Storage of Wheat Grains at Elevated Temperatures Increases Solubilization of Glutenin Subunits

Grains of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, Sunco and Sunsoft, were stored at 4°C and 30°C for 270 days to examine changes in proteins during storage. When whole meal flour extracted from the grains was analyzed using an unfractionated protein extraction procedure, no significant changes were found in protein content or SDS‐PAGE profile for either cultivar in samples stored at 30°C compared with those stored at 4°C. Fractionation of the flour samples from stored grain into soluble and insoluble proteins revealed increases in soluble protein content for both cultivars stored at 30°C compared with 4°C. The soluble protein content, expressed as a percentage of the total protein, increased by 1.5% (P = 0.032) for Sunco and by 8.0 % (P = 0.158) for Sunsoft during storage at 30°C compared with those samples stored at 4°C. Analysis by SDS‐PAGE and subsequent protein identification revealed that the most evident change that occurred during storage at 30°C was an increase in the content of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) in the soluble fraction. The potential effect of changes in solubility of HMW‐GS on functional properties is discussed.     

Balloon Valvuloplasty for Treatment of Pulmonic Stenosis in English Bulldogs with an Aberrant Coronary Artery

Background: English Bulldogs (EB) with pulmonic stenosis (PS) sometimes have an aberrant coronary artery (CA) type R2A encircling the pulmonary artery (PA). Balloon valvuloplasty (BV) is treatment of choice for severe PS, but is considered to be contraindicated in dogs with aberrant CA. Hypothesis: Conservative BV in EB with aberrant CA is safe and improves clinical signs and quality of life. Animals: Four client‐owned EB with severe PS were retrospectively reviewed/analysed. Methods: Retrospective study: Case records, echocardiography, BV, and follow‐up investigations of EB diagnosed with severe PS and treated with BV were reviewed. The ratios of PA to aortic (Ao) velocity time integral (VTI) were calculated to assess progression/improvement of PS. Results: An aberrant CA was confirmed on angiography in all EB. Conservative BV was performed, using a balloon of the size of the PA annulus or smaller (0.6–1 × PA annulus size). All dogs survived the procedure, but only a mild reduction in pressure gradient was achieved. There was an improvement in PA to Ao VTI in 3 of 4 dogs (P≤ .017), which were free of evidence of congestive heart failure (CHF) 5, 10, and 15 months after BV. One dog that had right‐sided CHF when BV was performed died due to progressive right‐sided CHF within 3 months. Conclusions: Conservative BV in EB might be safe and might improve quality and quantity of life.     

Phase transitions of pea starch over a wide range of water content

The phase transitions of pea starch over a wide range of water content were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Swelling of starch granules increased progressively with increasing water content. The main endotherm G broadened progressively with increasing water content up to 94.5 wt % (water:starch ratio 15:1), above which it became too broad to define. The corresponding peak and conclusion temperatures and enthalpy change increased with increasing water content. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that, at a water:starch ratio of 2:1 (water content of 70.7 wt %), starch granules only swelled partially with discernible granular contours still clearly evident. The results of swelling power tests and SEM images revealed that the endotherm G obtained at a water:starch ratio of 2:1 represented only partial swelling of starch granules. The transition from a narrow to broad endotherm G was interpreted to reflect the thermal transition behavior progressing from limited swelling to maximum swelling and then partial dissolution and leaching of starch polymers from the granules.     

Effects of Growing Environment on Properties of Starch from Five Australian Wheat Varieties

The effects of growing conditions on properties of starch from wheat grain were examined. Growing conditions affected starch and amylose content, granule size distribution, protein associated with starch granules, and starch swelling power in grains from five commercial Australian milling wheat varieties grown at multiple locations in two years in crop production systems. Soil nitrogen and meteorological conditions were major contributors to variability in grain yield and grain protein and starch contents. The volume proportion of B‐granules was positively affected by warmer temperatures before flowering but negatively correlated with high temperatures during grain filling. Genotype was the main source of variability in the proportion of B‐granules and granule dimensions, starch‐granule proteins, and starch swelling power, although there were also significant contributions to variability from the growing conditions. Seasonal effects and interactions between genotype and season and location were significant sources of variability in amylose content, proportion of short chains of amylopectin, and flour swelling power. The positive relationships between starch content and the number of clear days and atmospheric temperatures before flowering indicate that conditions that enhance accumulation of assimilates before anthesis influence the deposition of reserves in developing grain.     

Toxocara vitulorum in a bison (Bison bison) herd from western Canada

The discovery of the parasite Toxocara vitulorum in bison calves in the province of Manitoba, Canada is discussed. This parasite is more commonly found in the small intestines of bovid calves living in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This is the first time that Toxocara vitulorum has been reported from hosts in Canada.     

Antagonism of chlorobenzene-induced hepatotoxicity by lindane

In two complete replicates of a 2 × 2-fractorial-designed experiment involving chlorobenzene and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane), the hepatotoxicity induced by a challenge dose of chlorobenzene was altered by the pretreatments due to selective changes in various metabolis pathways. Pretreatment with either toxicant, alone or in combination, elevated the relative metabolism of 1.12 g chlorobenzene/kg to conjugated and polar metabolites. The relative importance of these pathways was increased most by pretreatment with chlorobenzene + lindane and least with chlorobenzene. The incidence and severity of chlorobenzene-induced hepatocellular necrosis was dependent on how much the pretreatments increased excretion of these metabolites relative to that of p-chlorophenol, since the conjugates and polar metabolites represent an inactivation of the toxic chlorobenzene-3,4-epoxide whereas p-chlorophenol reflects its formation. Thus these changes in the metabolic pathways resulted in either (i) a marginally significant decrease in hepatotoxicity (chlorobenzene pretreatment); (ii) significant reduction in both the incidence and severity of the lesions (lindane pretreatment); or (iii) absence of centrilobular hepatocellular necrosis in all but 1 of 12 rats where a minimal degree of necrosis was present (chlorobenzene + lindane pretreatment). In this study, the effect of pretreatment with xenobiotics on chlorobenzene-induced hepatotoxicity was dependent on how much the pretreatments altered the inactivation of chlorobenzene-3,4-epoxide relative to its formation.