Background: A. perfoliata infection of horses stimulates a pronounced inflammatory response of the caecal mucosa. Objective: To assess the mucosal immune responses to A. perfoliata and its excretory/secretory antigens. Methods: Caecal biopsies were obtained from horses slaughtered at an abattoir during the early (autumn) and late (summer) stage of infection. Autumn samples were taken from the ulcerated area of parasite attachment close to the ileocaecal valve with >100 A. perfoliata (n = 9) and from control horses with no A. perfoliata parasites (n = 8). The summer samples consisted of control caecal wall biopsies from uninfected horses (n = 8) and pairs of biopsies from heavily infected horses (n = 8), from the site of parasite attachment and adjacent area. The lamina propria mRNA was extracted for cytokine quantitative RT-PCR. Results: In early infection there was a significant increase in IL-13 and TGFb, with trends for increased IL-4 demonstrating a modest T helper (Th) 2 mediated anti-parasitic response. By late stage infection, Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-13) were reduced compared to the control at the site of A. perfoliata attachment where there was increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1b. The mucosa immediately adjacent to the attachment site did not have raised Th2 cytokines but showed increased expression of immune regulatory genes IL-10, TGFb and FOXP3. Conclusions: The results indicate a Th2 mediated anti-parasite response in early infection, which may be modulated through the activation of T regulatory cells. This provides preliminary findings into A. perfoliata's longevity of survival within the equine host. Ethical approval: Not required.. Background: Inflammation is key in the development of post-operative ileus (POI) in rodents, with a similar pathogenesis likely occurring in horses. Dexamethasone reduces inflammation and therefore may reduce POI. Objectives: A retrospective study was performed to determine if dexamethasone reduces POI in horses with small intestinal (SI) disease, and to assess effects on incisional health and short-term survival. Methods: Data from all horses that underwent SI colic surgery and received 0.1 mg/kg dexamethasone intravenously during surgery (DEX) was extracted from clinical records (66 horses). Thirty-five horses underwent (SI) resection and 31 did not. Data from 66 horses that did not receive dexamethasone (NoDEX) was collected sequentially from clinic records for comparison. Horses were matched for the type of resection performed (if any). Results: Fewer horses produced gastric reflux when dexamethasone was administered (DEX 15/66; NoDEX 23/66). Nasogastric reflux produced (litres) was lower when horses received dexamethasone, (DEX 12.73 + /-36.28; 22.7%), NoDEX 16.79 + /-39.09; 34.8%). The effect was more pronounced when horses undergoing resection were considered separately with 20% fewer horses producing gastric reflux (11/35 vs 18/35). There was no difference in survival to discharge (58/66 DEX, 56/66 NoDEX). Fewer surgical incision...

An experiment was conducted to assess the physiological effects of a diet rich in foods cotaining phosphate additives. During a 4-week control period, eight adults were fed a balanced diet free of phosphate additives providing approximately 95 g protein 0.7 g Ca and 1.0 g P per day. During a subsequent 4-week period, food items containing phosphate additives were substituted for counterpart items devoid of added phosphates. This diet contained 0.7 g Ca and 2.1 g P per day. The introduction of foods containing phosphate additives was associated with intestinal distress, soft stools or mild diarrhea. These symptoms subsided in six subjects but occurred intermittently throughout the experimental period in the other two subjects. The high-phosphorus diet induced increases in serum phosphorus and urinary phosphorus and decreases in serum calcium and urinary calcium. Hydroxyproline excretion in the urine was increased and cyclic AMP excretion was elevated in six of the eight subjects. These changes are analogous to those seen in experimental animals fed high-phosphorus diets which were shown to be due to enhanced parathyroid activity (secondary hyperparathyroidism). The use of phosphate food additives is discussed with respect to their possible stimulating effect on adult bone resorption.

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The effect of combinations of phosphate type [tetrasodium pyrophosphate (PP), sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP), sodium tetrapolyphosphate (TTPP), and sodium‐hexametaphosphate(HMP)], phosohate concentration (0.125%‐0.500%). and salt level (0.6%‐2.0%) on the binding in restructured beef rolls was studied. The rolls were prepared either with or without a homogenate that contained all the added salts. Preparation method had little effect on binding. The effectiveness of the phosphates was: PP > TPP > TTPP > HMP. Changes in binding produced by varying phosphate type, phosphate concentration and salt level could be explained in terms of changes in ionic strength and pH. Between 90% and 96% of the variation in binding could be explained in terms of these two variables.

Crossbred pigs (n = 30) were fed to determine the influence of supplementation with vitamin E on growth and slaughter characteristics of swine and on the quality characteristics of fresh pork. Pigs received either a control diet containing no vitamin E (CON) or a diet formulated to contain 100 mg of vitamin E/kg feed (VITE). During 84 d of feeding, feed intake and weight gain were measured every 2 wk. After the feeding period, pigs were slaughtered and the loin from the left side of each carcass was removed 4 d after death. Alpha-Tocopherol concentration and proximate composition of the longissimus muscle were determined. Loins were sliced into 10-cm sections and stored under vacuum (2 degrees C) for 0, 14, 28, and 56 d. After storage, loins were sliced into 2.54-cm chops, wrapped in polyvinyl chloride film and stored in a retail case (2 to 4 degrees C) for 5 d. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values, Hunter L, a, and b values, total plate counts, pH, purge loss, drip loss, cook loss, taste panel characteristics, and visual panel characteristics were evaluated. Growth traits, slaughter characteristics, and proximate composition did not differ (P > .05) between dietary treatment groups. Alpha-Tocopherol concentrations were greater (P < .05) and TBA values during extended retail display were less (P < .05) for VITE chops than for CON chops. Overall palatability ratings were more desirable (P < .05, at 14 d of vacuum storage) for VITE chops than for CON chops. Color measurements, sensory characteristics, total plate counts, pH, purge loss, drip loss, and cook loss were not influenced (P > .05) by vitamin E supplementation. These results indicated that at the tissue alpha-tocopherol concentrations of the present study, vitamin E supplementation of the growing-finishing diet of hogs reduced lipid oxidation in fresh pork but did not influence pork color or tissue drip loss.

Water-soluble rosemary extracts were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on lipid oxidation and color change in cooked turkey products during storage. Changes were measured in thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, hexanal production and color of the cooked turkey samples containing 0, 100, 250 and 500 ppm watersoluble rosemary extracts, at storage day 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 13. The rosemary extracts showed significant protection of lipid oxidation and color change in cooked turkey. Higher levels of water-soluble rosemary extracts were more effective in delaying quality loss in cooked turkey at all tested storage times.

Structured meat products which could bind raw as well as cooked would be superior to existing structured products. Therefore, the algin/ calcium gel system was.studied. Structured beef steaks were made using three levels of sodium alginate and three levels of CaCOs. Three additional treatments were included as controls. Treatments were subjectively evaluated for six raw parameters: discoloration, color intensity, alginate pocket area, alginate pocket size, percentage fat and raw bind. Treatments were also subjectively evaluated for four cooked parameters: aroma, flavor, mouthfeel and cooked bind. The algin/ calcium gel mechanism can be used to produce structured beef steaks which bind in both the raw and cooked state. Optimum ingredient levels were 0.81.2% sodium alginate, 0.144-0.216% CaCOs with 500 ppm sodium erythorbate.

Suspensions of myosin, actomyosin and sarcoplasmic protein, isolated from beef semitendinosus muscle, were prepared at several protein concentrations and with various amounts of added sodium chloride up to 1.4M. An aliquot from each suspension was pressed between two pieces of muscle of fixed cross‐sectional area and cooked. Binding strength was estimated from the force required to separate the meat pieces. At salt concentrations up to 1M the binding strength of myosin was superior to that of actomyosin (P = 0.05 – 0.001), and that of sarcoplasmic protein was too low to be measured by the techniques that were used. However in the absence of added sodium chloride, a mixture of sarcoplasmic protein and myosin had greatest (P = 0.05) binding strength.