Genetic characterization of Uruguayan Pampa Rocha pigs with microsatellite markers

In this study, we genetically characterized the Uruguayan pig breed Pampa Rocha. Genetic variability was assessed by analyzing a panel of 25 microsatellite markers from a sample of 39 individuals. Pampa Rocha pigs showed high genetic variability with observed and expected heterozygosities of 0.583 and 0.603, respectively. The mean number of alleles was 5.72. Twenty-four markers were polymorphic, with 95.8% of them in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. The level of endogamy was low (F_IS = 0.0475). A factorial analysis of correspondence was used to assess the genetic differences between Pampa Rocha and other pig breeds; genetic distances were calculated, and a tree was designed to reflect the distance matrix. Individuals were also allocated into clusters. This analysis showed that the Pampa Rocha breed was separated from the other breeds along the first and second axes. The neighbour-joining tree generated by the genetic distances D_A showed clustering of Pampa Rocha with the Meishan breed. The allocation of individuals to clusters showed a clear separation of Pampa Rocha pigs. These results provide insights into the genetic variability of Pampa Rocha pigs and indicate that this breed is a well-defined genetic entity.

Predicting intramuscular fat, moisture and Warner-Bratzler shear force in pork muscle using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy

Partial least-squares (PLS) models based on visible (Vis) and near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy data were explored to predict intramuscular fat (IMF), moisture and Warner Bratzler shear force (WBSF) in pork muscles (m. longissimus thoracis) using two sample presentations, namely intact and homogenized. Samples were scanned using a NIR monochromator instrument (NIRSystems 6500, 400 to 2500 nm). Due to the limited number of samples available, calibration models were developed and evaluated using full cross validation. The PLS calibration models developed using homogenized samples and raw spectra yielded a coefficient of determination in calibration (R2) and standard error of cross validation (SECV) for IMF (R2=0·87; SECV=1·8 g/kg), for moisture (R2=0·90; SECV=1·1 g/kg) and for WBSF (R2=0·38; SECV=9·0 N/cm). Intact muscle presentation gave poorer PLS calibration models for IMF and moisture (R2<0·70), however moderate good correlation was found for WBSF (R2=0·64; SECV=8·5 N/cm). Although few samples were used, the results showed the potential of Vis-NIR to predict moisture and IMF using homogenized pork muscles and WBSF in intact samples.

Combining visible and near-infrared spectroscopy with chemometrics to trace muscles from an autochthonous breed of pig produced in Uruguay: a feasibility study

Visible (Vis) and near-infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics was explored as a tool to trace muscles from autochthonous and crossbreed pigs from Uruguay. Muscles were sourced from two breeds, namely, the Pampa-Rocha (PR) and the Pampa-Rocha x Duroc (PRxD) crossbreed. Minced muscles were scanned in the Vis and NIR regions (400-2,500 nm) in a monochromator instrument in reflectance. Principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant partial least square regression (DPLS), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based on PCA scores and soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) were used to identify the origin of the muscles based on Vis and NIR data. Full cross validation was used as validation method when classification models were developed. DPLS correctly classified 87% of PR and 78% of PRxD muscle samples. LDA calibration models correctly classified 87 and 67% of muscles as PR and PRxD, respectively. SIMCA correctly classified 100% of PR muscles. The results demonstrated the usefulness of Vis and NIR spectra combined with chemometrics as rapid method for authentication and identification of muscles according to the breed of pig.

[Chronic diseases in childhood: an approximate measurement of their impact]

As an approach to measurement of the importance of chronic diseases in childhood, type and frequency of diagnoses in children admitted to the pediatric wards of a general metropolitan hospital at Santiago, Chile, were reviewed and recorded along hospitalization and at the time of discharge from March 1 through June 30, 1989 (n: 426). Newborns were excluded. Main problems of the study were lacks of uniform national criteria to define chronic illness and of modern technology to certify diagnoses. Ninety five hospital discharged children (23.3%) were considered to have a definitive, confirmed chronic disease (CCD), other 51 (12%) were cases of possibly chronic disease (PCD) while the remainder were thought to be carriers of acute illness. Among 146 patients taken as CCD or PCD cases, 126 (87.7%) were considered to have single organic system diseases as defined by areas of medical interest or specialty; other 3 cases (8.9%) had two affected systems and 5 children (3.4%) had three or more involved systems. More frequently affected systems (in number of cases) and their corresponding proportions of CCD were as follows: neurologic (31 cases and 58.1% CCD), oncohematologic (28 cases and 96.4% CCD) and gastrointestinal (26 cases and 26.9% CCD). More extensive studies, covering other medical care providing settings are desirable and necessary to measure the magnitude and features of chronic disease entities in chilean childhood.