Changes in Biceps femoris Transcriptome along Growth in Iberian Pigs Fed Different Energy Sources and Comparative Analysis with Duroc Breed

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of developmental stage, breed, and diet energy source on the genome-wide expression, meat quality traits, and tissue composition of biceps femoris muscle in growing pure Iberian and Duroc pigs. The study comprised 59 Iberian (IB) and 19 Duroc (DU) animals, who started the treatment at an average live weight (LW) of 19.9 kg. The animals were kept under identical management conditions and fed two diets with different energy sources (6% high oleic sunflower oil or carbohydrates). Twenty-nine IB animals were slaughtered after seven days of treatment at an average LW of 24.1 kg, and 30 IB animals plus all the DU animals were slaughtered after 47 days at an average LW of 50.7 kg. The main factors affecting the muscle transcriptome were age, with 1832 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and breed (1055 DEGs), while the effect of diet on the transcriptome was very small. The results indicated transcriptome changes along time in Iberian animals, being especially related to growth and tissue development, extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, and cytoskeleton organization, with DEGs affecting relevant functions and biological pathways, such as myogenesis. The breed also affected functions related to muscle development and cytoskeleton organization, as well as functions related to solute transport and lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Taking into account the results of the two main comparisons (age and breed effects), we can postulate that the Iberian breed is more precocious than the Duroc breed, regarding myogenesis and muscle development, in the studied growing stage.

Transcriptomic analysis for pork color – the ham halo effect in biceps femoris

Pork color is a major indicator of product quality that guides consumerpurchasing decisions. Recently, industry has received an increase in consumercomplaints about the lightness and non-uniformity of ham color, primarilylighter color in the periphery termed “ham halo” that is not caused bymanufacturing procedures. This effect is seen in fresh and processed hams andthe outer, lighter muscle is associated with lower myoglobin concentration, pHand type I fibers. The objective of this study was to identify differences ingene expression profiles between light and normal colored portions of biceps femoris muscle from pork hams.RNA-sequencing was performed for paired light and normal colored muscle samplesfrom 10 animals showing the ham halo effect. Over 50 million paired-end reads(2x75bp) per library were obtained. An average of 99.74% of trimmed high-qualityreads were mapped to the Sscrofa 11.1 genome assembly. Differentially expressedgenes (DEGs) were identified using both the DESeq2 and GFOLD software packages.A total of 14,049 genes were expressed in bicepsfemoris; 13,907 were expressed in both light and normal muscle, while 56and 86 genes were only expressed in light and normal muscle, respectively. Analysiswith DESeq2 identified 392 DEGs with 359 genes being more highly expressed innormal colored muscle. A total of 61 DEGs were identified in the DESeq2analysis and also were identified in at least 7 of the 10 individual animalanalyses. All 61 of these DEGs were up-regulated in normal colored muscle. Geneontology (GO) enrichment analysis of DEGs identified the transition betweenfast and slow fibers, and skeletal muscle adaptation and contraction as themost significant biological process terms. The evaluation of gene expression byRNA-Seq identified DEGs between regions of the biceps femoris with the ham halo effect that are associated with thevariation in pork color.

Prediction of nerve block success using ultrasonographic parameters: A preliminary animal study

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasonographic parameters as an indicator for predicting regional nerve block success. Ultrasound-guided sciatic nerve block was performed in seven dogs using either 2% mepivacaine (nerve-block group) or saline (sham-block group). The cross-sectional area (CSA), nerve blood flow (NBF), and shear wave velocity (SWV) of the sciatic nerve (SWVN), SWV of the biceps femoris muscle (SWVM), and their ratio (SWVNMR) were measured at 0, 30, 60, and 90 min after the nerve block as well as the change rate of each parameter from the baseline. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the diagnostic value of each parameter in the prediction of nerve block success. No significant changes were observed in the CSA or NBF in association with the nerve block. The SWVN and SWVNMR in the nerve-block group were significantly higher than those in the sham-block group at 90 min and at 30, 60, and 90 min, respectively (p < 0.05). The change rates of SWVN and SWVNMR in the nerve-block group were significantly higher than those in the sham-block group at all time points (p < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis showed that SWVN had a moderate diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve [AUC], 0.779), whereas SWVNMR and change rates of SWVN and SWVNMR had a high diagnostic accuracy (AUC, 0.947, 0.998, and 1.000, respectively). Ultrasonographic evaluation of the SWVN and SWVNMR could be used as indicators for predicting nerve block success.

Muscle and Hip Contact Forces in Asymptomatic Men With Cam Morphology During Deep Squat

Cam morphology is defined as an aspherical femoral head-neck junction that causes abnormal contact of the acetabular rim with the anterior hip. Imaging confirmation of the cam morphology, associated with clinical signs and pain in the hip or groin, is characterized as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome. Although some individuals with cam morphology do not experience any symptoms, sparse studies have been done on these individuals. Understanding the way asymptomatic individuals generate muscle forces may help us to better explain the progression of the degenerative FAI process and discover better ways in preventing the onset or worsening of symptoms. The purpose of this study was to compare the muscle and hip contact forces of asymptomatic cam morphology (ACM) and FAI syndrome men compared to cam-free healthy controls during a deep squat task. This prospective study compared 39 participants, with 13 in each group (ACM, FAI, and control). Five deep squatting trials were performed at a self-selected pace while joint trajectories and ground reaction forces were recorded. A generic model was scaled for each participant, and inverse kinematics and inverse dynamics calculated joint angles and moments, respectively. Muscle and hip contact forces were estimated using static optimization. All variables were time normalized in percentage by the total squat cycle and both muscle forces and hip contact forces were normalized by body weight. Statistical non-parametric mapping analyses were used to compare the groups. The ACM group showed increased pelvic tilt and hip flexion angles compared to the FAI group during the descent and ascent phases of the squat cycle. Muscle forces were greater in the ACM and control groups, compared to the FAI group for the psoas and semimembranosus muscles. Biceps femoris muscle force was lower in the ACM group compared to the FAI group. The FAI group had lower posterior hip contact force compared to both the control and ACM groups. Muscle contraction strategy was different in the FAI group compared to the ACM and control groups, which caused different muscle force applications during hip extension. These results rebut the concept that mobility restrictions are solely caused by the presence of the cam morphology and propose evidence that symptoms and muscle contraction strategy can be the origin of the mobility restriction in male patients with FAI.

MRI DTI and PDFF as Biomarkers for Lower Motor Neuron Degeneration in ALS

ObjectiveTo evaluate the utility of nerve magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and muscle MRI multi-echo Dixon for assessing lower motor neuron (LMN) degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).MethodsIn this prospective observational cohort study, 14 patients with ALS and 13 healthy controls underwent a multiparametric MRI protocol, including DTI of the sciatic nerve and assessment of muscle proton density fat fraction of the biceps femoris and the quadriceps femoris muscles by a multi-echo Dixon sequence.ResultsIn ALS patients, mean fractional anisotropy values of the sciatic nerve were significantly lower than those of healthy controls. The quadriceps femoris, but not the biceps femoris muscle, showed significantly higher intramuscular fat fractions in ALS.InterpretationOur study provides evidence that multiparametric MRI protocols might help estimate structural nerve damage and neurogenic muscle changes in ALS.

​Biochemical and Physicochemical Characteristics in Different Skeletal Muscles of Sheep Hind Limb

Background: High variation in meat quality has been reported between animals and within muscles of same animals. An understanding of these variations is a pivotal step to design strategies for better utilization of such meat while producing high quality meat to consumers. The current study was aimed to unravel biochemical and physico-chemical profile of sheep hind limb. Methods: The sheep hind limb was procured from traditionally slaughtered sheep immediately after exsanguination. The Vastus lateralis (VL), Gluteo biceps femoris (GBF), Gluteomedius (GM), Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL), Psoas major (PM) and Semitendinosus (ST) muscles were separated from hot boned carcass of sheep. Each hot boned muscle was cut and analysed for biochemical and physico-chemical characteristics. Result: There was significant (p less than 0.05) variation in water holding capacity, protein extractability (Sarcoplasmic, myofibrillar and total), collagen content, collagen solubility and instrumental colour value among different skeletal muscles studied. Non-significant (p greater than 0.05) variations were found in parameters like pH, drip loss, myofibrillar fragmentation index, muscle fibre diameter and Warner Bratzler shear force values. The Gluteo biceps femoris muscle was found to have higher myoglobin; myofibrillar fragmentation index and Warner Bratzler shear force values with lowest protein extractability values. The collagen content in the Gluteo biceps femoris was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher with lowest collagen solubility (15.32%) as compared to other muscles.

IMPACT OF GREEN FORAGES IN SPRING, IN THE STEPPE REGIONS OF TIARET “CHEHAIMA AND NAIMA”, ON THE FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF THE "BICEPS FEMORIS" MUSCLE OF LAMBS

This work aimed to assess the impact of a diet based on green pastures of steppe rangelands and another based on a concentrate diet, on the composition of the intramuscular lipid fraction of different sections of the biceps femoral muscle of lambs, in two regions of the wilaya of Tiaret, in winter and in spring. The biceps femoral muscle sample collection came from 20 different lamb carcasses (10 samples for each of our two study regions, with 05 samples for each season). These samples were taken on different occasions in large butcher shops. Total SFA content in both regions shows dominance in lambs from the regimen concentrate, that C 16: 0 and C 18: 0 are the most dominant. There is no remarkable difference in total MUFA content, and on individual monounsaturated FA, between the two regimens. In both regions, the most dominant FAs in the intramuscular lipid fraction of pasture lambs are C18: 3n3 followed by C18: 2n6 cis-9, C20: 4n6, C20: 5n3, and C22: 6n3, compared to those from concentrate regimen; however, lambs from Chehaima concentrate regimen had the most dominant FA in their intramuscular fat, C18: 3n6 followed by C20: 4n6, compared to those from pastures of Naima. The values of the ratio n-6 / n-3 correspond to the nutritional recommendations. The feed ratio ΣPUFA / ΣSFA of lambs from pastures in the Chehaima region is the only one that corresponds to the desired value. Based on this research, it is concluded that lambs that have grazed grass in steppe rangelands have the richest meat in omega 3, which is more desirable and benefits for human health.

Treatment of Chronic Lower Extremity Wound Complicated by Osteomyelitis: Using Partial Biceps Femoris Muscle Flap

In many cases chronic wounds in the lower extremities are extremely difficult to heal because of inadequate blood supply, and when wounds are complicated by osteomyelitis, plastic surgeons and orthopedic surgeons must join forces to facilitate treatment. A 63-year-old man with bone exposure and a peripherally indurated chronic open wound complicated by osteomyelitis of the right distal thigh was admitted to the department of orthopedic surgery at our hospital. He was referred to our department for treatment of the right side chronic open wound. We report our successful experience with a partial biceps femoris muscle transposition flap with fasciocutaneous expanded-keystone advancement flap following wound and bone debridement for the coverage of complex wounds associated with bone infection. The results show two discrete layers of muscle. In patients with chronic osteomyelitis, fasciocutaneous flaps might provide a more effective means of covering full-depth soft tissue defects without donor site morbidity, compared to free flaps.