Signalling Effects Induced by Acid Ceramidase in Human Epithelial Or Leukemic Cell Lines.

Background/aims: Recent studies indicated that an inhalation treatment of cystic fibrosis mice with acid ceramidase prevents and eliminates infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Stapyhlococcus aureus. Inhalation of acid ceramidase facilitated the elimination of P. aeruginosa in acutely- or chronically-infected mice with cystic fibrosis.

Beef quality assessed at European research centres.

Loin steaks and cubes of M. semimembranosus from eight (12 month old) Galloway steers and eight (16-18 month old) Charolais cross steers raised in England and from which the meat was conditioned for 2 or 10 days, were assessed in research centres in Belgium, Denmark, England, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands. Laboratory panels assessed meat by grilling the steaks and cooking the cubes in casseroles according to local custom using scales developed locally and by scales used frequently at other research centres.

Comparison of chemical composition of meat determined at eight laboratories.

Sixteen minced samples of lean beef M. semimembranosus and M. gracilis were analysed for nitrogen, fat, moisture, collagen, ash and pH using recommended procedures in eight European Communitie' (EC) meat research laboratories.

Eating quality of European beef assessed at five research institutes.

Loin steaks from 10 animals (five of each of two types) from each of eight European countries were assessed for eating quality at five institutes in Denmark, Ireland, England, France and the Federal Republic of Germany. All panels found wide variation in eating quality and many of the steaks were unacceptably tough. Although attempts to relate quality to production factors were often confounded, differences in post-slaughter handling, particularly between producing countries, dominated eating quality.