The construction of a sheepmeat eating quality prediction model for Australian lamb.

The current sheep Meat Standards Australia (MSA) model is a pathways system designed to improve the overall eating quality of Australian lamb, yet it is unable to predict individual consumer-based eating quality scores for specific cuts. This paper describes the methodology of using consumer sensory scores to create an objective composite eating quality prediction score linked to individual quality grades for different cuts. This methodology accounts for objective carcass measures that are being commercialised within the industry, such as intramuscular fat percentage and a measure of lean meat yield percentage.

South African Rheumatism and Arthritis Association 2024 updated guidelines for the management of rheumatoid arthritis.

The management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) requires early diagnosis and prompt initiation of therapy, together with lifestyle interventions, particularly smoking cessation. These guidelines recommend a treat-to-target strategy using a composite disease activity score at each visit, with frequent follow-up and escalation or switching of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy until the goal of low disease activity is achieved. A stepwise algorithm for DMARD therapy is provided.

Comorbidities, Tobacco Exposure, and Geography: Added Risk Factors of Heat and Cold Wave Related Mortality among United States Veterans with COPD.

Introduction: Understanding the health risks associated with extreme weather events is needed to inform policies to protect vulnerable populations. To address this need, we estimated heat and cold wave related mortality risks in a cohort of veteran patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and explored disparities among strata of comorbidities, tobacco exposure, and urbanicity.

Methods: We designed a time stratified case-crossover study among deceased patients with COPD between 2016 to 2021 in the Veterans Health Administration system.

Australian and United States Consumer Acceptance of Beef Brisket Cooked Using the Low and Slow Barbeque Method.

Meat Standards Australia (MSA) sensory protocols have been effectively utilized in beef for international consumers employing several cooking methods. Our objective was to compare the consumer response of Australian and American consumers to paired beef brisket samples utilizing a newly developed low and slow cooking method. Briskets were collected from Australian carcasses with diverse eating quality.

Ruminant-dense environments increase risk of Shiga toxin-producing independently of ruminant contact.

Cattle and other domestic ruminants are the primary reservoirs of O157 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing (STEC). Living in areas with high ruminant density has been associated with excess risk of infection, which could be due to both direct ruminant contact and residual environmental risk, but the role of each is unclear. We investigated whether there is any meaningful risk to individuals living in ruminant-dense areas if they do not have direct contact with ruminants.