Effect of dietary protein regime on meat quality traits and carcase nutrient content of broilers from two commercial genotypes.

UNLABELLED: 1. The present study aimed to evaluate breast muscle quality and muscle myofibre density in two broiler genotypes given three dietary protein feeding regimes. 2. A total of 1440 Ross 308 and 708 broilers (720/genotype) were given one of three dietary protein regimes (Low: 192, 166 and 155 g/kg, CONTROL: 229, 199 and 182 g/kg and High: 266, 235 and 207 g/kg for starter, grower and finisher diets respectively). On d 21 and 42, initial protein solubility, DNA and myofibre density were determined. On d 42, breast meat samples were collected for meat quality analyses. 3. There were no genotype effects on pH(24), L*, a* or b* values. Thawing loss was higher in meat from the 708 than the 308 genotype. 4. Broilers given the low protein feeding regime had highest carcase fat, lowest pH(24) and palest meat. The low regression coefficients between dietary protein content and changes in pH(24) and lightness, however, demonstrated that dietary protein was not the principal factor influencing these traits. 5. Although sarcoplasmic protein solubility was similar among protein feeding regimes on d 21, the highest sarcoplasmic protein solubility on d 42 was in broilers on the high protein regime. 6. Myofibre density was highest in meat from broilers given the low protein regime. 7. It was concluded that dietary-protein content contributes significantly to both protein solubility and myofibre density.

Thermal welding technique versus cold dissection for adult tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the thermal welding technique (TWT) with cold dissection (CD) for adult tonsillectomy. METHODOLOGY: A prospective, double-blind, non-randomised study was planned for 20 adult patients undergoing tonsillectomy; a total of 16 patients were included for evaluation. In all patients, the right tonsil was removed by TWT, the left tonsil by CD. Indications included chronic tonsillitis with or without upper airway obstruction. Patients with peritonsillar abscess history or bleeding disorders were excluded from analysis. Age, gender, dissection and hemostasis time, intra-operative hemostasis method, post-operative pain using a visual analogue scale, and extent of healing of the tonsillar fossa on the tenth post-operative day were evaluated. RESULTS: TWT was significantly superior to CD with regard to intra-operative hemostasis (p = 0.029). There were statistically significant differences between the two techniques in a post-operative pain score (p = 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between the two techniques in dissection and hemostasis time (p = 0.321), nor in the healing of the tonsillar fossae on the tenth day of the surgery (p = 0.285). CONCLUSION: Compared with CD, TWT provides sufficient hemostasis and lower post-operative pain, as assessed in a limited number of adult tonsillectomy cases.

A comparison of the effects of Veau-Wardill-Kilner palatoplasty and furlow double-opposing Z-plasty operations on eustachian tube function.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of Veau-Wardill-Kilner (VWK) two-flap palatoplasty and Furlow double-opposing Z-plasty operations on eustachian tube (ET) opening in patients with cleft palate (CP). DESIGN: Twenty-six patients underwent CP repair between 1993 and 1997. VWK and Furlow operations were used in 13 patients each. All patients were examined by the otorhinolaryngologist before and after the operations; mean follow-up time was 27.3 months. Secretory otitis media (SOM), as identified by tympanograms, was the comparison criterion used. RESULTS: The prevalence of SOM was 69% (n = 18) in all CP patients preoperatively. Among those with preoperative SOM, we did not find any statistically significant difference in the frequency of postoperative SOM between the two techniques. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that there is no difference in postoperative ET function between patients undergoing either VWK or Furlow operations, in spite of the differences in muscle positioning in these operations. We discuss the implications of this finding in relation to surgical anatomy and histology of the soft palate muscles.