Eating quality of the longissimus thoracis muscle in beef cattle - Contributing factors to the underlying variability and associations with performance traits.

The objective was to determine the factors associated with meat tenderness, juiciness, flavour and chewiness in 4791 growing crossbred cattle. Meat quality of bulls was inferior to that of both steers and heifers with little difference between the latter two genders. Angus, Hereford and Belgian Blues had the most tender meat with the Simmental being the toughest albeit the difference was, on average, only 5%. Moderate to strong correlations (r ≥ |0.43|) existed among tenderness, juiciness and flavour although some of the correlations differed by animal gender. Correlations between chewiness and tenderness in the different genders varied from -0.81 to -0.74 while the correlations between chewiness and the other sensory traits varied from -0.54 to -0.09. The (partial) correlations between each of the four sensory metrics and all of carcass weight, carcass conformation and carcass fat score were ≤|0.09| with most not being different from zero. Correlations between the sensory traits with growth rate, muscle depth, feed intake and efficiency were all ≤|0.08| and mostly not different from zero.

Inter-animal genetic variability exist in organoleptic properties of prime beef meat.

The objective of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters for four organoleptic traits in beef meat, namely tenderness, juiciness, flavour and chewiness using data from 5380 young crossbred progeny of 748 different sires. As well as using the mean animal sensory score across all panellists for a given trait, other aggregate functions such as the median and modal values were also investigated. The heritability (SE) of mean tenderness, juiciness, flavour and chewiness was 0.16 (0.04), 0.14 (0.04), 0.11 (0.03) and 0.21 (0.06), respectively; heritability estimates for the other aggregate values of these traits were generally lower. All genetic correlations between tenderness, juiciness and flavour were positive (0.52 to 0.68) while the genetic correlations between these three traits with chewiness were all negative varying from -0.95 to -0.48. Weak genetic correlations (≤|0.16|) were evident between the sensory traits and all of carcass weight, conformation and subcutaneous fat cover.

Potential exists to change, through breeding, the yield of individual primal carcass cuts in cattle without increasing overall carcass weight1.

The ability to alter the morphology of cattle towards greater yields of higher value primal cuts has the potential to increase the value of animals at slaughter. Using weight records of 14 primal cuts from 31,827 cattle, the objective of the present study was to quantify the extent of genetic variability in these primal cuts; also of interest was the degree of genetic variability in the primal cuts adjusted to a common carcass weight. Variance components were estimated for each primal cut using animal linear mixed models. The coefficient of genetic variation in the different primal cuts ranged from 0.05 (bavette) to 0.10 (eye of round) with a mean coefficient of genetic variation of 0.07. When phenotypically adjusted to a common carcass weight, the coefficient of genetic variation of the primal cuts was lesser ranging from 0.02 to 0.07 with a mean of 0.04. The heritability of the 14 primal cuts ranged from 0.14 (bavette) to 0.75 (topside) with a mean heritability across all cuts of 0.48; the heritability estimates reduced, and ranged from 0.12 (bavette) to 0.56 (topside), when differences in carcass weight were accounted for in the statistical model. Genetic correlations between each primal cut and carcass weight were all ≥0.77; genetic correlations between each primal cut and carcass conformation score were, on average, 0.59 but when adjusted to a common carcass weight, the correlations weakened to, on average, 0.27. The genetic correlations among all 14 primal cut weights was, on average, strong (mean correlation of 0.72 with all correlations being ≥0.37); when adjusted to a common carcass weight, the mean of the genetic correlations among all primal cuts was 0.10. The ability of estimated breeding values for a selection of primal cuts to stratify animals phenotypically on the respective cut weight was demonstrated; the weight of the rump, striploin, and fillet of animals estimated to be in the top 25% genetically for the respective cut, were 10 to 24%, 12 to 24%, and 7 to 17% heavier than the weight of cuts from animals predicted to be in the worst 25% genetically for that cut. Significant exploitable genetic variability in primal carcass cuts was clearly evident even when adjusted to a common carcass weight. The high heritability of many of the primal cuts infers that large datasets are not actually required to achieve high accuracy of selection once the structure of the data and the number of progeny per sire is adequate.

Dynamic sentinel node biopsy for penile cancer: an initial experience in an Irish Hospital.

BACKGROUND: The presence of nodal metastases is the single most important prognostic factor in penile cancer. However, reliable assessment of nodal status in clinically node-negative (cN0) patients poses a challenge. Approximately 20% of these patients harbour occult nodal metastases. Currently available non-invasive radiological investigations are unreliable in excluding micrometastatic disease. AIM: Dynamic sentinel node biopsy (DSNB) is a minimally invasive procedure for assessing lymph node involvement. We report our initial experience with DSNB in assessing the status of regional lymph nodes in cN0 penile cancer patients. METHODS: DSNB was performed in penile cancer patients with at least one cN0 groin. All patients undergoing DSNB at our institution were included. Lymphoscintigraphic images were obtained from all patients, after intradermal, peritumoral injection of a Technetium-99m nanocolloid. The sentinel nodes were defined as the nodes identified on lymphoscintigraphy, which were also radioactive intraoperatively using a gamma probe. RESULTS: In total, 18 groins from 11 patients underwent DSNB. Of these, 11 patients underwent bilateral DSNB and 4 had unilateral DSNB. The mean (range) age of patients at the time of presentation of their primary tumour was 63 (39-78) years. A mean of 1.2 nodes per groin was retrieved. One lymph node was positive in one patient, who subsequently underwent a bilateral inguinal lymph node dissection. Overall, the median (range) follow-up was 12.8 (2.7-31.3) months with no local or regional recurrences. CONCLUSION: Further cases and longer follow-up will define the accuracy of this technique in the Irish population.

Is there a role for the development of a supra-regional network for the management of penile cancer in the Republic of Ireland?

INTRODUCTION: There is an average of 25 cases of penile cancer in the Republic of Ireland each year. Due to the low volume of cases, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommends that treatment is centralised to allow the best standardised treatment for primary tumours and nodal disease. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether outcomes for patients with penile cancer differed significantly between secondary and tertiary referral centres in the Republic of Ireland. METHODS: Between 2001 and 2014, 36 patients were treated in the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) with penile cancer. Twenty patients were treated primarily in MUH and 16 patients underwent initial management in a secondary referral centre (SRC) with subsequent referral to the MUH. A retrospective matched case-control study was performed on this patient cohort. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in length of follow-up or risk factors for the development of penile cancer between both groups (p = 0.6 and p = 0.5 respectively) Ultimately, the incidence of high risk disease, nodal metasases, high grade disease and pelvic lymph node dissection were significantly greater in patients that were initially managed in a SRC (p = 0.02, p = 0.03, p = 0.004 and p = 0.028 respectively). Patients undergoing initial treatment in a SRC had a non-significantly reduced rate of cancer specific survival (88 Vs 66%, MUH Vs SRCs, p = 0.495) and recurrence free survival (85 Vs 46%, MUH Vs SRCs, p = 0.24). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that managing penile cancer in special interest centres may improve oncological outcome.

Development of UK recommendations on treatment for post-surgical erectile dysfunction.

AIM: To develop a management strategy (rehabilitation programme) for postsurgical erectile dysfunction (ED) among men experiencing ED associated with treatment of prostate, bladder or rectal cancer that is suitable for use in a UK NHS healthcare context. METHODS: PubMed literature searches of ED management together with a survey of 13 experts in the management of ED from across the UK were conducted. RESULTS: Data from 37 articles and completed questionnaires were collated. The results discussed in this study demonstrate improved objective and subjective clinical outcomes for physical parameters, sexual satisfaction, and rates of both spontaneous erections and those associated with ED treatment strategies. CONCLUSION: Based on the literature and survey analysis, recommendations are proposed for the standardisation of management strategies employed for postsurgical ED.

The Distribution of PSA Age-Specific Profiles in Healthy Irish Men between 20 and 70.

Background. Ireland is estimated to have the highest European incidence rate of prostate cancer (Pca) in 2006 which will increase by 275% by 2025. This study aimed to determine PSA cutoff values in different age groups of healthy male patients without Pca. Methods. 660 men in a pilot men's health programme, aged 18-67, had PSA assayed. Men were grouped into 8 age groups at 5-year intervals: 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, and 64-70. Results. Linear regression demonstrates a PSA velocity of 0.024 ng/ml/year. The 95% confidence interval demonstrates a near flat line of PSA values from age 20 to 50 and rises after. When transformed logarithmically, PSA correlates highly with expected values from the normal distribution (0.98). A fractional polynomial quantile regression model was used to predict median and 95th percentile for PSA as follows: 30-34 (0.73, 1.57), 35-39 (0.71, 1.65), 40-44 (0.73, 1.85), 45-49 (0.78, 2.17), 50-54 (0.88, 2.63), 55-59 (1.01, 3.25), 60-64 (1.20, 4.02), and 64-70 (1.43, 4.96). Conclusions. PSA levels are similar to other racial groups but not as high as US Caucasians until 65 years. These data define the predicted PSA for the Irish population and provide a reference for future screening programmes.

Renal replacement and male sexuality.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) and dialysis have negative impact on lifestyle. Renal transplantation improves many facets of daily life. Male sexuality is a significant predictor of quality of life. This brief review summarizes the impacts of ESRD and renal replacement on a range of sexual domains as presented at the European Association of Urology meeting in Vienna.

Controversies in ilioinguinal lymphadenectomy.

Patients with penile cancer who are proven to have negative inguinal lymph nodes have an excellent prognosis. Furthermore, patients with small-volume inguinal node involvement can often be cured by surgery alone. Lymphadenectomy has clear survival benefits for patients when applied to those with lymph node metastasis. However, the current morbidity of the standard technique of lymphadenectomy is an impediment to its universal application, and innovative strategies to reduce the morbidity of staging/treatment that do not compromise oncologic control must be developed and standardized. The optimal integration of multimodality therapy to improve survival in advanced disease will occur only through collaborative studies between centers with significant patient volume, which would be facilitated through the development of regional referral centers.

A prospective 10 year audit of a single Irish centre's experience of retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for metastatic testis cancer.

BACKGROUND: Retro-peritoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) following chemotherapy is critical in advanced germ cell tumours with residual retro-peritoneal masses. Post-chemotherapy RPLND is more extensive, may require adjacent organ resection and has higher morbidity. The study aim was to analyse patient demographics, clinical stage, surgical procedures and cure rates following RPLND. METHODS: An RPLND database (1994-2005) was analysed prospectively for demographics, pre/post-RPLND staging, chemotherapy regimen, cure, follow-up and early/late morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: 73 patients were identified (range 17-49 median 25.7). The mean hospital stay was 14.3 days (range 6-50). Clinical stage at presentation was; IV (16), III (19), II (27), I (11) and prior to RPLND was IV (12), III (6), II (55), I (0). Eleven patients with stage I disease progressed prior to RPLND. Seventy-one patients received cisplatin-based chemotherapy with partial response (49), minimal response (14), no response (7), disease progression (3) and 13 patients required salvage chemotherapy. RPLND was bilateral (26), unilateral (36) and suprahilar (11) with nerve sparing in 10. Other major procedures included nephrectomy (22), aortic graft (1), ureterectomy (1) and caval dissection (1). RPLND histology was mature teratoma (MT) (37), fibrosis/necrosis (26), NSGCT (6), seminoma (1), mixed NSGCT/teratoma (1), sarcoma (1) and mixed seminoma/teratoma (1). Early (n = 26) and late (n = 13) morbidity was significant but expected. There was no mortality. Ninety-five per cent had complete remission following RPLND (mean follow-up 30 months). One patient is deceased following relapse. CONCLUSIONS: The decision to perform post-chemotherapy RPLND depends on the possibility of viable tumour or teratoma and surgical morbidity. Appropriate case selection and timely intervention in an experienced centre permits optimum outcome.

Management of bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and is increasing in incidence in women as well. Bladder cancer has a broad range of behavior and presentations, with different prognoses and treatments. Laboratory research has made strides in elucidating pathways of this cancer, and identifying novel therapeutic targets. This short review provides a summary of the current knowledge of the management of bladder cancer.

A simple processing method allowing comparison of renal enhancing volumes derived from standard portal venous phase contrast-enhanced multidetector CT images to derive a CT estimate of differential renal function with equivalent results to nuclear medicine quantification.

As iodinated contrast medium is cleared by glomerular filtration, it should be possible to apply the same principles utilized in radionuclide studies to derive differential renal function by comparison of enhancing renal volumes derived from contrast enhanced multidetector CT (CEMDCT). Having established a technique iteratively which appeared successful, a retrospective study was performed using 25 consecutive patients with a wide range of urological conditions who had undergone both CEMDCT, including the renal area in the portal venous phase, and nuclear medicine (NM) assessment of renal function with no urological intervention between the studies. Proprietary volume software was used to quantify the volume and attenuation of each kidney, the products of which (after subtraction of soft tissue attenuation derived from a region of interest over psoas) gave right and left enhancing renal volumes. The contribution by each kidney as a percentage of total renal enhancing tissue was derived. Comparison with NM studies resulted in excellent correlation of relative renal function by CEMDCT and NM assessments having a regression of near unity and a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.96. Bland Altman and Passing Bablock tests confirmed good agreement between the two methods with no bias. This is a simple, practicable processing technique using standard portal venous phase CEMDCT images to quantify differential function. This technique may allow a one-stop CT assessment of both anatomy and function.

One-stage Fowler-Stephens orchidopexy for impalpable undescended testis.

BACKGROUND: The Fowler-Stephens orchidopexy (FSO) is a well-described treatment for high maldescended testes where the limiting factor for successful placement in the scrotum is short testicular vessels. The operation involves division of these vessels. The testicular blood supply is then dependent on collaterals from the vasal artery. AIMS: To assess the long-term outcome of patients who underwent this procedure in our institution. METHODS: The medical records of 20 patients who underwent 22 FSO from 1978 to 1999 by one urologist (HB) were reviewed. Outcome was assessed in terms of testicular position and size. RESULTS: Age at operation ranged from 2 to 14 years (mean 5.8 years). All patients had a one-stage FSO and in two of them the procedure was bilateral. In five patients, FSO was preceded by a diagnostic laparoscopy. Mean follow up was 22 months (range 0-121 months). Overall, results were considered good in 18 of 22 testes (82%). CONCLUSION: Our results for the one-stage FSO are comparable with other procedures for the management of high maldescended testis.

Priming prostate carcinoma cells for increased apoptosis is associated with up-regulation of the caspases.

BACKGROUND: The potential to prime prostatic carcinoma cell lines for apoptosis represents an exciting strategy for the treatment of patients with this disease. The ability and the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in sensitizing both androgen-sensitive and androgen-insensitive cell types to a range of apoptotic-inducing agents are investigated by the authors. METHODS: Primary and secondary cell lines were pretreated with diethyl-maleate (DEM) prior to the induction of apoptosis by Fas antibody (1 microg/mL), cycloheximide (1 microg/mL), etoposide (62.5 microM), and radiation (5 grays). It was demonstrated previously that DEM (50 microM) increases the sensitivity to apoptosis induced by these agents. The effects of DEM on both protein and RNA expression was determined by Western blot analysis and a ribonuclease protection assay, respectively. The effects of DEM on intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels and its intracellular distribution also were assessed. RESULTS: DEM did not affect the expression of the caspases at the transcriptional level but was associated with increased procaspase-3 and caspase-8 protein levels. DEM preincubation restored sensitivity to Fas antibody and radiation-induced apoptosis in cells from the LNCaP-bcl-2 transfectant cell line that, normally, are resistant to these apoptotic stimuli. It is that DEM chemically depletes intracellular thiol levels. Although no depletion in total intracellular thiol GSH was observed at these concentrations of DEM, trafficking of GSH from the nucleus to the cytosol was demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: Identification of the caspases as a potential target for chemical manipulation may serve as an effective, adjuvant-based approach in the treatment of patients with prostate carcinoma and, in particular, for immunotherapy and radiation-based strategies that rely on the activation of these death-effector proteases.

Sexual orientation beliefs: their relationship to anti-gay attitudes and biological determinist arguments.

Previous studies which have measured beliefs about sexual orientation with either a single item, or a one-dimensional scale are discussed. In the present study beliefs were observed to vary along two dimensions: the "immutability" of sexual orientation and the "fundamentality" of a categorization of persons as heterosexuals and homosexuals. While conceptually related, these two dimensions were empirically distinct on several counts. They were negatively correlated with each other. Condemning attitudes toward lesbians and gay men were correlated positively with fundamentality but negatively with immutability. Immutability, but not fundamentality, affected the assimilation of a biological determinist argument. The relationship between sexual orientation beliefs and anti-gay prejudice is discussed and suggestions for empirical studies of sexual orientation beliefs are presented.

Caspase 3 expression in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Apoptotic resistance to androgen ablation represents a significant problem in the treatment of prostate cancer. Over expression of antiapoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and mutations in p53 contribute to this resistance. The caspase family of proteases are central executioners of the cell death pathway. They are expressed in normal prostate secretory epithelial cells. Altered expression may represent an additional component leading to cell resistance. The aim of this study was to determine by immunohistochemistry caspase 3 expression in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancers. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with histologically determined prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were investigated. All specimens were obtained from patients undergoing surgical resection of the prostate. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections to assess caspase 3 expression. RESULTS: Caspase 3 was expressed in 18/22 (81.1%) samples, with high expression in BPH which demonstrated staining in both basal and secretory epithelial cells. Increasing grades of prostatic cancer showed a significant loss of expression in secretory epithelial layers and little staining in epithelial cells in high-grade prostatic carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Altered caspase 3 expression may represent an additional mechanism of apoptotic resistance to androgen ablation. Prostate 47:183-188, 2001.