Infrared ocular thermography in dogs with and without keratoconjunctivitis sicca

Infrared thermography was used to measure temperature differences of the corneal surface between nasal and temporal limbus regions and central cornea of normal dogs and dogs with keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), in order to establish temperature values in normal canine eyes and in patients with decreased Schirmer tear tests (STT) values. Dogs investigated were all either patients seen at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Federal University of Paraná or normal dogs that belonged to the same institution. STT were performed in all eyes. A total of 40 control eyes (STT ≥15 mm/min) and 20 eyes with low STT values (STT ≤14 mm/min) were examined. The mean STT value for eyes with normal STT values was 22.9 ± 3.9 mm/min (mean ± standard deviation), and the mean STT value for eyes with low STT value was 7.2 ± 4.8 mm/min. The mean corneal temperature was significantly lower in eyes with low STT values than in control eyes (P < 0.0001). The following significant correlations were found: (i) Schirmer and breakup time (BUT) (P = 0.0001, r = 0.5); (ii) STT values and corneal surface temperature (P = 0.001, r = 0.256); (iii) STT values and age (P = 0.0001, r = ?0.448); (iv) age and corneal surface temperature (P = 0.0001, r = ?0.281); and (v) BUT and corneal surface temperature (P = 0.0001, r = 0.36). Thermography is a method that can differentiate between eyes with normal and abnormal STT values. In the future, thermography might be incorporated as part of the ophthalmic examination and perhaps become a popular ancillary test for the diagnoses of ocular surface disorders.     

Temporal changes of irrigation system performance: development and test for a ratio of similar priority approach

Performance evaluation of irrigation systems is a key issue in the field of irrigation system management. This paper presents a Ratio of Similar Priority (RSP) method for irrigation systems performance evaluation. The time series data from the Shi-jin Irrigation District in northern China is used to test the method. The results show that this RSP method can be used to identify the main temporal changes of irrigation system performance. It offers clear and quantified results in terms of irrigation system performance evaluation.     

Incidence,Growth, and Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in Cooked and Peeled Cold-Water Shrimp

ABSTRACT

Cooked and peeled cold-water shrimp (Pandalus jordani) naturally contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes were obtained from a processor for a series of studies to determine the level of contamination and growth characteristics of this bacterium in the naturally contaminated product. L. monocytogenes was isolated from every 25-g sample of individually quick frozen (IQF) shrimp that was tested. The level of contamination in each composite sample ranged from 5 to 16 colony forming units (CFU) per 25 g. When individual shrimp taken from the 25-g sample portions were tested separately, samples positive for L. monocytogenes ranged from 1 of 12 to 5 of 15 shrimp tested. The project also evaluated the effectiveness of three methods to inactivate the bacterium: ozone, chlorine dioxide, and steam as possible product reconditioning strategies. Ozone and chlorine dioxide were both found to be ineffective reconditioning treatments for shrimp naturally contaminated with L. monocytogenes. Experiments with steam conducted at the laboratory and later at the shrimp processing plant verified that shrimp contaminated with L. monocytogenes could be safely reconditioned by steam pasteurization. Steam was used successfully to pasteurize several thousand pounds of contaminated shrimp in the processing plant. When the naturally contaminated product was packaged in either oxygen-permeable or impermeable films and stored at 5°C and 10°C, the product was deemed spoiled by sensory evaluation after 9 days of storage, at which time the L. monocytogenes population were 3 × 10⁴ CFU per g. By comparison, when an isolate (strain 4311) from naturally contaminated shrimp was inoculated onto the pasteurized shrimp at a concentration of 12 cells /25g, the L. monocytogenes population reached 3.0 × 10⁸ per g after 9 days of storage. The pasteurization process used in this study would not be effective in inactivation of Clostridium botulinum. Ready-to-eat-shrimp must therefore be stored below 3°C or frozen.     

Validation of a whole-body cortisol extraction procedure for channel catfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ictalurus punctatus</Emphasis>) fry

We validated a whole-body cortisol extraction technique for channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, fry. Three volume enhancement methods were tested: CAL method (zero calibrator A diluent added to lipid extract), PBS method (phosphate buffered saline added to lipid extract), and VO method (food grade vegetable oil added to lipid extract). The volume enhancement extracts were evaluated using a commercial radioimmunoassay kit. Sensitivity, accuracy, precision, reproducibility, and parallelism could not be determined for the PBS method as cortisol levels were not detected in any of the extracted samples. Intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) for the CAL and VO methods were 7.3 and 8.3%, respectively, while inter-assay CV were 9.6 and 10.6%, respectively. Based on the sensitivity, accuracy, precision, reproducibility, and parallelism results, we conclude that the CAL method is the most appropriate method for volume enhancement of catfish fry lipid extract. Using the CAL method to detect cortisol in catfish fry, fish were stressed daily for 2 weeks. Fry weights were similar throughout the study while whole-body cortisol levels were higher (P < 0.01) in stressed fish after 1 day of stress. These data show the CAL method can effectively measure whole-body cortisol in catfish fry.     

Genotypic and Environmental Modification of Asian Noodle Quality of Hard Winter Wheats

The relative effects of environment, genotype, and their interactions on the modification of Asian noodle quality attributes were assessed using 38 winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars and breeding lines grown in replicated trials at three Nebraska locations in harvest year 2000. Noodle color was determined in both white salted and yellow alkaline procedures, and noodle textural features were investigated by producing white salted noodles. Significant environmental, genotypic, and genotype‐by‐environment variation was observed for nearly all initial and 24‐hr noodle color traits in both types of noodles. Significant genotypic effects were observed for several textural traits, while significant environmental effects were observed only for noodle hardness and water uptake. However, among the noodle textural traits, the genotype‐by‐environment interaction was significant only for noodle firmness. High and significant phenotypic correlations were observed between color traits in the two noodle applications. Genetic correlations were of lower magnitude, indicating the possibility of breeding wheats specifically for various noodle color types. Strong negative phenotypic and genetic correlations were observed between flour protein content and noodle brightness (L*) values in both yellow alkaline and white‐salted applications. Textural traits largely were independent of noodle color traits. When significant phenotypic or genetic correlations were observed between variable pairs, invariably similar correlations were observed with flour protein content. Noodle cutting force, cutting area, and final thickness showed strong phenotypic and genetic correlations with each other and with protein content. These variables largely were independent of noodle firmness and hardness, which were, in turn, more dependent on alleles at the wheat wx‐A1 and wx‐B1 (waxy) loci. Noodle firmness was greatest in flours from wild‐type wheats; lines with a null allele only at the wx‐A1 locus did not differ from wild‐type. Softest noodles were produced from lines carrying null alleles at both wx‐A1 and wx‐B1, while lines with a null only at wx‐B1 were intermediate in softness.