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Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was supplemented to crossbred growing-finishing barrows (n = 60) at 0.75% of the total diet. Pigs were randomly assigned to the CLA or control diets based on stress genotype (negative, carrier, or positive). Gain:feed was higher for CLA diet animals (350 g/kg feed) than for control diet animals (330 g/kg feed) independent of genotype (P [is less than] 0.05). No differences were observed for ADG for the diets (P = 0.71) or genotype classes (P = 0.40). Postmortem pH was lower (P [is less than] 0.01) by 3 h for CLA-supplemented pigs, with no differences in ultimate pH. No differences (P = 0.16) were observed for ultimate pH between the three genotypes. Conjugated linoleic acid-supplemented pigs exhibited less 10th rib fat depth (2.34 cm vs 2.84 cm) and last rib fat depth (2.46 cm vs 2.72 cm) than control pigs (P [is less than] 0.05). Loin muscle area (LMA) was not affected (P = 0.18) by CLA supplementation, but LMA was different (P [is less than] 0.02) for genotype; positive genotype carcasses had the largest LMA (45.02 [cm.sup.2]) and negative carcasses had the smallest LMA (36.44 [cm.sup.2]). Carrier carcasses were intermediate for LMA (40.76 [cm.sup.2]). Subjective scores for color were not affected (P = 0.98) by CLA but color was different (P [is less than] 0.01), with scores of 1.50, 2.40, and 3.1 for positive, carrier, and negative genotypes, respectively. Subjective marbling scores were increased (P [is less than] 0.03) in all genotypes with CLA supplementation. Subjective firmness scores were higher (P [is less than] 0.06) for CLA-supplemented pigs and were highly correlated (0.89) to marbling scores. The L(*) values were higher (P [is less than] 0.01) for stress-positive pigs at 24 h postmortem. Also, L* values were higher (P [is less than] 0.01) for CLA-fed pigs over 7 d of shelf storage. Sensory characteristics were not different with CLA supplementation for tenderness (P = 0.24), juiciness (P = 0.35), or flavor intensity (P = 0.14). This study showed that LMA was increased with stress-carrier and stress-positive genotypes, but lean color was negatively affected with the presence of the stress gene. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation improves feed efficiency, decreases backfat, and improves pork quality attributes of marbling and firmness of the longissimus muscle. Furthermore, there is seemingly no interaction between the stress-genotype status of pigs and the subsequent effect of CLA on their growth and performance. Key Words: Linoleic Acid, Meat Quality, Pigs

This study was designed to observe the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation on lean content of pork carcass primal cuts (hams, loins, and bellies) and to determine the ability of total body electrical conductivity (TOBEC) to predict lean content. A total of 64 crossbred growing-finishing barrows were placed on a control (soybean oil) or CLA (0.75%) diet at an average weight of 40 kg. Pigs were penned in pairs according to diet and stress genotype (negative, carrier, and positive) and slaughtered at 115 kg. Stress genotype was included because of known variations in lean content. Hams (IMPS 401A; n = 64), loins (IMPS 410; n = 24), and bellies (IMPS 408; n = 63) were fabricated from carcasses at 24 h postmortem and scanned for electromagnetic (EM) absorption by a MQ-25 EM scanner. Each wholesale cut was scanned in triplicate at 2.5 MHz to yield a peak mean average (PMA) value then separated into lean, fat, bone, and skin components. Bellies were skinned prior to scanning then subjected to a belly bar firmness test before dissection. Supplementation with CLA had no effect (P [is greater than] 0.05) on lean ham composition. Regression analysis was used for lean weight prediction using primal weight and PMA value as predictors. Lean content prediction of hams by TOBEC resulted in an [R.sup.2] of 0.80. Loins from CLA-supplemented pigs exhibited increased lean weight (P [is less than] 0.05) and PMA values (P [is less than] 0.05) compared to controls. Lean prediction of loins by TOBEC resulted in an [R.sup.2] of 0.66. Bellies from CLA-supplemented pigs had a higher percentage of moisture (P [is less than] 0.03) and protein (P [is less than] 0.01) and decreased percentage of lipid (P [is less than] 0.01). The [R.sup.2] values from the regression analysis predicting protein, moisture, protein + moisture, and fat-free soft tissue composition of the skinless bellies were 0.67, 0.68, 0.71, and 0.78, respectively. Key Words: Electrometric Methods, Linoleic Acid, Pork, Unsaturated Fatty Acids

The effects of time postmortem and binders on the quality of raw and cooked restructured beef rolls were determined. The use of prerigor meat (1–5 h postmortem ) or Activa resulted in higher bind strength for both raw and cooked rolls than the use of postrigor meat (25 h postmortem ) or alginate, respectively. Use of prerigor meat or alginate gave a higher cook yield compared to postrigor meat or Activa binder, respectively. Raw slices of product made with Activa were lighter in color, redder and more yellow (higher Hunter L*, a* and b* values) than products made with alginate. Binder had no effect on aerobic plate counts. Raw slices of Activa bound product had better color and overall appearance than product made with alginate; however, cooked rolls made with alginate were more tender and friable and had better overall eating quality, than Activa bound rolls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of 'on-farm processing of dairy proteins' directly from raw, whole milk was investigated. Extracting proteins from raw, whole milk is impractical due to high levels of fat (an individual cow's milk can contain up to 10% w/v fat). Producing high-value dairy proteins such as lactoferrin (LF) and lactoperoxidase (LP) generally requires extensive pre-treatment (e.g. centrifuging, precipitation, Ca2+ chelation, filtration etc) to remove fat and caseins, before LF and LP can be extracted by ion exchange chromatography. Raw, untreated whole milk was processed in the laboratory through a 5-cm high column packed with SP Sepharose Big Beads™ without exceeding the maximum backpressure at milk secretion temperature (35-37°C). Data indicated that more than 100 column volumes of raw milk could be loaded at 300 cm/hr before LF and LP breakthrough occurred. Laboratory single-stage stirred tank trials showed that cation exchangers could capture 90% (SP Sepharose FF™, average particle size 90 μm) or 66% (SP Sepharose Big Beads, average particle size 200 μm) of the initial LF within 30 minutes. Absorption rate was faster on Fast Flow. A Protein Fractionation Robot (PFR) prototype based on a single-stage stirred tank system was designed, built and coupled to an Automated Milking System (Dexcel Ltd, Hamilton). Freshly-obtained, raw, whole milk from 16 individual cows was diverted to the PFR for extractions. The average yields of LF and LP using Big Beads resin were 36% and 87% respectively. Economic feasibility studies showed that an on-farm system for extracting high-value proteins is viable, especially if the farmer is paid on total solids basis with a premium for specialty proteins. This technology provides opportunity for complete product traceability. It can potentially give much higher recoveries of proteins that are thermally labile and/or undergo rapid degradation when processed under standard factory conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patties and sausage batters were made from trimmed brisket, chuck, striploin, hindshank, silverside, thick flank and rib trim from grass-fed Friesian cows. Functionality of each meat cut was determined from cook yield and true stress and strain of cooked sausage batters and cook yield, dimensional changes and peak force of cooked patties. Colour of raw and cooked slices from the meat cuts and cooked batters was evaluated using a colorimeter and a consumer panel. Composition of raw meat from all cuts was similar; chuck and rib trim had higher pH values and were more red than meat from other cuts. Cooked batters from striploin, chuck and hindshank had higher stress and strain values than gels from other cuts. Patties made from thick flank and striploin were the softest and had the highest cook yield. Batters and patties made from meat with higher salt soluble protein content retained more water and fat on cooking, were more cohesive and had higher bind strengths. Manufacturers can use functionality characteristics to select meat for specific products.

Two separate experiments investigated the effect of breed (Bos indicus, Bos indicus×and Bos taurus), gender/age and chilled and frozen storage on the processing characteristics of roasts made from inside rounds (semimembranosus, adductor and gracilis muscles). Roasts were injected with a salt/phosphate brine and cooked to an internal temperature of 63 °C. Freezing the meat increased purge lost from the raw meat. Country of origin had no significant effect on cook yield. Sensory evaluations with a US consumer panel indicated only slight sensory differences due to country of origin and breed but a significant effect from storage regime. Tenderness comparisons between breeds were confounded by country of origin and indicated that roast beef from inside rounds from Brahman cattle had lower WBS values than roast beef made from inside rounds from British cattle. Although breed and age/gender often significantly affected processing characteristics of the roasts, differences were small and would have little practical or economic importance for selecting the type of meat for this market sector.

The processing characteristics of roasts manufactured from either high or normal pH bull inside rounds (semimembranosus and adductor muscles), which had been stored chilled or frozen, were investigated. Roasts were injected with a salt/phosphate brine and cooked to an internal temperature of 63 °C in a 70 °C water bath. High-pH meat that had been frozen had less purge than normal pH meat. However, pH did not affect purge from chilled meat. Meat pH and storage conditions did not affect retention of pumped brine. Cook yields were significantly (P<0.05) higher for roasts made from high pH meat (103.8 vs 98.8%). Raw and cooked meat colour was affected by meat pH but not storage condition. Cooking reduced the effect of pH on meat colour but cooked roasts manufactured from high pH meat were redder than roasts manufactured from normal pH meat.

Two experiments were done to determine the effect of storage conditions and meat cut on the processing characteristics of beef roasts. The first experiment examined the effect of storage condition (fresh/frozen), cap on/off, thawing regime and holding time post thawing on purge, brine uptake, cook yield and colour of raw and cooked roasts. The second experiment examined the effect of meat cut (insides/flats) and chilled storage for up to 8 weeks on processing characteristics of roast beef. Purge was greater for insides stored frozen without cap and air thawed. Frozen thawed cuts had increased brine retention after injection, after tumbling and after cooking. Flats had less purge and higher cook yields when manufactured into roast beef. Raw and cooked colour was not significantly affected by most factors investigated. Raw meat was more red than meat that had been frozen.

The effect of thawing and cooking regimes on the processing characteristics and colour of cooked roast beef made from frozen beef cap-on inside round (semimembranosus, adductor and gracilus muscle) was investigated. After thawing in air or water, the cap was removed and the insides were pumped (110%), tumbled (30 min continuously) and then cooked in either constant-temperature water baths or baths where a 10 °C difference was maintained between the roast and the water to an internal temperature of 63 or 80 °C. Purge was higher for insides thawed in air. Insides that were cooked at a constant temperature had higher cook yields the same was seen for lower end-point temperatures. Colour of raw insides thawed in water was slightly redder than insides thawed in air. Thawing and cooking regime did not affect the colour of cooked slices but the higher the end temperature, the higher the Hunter L and the lower the Hunter a and b values. Data from this research suggests that roast beef manufacturers should evaluate thawing and cooking procedures to ensure they optimize their process.

Tracking patient satisfaction over time is an effective way to learn about patient perceptions and can also help draw attention to service areas that need improvement. This research compared patient satisfaction levels immediately following hospital discharge and then again two years later. Both overall satisfaction and satisfaction with particular attributes tended to decrease over time. These findings raise questions about the long-term stability of satisfaction ratings and have implications for the timing of satisfaction surveys.

The referral process is an important means of obtaining patients and it is necessary to determine ways of influencing the referral process to increase the patient base. This article reports research based on a survey of the referral habits of 806 primary care physicians. The results are examined in the context of physician receptivity to marketer-controlled versus health services sources of referral information.

Current medical imaging systems are developed for the purpose of data management. Evaluations of these systems are usually done by assessing users' subjective appreciation rather than objectively gauging performance influence. The present report discusses the evaluation of a medical image presentation system prototype utilizing a cognitive approach. Experimental results showed hypothesized performance improvement attributed to advanced presentation techniques. However, this improvement was almost inadvertently masked by users' previous strategies and interactions with new technology. Overall these data demonstrate the potential benefit of implementing such a system in actual practice as well as provide an example of applying the cognitive approach in evaluating the usability of medical systems.

Tumors of the skull base in general are considered among the more difficult head and neck pathological entities to treat surgically; some surgeons, in fact, consider lesions in this area inoperable. The most appropriate and safest surgical approach to lesions of the anterior and lateral skull base can be devised only with accurate and precise pre-operative assessment. The literature demonstrates the constant evolution of and search for more efficient less invasive, and safe surgical approaches to this region. With the development of a more exact three-dimensional, interactive anatomical "road map" for each patient's disease and anatomy, the skull base surgeon can not only achieve a more accurate pre-operative assessment leading to a less invasive and less morbid approach, but also can continue to develop and refine new approaches without fear of actual morbidity and mortality. An interdisciplinary team approach, the advent and continued development of faster high performance computers, and the development of new and innovative rendering algorithms can lead to surgical simulation. A prototype of an interactive system has been developed. The system will be iteratively modified through a stepwise evaluation of its clinical usefulness by continually reassessing the system with clinical trials. The current state of the system and the potential benefits are presented.

Patient-based determinants of quality and satisfaction play an important role in choosing a health care provider. This study identifies five attributes of health care delivery that define patients' perceptions of quality and satisfaction. Managerial implications for diagnosing quality concerns of patients are discussed.

Primary care physicians have several external sources of information available when referring a patient to a specialist. The most-used sources were a fellow physician, followed by the specialist, the patient or the patient's family, and to a lesser extent, hospital-controlled sources including referral directories, call services, and sales representatives. The authors tested a cost-benefit model where source usage was predicted to increase as the costs of using the source decreased and benefits increased.

Patient satisfaction surveys are widely used tools. However, they provide limited managerial information. Additional, useful insights can be gained by analyzing factors that determine satisfaction. This study reports on fulfillment of expectations equity and satisfaction survey items as predictors of overall satisfaction with, and intentions to use, a hospital.