In two studies, a newly devised test (framed-line test) was used to examine the hypothesis that individuals engaging in Asian cultures are more capable of incorporating contextual information and those engaging in North American cultures are more capable of ignoring contextual information. On each trial, participants were presented with a square frame, within which was printed a vertical line. Participants were then shown another square frame of the same or different size and asked to draw a line that was identical to the first line in either absolute length (absolute task) or proportion to the height of the surrounding frame (relative task). The results supported the hypothesis: Whereas Japanese were more accurate in the relative task, Americans were more accurate in the absolute task. Moreover, when engaging in another culture, individuals tended to show the cognitive characteristic common in the host culture.

To analyze the sensory characteristics of meat samples with a crude fat content between 23.8% and 48.6% taken from 34 Japanese Black steers, we grilled the meat and subjected it to analytical sensory evaluation. We also measured the amounts of moisture, protein, nucleic acid and glutamic acid. An increase in crude fat content increased the tenderness, juiciness, and fattiness in the meat quality evaluation. An increase in crude fat content reduced the crude protein and moisture contents; it also slightly reduced the nucleic acid and glutamic acid contents, although when the reductions in these umami components were assessed relative to the moisture content they changed little. Increasing the fat content up to a certain point greatly enhanced the umami intensity and beef flavor intensity in the meat quality evaluation and raised the overall evaluation score; the peak of the appropriate crude fat content for these purposes was about 36%.

The changes in i.m. fat deposition in the principal muscles [M. semitendinosus, M. semimembranosus, M. psoas major, M. latissimus dorsi, LM (7th to 8th and 10th to 11th thoracic vertebrae), and M. supraspinatus] from 24 to 30 mo of age were investigated using identical twins of Japanese Black steers. Four sets of identical twins of Japanese Black steers were used in this study. Animals were fattened from 10 to 24 or 30 mo of age for each pair of identical twins. Body weights of twin steers slaughtered at 24 and at 30 mo of age were similar at 10 mo of age and thereafter up to 24 mo of age. The changes in serum concentration of vitamin A, glucose, total cholesterol, albumin, and total protein were similar in each pair of twins during the first fattening stage (10 to 24 mo). Fat contents of LM (7th to 8th thoracic vertebrae) at 24 and 30 mo of age were 37.0 and 42.4%, respectively (P < 0.05). Moreover, in the principal muscles, except M. semimembranosus and M. supraspinatus, fat content at 30 mo of age was greater than at 24 mo of age (P < 0.05). The proportional increase in fat content from 24 to 30 mo of age was greatest in M. semitendinosus (+58.7%) and least in M. supraspinatus (+6.1%). These results demonstrate that i.m. fat continues to increase after 24 mo of age, and the rates of i.m. fat deposition and the ages when i.m. fat is deposited are different for every muscle.

A genome-wide scan for QTL affecting economically important traits in beef production was performed using an F(2) resource family from a Japanese Black x Limousin cross, where 186 F(2) animals were measured for growth, carcass, and meat-quality traits. All family members were genotyped for 313 informative microsatellite markers that spanned 2,382 cM of bovine autosomes. The centromeric region of BTA2 contained significant QTL (i.e., exceeding the genome-wide 5% threshold) for 5 carcass grading traits [LM area, beef marbling standards (BMS) number, luster, quality grade, and firmness), 8 computer image analysis (CIA) traits [LM lean area, ratio of fat area (RFA) to LM area, LM area, RFA to musculus (M.) trapezius area, M. trapezius lean area, M. semispinalis lean area, RFA to M. semispinalis area, and RFA to M. semispinalis capitis area], and 5 meat quality traits (contents of CP, crude fat, moisture, C16:1, and C18:2 of LM). A significant QTL for withers height was detected at 80.3 cM on BTA5. We detected significant QTL for the C14:0 content in backfat and C14:0 and C14:1 content in intermuscular fat around the 62.3 to 71.0 cM region on BTA19 and for C14:0, C14:1, C18:1, and C16:0 content and ratio of total unsaturated fatty acid content to total SFA content in intramuscular fat at 2 different regions on BTA19 (41.1 cM for C14:1 and 62.3 cM for the other 4 traits). Overall, we identified 9 significant QTL regions controlling 27 traits with genome-wide significance of 5%; of these, 22 traits exceeded the 1% genome-wide threshold. Some of the QTL affecting meat quality traits detected in this study might be the same QTL as previously reported. The QTL we identified need to be validated in commercial Japanese Black cattle populations.

Purpose. To evaluate the outcome of open fracture surgery with negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) applied directly over surgical wounds. Methods. Medical records of 10 men and 4 women aged 6 to 70 (mean, 43.7) years who underwent internal fixation, external fixation, or splint application for open fractures of the lower leg (n=7), foot and ankle (n=5), or knee (n=2), and NPWT were reviewed. The NPWT was applied directly over the surgical wound without a non-adherent contact layer. The foam was changed every 3 days. The standard negative pressure was 125 mm Hg. The NPWT was stopped when the wound discharge became <50 ml per day. The duration of NPWT and the level of negative pressure were recorded, as were wound condition, reasons for NPWT, and outcome. Results. The mean duration of NPWT was 9.1 (range, 3-24) days. Four patients developed maceration of the skin under the foam, whereas 2 patients developed skin blisters under the drape. No necrosis of flap skin Negative-pressure wound therapy over surgically closed wounds in open fracturesTakashi Suzuki, Akihiro Minehara, Terumasa Matsuura, Tadashi Kawamura, Kazui Soma Emergency Medical Center, Kitasato University Hospital, Sagamihara, Japan Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr. Takashi Suzuki, Emergency Medical Center, Kitasato University Hospital, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara, 252-0375, Japan. Email: takashisuzuki911@yahoo.co.jp Surgery 2014;22(1):30-4 or infection occurred, and all the fractures eventually united. Conclusions. Maceration of the skin was seen in some cases but did not affect the overall outcome. NPWT directly over the skin surface had no deleterious effect on wound and fracture healing. Journal of Orthopaedic

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The effects of intramuscular fat on the sensory characteristics of M. longissimus dorsi in Japanese Black steers were investigated by a trained analytical panel (average 13.4 panelists). Five sets (10 head) of artificial identical twins were divided into 2 groups, high level of intramuscular fat group (HG) which utilized the fattening method of increasing intramuscular fat and low level of intramuscular fat group (LG) which did not use the above method. Regarding M. longissmus dorsi which was produced for use in the sensory evaluation, crude fat contents of HG and LG was 25.8% and 23.2% respectively (p<0.05). Warner-Bratzler shear force, water holding capacity, cooking loss and fatty acid composition of HG and LG were similar between the two groups. M. Longissimus dorsi taken from HG and LG were tested for their sensory characteristics by a trained panel. HG was given higher points for juiciness than LG (p<0.05). There were no significant differences for tenderness and flavor between the two groups. Overall acceptability which synthesized each of the sensory characteristics of HG and LG were 5.04 and 4.69 points respectively (p = 0.05). These results suggested that juiciness increased with the increase of intramuscular fat, and this raised the overall acceptability of M. longissimus dorsi.

Purpose: There is a pressing need for safe venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in orthopedic patients with the highest risks of both venous thrombosis and bleeding. Portable intermittent pneumatic compression device (IPCD) has proven to be effective and safe in patients with a high risk of venous thrombosis and low bleeding risk. Therefore, this study examined the effectiveness, safety, and wearing compliance of portable IPCD for postoperative VTE prophylaxis in patients with the highest risks of both venous thrombosis and bleeding. Methods: The cases consisted of 38 patients who had used a portable IPCD and had the highest risks of both venous thrombosis and bleeding. We examined the incidence of VTE to assess the effectiveness of the portable IPCD, the presence of hemorrhagic adverse events to assess safety, and the wearing rate to assess wearing compliance. Results: The incidences of asymptomatic and symptomatic deep vein thrombosis were 5.3% and 2.6%, respectively. The incidence of hemorrhagic adverse events was 21.1% in patients who received anticoagulants and wore an IPCD simultaneously and 0% in patients who wore an IPCD but did not receive anticoagulants. The wearing rate (i.e. ≥18 h/day) was 100%. Conclusion: Portable IPCD has the potential for safe VTE prophylaxis in patients at high risks for both venous thrombosis and bleeding. Therefore, we suggest that such patients use a portable IPCD for VTE prophylaxis.