Partial Purification of a Water-Extractable Rye (Secale cereale) Protein Capable of Improving the Quality of Wheat Bread

Rye water-soluble extracts contain a protein fraction that, when added at low concentrations to a straight-dough breadmaking recipe, significantly increased bread volume. Enrichment of the active component is possible by anion-exchange fractionation with diethylaminoethyl-cellulose (DEAE), by ammonium sulfate precipitation, or by using rye bran or shorts milling fractions as the starting material. The active material was not bound to DEAE-cellulose. With ammonium sulfate precipitation, the fractions obtained at 30, 40, and 50% saturation were active in straightdough baking experiments. Iso-electric focusing revealed that fractions active in breadmaking invariably contained alkaline protein fractions (pI > 7.5). Inactivation of enzyme material by boiling the water-soluble extract from rye destroyed all breadmaking activity. The activity of the bread improver was additive to that of potassium bromate but not to that of ascorbic acid. It was not counteracted by catalase, showing that it does not work by a mechanism involving the production of hydrogen peroxide. The extract was not able to overcome the detrimental effect on bread quality resulting from mixing dough in a nitrogen atmosphere.     

Disseminated candidiasis secondary to fungal and bacterial peritonitis in a young dog

Objective – To describe a severe case of bacterial sepsis and disseminated candidiasis in a previously healthy dog.
Case Summary – Fungal sepsis was identified in a 2-year-old dog following intestinal dehiscence 4 days after abdominal surgery. Septic peritonitis was identified at admission and evidence of dehiscence at the previous enterotomy site was found during an exploratory laparotomy. Both gram-positive cocci and Candida albicans were cultured from the abdominal cavity. Candida sp. was also subsequently cultured from a central venous catheter. Euthanasia was performed due to failure to respond to therapy. Fungal organisms, morphologically consistent with Candida spp., were found in the lungs and kidney on postmortem histopathologic examination indicating disseminated candidiasis.
New or Unique Information Provided – Candida peritonitis is a well-recognized entity in humans and contributes to morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Abdominal surgery, intestinal perforation, presence of central venous catheters, and administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics are all considered to be suspected risk factors. This report describes the first known case of systemic candidiasis occurring secondary to Candida peritonitis and bacterial sepsis in a critically ill dog.     

Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings in 92 cats with clinical signs of spinal cord disease

Medical records of 92 cats presented with clinical signs of spinal cord disease, which had undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), were reviewed. The cats were grouped into seven categories based upon the diagnosis suggested by results of MRI, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and other diagnostic procedures: neoplastic (n=25), inflammatory or infectious (n=13), traumatic (n=8), vascular (n=6), degenerative (n=5), anomalous (n=3) and those with an unremarkable MRI (n=32). There were two independent predictors of abnormal MRI findings: severity of clinical signs and presence of spinal pain. Abnormal MRI findings and speed of onset of disease were significantly associated with survival. For the 32 cats with unremarkable MRI findings, only nine died due to spinal disease and, therefore, the median survival time (MST) was not reached (lower 95% confidence interval (CI)=970 days). For the 60 cats with abnormal MRI findings, 37 died due to their disease and the MST was 138 days (95% CI: 7-807).     

Biosynthesis of 14C-phytoene from tomato cell suspension cultures (Lycopersicon esculentum) for utilization in prostate cancer cell culture studies

This work describes the development and utilization of a plant cell culture production approach to biosynthesize and radiolabel phytoene and phytofluene for prostate cancer cell culture studies. The herbicide norflurazon was added to established cell suspension cultures of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. VFNT cherry), to induce the biosynthesis and accumulation of the lycopene precursors, phytoene and phytofluene, in their natural isomeric forms (15-cis-phytoene and two cis-phytofluene isomers). Norflurazon concentrations, solvent carrier type and concentration, and duration of culture exposure to norflurazon were screened to optimize phytoene and phytofluene synthesis. Maximum yields of both phytoene and phytofluene were achieved after 7 days of treatment with 0.03 mg norflurazon/40 mL fresh medium, provided in 0.07% solvent carrier. Introduction of 14C-sucrose to the tomato cell culture medium enabled the production of 14C-labeled phytoene for subsequent prostate tumor cell uptake studies. In DU 145 prostate tumor cells, it was determined that 15-cis-phytoene and an oxidized product of phytoene were taken up and partially metabolized by the cells. The ability to biosynthesize, radiolabel, and isolate these carotenoids from tomato cell cultures is a novel, valuable methodology for further in vitro and in vivo investigations into the roles of phytoene and phytofluene in cancer chemoprevention.     

Epidermal differential impedance sensor for conformal skin hydration monitoring

We present the design and use of an ultrathin, stretchable sensor system capable of conformal lamination onto the skin, for precision measurement and spatial mapping of levels of hydration. This device, which we refer to as a class of 'epidermal electronics' due to its 'skin-like' construction and mode of intimate integration with the body, contains miniaturized arrays of impedance-measurement electrodes arranged in a differential configuration to compensate for common-mode disturbances. Experimental results obtained with different frequencies and sensor geometries demonstrate excellent precision and accuracy, as benchmarked against conventional, commercial devices. The reversible, non-invasive soft contact of this device with the skin makes its operation appealing for applications ranging from skin care, to athletic monitoring to health/wellness assessment.     

Widespread divergence between incipient Anopheles gambiae species revealed by whole genome sequences

The Afrotropical mosquito Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto, a major vector of malaria, is currently undergoing speciation into the M and S molecular forms. These forms have diverged in larval ecology and reproductive behavior through unknown genetic mechanisms, despite considerable levels of hybridization. Previous genome-wide scans using gene-based microarrays uncovered divergence between M and S that was largely confined to gene-poor pericentromeric regions, prompting a speciation-with-ongoing-gene-flow model that implicated only about 3% of the genome near centromeres in the speciation process. Here, based on the complete M and S genome sequences, we report widespread and heterogeneous genomic divergence inconsistent with appreciable levels of interform gene flow, suggesting a more advanced speciation process and greater challenges to identify genes critical to initiating that process.     

Effects of elevated atmospheric CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> on two southern forest diseases

Research into the effects of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) on plant diseases remains limited despite the economic importance of this subject. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) seedlings were exposed to ambient and twice ambient levels of atmospheric CO₂ prior to inoculation with the fusiform rust fungus (the obligate pathogen Cronartium quercuum f.sp. fusiforme, CQF) or the pitch canker fungus (the facultative pathogen Fusarium circinatum, FC). Additionally, northern red oak seedlings (Quercus rubra; an alternate host of CQF) were exposed to ambient or elevated levels of atmospheric CO₂ prior to inoculation with CQF. In all cases, disease incidence (percent of plants infected) and disease severity (proportion of each plant affected) were determined; with the oak seedlings, the latent period (time to sporulation) was also monitored. In general, disease incidence was decreased by exposure to elevated CO₂. This exposure also increased the latent period for CQF on oak seedlings. In no instance did exposure to elevated CO₂ affect disease severity. This research demonstrated that plants may benefit from exposure to the increasing concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere through decreases in fungal disease incidence.