Modeling First Break Milling of Debranned Wheat Using the Double Normalized Kumaraswamy Breakage Function

Debranning of wheat affects flour quality, initially by altering the breakage of wheat kernels during first break. The double normalized Kumaraswamy breakage function was applied to model the effect of debranning on wheat breakage during first break milling, in which type 1 breakage describes a relatively narrow distribution of midsized particles, whereas type 2 breakage describes a wide size range of predominantly small particles extending to very large particles. Mallacca (hard) and Consort (soft) wheats were debranned and milled at three roll gaps under sharp‐to‐sharp and dull‐to‐dull dispositions. Type 1 breakage increased at longer debranning times, whereas type 2 breakage decreased, for both wheat varieties under both dispositions. Sharp‐to‐sharp milling tended to produce more type 1 breakage than dull‐to‐dull. A mechanism of wheat breakage is proposed to explain the coproduction of very large and small particles via type 2 breakage and, hence, the effect of debranning. The proposed mechanism is that small particles of endosperm arise from scraping of large flat particles of wheat bran under the differential action of the rolls, such that removal of the bran reduces the production of the large bran particles and thus reduces the opportunity for the scraping mechanism that produces the very small particles.     

A retrospective study of 11 cases of lungworm (Didelphostrongylus hayesi) infection in opossums (Didelphis virginiana).

A juvenile, female North American opossum (Didelphis virginiana) died of verminous pneumonia caused by Didelphostrongylus haysei despite aggressive treatment with oral fenbendazole, corticosteroids, and antibiotics. This prompted a retrospective study of lungworm infection in opossums, during which 19 additional necropsy reports from opossums were reviewed. Including the subject of this report, a total of 11 (55%) of these cases included a diagnosis of lungworm infection. This diagnosis was considered to have contributed to death in eight out of the 11 cases (73%). Histologically, 10 of the 11 (91%) opossums had granulomatous bronchopneumonia with small to moderate numbers of adult nematodes in the airways and parenchyma. Four of the 11 (36%) opossums had free larvae within the parenchyma or terminal airways. Inflammation was usually associated with larvae, degenerating parasites, and nonintact adult nematodes. Superimposed bacterial pneumonia was evident in three animals, and sections of lung examined from all the opossums were characterized by moderate to severe smooth-muscle hyperplasia in airways, including terminal respiratory bronchioles and alveolar ducts. Nine animals had prominent medial smooth-muscle hyperplasia in small- and medium-sized arterioles. Lesions in other organs, particularly in liver, heart, and gastrointestinal tract, were frequently identified. Three animals had concomitant septicemia or bacterial bronchopneumonia (or both), which contributed to the cause of death. Seven animals had gastric nematodosis (Physaloptera sp.), although three of them had been treated with a 14-day course of fenbendazole.     

Subacute atropine toxicity in a pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps.

Atropine, an anticholinergic agent commonly used in human and veterinary medicine, is reported to cause toxicity associated with its antimuscarinic action. A juvenile pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps, was treated with atropine in an attempt to relieve symptoms similar to pyloric stenosis, as has been used in humans. Two doses of 0.01 mg/kg were given i.m., 12 hr apart, followed by three doses of 0.005 mg/kg i.m. s.i.d. over the next 3 days. Symptoms associated with atropine toxicity developed gradually and included hyperexcitability, a generalized ascending paralysis of body musculature, shallow, rapid respiration, vomiting, aspiration of seawater, and pulmonary edema. Treatment with physostigmine salicylate (two doses of 2 mg i.m., I hr apart) was effective in counteracting the paralysis, as well as other symptoms, beginning in as little as 17 min after the first dose, and the whale was back to swimming on its own after 8 hr. All overt symptoms of atropine toxicity were gone in about 24 hr, but there were other possible sequella that lasted much longer.     

Biology and pathology of interactions between fungi and invertebrates.

Having started this review with Di Bassi's work on a fungus destroying the French silkworm industry 160 years ago, the article finishes with a fungus being rendered more pathogenic through genetic engineering to kill an invertebrate. Yet, even while using a fungus as a biological weapon, one needs to be careful not to gun down innocent civilian targets alongside the enemy! It may be argued that this article will have little or no immediate clinical significance for the veterinarian involved in exotic species. And yet it is hoped that it will have provided an interesting and informative (not to say exotic!) introduction to the important area of mycotic disease in exotic species.     

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies in juvenile great grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus giganteus.

Serial IgG antibody titers to Toxoplasma gondii from three juvenile great grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus giganteus) with clinical signs consistent with toxoplasmosis were compared with titers from three clinically normal juveniles of similar age. The modified agglutination test was used to measure antibodies to T. gondii. Results demonstrated declining antibody titers to T. gondii in five of six animals. Antibody titers were similar in animals with and without clinical signs. This was interpreted as an indication that maternal IgG antibodies to T. gondii were transferred to juveniles, presumably in milk, rather than an indication of clinical disease. Therefore, clinicians should interpret Toxoplasma serology results in juvenile macropods cautiously.     

Enhanced bioremediation of soil containing 2,4-dinitrotoluene by a genetically modified Sinorhizobium meliloti

The symbiotic nitrogen-fixing soil bacterium, Sinorhizobium meliloti, is well known for its ability to interact with the leguminous plant Medicago sativa L. It has, however, not been reported that this species possesses the capability to degrade toxic nitroaromatic compounds, such as 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) which is commonly associated with the degradation of the explosive trinitrotoluene (TNT). In this study, the pJS1 DNT-biodegradative plasmid was genetically transferred to S. meliloti strain USDA 1936, which was confirmed by plasmid profile analysis. Several standard analytical and chemical tests including high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nitrite (NO₂) release assays, rhizosphere population and plant greenhouse studies were conducted to test the ability of S. meliloti to degrade 2,4-DNT. The possible presence of 2,4-DNT remaining in the treated soil was tested, and no 2,4-DNT had been absorbed by the soil. The pJS1-carrying recombinant strain DHK1 produced ‘ARC’ alfalfa plants that were almost 2-fold higher in shoot dry weight than that produced by the parent strain on soil containing 0.14 mM 2,4-DNT. The transconjugant strain DHK1 reduced significantly one-third more 2,4-DNT in both 0.14 and 0.28 mM contaminated soil, and in 0.55 mM contaminated soil it degraded 94% of the 2,4-DNT present. In liquid cultures, however, only about 4% reduction in 2,4-DNT concentrations was obtained in 10 days. We interpret the results as clearly establishing that genetic modification was successfully used, for the first time, to improve the capability of the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing soil bacterium S. meliloti DHK1 to bioremediate in situ 2,4-DNT-contaminated soil in the presence of alfalfa plants.     

BILATERAL OVARIAN ADENOCARCINOMA IN A DOG: ULTRASONOGRAPHIC-AIDED DIAGNOSIS

Abdominal ultrasonography was instrumental in the diagnosis of bilateral ovarian adenocarcinoma in a twelve year old female Irish Setter. Severe ascites limited the diagnostic quality of abdominal radiography, but enhanced ultrasonographic images. Ultrasonographically, the ovarian tumors were large, contained multiple anechoic cystic structures, and had irregular margins. The ultrasonographic appearance of ovarian adenocarcinoma has not been previously reported.     

Current status of biological control of soil-borne diseases

Abstract. Biological control by manipulating agricultural practices has been used for thousands of years. In the more restricted sense, of adding antagonistic micro-organisms, biological control is still a very small part of the chemical pesticide market, but reliable products are becoming available. Achieving consistent results in realistic agricultural conditions is a problem, but there is a good possibility of controlling root diseases, especially where the soil characteristics or the environmental conditions can be controlled. The use of biological control in integrated control is successful, and in the long-term genetic engineering techniques will be important in the development of biological control. Environmental safety and effective patent protection are still being developed, but there seem to be no insuperable problems.     

THE SCINTIGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF SOLID PHASE GASTRIC EMPTYING IN NORMAL CATS

The gastric emptying half-time of solid food in normal cats was determined using a scintigraphic technique. ^99mTc-sulfur colloid was applied to dry food. Sequential images were acquired post prandial, and the gastric emptying half-time was determined for several different acquisition and processing parameters. Good correlation was found between different acquisition and processing methods, some of which made use of edge detection applications, while others used different views, or number of views from which the gastric emptying half-time was calculated. The mean ± standard deviation, (range) and median of the gastric emptying half-time determined using the geometric mean of total counts in hand-drawn regions of interest from the lateral and ventral images were 2.47 × 0.71, (1.42–3.61) and 2.37 hours respectably.