IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—MULTICENTRIC LYMPHOMA OF GRANULAR LYMPHOCYTES IMAGED WITH FDG PET/CT IN A DOG

A 5‐year‐old female spayed bulldog was referred for mild dyspnea, decreased activity and appetite, occasional nonproductive cough, polydipsia, and polyuria. A 2‐deoxy‐2‐[¹⁸F]fluoro‐D‐glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan revealed unexpected activity in the heart, lungs, and mild generalized lymphadenopathy that led to the diagnosis of lymphoma of granular lymphocytes after nonspecific findings on imaging with standard modalities of echocardiography, thoracic radiography, and abdominal ultrasound. PET/CT scanning is a useful whole body imaging modality with high sensitivity for changes associated with canine lymphoma.     

Identifying the Research Information Needs of the Racing and Breeding Industries in New Zealand: Results of an Online Survey

The aim of this study was to identify the research-based educational needs and preferred dissemination methods for the Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing and breeding industries in New Zealand. An online survey was used to collect data from members of the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries who were registered with racing and breeding industry governing bodies. A link to the survey was sent to all members with an e-mail address listed in their contact information. The survey was available online for 1 month (May 1-31, 2012). A total of 602 usable survey responses were included in the analysis. Approximately half the population was from the Thoroughbred sector (53%) of the industry, with most respondents being breeders (45%). Respondents were most interested in research-based information on feeding and nutrition, injuries and lameness, health and exercise, and training. Veterinarians, websites, friends or other horse owners, and printed magazines were used most often for obtaining information on equine research; these sources were also rated as most preferred. Social media and other online sources (videos and forums) were rarely used. The survey identified topics of interest to the members of the racing and breeding industries in New Zealand and highlighted preferred sources that could be used to disseminate information. Survey results also highlighted opportunities to better use and adapt current industry sources of information to ensure that the educational needs are being met for this sector of the equine industry in New Zealand.     

Modification of Standard Enzymatic Protocol to a Cost‐Efficient Format for Mixed‐Linkage (1→3,1→4)‐β‐d‐Glucan Measurement

The current enzymatic assay approach (AACC International Approved Method 32‐23) for the measurement of mixed‐linkage β‐glucan in small grains was modified to a cost‐efficient and high‐throughput format without compromising the accuracy of the results. Ten barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes used in the study represented a wide range of β‐glucan content levels. A reduced reaction volume is used in the new protocol to adapt to a 96‐well plate format. The volume of key components lichenase and β‐glucosidase were reduced to 25% of the volume required in the original protocol and the cost per sample was reduced to 22% of that in the original protocol. Labor cost was also decreased to 25% of the original protocol as a result of format changes. The accuracy of the measurement from the modified protocol was comparable to the current standard enzymatic procedure. β‐Glucan measurement accuracy of the modified and original protocols were also compared using 21 oat (Avena sativa L.) samples. The results indicated that the new protocol consistently produced accurate measurements in both barley and oat.     

Effect of Physical State of Nonpolar Lipids on Rheology and Microstructure of Gluten‐Starch and Wheat Flour Doughs

To clarify the effects of solid fat and liquid oil on dough in more detail in a simpler system, gluten‐starch doughs with different gluten contents were investigated. The results from rheological measurements indicate that dough with a higher starch content has less resistance to strain and dough with a lower starch content has a rubber‐like structure. The effects of the physical state of nonpolar lipids such as fat and oil on gluten‐starch doughs and wheat flour doughs were investigated using rheological measurements and scanning electron microscopy. Fat‐containing dough had more gas cells and a very smooth gluten gel surface with few holes, which may provide higher tolerance to strain. Moreover, the fat seemed to uniformly distribute the gluten gel between the starch granules in the dough, which reduced the friction between starch granules and led to a lower storage modulus. A mechanism governing the effect of fats on loaf volume is proposed based on the phenomena observed in the fat‐containing dough.     

Effect of Physical States of Nonpolar Lipids on Rheology,Ultracentrifugation, and Microstructure of Wheat Flour Dough

In the previous study, we investigated effect of physical state of nonpolar lipids of gluten‐starch model dough. This experiment examined a real wheat flour dough system to assess the role of fat crystals in the breadmaking processes. These experiments were performed with a baking test and an investigation of wheat flour dough through rheological measurements (both large and small deformations), scanning electron microscopy, and ultracentrifugation. As a result, we found that the added oil was absorbed in the gluten structure, causing the aggregation of the gluten, which gave rise to more elastic behavior. In contrast, solid fat seemed to be distributed uniformly between the starch granules in the dough, reducing the friction between the starch granules and facilitating thin gluten gel layers. These properties lead to the lower G′ value and the increased viscous behavior, which yields an increase in loaf volume. In addition, the supposed mechanism behind the large loaf volume described in the previous study was that fat provides a uniform distribution of the dough components, and that the dough can thus expand easily, resulting in a larger loaf volume, which was supported in the wheat flour dough system. In conclusion, we found that thin, expandable gluten films and the uniform dispersion of gluten and starch granules in the dough are prerequisites for attaining better baking performance.