High-resolution computed tomography of the mammalian lung.

High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was performed in 21 isolated animal lungs, from 4 mammalian species (pigs, rabbits, dogs, sheep). Gross and subgross central and peripheral lung morphology was determined by HRCT. Three distinct types of lungs can be identified, principally based on the extent of interlobular septal development; the relationship of major vessels to airways; and the thickness of the visceral pleura. Type-I lung is found in pigs, sheep, and cattle; type-II lung is found in rabbits, dogs, cats, and monkeys; and type-III lung is found in human beings and horses. These mammalian lungs were compared with human lungs. The potential use of HRCT to investigate specific human lung diseases in the aforementioned species also was considered.     

Ergovaline does not alter the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B

AIM: To investigate a possible interaction between lolitrem B and ergovaline by comparing the incidence and severity of ryegrass staggers in sheep grazing ryegrass (Lolium perenne) containing lolitrem B or ryegrass containing both lolitrem B and ergovaline.

METHODS: Ninety lambs, aged approximately 6 months, were grazed on plots of perennial ryegrass infected with either AR98 endophyte (containing lolitrem B), standard endophyte (containing lolitrem B and ergovaline) or no endophyte, for up to 42 days from 2 February 2010. Ten lambs were grazed on three replicate plots per cultivar. Herbage samples were collected for alkaloid analysis and lambs were scored for ryegrass staggers (scores from 0–5) weekly during the study. Any animal which was scored ≥4 was removed from the study.

RESULTS: Concentrations of lolitrem B did not differ between AR98 and standard endophyte-infected pastures during the study period (p=0.26), and ergovaline was present only in standard endophyte pastures. Ryegrass staggers was observed in sheep grazing both the AR98 and standard endophyte plots, with median scores increasing in the third week of the study. Prior to the end of the 42-day grazing period, 22 and 17 animals were removed from the standard endophyte and AR98 plots, respectively, because their staggers scores were ≥4. The cumulative probability of lambs having scores ≥4 did not differ between animals grazing the two pasture types (p=0.41).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There was no evidence for ergovaline increasing the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B. In situations where the severity of ryegrass staggers appears to be greater than that predicted on the basis of concentrations of lolitrem B, the presence of other tremorgenic alkaloids should be investigated.     

Highly recurrent BRAF p.V595E mutation in canine papillary oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral epithelial malignancy in dogs. It exhibits locally aggressive biological behaviour with the potential to metastasize, and a reported 1-year survival rate of 0% when left untreated. Expression studies suggest that aberrant MAPK signalling plays a key role in canine OSCC tumorigenesis, which is consistent with BRAF and HRAS MAPK-activating mutations reported in some tumours. Several morphological subtypes of canine OSCC have been described, with papillary, conventional, and basaloid as the most common patterns. We hypothesized that mutational differences may underlie these phenotypic variations. In this study, targeted Sanger sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism assays demonstrate that up to 85.7% of canine papillary OSCC (n = 14) harbour a BRAF p.V595E mutation. Assessment of neoplastic epithelial cell proliferation using Ki67 immunolabelling (n = 10) confirmed a relatively high proliferation activity, consistent with their known aggressive clinical behaviour. These findings underscore a consistent genetic feature of canine papillary OSCC and provide a basis for the development of novel diagnostic and targeted therapeutic approaches that can improve the quality of veterinary care.     

A possible influence of pedicel dimensions on fruit size and yield in strawberry

During the investigation of factors affecting fruit size in strawberry, the physical characteristics of the fruiting structure were examined as a possible cause of size limitation in fruit. The greatest total weight of fruit which can be sustained at any one time on an inflorescence appeared to be related to the dimensions of the main peduncle. At this limit the fruit yield may be no more than half the potential fruit yield of the inflorescence, indicating that unless ripe berries are removed development of immature berries may be restricted or stopped.This implies that under conventional management high yields will require frequent picking to achieve full potential. Once-over cropping, as in mechanical harvesting, may entail accepting yields one half or less of those now being obtained by conventional hand picking.It is suggested that if evaporative losses from ripe berries can be reduced, as by cloching, tunnelling, windbreaks, or plant breeding for less permeable cell walls, increased yields might be expected.     

Precooked chicken: Effect of cooking methods and batter formula on yields and of storage conditions on 2‐thio‐barbituric acid values

An experiment was conducted to provide information on the development of rancidity in precooked frozen chicken pieces. Emphasis was placed on measuring the effects of storage time, batter formula, cooking of different pieces, 2‐thio‐barbituric acid (TBA) number, yield, moisture and fat content of the frozen product.

Steam cooking of chicken pieces reduced the yield when compared to microwave cooking. This method of precooking decreased the yield of the thigh more than that of the other parts cooked. The breast retained a higher percentage of batter than did either the thigh or drum. This higher yield for the breast continued after final cooking.

By correcting for moisture content, no differences in development of rancidity was observed between the two cooking methods. The thigh‐drum combination was more rancid than the breast. No difference was noted in the development of rancidity for the precooked chicken stored for 6, 8 or 10 months. Breast meat contained less extractable fat, when based on dry sample weight, than did the thigh‐drum meat. Chicken cooked by steam contained more moisture than did those parts cooked by microwave.