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Fatty acid (FA) composition is one of the most important parameters for the assessment of meat quality in pigs. The FA composition in pork can also affect human health. Our aim was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and positional candidate genes affecting the FA profile of the longissimus dorsi muscle in a large F2 intercross between Landrace and Korean native pigs comprising 1105 F2 progeny by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and post-GWAS high-resolution mapping analyses. We performed GWAS using the PorcineSNP60K BeadChip and a linear mixed model. Four genome-wide significant QTL regions in SSC8, SSC12, SSC14, and SSC16 were detected (p < 2.53 × 10−7). Several co-localizations of QTLs in SSC12 for oleic acid, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, monounsaturated FAs, polyunsaturated FAs, and the polyunsaturated/saturated FA ratio were observed. To refine the QTL region in SSC12, a linkage and linkage disequilibrium analysis was applied and could narrow down the critical region to a 0.749 Mb region. Of the genes in this region, GAS7, MYH2, and MYH3 were identified as strong novel candidate genes based on further conditional association analyses. These findings provide a novel insight into the genetic basis of FA composition in pork and could contribute to the improvement of pork quality.

Fatty acid (FA) composition is one of the most important parameters for the assessment of meat quality in pigs. The FA composition in pork can also affect human health. Our aim was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and positional candidate genes affecting the FA profile of the longissimus dorsi muscle in a large F2 intercross between Landrace and Korean native pigs comprising 1105 F2 progeny by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and post-GWAS high-resolution mapping analyses. We performed GWAS using the PorcineSNP60K BeadChip and a linear mixed model. Four genome-wide significant QTL regions in SSC8, SSC12, SSC14, and SSC16 were detected (p &lt, 2.53 × 10−7). Several co-localizations of QTLs in SSC12 for oleic acid, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, monounsaturated FAs, polyunsaturated FAs, and the polyunsaturated/saturated FA ratio were observed. To refine the QTL region in SSC12, a linkage and linkage disequilibrium analysis was applied and could narrow down the critical region to a 0.749 Mb region. Of the genes in this region, GAS7, MYH2, and MYH3 were identified as strong novel candidate genes based on further conditional association analyses. These findings provide a novel insight into the genetic basis of FA composition in pork and could contribute to the improvement of pork quality.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

We investigated the effects of Sarcodon aspratus, Agaricus bisporus, and Lentinula edodes aqueous extracts on the tenderization of bovine longissimus dorsi muscle. Meat quality and muscle protein degradation were examined as well. Beef chunks were marinated in distilled water (control), 5% S. aspratus (SA), 5% A. bisporus (AB), or 5% L. edodes (LE) extracts. SA was shown to have a higher enzymatic activity (p

Estimating meat quality prior to slaughter will be beneficial for the rapid identification of specific traits or poor quality pork compared to a conventional assessment at postmortem. In this study, we identified and quantified myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms from a biopsied longissimus thoracis muscle of pigs, and determined their correlation with postmortem muscle fiber characteristics and meat quality. MHC slow and fast isoforms proportions from biopsied samples correlated with postmortem percentage of type I and type IIB muscle fibers, respectively (p &lt, 0.05). The percentage of the biopsied MHC slow isoform showed a positive correlation with pH at 45 min postmortem, and negative correlations with filter-paper fluid uptake and drip loss in pork (p &lt, 0.05). Furthermore, clustering the pigs into three groups based on the biopsied MHC isoform proportions was not only significantly associated with muscle fiber number and proportions of muscle fiber area, but also correlated with pH at 45 min postmortem and the National Pork Producers Council color score (p &lt, 0.05). Collectively, our findings indicate that the biopsied MHC isoforms serve as parameter for estimating meat quality, with the association between the higher proportion of MHC slow isoforms and pH at 45 min postmortem in particular being indicative of better pork quality.

The Jeju horse, indigenous to the Jeju Island in Korea may have originated from Mongolian horses. Adaptations to the local harsh environment have conferred Jeju horse with unique traits such as small-sized body, stocky head, and shorter limbs. These characteristics have not been studied previously at the genomic level. Therefore, we sequenced and compared the genome of 41 horses belonging to 6 breeds. We identified numerous breed-specific non-synonymous SNPs and loss-of-function mutants. Demographic and admixture analyses showed that, though Jeju horse is genetically the closest to the Mongolian breeds, its genetic ancestry is independent of that of the Mongolian breeds. Genome wide selection signature analysis revealed that genes such as LCORL, MSTN, HMGA2, ZFAT, LASP1, PDK4, and ACTN2, were positively selected in the Jeju horse. RNAseq analysis showed that several of these genes were also differentially expressed in Jeju horse compared to Thoroughbred horse. Comparative muscle fiber analysis showed that, the type I muscle fibre content was substantially higher in Jeju horse compared to Thoroughbred horse. Our results provide insights about the selection of complex phenotypic traits in the small-sized Jeju horse and the novel SNPs identified will aid in designing high-density SNP chip for studying other native horse breeds.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of morphological characteristics of porcine muscle fibers on growth performance, muscle fiber characteristics, and pork quality taken from the longissimus dorsi muscle. A total of 239 crossbred pigs (164 castrated males and 75 females) were used in this study. Experimental pigs were categorized by the total number of muscle fiber (TNF: High and Low) and cross sectional area of muscle fiber (CSAF: Large, Middle, and Small). Their combinations were classified into six groups (High-Large, HL; High-Middle, HM; High-Small, HS; Low-Large, LL; Low-Middle, LM; Low-Small, LS). The TNF and CSAF were significantly (p

Data Availability Statement: Full-length MYH3 CDS sequence from KNP, KX538787; full-length MYH3 CDS sequence from Landrace, KX538788. Two-kb of 5’-UTR MYH3 genomic DNA sequence from KNP, KX549312; 0.5-kb of 3’-UTR MYH3 genomic DNA sequence from KNP, KX549313. Two-kb of 5’-UTR MYH3 genomic DNA sequence from Landrace, KX549311; 0.5-kb of 3’-UTR MYH3 genomic DNA sequence from Landrace, KX549314. Resequencing data access information is provided in S10 Table. All the raw data to produce figures and tables are available at https://datadryad.org/review?doi=doi:10.5061/dryad.dr32n87, Muscle development and lipid accumulation in muscle critically affect meat quality of livestock. However, the genetic factors underlying myofiber-type specification and intramuscular fat (IMF) accumulation remain to be elucidated. Using two independent intercrosses between Western commercial breeds and Korean native pigs (KNPs) and a joint linkage-linkage disequilibrium analysis, we identified a 488.1-kb region on porcine chromosome 12 that affects both reddish meat color (a*) and IMF. In this critical region, only the MYH3 gene, encoding myosin heavy chain 3, was found to be preferentially overexpressed in the skeletal muscle of KNPs. Subsequently, MYH3-transgenic mice demonstrated that this gene controls both myofiber-type specification and adipogenesis in skeletal muscle. We discovered a structural variant in the promotor/regulatory region of MYH3 for which Q allele carriers exhibited significantly higher values of a* and IMF than q allele carriers. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation and cotransfection assays showed that the structural variant in the 5'-flanking region of MYH3 abrogated the binding of the myogenic regulatory factors (MYF5, MYOD, MYOG, and MRF4). The allele distribution of MYH3 among pig populations worldwide indicated that the MYH3 Q allele is of Asian origin and likely predates domestication. In conclusion, we identified a functional regulatory sequence variant in porcine MYH3 that provides novel insights into the genetic basis of the regulation of myofiber type ratios and associated changes in IMF in pigs. The MYH3 variant can play an important role in improving pork quality in current breeding programs., This work was carried out with the support of >Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project title: A research on performance improvement of ‘Nanchukmacdon’, a high quality pig breed developed using Korean native black pigs (KNP) in Jeju Island, Project No. PJ01012301 and PJ01262701)> Rural Development Administration (http://www.rda.go.kr), Republic of Korea. This work was also supported by the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) Research Initiative Program, Republic of Korea (www.kribb.re.kr). M.P.E work was funded by AGL2016-78709-R (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain; http://www.mineco.gob.es/portal/site/mineco/). T

Jeju black cattle are known as one of Korea’s traditional cattle. However, Hanwoo is more well-known to Korean meat consumers as representative beef cattle. Despite the popularity of these two breeds, comparison of the nutritional characteristics between Jeju black cattle and Hanwoo have not been studied. Here, we compared the fatty acid and amino acid characteristics between two Korean traditional cattle and Wagyu breeds. A total of 62 cattle were used in this study. The Jeju black cattle beef had significantly higher unsaturated fatty acids than Hanwoo (p

Myogenic factor 5 (MYF5) plays an important role in regulating skeletal muscle fiber characteristics, consequently affecting meat production and quality. We identified a novel p.A41P mutation in exon1 of the porcine MYF5 gene by direct sequencing. The mutation was predicted to be destabilizing in protein structure based on the resultant amino acid substitution. We estimated the significant substitution effect of p.A41P on the energy stabilization of Myf5 protein structure. Then, we demonstrated that the mutation in Yorkshire population significantly affected muscle fiber type I composition (p

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aqueous extract from Sarcodon aspratus on tenderization of the bovine longissimus dorsi muscles in comparison with commercial proteolytic enzymes. Furthermore, meat quality and muscle protein degradation were examined. We marinated meat with 2% Sarcodon aspratus extract, 2% kiwi extract, and 0.2% papain. Beef chunks (3×3×3 cm(3)) were marinated with distilled water (control), Sarcodon aspratus extract (T1), kiwi extract (T2) or papain (T3) for 48 h at 4℃. There were no significant differences in muscle pH and lightness between control and treated samples. T1 had the lowest redness (p

The current study was designed to estimate the pork quality traits using metabolites from exsanguination blood and postmortem muscle simultaneously under the Korean standard pre- and post-slaughter conditions. A total of 111 Yorkshire (pure breed and castrated male) pigs were evaluated under the Korean standard conditions. Measurements were taken of the levels of blood glucose and lactate at exsanguination, and muscle glycogen and lactate content at 45 min and 24 h postmortem. Certain pork quality traits were also evaluated. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis including stepwise regression were performed. Exsanguination blood glucose and lactate levels were positively correlated with each other, negatively related to postmortem muscle glycogen content and positively associated with postmortem muscle lactate content. A rapid and extended postmortem glycolysis was associated with high levels of blood glucose and lactate, with high muscle lactate content, and with low muscle glycogen content during postmortem. In addition, these were also correlated with paler meat color and reduced water holding capacity. The results of multiple regression analyses also showed that metabolites in exsanguination blood and postmortem muscle explained variations in pork quality traits. Especially, levels of blood glucose and lactate and content of muscle glycogen at early postmortem were significantly associated with an elevated early glycolytic rate. Furthermore, muscle lactate content at 24 h postmortem alone accounted for a considerable portion of the variation in pork quality traits. Based on these results, the current study confirmed that the main factor influencing pork quality traits is the ultimate lactate content in muscle via postmortem glycolysis, and that levels of blood glucose and lactate at exsanguination and contents of muscle glycogen and lactate at postmortem can explain a large portion of the variation in pork quality even under the standard slaughter conditions.

Here, we newly provided the parameters for estimating meat quality in live pigs using the muscle biopsy. The biopsied longissimus thoracis muscle was used to identify the muscle fibre characteristics (MFCs). Of the various MFCs in biopsied muscle, muscle fibre number (MFN) composition showed the greatest correlation with the MFCs in postmortem muscle (P0.001). Moreover, the pigs cluster groups, based on the biopsied MFN composition, demonstrated statistically significant differences in meat quality traits such as muscle pH, drip loss, and meat colour (P0.05). Therefore, we conclude that the MFN parameters in live pigs are closely related to the postmortem muscle metabolic rate and ultimately with the quality of meat. We suggest that the higher type I and lower type IIB MFN in biopsied muscle will result in better pork quality.

The purpose of this study was to establish the effects of weaning age and weight on pigs, and their interaction with carcass traits and meat quality. A total of 468 piglets were obtained from 57 sows and four boars and grouped by age at weaning (D21, 18-24 days; D28, 25-32 days). Each weaning group was subdivided into three weight groups (L, M and H) according to weaning weight. The D28 group had heavier carcass weight, redness and yellowness, but had lower marbling scores and less drip loss than the D21 group (P

Pork is a major source of animal protein for humans. The subcutaneous, intermuscular and the intramuscular fat are the factors responsible for meat quality. RNA-seq is rapidly adopted for the profiling of the transcriptomes in the studies related to gene regulation. The discovery of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between adult animals of Jeju Native Pig (JNP) and Berkshire breeds are of particular interest for the current study. RNA-seq was used to investigate the transcriptome profiling in the fat tissue. Sequence reads were obtained from Ilumina HiSeq2000 and mapped to the pig genome using Tophat2. Total 153 DEGs were identified and 71 among the annotated genes, have BLAST matches in the non- redundant database. Metabolic, immune response and protein binding are enriched pathways in the fat tissue. In our study, biological adhesion, cellular, developmental and multicellular organismal processes in fat were up-regulated in JNP as compare to Berkshire. Multicellular organismal process, developmental process, embryonic morphogenesis and skeletal system development were the most significantly enriched terms in fat of JNP and Berkshire breeds (p = 1.17E-04, 0.044, 3.47E-04 and 4.48E-04 respectively). COL10A1, COL11A2, PDK4 and PNPLA3 genes responsible for skeletal system morphogenesis and body growth were down regulated in JNP. This study is the first statistical analysis for the detection of DEGs from RNA-seq data generated from fat tissue sample. This analysis can be used as stepping stone to understand the difference in the genetic mechanisms that might influence the identification of novel transcripts, sequence polymorphisms, isoforms and noncoding RNAs.

Pork from Jeju black pig (population 3) and Berkshire (population B) has a unique market share in Korea because of their high meat quality. Due to the high demand of this pork, traceability of the pork to its origin is becoming an important part of the consumer demand. To examine the feasibility of such a system, we aim to provide basic genetic information of the two black pig populations and assess the possibility of genetically distinguishing between the two breeds. Muscle samples were collected from slaughter houses in Jeju Island and Namwon, Chonbuk province, Korea, for populations J and B, respectively. In total 800 Jeju black pigs and 351 Berkshires were genotyped at thirteen microsatellite (MS) markers. Analyses on the genetic diversity of the two populations were carried out in the programs MS toolkit and FSTAT. The population structure of the two breeds was determined by a Bayesian clustering method implemented in structure and by a phylogenetic analysis in Phylip. Population J exhibited higher mean number of alleles, expected heterozygosity and observed heterozygosity value, and polymorphism information content, compared to population B. The F-IS values of population J and population B were 0.03 and -0.005, respectively, indicating that little or no inbreeding has occurred. In addition, genetic structure analysis revealed the possibility of gene flow from population B to population J. The expected probability of identify value of the 13 MS markers was 9.87x10(-14) in population J, 3.17x10(-9) in population B, and 1.03x10(-12) in the two populations. The results of this study are useful in distinguishing between the two black pig breeds and can be used as a foundation for further development of DNA markers.

Variations of fresh meat quality exist because the quality traits are affected by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Because the meat quality is basically dependent on muscle fiber characteristics, numerous studies have reported the relationship between quality traits and fiber characteristics. Despite intensive research, the relationship is yet to be fully established, however, the present knowledge suggests several potential ways to manipulate muscle fiber characteristics to improve meat quality. The present paper reviews the definition of fresh meat quality, meat quality traits and variations of meat quality. Also, this review presents recent knowledge underlying the relationship between fresh meat quality traits and muscle fiber characteristics. Finally, the present work proposes several potential factors including breed, genotype, sex, hormone, growth performance, diet, muscle location, exercise and ambient temperature that can be used to manipulate muscle fiber characteristics and subsequently meat quality in animals.

A total of six fiber types, including four pure types (type I, IIA, IIX, and IIB) and two hybrid types (type IIAX and IIXB), were classified according to the expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms by immunohistochemistry with MHC specific monoclonal antibodies. The comparison of the muscle fiber characteristics and pork quality between pork quality groups (DFD: dark, firm, and dry; PSE: pale, soft, and exudative; RFN: reddish pink, firm, and nonexudative; and RSE: reddish pink, soft, and exudative) classified by muscle pH, drip loss, and lightness was conducted and the relationship of myofiber characteristics to pork quality was investigated. The DFD group had the highest value of IIAX fiber density (P 0.05). The DFD group had the highest cross-sectional area (CSA) in types I, IIA, and IIX among the groups. The increase in density of type IIAX was related with the higher pH and the lower hue and drip loss. An increase in the fiber number composition of hybrid type IIXB increased the lightness and cooking loss and decreased sarcoplasmic protein solubility (SPS). Regarding fiber relative area, pure type I and IIA and hybrid type IIAX were greater in the DFD group and had lower lightness and drip loss. Hybrid type IIAX influences the desirability of the pork due to its association with low lightness and high pH and water-holding capacity (WHC). In contrast, type IIXB was related to poor quality pork, including pale color, low WHC in cooked meat, and low SPS.

This study compared the pork quality and muscle fiber characteristics between the Jeju black pig (JBP) and domesticated pig breeds, including three-way crossbred (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc, LYD), Berkshire (B), Duroc (D), Landrace (L), Meishan (M), and Yorkshire (Y) pigs. JBP had the lowest carcass weight among the pig breeds (p

Dept. of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Mokpo National Maritime Uni, Mokpo, 530-729, Korea Division of Marintime Transportation System, Mokpo National Maritime Uni, Mokpo, 530-729, Korea요 약 : 현재 우리나라에서 사용되고 있는 등부표의 종류는 10가지 정도이며, 부표 설계 및 개발의 대부분을 외국 기술에 의존하고 있는 실정이다. 본 연구에서는 해상 계측 등이 가능한 소형 등부표의 개발을 목표로 소형 부표의 설계안을 제시하고 그 안전성을 수치적으로 검토하였다. 구체적으로는 다양한 실제 해상환경과 유사한 조우각과 선속 변화에 따른 내항성과 관련된 응답 진폭비, 부가저항 등의 값을 수치적으로 시뮬레이션하였다. 설계된 부표의 응답해석 결과, 종요응답비가 조우주파수의 증가에 따라 전체적으로 감소하는 특성을 확인하였다. 횡파에 대한 부가저항이 가장 크게 나타나는 것으로 분석되었고, 최종적으로 제시된 부표가 일정 조건하에서 응답 특성이 확보됨을 확인하였다. 핵심용어 : 해상계측형 등부표, 부표 설계, 운동성능, 조우주파수, 부가저항Abstract : There are currently 10 types of buoy, mostly which' design and development is dependent on foreign technology. In this study, it is aimed at the development of small instrumentation buoy and at the design proposal presented a numerically safety. The numerical method has the simulation of variety of marine environments, such as wave response amplitude ratio and each flux changes. Through the numerical simulation of buoy's kinetic movement, it is analyzed that Pitching motion increases by the frequency response of encounter and Added resistance appears to be the most significant on transverse waves. Finally, the proposed buoy is confirmed with the response' safety under simulation' conditions. Key Words : Marine instrumentation buoy, Buoy' Design, Kinetic movement, Encounter frequency, Added resistance1

Research Associate, School of Marine Science and Technology, Newcastle University, UK Researcher, Dept. of Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering, Mokpo National Maritime University, Mokpo, 530-729, Korea School of Marine Science and Technology, Newcastle University, UK Dept. of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Mokpo National Maritime Uni, Mokpo, 530-729, Korea요 약 : 본 연구에서는 전장이 26.75m인 해양플랜트지원선의 선형개발을 위한 수치해석을 수행하였고 수치해석 검증을 위한 1/10의 모형선 시험을 예인수조에서 수행하였다. 또한 운항해역의 해상조건으로 뷰포트 스케일 2, 3 및 4에서 향파, 선수사파 및 횡파에서 선속별 상하동요 및 종동요에 대해서 운동응답특성을 수치 해석하였다. 모형시험과 수치해석의 저항 예측 결과는 상호 일치하였다. 운동응답특성은 선수파에서 상하동요는 조우주파수 1.8~2.0 영역에서 크게 나타났으며, 종동요는 거친 해상에서 선미사파 및 고속영역에서 높은 운동특성을 보였다.핵심용어 : 해양플랜트지원선, 모형시험, 선형개발, 선체운동응답, ITTC 파스펙트럼Abstract : In this study, numerical hull form development of a platform supply vessel, a full scale with the overall length of 26.75m, was performed to predict a bare-hull resistance and a large scale of model tests with a 1/10 scaled model were conducted to verify the success of numerical results. Numerical analysis on heave and pitch motion as a function of encounter frequency and ship’s speed for the prediction of seakeeping characteristics are also presented. The experiment results of resistance agreed well with numerical analysis. As a result in the motion response characteristics, the heave RAO indicates high values with the range of encounter frequency 1.8~2.0. The Pitch RAO indicates high motion response characteristics at Beaufort scale No. 3 and 4 in rough seas. Key Words : Platform supply vessel, Model test, Hull form development, Ship motion response, ITTC wave spectrum1

The aim of this study was to compare the growth, carcass, histochemical, and meat quality characteristics in Large White pig groups that were categorized by live weight (Heavy and Light) and type I fiber percentage (High and Low), a procedure which resulted in four groups (Heavy-High, Heavy-Low, Light-High, and Light-Low). As expected, the Heavy group showed heavier live weight (114 vs. 94.7 kg, P 0.05). Heavier pigs harboring a higher percentage of type I fibers (HH) exhibited a similar mean CSA (3894 vs. 4101 μm2) and total number (1,249,000 vs. 1,198,000) of muscle fibers, even though these pigs had a greater CSA of type I fibers (3181 vs. 2719 μm2, P

본 연구는 말고기 등급(1등급과 2등급)에 따른 품질을 비교하여 향후 부위별 및 등급별 구분 판매시 등급간 육질 특성의 기초자료로 활용하기 위해 이화학적, 관능적, 지방산조성 분석을 실시하였다. 등심에 대한 일반성분분석 결과에서는 1등급이 2등급에 비해 높은(p $kg/cm^2$ )으로 2등급 10.86 ( $kg/cm^2$ )에 비해 유의적으로 낮았다(p 0.05), 육색에 대한 육질등급별 부위간 비교에서는 $L^*$ 값, $a^*$ 값 및 $b^*$ 값에서 차이가 없었으나, 2등급의 경우 등심, 목심, 넓적다리의 $L^*$ , $a^*$ 및 $b^*$ 값은 유의적 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다(p 0.05), oleic acid (C18:1)는 등급간에 유의적 차이(p 0.05). 이상의 결과에서 냉동된 말고기의 육질 1등급과 2등급에서는 조지방 함량, 전단력, palmitoleic acid (C16:1)와 stearic acid (C18:0)는 등급별 육질을 판별할 수 있는 요소로 이용이 가능할 것으로 사료된다. 또한 품질을 향상시키고 부위 및 등급에 따른 차별화를 위해서는 40개월 이상의 장기간 사육은 바람직하지 않을 것으로 사료된다. 【The objective of this study was to investigate the physical and chemical composition, fatty acid profile and sensory property of horse meat according to meat quality grade (1 and 2) and cuts (loin, chuck roll and top round). The lipid content of loin was significantly higher (p $kg/cm^2$ ) and 2 (10.86 $kg/cm^2$ ). Water-holding capacity values of loin, chuck roll and top round were not different (p>0.05) between grades 1 and 2. Meat color values ( $L^*$ , $a^*$ and $b^*$ ) of loin, chuck roll and top round were not different (p>0.05) between grades 1 and 2. Palmitoleic acid of loin in grade 1 (11.39%) was higher (p 0.05) between grades 1 and 2. Therefore, meat quality grade had mainly affected lipid and moisture contents, shear force, palmitoleic acid and stearic acid of horse loin; and horse loin of grade 2 had lower pH and higher $L^*$ , $a^*$ and $b^*$ than the other cuts.】

This study was performed on 26 disabled adolescent participants (16 male, 10 female) with the objective of testing changes in equilibrium after engagement in horseback riding. Participants of total 26 persons were divided into three groups as follows: 6 children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), 14 children with Intellectual Disability (ID) and 6 children with Autism (AT). Participants engaged in therapeutic horseback riding (TR) two times per week for 30 minutes per session. The 26 participants demonstrated a considerable increase in equilibrium ability, with an average increase in equilibrium time of 44.22 ± 50.70 see after TR. Equilibrium also increased according to disability group: CP (p

Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the porcine . MYOD1 gene were used for association analysis and haplotype construction to evaluate the effects of their substitution. Four hundred and three pigs of Yorkshire and Berkshire breeds were used. The mRNA expression levels of . MYOD1 were examined. The g.489. C. >. T and g.1264. C. >. A SNPs were significantly associated with several muscle fiber characteristics, the loin eye area, and lightness. Particularly, animals having hetero-genotypes of both sites showed good performance both in lean meat production and meat quality traits. The results of haplotype substitution were similar to the associations of individual SNPs. Moreover, the 2 SNPs had significant effects on mRNA expression. Therefore, the g.489. C. >. T and g.1264. C. >. A SNPs in . MYOD1 may be meaningful DNA markers that can be used for improving important porcine economic traits.

Flesh and peel extracts of five mango varieties were compared for their antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Fozli peel (FP) extract was found to have the highest antioxidant activity and to significantly inhibit the proliferation of HeLa human cervical carcinoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. Hoechst 33342 staining revealed apoptotic nuclei with condensed chromatin, and cell growth arrest was confirmed by flow cytometry. Apoptotic signaling induced by FP extract was characterized by an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and down-regulation of Bcl-2. Moreover, FP extract treatment triggered the proteolytic activation of caspases-3, -8, and -9 and the degradation of poly ADP-ribose polymerase in HeLa cells. These results indicate that FP is an excellent source of phenolic and/or flavonoid compounds, and may have applications in the treatment of human cervical carcinoma and as an antioxidant in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of FP extract revealed that 2,5-dihydroxyphenol was detected with highest amount and other compounds such as 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde, pentadecanoic acid, (Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, and 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one were also found in high amounts.

This study was initiated to investigate the physiologic effects of cooldown methods and durations on recovery following high-intensity exercise (3000 m, 10 m/s) of 25 Jeju crossbred horses. Heart rate (HR) was measured and blood samples were collected for glucose, blood lactate concentration, packed cell volume (PCV), total protein (TP), and hemoglobin (Hb) analysis. The cooldown methods employed involved walk rest (WR) or trot rest (TR), and the durations compared were 15, 30, and 60 min. A passive rest group (PR) was used as a control. According to the analysis, HR decreased after a 15 min rest in all groups, showing a faster recovery in the active rest groups, WR and TR, than in the PR group after 30 min (P

The purpose of this study was to determine the structure of the porcine PPARGC1A 5' upstream region, and to find suitable molecular markers for improved meat quality and good lean meat production. Ten DNA polymorphisms, including 7 SNPs, 2 microsatellites, and 1 insertion or deletion were newly found in the 5' upstream region of PPARGC1A. Three SNPs that had restriction enzyme site were evaluated for associations with muscle fiber characteristics and production traits. Two hundred fifty-two pigs (Yorkshire and Landrace) were used in this analysis. The c.-2894GA genotypes was significantly associated with muscle fiber characteristics, including the number of fiber type I and IIb composition (P 0.05), mean cross-sectional area of fibers (P 0.01), and fiber number per unit area (P 0.05). The animals with the GG genotype had a higher percentage of type I fibers and a lower percentage of type IIb fibers with better meat quality [higher pH value (P 0.05) and lower drip loss (P 0.05)] and lean meat production [larger loin eye area (P 0.05)]. Moreover, the mRNA expression levels of PPARGC1A among genotypes were significantly different with the highest level of GG genotype. The c.-2885GT and c.-1402AT sites showed similar results that had significant effects on the mean cross-sectional area (CSA; P 0.05), fiber number per unit area (P 0.05) and loin eye area (P 0.01). Therefore, we suggest that the c.-2894GA polymorphism in the 5' upstream region of the porcine PPARGC1A gene can be used as a meaningful molecular marker for simultaneous improvement of lean meat production and quality traits.

Harmful viruses, including dengue virus, human immunodeficiency virus, and hepatitis B virus are known to be extremely sensitive to glucosidase inhibition. Phellinus linteus, an edible medicinal mushroom, was screened as an α-glucosidase inhibitor. The methanol extract of P. Linteus inhibited the trafficking process of Newcastle disease virus-hemagglutinin-neuramidase, a viral glycoprotein, in virus-infected baby hamster kidney cells. These results suggest that P. Linteus extract inhibits viral glycoprotein expression on cell surface through inhibition of trafficking process rather than glycoprotein synthesis.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the influence of different maternal nutrition treatments during pregnancy on body weight, muscle fiber number, carcass traits, and pork quality traits of offspring. A total of 18 crossbred sows (Landrace×Yorkshire×Duroc) were randomly assigned to one of three nutritional treatment groups; control, high energy, and high protein. The control group was fed a standard diet, the high energy group was fed a diet that contained 30% increased metabolizable energy, and the high protein group was fed a diet that contained 30% increased limiting amino acids compared to the control. The sows in each group were fed equal quantities of each diet (1.9 kg/d) for the entire gestational period. A total of 36 piglets from each sow were used to evaluate changes in body weight, muscle fiber number in the longissimus dorsi muscle at birth, carcass traits, and pork quality traits. Birth weight of offspring born to sows in the high energy diet group was significantly higher compared to the high protein diet group (p

The objective of this study was to examine the Sarcodon aspratus extract including protease how to affect tenderness of the bovine longissimus dorsi muscle. In addition, we investigated myofibrillar protein fragmentation, particularly in myosin, and its influence on meat tenderness. Beef loin chunks were marinated with 0.5 g/100 g, 1 g/100 g, and 2 g/100 g powdered S. aspratus extract, 0.2 g/100 mL papain, and distilled water (control), respectively. Although tenderness of meat is increased by adding S. aspratus extract, differences in meat quality traits, such as muscle pH and meat color, were small and not considered to have practical importance between the control and enzyme-treated samples. Furthermore, the S. aspratus extract influenced the myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) as well as protein solubility. The changes in MFI and protein solubility were due to the myofibrillar protein degradation. Through Western blotting, we found that the S. aspratus extract, as well as papain, caused fragmentation of the myosin heavy chain, but the mushroom extract induced more fragmentations of myofibrillar proteins, and caused more tender meat.

This study examined the histochemical and physiological characteristics during Korean native Ogol chickens (KNOC) development. The body weight, Pectoralis major and soleus muscle weights, and muscle samples were taken at hatching as well as at 3, 5, and 15 weeks of age. The fiber characteristics of the Pectoralis major and soleus muscles from the KNOC at hatching to 15 weeks of age were determined, and the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), and protein concentrations were measured from the left Pectoralis major muscles. A greater increase in body and muscle weights was detected between hatching and 3 weeks of age than during any other period. Moreover, the cross sectional area (CSA) of the fibers, as well as the total concentration of DNA, RNA, and protein also showed a greater increase betweenhatching and 3 weeks of age than during any other period. The KNOC breed is a dual purpose breed, however, the it has lower body and muscle weights than commercial meat type chickens or layer type chickens. Moreover, the KNOC breed has a small muscle fiber CSA of and a low nucleic acid concentration.

The aims of this work were to compare the effects of dehairing methods and sex on pork quality and cold storage stability. For this study, one half of40 pigs were dehaired by scalding in the same abattoir, and the other half by dehiding. Each treatment consisted of one half gilts and one half castrated male pigs. Meat quality traits were measured at 24 hr after slaughter, and thiobarbituric acid (TBA), metmyoglobin contents and total plate counts (TPC) were evaluated at 1, 7, 14 and 21 days of cold storage. The carcass weight and backfat thickness of pigs dehaired by scalding were significantly higher than those dehided (p

In this study, we adopted a model of tenderness classification in order to determine the factors affecting the tenderness and tenderization characteristics of beef longissimus, using cluster analysis on the basis of Warner-Bratzler shear force and myofibril fragmentation index, at 1, 7, and 14 d. The rate of tenderization was effectively differentiated by pH, R-values, mu-calpain activity, and calpastatin activity. Differences among tenderness classes were generally detected at 3 and 9 h postmortem for metabolic rate, and at 9 and 24 h for the activities of mu-calpain and calpastatin. Early postmortem metabolic rate and calpain system activities were verified as important factors with regard to longissimus tenderization.

This study examined the effect of dietary alpha-tocopheryl acetate on lipid and cholesterol oxidation in retail packed chicken meat during refrigerated storage. Male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five pens containing 30 chicks each, which was subjected to one of five dietary treatments (0, 50, 100, 200, or 400 IU of alpha-tocopheryl acetate/kg diet). Five different levels of alpha-tocopherol were supplied to the chicks from 3 to 6 weeks. After 42 d of feeding all the broilers were slaughtered, and the carcasses were packed in polyethylene bags individually, bags similar to those used in the retail trade, and stored for 12 d at 4 degrees C. Growth performance and fatty acid composition were not affected by the dietary alpha-tocopherol levels. The alpha-tocopherol content in breast and thigh muscles increased as the level of dietary alpha-tocopherol increased. The supplementation with 200 or 400 IU of alpha-tocopherol was more effective in reducing the level of lipid oxidation (P0.05) and total cholesterol oxidation products (P0.05). Therefore, an increase in the dietary alpha-tocopherol level from 200 to 400 IU/kg feed causes major improvements in the oxidative stability of chicken meat during refrigerated storage.

This study aimed to identify the influence of sow parity on the meat quality of progeny. A total of 656 progeny from 196 sows were categorised into three different groups based on parity: stage 1 (gilt), 2 (second to fourth parities), and 3 (over fifth parity). According to the significant differences between the parity stage groups in the multiple meat quality properties (P < 0.05), the parity stage 1 had higher muscle pH and lower drip loss in meat quality traits and showed smaller area composition of type IIb muscle fibres in muscle fibre characteristics than the other older groups. Moreover, the parity stage 1 group had significantly higher springiness, adhesiveness and chewiness (P < 0.001), whereas the stage 3 group showed relatively lower cohesiveness (P < 0.05) in the meat texture properties. The principal component analysis displayed more distance between stage 1 and other two groups than the distance between stage 2 and 3. Therefore, we suggest that maternal parity may affect pork quality in progeny and the younger stage group could have better meat quality than the older group.

Comprehensive understanding of the effect of pig breed and sex on meat quality and post-mortem muscle conditions will be necessary to estimate meat quality post mortem. In this study, we applied multiple regression and principal component analysis (PCA) using conventional meat quality traits and muscle fibre characteristics on six pig breeds and different sexes. A total of 1374 pigs from six breeds [Berkshire, Duroc, Landrace, Meishan, Yorkshire, and LYD (Landrace × Yorkshire sows with Duroc as terminal sires) crossbreed] belonging to three sexes (male, castrated male and female) were used in this study. Most of the muscle fibre characteristics showed moderate to high significant correlations with conventional meat quality traits. In particularly, the cross-sectional area (CSAF) of muscle fibres was strongly correlated with muscle pH values, water-holding capacity values and lightness (0.10 < |r

Background In the 1980s, Korean native black pigs from Jeju Island (Jeju black pigs) served as representative sample of Korean native black pigs, and efforts were made to help the species rebound from the brink of extinction, which occurred as a result of the introduction of Western pig breeds. Geographical separation of Jeju Island from the Korean peninsula has allowed Jeju black pigs not only to acquire unique characteristics but also to retain merits of rare Korean native black pigs. Results To further analyze the Jeju black pig genome, we performed whole-genome re-sequencing (average read depth of 14×) of 8 Jeju black pig and 6 Korean pigs (which live on the Korean peninsula) to compare and identify putative signatures of positive selection in Jeju black pig, the true and pure Korean native black pigs. The candidate genes potentially under positive selection in Jeju black pig support previous reports of high marbling score, rare occurrence of pale, soft, exudative (PSE) meat, but low growth rate and carcass weight compared to Western breeds. Conclusions Several candidate genes potentially under positive selection were involved in fatty acid transport and may have contributed to the unique characteristics of meat quality in JBP. Jeju black pigs can offer a unique opportunity to investigate the true genetic resource of once endangered Korean native black pigs. Further genome-wide analyses of Jeju black pigs on a larger population scale are required in order to define a conservation strategy and improvement of native pig resources. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12863-014-0160-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The purpose of this study was to establish the effects of weaning age and weight on pigs, and their interaction with carcass traits and meat quality. A total of 468 piglets were obtained from 57 sows and four boars and grouped by age at weaning (D21, 18-24 days; D28, 25-32 days). Each weaning group was subdivided into three weight groups (L, M and H) according to weaning weight. The D28 group had heavier carcass weight, redness and yellowness, but had lower marbling scores and less drip loss than the D21 group (P 0.05). The pigs with a light weight at weaning had higher carcass weights and lower yellowness than did pigs with a medium or heavy weight at weaning (P 0.05). Weaning age was found to have a negative correlation with drip loss, while weaning weight was negatively correlated with carcass weight and drip loss (P 0.05). We concluded that carcass and meat quality traits in pigs were significantly related to their age and weight at weaning. Therefore, we find that piglet weaning age and weight are no less important than post-weaning growth performance and behavior, with regard to carcass traits and meat quality.

A total of six fiber types, including four pure types (type I, IIA, IIX, and IIB) and two hybrid types (type IIAX and IIXB), were classified according to the expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms by immunohistochemistry with MHC specific monoclonal antibodies. The comparison of the muscle fiber characteristics and pork quality between pork quality groups (DFD: dark, firm, and dry; PSE: pale, soft, and exudative; RFN: reddish pink, firm, and nonexudative; and RSE: reddish pink, soft, and exudative) classified by muscle pH, drip loss, and lightness was conducted and the relationship of myofiber characteristics to pork quality was investigated. The DFD group had the highest value of IIAX fiber density (P0.05). The DFD group also showed the greatest fiber relative area of type I, IIA, and IIAX (P0.05) whereas there were no significant differences in area composition for types I, IIA, and IIAX among the other groups including PSE, RFN, and RSE (P0.05). The DFD group had the highest cross-sectional area (CSA) in types I, IIA, and IIX among the groups. The increase in density of type IIAX was related with the higher pH and the lower hue and drip loss. An increase in the fiber number composition of hybrid type IIXB increased the lightness and cooking loss and decreased sarcoplasmic protein solubility (SPS). Regarding fiber relative area, pure type I and IIA and hybrid type IIAX were greater in the DFD group and had lower lightness and drip loss. Hybrid type IIAX influences the desirability of the pork due to its association with low lightness and high pH and water-holding capacity (WHC). In contrast, type IIXB was related to poor quality pork, including pale color, low WHC in cooked meat, and low SPS.

The aim of this study is to type fibers from porcine longissimus dorsi (LD) muscles according to their distribution of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms as well as to investigate fiber characteristics. Four pure types, including types I, IIA, IIX, and IIB were labeled and two hybrid fiber types were subdivided into type IIAX and IIXB by immunohistochemistry using four monoclonal antibodies. Porcine LD muscles were found to have 92.79 (number) and 92.10% (area) of pure type composition, while the composition of hybrid fibers was 8.22 (number) and 9.71% (area). The activities of myosin ATPase increased in the following order: type I, IIAX, IIA = IIX = IIB and IIXB. The succinate dehydrogenase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were higher in fiber types I and IIB, respectively. The characteristics of hybrid fibers were observed that their characteristics did not lie between the properties for their respective pure phenotypes.

The purpose of this study was to compare parameters associated with pork quality, muscle fiber, and eating quality among various breeds, and to examine if differences in eating quality were associated to pork quality and muscle fiber characteristics. For carcass and pork quality, although there were significant differences among breeds, the values of parameters in all pigs were assigned a normal quality class, a likely outcome of the similarity in the area percentage of type I and IIB fibers. For eating quality, pork loins from Berkshire pigs were more tender and full of pork flavor than Landrace and Yorkshire pigs. Except juiciness and mouth coating, over 20% of the variability in the eating quality parameters can be explained by pork quality traits and muscle fiber characteristics using multiple regression analysis. Furthermore, differences in muscle pH(24h), cooking loss, shear force, and NPPC marbling score could explain a large proportion of variation in eating quality parameters associated with the texture of pork.