Quality of Spaghetti Made from Full and Partial Waxy Durum Wheat

The waxy character is achieved in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) when the granule‐bound starch synthase activity is eliminated. The result is a crop that produces kernels with no amylose in the starch. The presence of two Waxy loci in tetraploid wheat permits the production of two partial waxy wheat genotypes. Advanced full and partial waxy durum wheat genotypes were used to study the effect of waxy null alleles on pasta quality. Semolina from full and partial waxy durum wheats was processed into spaghetti with a semicommercial‐scale extruder, and pasta quality was evaluated. Cooked waxy pasta was softer and exhibited more cooking loss than pasta made from traditional durum cultivars. These features were attributed to lower setback of waxy starch as measured with the Rapid Visco Analyser. High cooking loss may be due to the lack of amylose‐protein interaction, preventing the formation of a strong protein network and permitting exudates to escape. Waxy pasta cooked faster but was less resistant to overcooking than normal pasta. Partial waxy pasta properties were similar to results obtained from wild‐type pasta. This indicates that the presence of a single pair of functional waxy genes in durum wheat was sufficient to generate durum grain with normal properties for pasta production. Waxy durum wheat is not suitable for pasta production because of its softening effect. However, this property may offer an advantage in other applications.     

The Exploitation of Nematode-Responsive Plant Genes in Novel Nematode Control Methods

The molecular interactions between plants and sedentary nematodes are undergoing intense study, not only for reasons of fundamental research but also for the potential benefits to agriculture. The present technology allows the transformation of an increasing number of crop plants, providing new ways to introduce resistance against plant-parasitic nematodes. The ability of sedentary nematodes to induce specialized feeding sites in plant roots is one of the most fascinating aspects of this host–parasite interaction. Molecular approaches have been initiated to identify and characterize plant genes altered in expression after infection by sedentary nematodes. The results obtained indicate that many genes indeed become up-regulated upon nematode infection. Surprisingly, several so-called constitutive promoters that are normally used to achieve high expression in plant cells are completely ‘silenced’ in the feeding sites within days after nematode infection. Generally, there are two options available for the genetic engineering of nematode resistance: the synthesis of anti-nematode proteins or the localized production of a cytotoxic protein that interferes with the development of feeding cells. Nematode-induced promoters are very useful for the production by plants of sufficiently high levels of anti-nematode proteins at feeding sites. Alternatively, interfering with feeding-cell development is somewhat similar to the hypersensitive response evoked by nematodes in a naturally resistant plant. Here, destruction of specific plant cells can be achieved by the localized expression of a cytotoxin such as barnase, a potent ribonuclease. This approach, however, calls for a highly specific ‘non-leaky’ promoter, which is active only in the feeding cells. Another possibility is to use a two-component system, where the leakiness of the promoter in other tissues is counterbalanced by the constitutive expression of a neutralizing gene.     

Fragment size is associated with post-operative complications following elective arthroscopy of the tibiotarsal joint of horses

The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the occurrence of joint-related complications after elective arthroscopy of the tibiotarsal joint (TTJ) in 329 horses, and the association with specific clinical parameters. Data were collected from medical records of horses undergoing elective tibiotarsal joint arthroscopy for fragment removal. Exact conditional univariate regression was used to determine significant risk factors for joint-related post-operative complications.Of 485 joints, 2 (0.4%) developed surgical site infection, 4 (0.8%) developed septic arthritis, 1 (0.2%) developed synovial fistula. There was a significantly increased odds of having septic arthritis as height and length of the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia (DIRT) lesion increased. The median height and length of the DIRT fragments in affected cases was 13.5 mm and 18.0 mm, respectively. For each unit (1 mm) increase in height, there was a 42% increase in the risk of septic arthritis occurrence (P = 0.0042), and a 15% increase for each unit increase in length (P = 0.035). Horses were significantly less likely to develop septic arthritis when suture smaller than USP 0 was used.Horses with larger osteochondritis dissecans lesions of the DIRT region have an increased risk of developing septic arthritis following fragment removal.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF THE EQUINE FOOT

The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of magnetic resonance imaging to depict abnormalities of the equine foot. MRI was performed on isolated limbs which had lesions of the foot. These images were made in 3 perpendicular planes (sagittal, transverse and frontal) using a T1 weighted sequence and were 5mm thick. Images accurately depicted normal and pathologic structures in the foot and proved to be very precise for documenting degenerative joint disease, navicular disease and laminitis lesions. This preliminary study demonstrates the considerable potential of MRI in the diagnosis of locomotor problems in the horse.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF STRESS FRACTURES IN A HORSE

In humans, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the method of choice for the diagnosis of stress fractures. In this paper, bilateral stress fracture of the lateral condyle of the third metacarpal bone in a French trotter is described. Results of the radiographic, MR imaging, and histologic examinations are presented, with a focus on the MR signal abnormalities found. Based on this patient, the potential use of MR imaging for the diagnosis of stress fractures in horses is discussed.