains of which are pathogens. These can contaminate forage crops through field fertilization with cattle manure. The objective of this study was to develop an in vitro model to test whether lactic acid bacteria, which are used in silage inoculants, alone or in treated silages can inhibit Escherichia coli in rumen fluid. This study presents safety aspects and it is also part of a broad research effort aimed at finding out how LAB silage inoculants and inoculated silages enhance ruminant performance or exert probiotic effects in ruminants.

Various propionic acid (PA) based additives are used to successfully inhibit fungi in silages. These additives are all introduced directly, and an encapsulated formulation of PA has not yet been examined for its antifungal abilities. The current study's objective was to test the possibility of using encapsulated PA as a silage additive. Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)-based films (film A) and CMC/β-cyclodextrin-based films (film B) were used as biodegradable matrix platforms for encapsulated PA delivery and tested on whole-crop wheat and corn silages. Films were added as a mixture combined with the silage or divided at the top and bottom of the bulk silage system. ALactobacillus plantaruminoculation procedure was also examined for its effects. In the wheat ensiling experiment, film B resulted in the highest PA concentrations after 2 weeks (1.4% and 1.1% in dry matter for the mixed and divided films, respectively). Mixed film A also produced high levels of PA after 2 weeks. Lactic acid (LA) concentrations peaked after 2 weeks and the highest final concentrations were obtained in theL.plantarumtreatment. The highest PA concentrations in the corn silages were measured at the end of the experiment. Film B tended to result in slightly higher PA concentrations than film A. LA concentrations peaked after 2 weeks and the highest final content was obtained with film B. Overall, this study demonstrates that addition of encapsulated PA to biodegradable CMC films may provide an advanced safe approach for retaining silage quality and wastage reduction.

High resolution melt (HRM) analysis is a sensitive post-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method that enables to distinguish between similar DNA sequences, because of its high resolution capability. Thus, we aimed to use the HRM analysis in order to identify species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) used as inoculants for silage and to confirm their establishment during the ensiling of wheat. Four silage inoculants including Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus buchneri were used as reference strains for HRM. The 16S rDNA gene of the four strains was amplified by real-time PCR and the amplicons were used for subsequent HRM analysis. The different LAB species tested generated distinctive HRM profiles, allowing the discrimination and differentiation of each species. Two ensiling experiments were performed using wheat silages prepared in anaerobic jars. Treatments included control (no additives), L. plantarum and E. faecium each added at 106 colony forming unit per 1 g of fresh wheat. Three jars per treatment were sampled for analysis on different days of the experiment. Melting curves were obtained from DNA extracted from LAB colonies generated on de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe agar media. In Experiment 1, DNA was obtained from random colonies, whereas, in Experiment 2, in addition to random colonies, the rest of the colonies from a given plate were analyzed. In all experimental setups, when random colonies were used, the results indicated that different LAB species are present in the silage, which changes along with the decrease in pH during the ensiling of wheat. In Experiment 2, when all colonies were sampled from given plates, the dominance of the L. plantarum showed up during ensiling of wheat, especially in wheat treated with L. plantarum. In summary, a simple molecular approach based on HRM analysis used in the present study, enables us to confirm establishment of L. plantarum throughout ensiling of wheat.

Effect of ensiling pomegranate pulp (PP) with or without solid additives on composition and in vitro digestibility was assessed in glass silos. Ensiling of fresh PP solely, resulted in low DM content (185 g/kg) and high fermentation losses (20% of DM). Notwithstanding, ensiling a mixture (on DM basis) of: 40% PP, 35% soy hulls and 25% corn silage, produced pomegranate pulp silage (PPS) characterized by low pH (3.86), appropriate DM content (34.7%), low fermentation losses during ensiling (5.58%) and similar in vitro DM digestibility (66.2%) compared with the raw material. Consequently, this PPS mixture was ensiled in two pressed bales (700 kg each) wrapped with stretch polyethylene film, for measuring PPS intake and digestibility by sheep. A preliminary observation demonstrated that lambs refused to consume diet based just on PPS and soybean plus minerals and vitamins mix. Only after reduction of PPS level in the TMR to 51% of the DM while replacing part of the PPS with wheat hay, the PPS-hay diet was entirely consumed. Therefore, four male Assaf lambs housed in individual metabolic cages, were fed ad-libitum two total mixed rations (TMR) in a cross over design: The PPS TMR contained 51% PPS, 38% chopped wheat hay, and 11% soybean plus minerals and vitamins mix; The reference Hay TMR contained 89% chopped wheat hay plus 11% minerals soybean plus minerals and vitamins mix. This hay-TMR was used to calculate the apparent digestibility of the PPS component in the PPS + Hay TMR. Lambs fed the PPS + hay TMR ingested voluntary 1,129 g DM/lamb/day including 580 g PPS DM/lamb/day. Apparent in vivo digestibility values of the PPS component in the experimental TMR were: dry matter, 60.1%; organic matter, 65.6%; crude protein, 47.1%; and neutral detergent fiber, 46.8%. Notwithstanding, in vitro DM and NDF digestibility of the PPS was higher (67.5% and 52.3%, respectively). The lower in vivo digestibility values compared with the corresponding in vitro data is associated with occurrence of soluble phenolics that are considered entirely digestible in the in vitro system but actually form non-digestible phenol–protein complexes in the sheep gut that reduce in vivo NDF and DM digestibility.

This study examined the chemical composition, in vitro and in vivo digestibility, aerobic stability and ensiling capability of the fresh wet fibrous by-products Aspergillus residue, soy pulp (okara), pomegranate pulp, grape pulp and avocado pulp. Ensiling was assessed in glass silos, and aerobic stability in open PVC containers. Intake and in vivo digestibility were measured in mature male Assaf lambs (four lambs/replicates per dietary treatment) held in individual metabolic cages, and ad libitum-fed one of the total mixed rations containing the examined fresh by-product and appropriate supplement. Aspergillus residue is an acidic, fibrous by-product, characterized by high in vivo digestibility of organic matter (OM, 0.85) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF, 0.95), and high stability under aerobic exposure. Ensiling results give large dry matter (DM) losses (41.2%) and continuous yeast fermentation to ethanol and volatiles. Okara is an acidic, fibrous by-product that is rich in protein (290 g/kg DM), characterized by high in vivo digestibility of OM and NDF (0.88 and 0.93, respectively), but low stability under aerobic exposure. It can be ensiled with moderate DM losses (16%), producing butyrate and acetate. Pomegranate pulp contains high levels of soluble phenolics and sugars and its voluntary consumption by sheep is low. When fed to sheep it is characterized by low in vivo OM and NDF digestibility (0.44 and 0.20, respectively), and low aerobic stability. However, it can be ensiled with moderate DM losses (20%). Grape is rich in ethanol and avocado pulps in fat content, and both byproducts are rich in lignin content and therefore have low in vivo OM digestibility (0.30 and 0.43, respectively) originating from their low NDF digestibility (0.12 and 0.31, respectively). These by-products are characterized by low stability under aerobic exposure. Both by-products can be ensiled without any DM losses or NDF solubilization.

Objectives HIV treatment guidelines endorse switching or simplification of antiretroviral therapy in therapy-experienced patients with suppressed viraemia; ritonavir discontinuation may also enhance tolerability and reduce long-term adverse events (AEs). This open-label, multicentre, noninferiority study enrolled HIV-1-infected, treatment-experienced adults with confirmed HIV-1 RNA ≤ 75 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL currently receiving tenofovir/emtricitabine + atazanavir/ritonavir (TDF/FTC + ATV/r) for ≥ 6 months with no reported history of virological failure. Methods Participants were randomized 1:2 to continue current treatment or switch to abacavir/lamivudine + atazanavir (ABC/3TC + ATV). Endpoints included the proportion of participants with HIV-1 RNA

Silage is one of the main ingredients in dairy cattle diets and it is an important source of nutrients, particularly energy and digestible fiber. Unlike properly made and managed silage, poorly made or contaminated silage can also be a source of pathogenic bacteria that may decrease dairy cow performance, reduce the safety and quality dairy products, and compromise animal and human health. Some of the pathogenic bacteria that are frequently or occasionally associated with silage are enterobacteria, Listeria , Bacillus spp., Clostridium spp., and Salmonella . The symptoms caused by these bacteria in dairy cows vary from mild diarrhea and reduced feed intake by Clostridium spp. to death and abortion by Listeria . Contamination of food products with pathogenic bacteria can cause losses of millions of dollars due to recalls of unsafe foods and decreases in the shelf life of dairy products. The presence of pathogenic bacteria in silage is usually due to contamination or poor management during the fermentation, aerobic exposure, or feed-out stages. Silage additives and inoculants can improve the safety of silage as well as the fermentation, nutrient recovery, quality, and shelf life. This review summarizes the literature on the main foodborne pathogens that occasionally infest silage and how additives can improve silage safety.

Forages are usually inoculated with homofermentative and facultative heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to enhance lactic acid fermentation of forages, but effects of such inoculants on silage quality and the performance of dairy cows are unclear. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to examine the effects of LAB inoculation on silage quality and preservation and the performance of dairy cows. A second objective was to examine the factors affecting the response to silage inoculation with LAB. The studies that met the selection criteria included 130 articles that examined the effects of LAB inoculation on silage quality and 31 articles that investigated dairy cow performance responses. The magnitude of the effect (effect size) was evaluated using raw mean differences (RMD) between inoculated and uninoculated treatments. Heterogeneity was explored by meta-regression and subgroup analysis using forage type, LAB species, LAB application rate, and silo scale (laboratory or farm-scale) as covariates for the silage quality response and forage type, LAB species, diet type [total mixed ration (TMR) or non-TMR], and the level of milk yield of the control cows as covariates for the performance responses. Inoculation with LAB (≥105 cfu/g as fed) markedly increased silage fermentation and dry matter recovery in temperate and tropical grasses, alfalfa, and other legumes. However, inoculation did not improve the fermentation of corn, sorghum, or sugarcane silages. Inoculation with LAB reduced clostridia and mold growth, butyric acid production, and ammonia-nitrogen in all silages, but it had no effect on aerobic stability. Silage inoculation (≥105 cfu/g as fed) increased milk yield and the response had low heterogeneity. However, inoculation had no effect on diet digestibility and feed efficiency. Inoculation with LAB improved the fermentation of grass and legume silages and the performance of dairy cows but did not affect the fermentation of corn, sorghum, and sugar cane silages or the aerobic stability of any silage. Further research is needed to elucidate how silage inoculated with homofermentative and facultative heterofermentative LAB improves the performance of dairy cows.

Inhibiting the growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EC) in feeds may prevent the transmission or cycling of the pathogen on farms. The first objective of this study was to examine if addition of propionic acid or microbial inoculants would inhibit the growth of EC during ensiling, at silo opening, or after aerobic exposure. The second objective was to examine how additives affected the bacterial community composition in corn silage. Corn forage was harvested at approximately 35% dry matter, chopped to a theoretical length of cut of 10 mm, and ensiled after treatment with one of the following: (1) distilled water (control); (2) 1 × 105 cfu/g of EC (ECCH); (3) EC and 1 × 106 cfu/g of Lactobacillus plantarum (ECLP); (4) EC and 1 × 106 cfu/g of Lactobacillus buchneri (ECLB); and (5) EC and 2.2 g/kg (fresh weight basis) of propionic acid, containing 99.5% of the acid (ECA). Each treatment was ensiled in quadruplicate in laboratory silos for 0, 3, 7, and 120 d and analyzed for EC, pH, and organic acids. Samples from d 0 and 120 were also analyzed for chemical composition. Furthermore, samples from d 120 were analyzed for ammonia N, yeasts and molds, lactic acid bacteria, bacterial community composition, and aerobic stability. The pH of silages from all treatments decreased below 4 within 3 d of ensiling. Escherichia coli O157:H7 counts were below the detection limit in all silages after 7 d of ensiling. Treatment with L. buchneri and propionic acid resulted in fewer yeasts and greater aerobic stability compared with control, ECCH, and ECLP silages. Compared with the control, the diversity analysis revealed a less diverse bacterial community in the ECLP silage and greater abundance of Lactobacillus in the ECLP and ECA silages. The ECLB silage also contained greater abundance of Acinetobacter and Weissella than other silages. Subsamples of silages were reinoculated with 5 × 105 cfu/g of EC either immediately after silo opening or after 168 h of aerobic exposure, and EC were enumerated after 6 or 24 h, respectively. All silages reinoculated with EC immediately after silo opening (120 h) had similar low pH values ( 5.0) and EC counts (5.39 and 5.30 log cfu/g, respectively) 24 h later. However, those treated with L. buchneri or propionic acid had lower pH values (4.24 or 3.96, respectively) and lower EC counts (1.32 log cfu/g or none, respectively). During ensiling, EC was eliminated from all silages at pH below 4.0. During aerobic exposure, the growth of EC was reduced or prevented in silages that had been treated with L. buchneri or propionic acid at ensiling, respectively.

PTLD of the CNS is a rare complication of solid organ transplantation, and there are only case reports/series available in the literature. Current literature suggests that CNS PTLD carries a worse prognosis than PTLD outside the CNS, and most are of B-cell lineage, predominantly monomorphic, and are associated with EBV infection. Because this disorder is so rare, there is no standard chemotherapy for pediatric patients with CNS PTLD and reported therapies for EBV-associated CNS PTLD are heterogeneous with mixed results. Since outcomes of CNS PTLD are historically poor, we attempted to develop a novel therapeutic treatment regimen. Based on a review of the literature and with the help of a multidisciplinary team, we created a regimen of chemotherapy that included dexamethasone and high-dose methotrexate in addition to intravenous and intraventricular Rituximab in two pediatric patients. The intraventricular chemotherapy succeeded in shrinking the tumor in both of our patients; however, as shown in the second case, the clinical outcome depends on the location of the tumor. Systemic and intraventricular therapies hold promise in the management of EBV-associated CNS PTLD; however the rarity of this entity prevents the development of well-designed studies necessary for the establishment of an evidence-based treatment standard.

Intestinal metaplasia of the gastric antrum is common in adults with chronic gastritis and occurs in Helicobacter-associated gastritis in children. This study examined the frequency and clinical correlates of intestinal epithelium in 1690 consecutive antral biopsies obtained from children over a 2-year period in a tertiary pediatric care facility. Intestinal epithelium in gastric glands not associated with overlying villi was present in 22 (1.3%) biopsies. These came from 20 patients, 2–17 years of age, none of whom had clinical or histologic evidence of Helicobacter infection or significant chronic gastritis. Eight (40%) had an antral pancreatic rest, 8 had some other localized antral abnormality, and 4 were endoscopically normal. Four additional patients with a pancreatic rest had no intestinal epithelium. Six surgically resected rests and 2 rests found at autopsy were also reviewed. Heterotopic intestinal epithelium was present in 1 of the 2 postmortem specimens but was absent from all 6 surgically resected lesions. No intestinal epithelium was present in 67 antral biopsies with Helicobacter gastritis observed during this same period. Although the intestinal epithelium in these patients could be metaplastic, it more likely represents inadvertent sampling of the gastroduodenal junction induced by a lesion in the distal antrum or a focus of heterotopic epithelium and might best be addressed in the surgical pathology report by a comment to this effect. The distinction from metaplasia is more than semantic, because a diagnosis of intestinal metaplasia can have adverse clinical implications and should be made with caution in a child.

A new practice whereby wet slurry is added daily to the cattle manure bedding at the barn and cultivated has been developed in Israel. The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of manure cultivation on the persistence of Escherichia coli in a model system. A cow manure-derived E. coli strain was tagged with green fluorescence protein (GFP) and antibiotic resistance markers and was used to inoculate cow manure in 10-L buckets. After 3 successive cycles of inoculation and cultivation, wet slurry was added during an additional 2 cycles. After 32 d, the cultivated and noncultivated manure contained 677 ± 14 and 505 ± 2 g·kg ―1 DM, respectively. The cultivated manure remained drier compared with the noncultivated manure after the addition of wet slurry, and its texture remained lumpy compared with the compact, cohesive, and sticky texture of the noncultivated manure. Throughout the experiment, the counts of the tagged E. coli were less (P < 0.05) and disappeared faster in the cultivated than in the noncultivated manure. These results support the hypothesis that daily cultivation of manure may result in reduced incidence of mastitis and improves the welfare and performance of dairy cows.

The objective of the present study was to determine the changes that occur in corn (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) silages during exposure to air, and to try to elucidate the factors that exert silage aerobic stability. Two corn and two sorghum ensiling experiments were performed in mini-silos. After a storage period of 5 months, the various silages were subjected to an aerobic stability test in bottle systems, which lasted 7 days. In these bottles changes in pH, production of CO2, numbers of yeasts and molds serve as spoilage indicators. Changes in chemical components during aerobic exposure were also followed. The first corn silage was aerobically stable, whereas the second corn silage spoiled; pH values for the unstable silage increased from 3.6 to 4.1 and 5.9, and the CO2 production was 38 and 48 g kg−1 DM, after 4 and 7 days of aerobic exposure, respectively. The first corn silage that was aerobically stable contained high concentrations of acetic acid, whereas the second corn silage that spoiled had low concentrations of VFA. The two sorghum silages were more stable upon aerobic exposure in spite of their low content of acetic acid, and other volatile fatty acids (VFA), which are known inhibitors of fungi.

The objective of the current study was to determine the storage shelf life of wet and semi-dry total mixed rations (TMRs) baled silages under farm conditions. Large bales of wet and semi dry TMR at dry matter (DM) content of 500 and 650 g/kg, respectively, weighing 600–750 kg were prepared and stored outdoors up to five months during the hot spring and summer months in Israel. Ambient high temperatures were 25–28 °C in spring and 33–36 °C in summer. A high dry matter density of above 400 kg/m 3 was obtained in the bales. During storage there was an intensive build up of lactic acid (>100 g/kg DM) and the pH values in both wet and dry TMRs decreased to around 4.3. Dry matter losses during storage were small, but neutral detergent fiber (aNDF) decreased by about 100 g/kg during storage. The nutritional parameters including in vitro DM digestibility were hardly changed during storage. Fresh wet and semi-dry TMRs were spoiled, whereas the stored TMRs were stable upon aerobic exposure. In conclusion, during storage of baled TMR wrapped with polyethylene stretch film, an ensiling process takes place, and it is possible to store such bales outdoors for at least up to 4.5 months with enhanced aerobic stability.

HIV quality performance measurements are critical to evaluating a care program's success in areas of testing, access to and retention in care, care processes and outcomes. Kaiser Permanente (KP) provides care to over 8 million Americans and over 19,000 HIV-infected adults. We undertook a quality performance measurement program to assess the care and outcomes for our HIV-positive patient population. We also examined HIV testing practices among our HIV-uninfected patients presenting with a sexually transmitted infection. Our metrics were extracted electronically (encompassing two time periods: July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006 and the entire calendar year 2007) and did not require any manual data extraction, which was a primary objective of our strategy. For most individual care measures, improvement over time was noted, with 85% or more performance seen on some measures (accessing care and initiating antiretroviral therapy). Opportunities for improvement were identified on other measures, such as diagnosing HIV at an earlier stage of infection, and more consistent Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia prophylaxis. Over 90% of our patients on antiretroviral therapy had maximal viral control, along with high median antiretroviral medication adherence. Our results compare favorably to those of other organizations, with a KP HIV mortality rate less than 50% of the overall U.S. rate. These results have implications for improving our care process going forward, as well as for the new U.S. domestic HIV/AIDS Strategy.

The objective was to study effects of cultivar, stage of maturity at harvest, wilting, and addition of lactic acid bacterial (LAB) inoculant at ensiling, and their interactions, on the aerobic stability of wheat silages. Wheat of two cultivars, harvested at the flowering or the milk stage of maturity were ensiled in mini-silos, either directly after cutting (DC) or after wilting (W). After 2–7 months of storage, silages were subjected to a 7-day aerobic stability test during which changes in chemical composition, dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (aNDF) digestibility, and temperature, as well as DM losses and CO 2 production, were measured. Silages from wheat cultivar BH were relatively dry (DM between 287 and 430 g/kg) and were mostly stable upon aerobic exposure. The flowering wheat of cultivar Galil was moister (DM of 199 g/kg), and the DC silages were stable upon aerobic exposure. Silages of the wilted flowering wheat (DM of 370 g/kg) spoiled and after 4 and 7 days, produced 15 and 76 g/kg DM CO 2 , respectively. Silages from the milk stage of this cultivar, both DC and W were unstable, and a homofermentative LAB enhanced aerobic spoilage. Factorial analysis of variance was applied to the results with cultivar, stage of maturity, wilting and inoculant as main effects, as well as their interactions. Cultivar and LAB inoculant had effects on silage composition and aerobic stability, with stage of maturity having an effect on aerobic losses, whereas wilting did not have effects on aerobic spoilage indicators. The inoculant enhanced CO 2 production in the silages prepared from the DC wheat of the flowering and milk stages, as compared with the respective non-inoculated control silages which contained high concentrations of VFA. However, in the wilted silages which contained less VFA, both control and inoculated silages deteriorated similarly with time of exposure to air.

SUMMARY The case of an infant with Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, who died at the age of 41/2 days, is reported. At autopsy there was severe cerebellar hypoplasia, associated with degenerative changes in the brain-stem nuclei. This case supports the concept that cerebellar hypoplasia may develop as a manifestation of the neuronal abiotrophy of Werdnig-Hoffmann disease. A similarity has been noted between the cerebellar lesion found in the child reported here and that produced by viral infection in experimental animals. RESUME Hypoplasie cerebelleuse dans le syndrome de Werdnig-Hoffmann Les auteurs rapportent le cas d'un nourrisson atteint de syndrome de Werdnig-Hoffmann, mort a l'âge de quatre jours et demi. A l'autopsie, il a ete note une hypoplasie cerebelleuse importante, associee a des transformations degeneratives des noyaux. Il est suppose que l'hypoplasie cerebelleuse s'est developpee en tant que manifestation de l'abiotrophie neuronale du syndrome de Werdnig-Hoffmann. Une similitude peut etre notee entre les lesions cerebelleuses observee dans le cas rapporte et celles qui sont produites par une infection virale chez les animaux d'experience. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Cerebellare Hypoplasie beim M. Werdnig-Hoffmann Es wird uber den Fall eines Kindes mit Werdnig-Hoffmann berichtet, das im Alter von 41/2 Tagen starb. Bei der Autopsie wurde eine schwere cerebellare Hypoplasie mit degenerativen Veranderungen in den Nuclei festgestellt. Es wird gefordert, das die cerebellare Hypoplasie sich als eine Manifestation der neuronalen Abiotrophie des M. Werdnig-Hoffmann entwickelt. Es wurde eine Ahnlichkeit zwischen den cerebellaren Lasionen festgestellt, wie sie bei diesem Kind gefunden wurde und wie sie im Tierexperiment durch Virusinfektionen hervorgerufen wird. RESUMEN Hipoplasia cerebelosa en la enfermedad de Werdnig-Hoffmann Se aporta un caso de un nino con enfermedad de Werdnig-Hoffmann, que fallecio a la edad de 4 anos y medio. En la autopsia se hallo una hipoplasia cerebelosa grave, asociada a cambios degenerativos en los nucleos. Se sugiere que la hipoplasia cerebelosa puede desarrollarse como una manifestation de la abiotrofia neuronal de la enfermedad de Werdnig-Hoffmann. Se ha notado una semejanza entre la lesion cerebelosa halladas en el nino citado, y las producidas por una infection viral en animales de experimentation.

The main aim was to investigate the effects of irrigation head and N fertilization on the nutritional quality ofsafflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) grown for forage. A pot experiment (Exp. I) and two field experiments (Exp. II and III) were performed. Experiment I included nine treatments, comprising three N concentrations (10, 50, and 100 mg L -1 ) in the irrigating water and three irrigation rates (21.8,32.6, and 52.21/pot) in 10-L pots, 12 pots m -2 with a planting density of 60 plants m -2 . In the field experiments one line of sprinklers was used, creating water-head gradients perpendicular to the line (from nil up to 345 and 185 mm in Exp. II and III, respectively), with N rates in the range of 0 to 300 kg ha -1 . The dry matter (DM) content of the shoot in Exp. II and III declined steeply from 331 to 134 g kg -1 and from 368 to 291 mg g -1 , respectively, as the irrigation head increased from nil to the highest value. As the N rate increased, the concentrations of N-NO 3 - in the leaves increased up to 520 mg g -1 - much lower than the designated toxic threshold for ruminants. Increasing the water head in the field experiments decreased the nutritional value of safflower, as indicated by falls in the contents of: neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (48.4-59.8% and 45.2-49.0% in Exp. II and III, respectively) and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) (7.65-3.21% and 8.50-8.12% in Exp. II and III, respectively), and decreased in vitro DM digestibility (64.7-52.1% and 69.3-64.5% in Exp. II and III, respectively). Safflower can be regarded as a high-quality forage crop for semiarid and arid regions with limited water resources.

Ensiling is a feed preservation method of moist forage crops that generally depends on naturally developing lactic acid bacteria to convert water-soluble carbohydrates into organic acids. While bacterial community dynamics have been previously assessed in bench-scale and pilot ensiling facilities, almost no studies have assessed the microbiomes of large-scale silage facilities. This study analyzed bacterial community composition in mature silage from bunker silos in three commercial production centers as related to pH, organic matter, volatile fatty acid composition, and spatial distribution within the ensiling bunker. It revealed significant physicochemical differences between "preserved" regions situated in the center and along the walls of the silage bunkers that were characterized by high concentrations of lactic acid and other volatiles and pH values below 5, and "spoiled" regions in the corners (shoulders) of the bunkers that had low lactic acid concentrations and high pH values. Preserved silage was dominated (>90 %) by lactic acid bacteria and characterized by high similarity and low taxonomic diversity, whereas spoiled silage had highly diverse microbiomes with low abundances of lactic acid bacteria (

This study examined the biomass yield and nutritive value for lactating cows of two sorghum silages, a new brown mid-rib BMR-101 variety (BMR) and the commercial hybrid FS-5 widely used in Israel, in comparison with the corn Oropesa silage. Forages were grown in a Mediterranean climate in five replicate plots, harvested by a combine harvester at the soft dough stage and ensiled in bunker silos. The BMR plants had high degree of lodging, and the yield of forage dry matter (DM) was highest for corn, intermediate for FS-5 and lowest for BMR. Ensiling resulted in moderate DM losses for corn and FS-5 and higher losses for BMR, but all silages were stable after exposure to air. The in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD) of BMR and corn silages were similar and higher than that of the FS-5 silage. Forty-two milking cows were assigned into three groups of 14 cows each, that were similar in their initial performance and DM intake, and fed three total mixed rations (TMR) containing either BMR, FS-5 or corn silages as the basal forage, in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. Each period consisted of 2 adaptation weeks to the TMR plus 5 data collection weeks. There were no differences in DM intake among cows fed the three silage-based TMR, but the number of voluntary daily meals per cow was higher for the FS-5-fed group versus the BMR and corn groups. In contrast, DM intake per meal and average meal duration were higher for the cows fed the corn and BMR-based TMR. Rate of feed consumption and daily eating duration were similar in the three treatments. Milk yield of the cows fed the corn-based TMR was higher than that of the FS-5 group, while that of BMR group was intermediate (42.1 vs. 40.7 and 41.4 kg /d, respectively). The two groups fed the sorghum TMR had higher milk fat production, while the group fed corn silage TMR had higher milk and milk protein production and moderate milk fat yield and content, as well as the lowest loss of body weight (BW). However, silage yield per hectare, digestibility of the silage, and availability of water for irrigation are the dominant parameters when deciding which forage varieties to grow.

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of 10 sources of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on dry matter digestibility (DM-D) and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDF-D), in various combinations with starch, in vitro. The soluble starch represented a concentrate feed, whereas silage represented feeding only roughage. The DM-D and NDF-D were determined after 24 and 48 h of incubation to represent effective (24 h) and potential (48 h) digestibility. Addition of LAB was both by direct application of the inoculants to rumen fluid (directly fed microbials) and by the use of preinoculated silages. For each feed combination, tubes without added LAB served as controls. The results indicate that, overall, some LAB inoculants applied at ensiling or added directly to the rumen fluid had the potential to increase the DM-D and NDF-D. The major significant inoculant effect on NDF-D was obtained after 24 h of incubation, whereas the effect after 48 h was mainly nonsignificant. The effective inoculants seemed to minimize the inhibitory effect of the starch on NDF-D within 24 h, perhaps by competition with lactate-producing rumen microorganisms.

This study examines the yield, composition, digestibility and ensiling properties of the new sorghum brown-midrib hybrid BMR-101. The commercial forage sorghum FS-5 was used as a reference variety. Forages were grown in a typical Mediterranean climate in five replicate plots, irrigated with 250 mm water, combine harvested at the soft dough stage and ensiled under both laboratory and commercial conditions. Both varieties were tall (>2.0 m). The dry matter (DM) content at harvest of FS-5 was higher than that of BMR-101 (296 g/kg forage versus 255 g/kg forage, P versus 16.7%, P versus 9.89 t/ha, P In vitro DM digestibility of the two silages was similar, but in vitro NDF digestibility was higher for BMR-101 silage than FS-5 silage (P versus 6.13 t/ha, P

Summary Binding properties of loaves prepared from the flesh of ten fish species were evaluated on the basis of visual scores for binding and instrumental measurements of tensile strength. The volume of liquor released on cooking and its content of solids and proteins weremeasured. The only parameters that corresponded with the binding properties were the moisture and fat content of the raw materials. Fish flesh with high fat content (and low moisture content) did not bind well. Bluefish exhibited a big variability with regard to its binding properties, and this corresponded with its variability in fat and moisture content.

Summary The gelation property of the salt soluble proteins of turkey breast and thigh plus drumstick were compared, and the proteins of the latter were found to have greater gelation capacity. The experiments were repeated on three separate occasions during which the pH level of the breast muscle was found to range from 5.8 to 5.95 while that of the leg meat ranged from 6.0 to 6.8. It is concluded that the different gelation capacities which are apparently related to the initial pH level in the breast and leg meats, could affect palatability and should be taken into account in the development of turkey products.

Summary The effect of addition of 2 and 5% solid and liquid fats on the binding properties of fish flesh was studied by a stress-relaxation test. Two percent added fat or oil had little effect on the binding properties, while the addition of 5% oil or solid fat reduced the compression forces and the relaxation times, depending on the original fat content of the fish. For lean fish, the addition of fat or oil reduced the compression forces and the relaxation times by circa 50%. For fatter fish, solid fat had a greater effect on these parameters. Moisture content of the fish flesh also seemed to affect the viscoelastic properties of the fish loaf product.