Effect of Lactic Acid Bacteria on Properties of Gluten-Free Sourdoughs,Batters, and Quality and Ultrastructure of Gluten-Free Bread

The objective of this study was to test whether sourdough could improve quality and delay staling of gluten-free (GF) bread. Three strains of lactic acid bacteria used were Lactobacillus plantarum 2115KW, L. plantarum FST 1.11, and L. sanfranciscensis TMW 1.52, and these were subsequently compared with nonacidified control and chemically acidified sourdoughs, batters, and GF breads. Bread characteristics such as pH, total titratable acidity, and crumb hardness (five-day storage) were evaluated. Extrusion (texture analyzer) measurements showed that the sourdoughs became significantly softer during 24 hr of fermentation (P < 0.001). Both LP 2115KW and LP FST 1.11 strains grew better and produced more acid than LS 1.52. Confocal laser-scanning microscopy also revealed a breakdown in the structure of the sourdoughs over time. Crumb hardness increased significantly for all breads (P < 0.05). After five days of storage, two strains yielded significantly softer bread than the nonacidified control (P < 0.05). This was in distinct contrast to the chemically acidified control that at day 5 was significantly firmer than all other breads (P < 0.05). It was concluded that sourdough improves the delay in staling of GF bread, although the positive effects were smaller than those found in wheat bread.     

A Survey of Forestland Conservation Easements in the United States: Implications for Forestland Owners and Managers

Internationally, conservation easements are increasingly popular land management tools for private landowners, government agencies and non-governmental organizations seeking to preserve forests and other natural settings. This paper reports a study of the design and use of conservation easements by organizations and public agencies in the USA. More than 355 conservation organizations and 16 state agencies holding at least 3,598 forestland easements were identified. Demonstrated shortfalls in baseline forest inventories, record keeping, and professionally-developed management plans were evident on working forest easements. Failure to address these shortcomings runs the risk of jeopardizing the legitimacy of the easement approach even where favorable legal and tax conditions exist. Management restrictions varied broadly, with a minority of respondents prohibiting such techniques as clearcutting and salvage logging. Concerns for the use of chemicals, best management practices, and streamside management zones were commonly reflected in easement language, whereas logging road design and the cultivation of old-growth conditions remain largely undeveloped. Implications from the US experience, where easements are relatively well-developed, highlights the need for professional forestry advice—particularly for non-industrial or small-scale forest owners—in both easement development and implementation, the need for careful planning, and the need to carefully consider the respective goals of the forest landowners in crafting the easement documents. In the cases of developing nations, consideration of the differing needs of landowners may require increased flexibility in management documents.     

Epicuticular Wax and White Pine Blister Rust Resistance in Resistant and Susceptible Selections of Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

ABSTRACT Epicuticular wax on needles was evaluated for its influence on Cronartium ribicola infection of resistant and susceptible selections of Pinus strobus. Environmental scanning electron microscopy comparisons revealed that needles from a resistant selection of eastern white pine, P327, had a significantly higher percentage of stomata that were occluded with wax, fewer basidiospores germinating at 48 h after inoculation, and fewer germ tubes penetrating stomata than needles from a susceptible selection H111. In addition, needles from seedlings that failed to develop symptoms 6 weeks after inoculation, from a cross between P327 and susceptible parent H109, had a significantly higher percentage of stomata occluded with wax compared with needles from seedlings that developed symptoms. In experiments where epicuticular waxes were removed from needles before seedlings were infected, resistant seedlings without wax developed approximately the same number of infection spots (as measured by spot index) as susceptible seedlings with wax intact. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry comparisons of extracted epicuticular waxes revealed several peaks that were specific to P327 and not found in susceptible H111 suggesting biochemical differences in wax composition. These results implicate the role of epicuticular waxes as a resistance mechanism in P. strobus selection P327 and suggest a role for waxes in reducing spore germination and subsequent infection through stomatal openings.     

Immunohistochemical study of matrix metalloproteinases‐2 and ‐9, macrophage inflammatory protein‐2 and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases‐1 and ‐2 in normal,purulonecrotic and fungal infected equine corneas

Objective Determine the effects of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)‐2, ‐9, macrophage inflammatory protein‐2 (MIP‐2), tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)‐1 and ‐2 by immunohistochemical expression in fungal affected and purulonecrotic corneas. Procedure Paraffin‐embedded equine corneal samples; normal (n = 9), fungal affected (FA; n = 26), and purulonecrotic without fungi (PN; n = 41) were evaluated immunohistochemically for MMP‐2, ‐9, MIP‐2, TIMP‐1 and ‐2. The number of immunoreactive inflammatory cells was counted and statistics analyzed. Western blot was performed to detect MMP‐2, MMP‐9, TIMP‐1 and TIMP‐2 proteins. Results Matrix metalloproteinases‐2, ‐9, MIP‐2, TIMP‐1 and ‐2 immunoreactivity was identified in corneal epithelium of normal corneas, and in corneal epithelium, inflammatory cells, keratocytes, and vascular endothelial cells of both FA and PN samples. Inflammatory cell immunoreactivity was significantly higher in FA and PN samples than in the normal corneas. There was positive correlation between MMP‐2 and MIP‐2, MMP‐9 and MIP‐2, and MMP‐9 and TIMP‐1 in inflammatory cell immunoreactivity in FA samples. There was positive correlation between MMP‐9 and MIP‐2, MMP‐9 and TIMP‐2, MIP‐2 and TIMP‐1, and MIP‐2 and TIMP‐2 in inflammatory cell immunoreactivity in PN samples. Western blot confirmed the presence of all four proteins in equine corneal samples. Conclusion Increased immunoreactivity of MMP‐2 and ‐9 in FA and PN samples is indirectly related to MIP‐2 through its role in neutrophil chemo‐attraction. Tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase‐1 and TIMP‐2 are up‐regulated in equine purulonecrotic and fungal keratitis secondary to MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 expression. The correlation between MMPs ‐2 and ‐9, MIP‐2, TIMPs ‐1 and ‐2 suggests that these proteins play a specific role in the pathogenesis of equine fungal keratitis.     

Population dynamics of Thaumastocoris peregrinus in Eucalyptus plantations of South Africa

Journal of Pest Science - Thaumastocoris peregrinus is a sap-sucking insect that infests non-native Eucalyptus plantations in Africa, New Zealand, South America and parts of Southern Europe, in...     

A Genome-Wide Association Study for Morphometric Traits in Quarter Horse

A genome-wide association study for morphometric traits was conducted in 184 Quarter Horses, 120 from a racing population, and 64 from a cutting population, which were genotyped using the Illumina EquineSNP50 chip. Association analysis was performed with 42,058 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (after quality control) using Qxpak5 software. The following traits were measured: weight (W), rump length (RL), and body length (BL). These morphometric traits are important for the best performance in race and cutting events. For weight, three SNPs associated (P < .0001) were found on chromosomes (Equus caballus autosomes [ECA]) 2 and 3. For rump length, eight SNPs associated (P < .0001) were found on ECA 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 21, and 26. On ECA 3 and ECA 8, two SNPs were associated (P < .0001) with body length. So, a total of 13 important chromosomal regions were identified with Q values of 0.53 (SNPs for W), 0.40 (SNPs for RL), and 0.99 (SNPs for BL). Positional and functional candidate genes emerging from this study were WWOX and AAVPR1A. Further studies are required to confirm these associations in other populations.     

Regional and Temporal Variations of Leptospira Seropositivity in Dogs in the United States, 2000–2010

Background

Previous studies have reported a seasonal increased risk for leptospirosis, but there is no consistent seasonality reported across regions in the United States.

Objectives

To evaluate and compare seasonal patterns in seropositivity for leptospirosis in dogs for 4 US regions (northeast [NE], midwest [MW], south‐central [SC], and California‐southern west coast [CS]).

Animals

Forty four thousand nine hundred and sixteen canine serum samples submitted to a commercial laboratory for microscopic agglutination tests (MAT) from 2000 through 2010.

Methods

In this retrospective study, positive cases were defined as MAT titers ≥1 : 3,200 for at least one of 7 tested serovars. Four geographic regions were defined, and MAT results were included in regional analyses based on hospital zipcode. A seasonal‐trend decomposition method for times series was utilized for the analysis. Monthly variation in the seropositive rate was evaluated using a seasonal cycle subseries plot and logistic regression.

Results

Two thousand and twelve of 44,916 (4.48%) samples were seropositive. Compared to seropositive rates for February, significantly higher monthly rates occurred during the 2nd half of the year in the MW (OR 3.92–6.35) and NE (OR 2.03–4.80) regions, and only in January (OR 2.34) and December (OR 1.74) in the SC region. Monthly seropositive rates indicative of seasonality were observed earlier in the calendar year for both CS and SC regions.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Seasonal patterns for seropositivity to leptospires differed by geographic region. Although risk of infection in dogs can occur year round, knowledge of seasonal trends can assist veterinarians in formulating differential diagnoses and evaluation of exposure risk.     

Radiological impact of airborne effluents of coal and nuclear plants

Radiation doses from airborne effluents of model coal-fired and nuclear power plants (1000 megawatts electric) are compared. Assuming a 1 percent ash release to the atmosphere (Environmental Protection Agency regulation) and 1 part per million of uranium and 2 parts per million of thorium in the coal (approximately the U.S. average), population doses from the coal plant are typically higher than those from pressurized-water or boiling-water reactors that meet government regulations. Higher radionuclide contents and ash releases are common and would result in increased doses from the coal plant. The study does not assess the impact of non-radiological pollutants or the total radiological impacts of a coal versus a nuclear economy.