Effect of Temperature and Screw Speed on Stability of Fumonisin B1 in Extrusion-Cooked Corn Grits

Corn grits spiked with fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) at a level of 5 μg/g were extrusion cooked in a corotating twin-screw extruder at different temperatures (140, 160, 180, and 200°C) and screw speeds (40, 80, 120, and 160 rpm). Good recoveries of FB₁ were obtained from the nonextruded as well as the extruded grits by using high-performance liquid chromatography. Both the barrel temperature and the screw speed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected the extent of fumonisin reduction in extruded grits. As expected, the FB₁ recovered decreased with an increase in temperature and a decrease in screw speed. The amount of FB₁ lost from cooking grits at the different extrusion parameters used in this study ranged from 34 to 95%. About 46–76% of the spiked FB₁ was lost when the grits were cooked at temperatures and screw speeds that resulted in acceptable product expansion and color.     

Genomic prediction of grain yield in commercial Finnish oat (Avena sativa) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) breeding programmes

Genomic selection has been adopted in many plant breeding programmes. In this paper, we cover some aspects of information necessary before starting genomic selection. Spring oat and barley breeding data sets from commercial breeding programmes were studied using single, multitrait and trait-assisted models for predicting grain yield. Heritabilities were higher when estimated using multitrait models compared to single-trait models. However, no corresponding increase in prediction accuracy was observed in a cross-validation scenario. On the other hand, forward prediction showed a slight, but not significant, increase in accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values for breeding cohorts when a multitrait model was applied. When a correlated trait was used in a trait-assisted model, on average the accuracies increased by 9%–14% for oat and by 11%–28% for barley compared with a single-trait model. Overall, accuracies in forward validation varied between breeding cohorts and years for grain yield. Forward prediction accuracies for multiple cohorts and multiple years’ data are reported for oat for the first time.     

Immunoglobulin M (IgM) indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the involvement of IgM-rheumatoid factor in the serodiagnosis of BHV-1 infection.

An IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IgM-ELISA) for the detection of antibodies to bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) was developed. Its applicability was examined by serological studies in two calves experimentally infected with virulent BHV-1 over a period of 60 days. IgM antibodies were detected by ELISA on day 6 after infection, and there was an increase in IgG antibodies on day 9. Serum neutralizing (SN) antibodies were detected only on day 13, confirming the higher sensitivity of the ELISAs. A similar study of four calves treated with a commercial inactivated virus vaccine indicated no detectable IgM-ELISA response, and late SN and IgG-ELISA reactivity. Thus IgM-ELISA appears to be of value in assessing recent infection, whereas IgG-ELISA and SN cannot distinguish between infection and vaccination. The possible limitations imposed on the specific IgM-ELISA by the presence of IgM rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF) in bovine serum were examined. IgM-RF levels were determined in bovines of various ages. Elevated values of IgM-RF were found in the sera of older animals; their occurrence may lead to false IgM-positive diagnosis (16%) of BHV-1 infection. This was examined in 113 serum specimens from suspected cases of BHV-1 infection and in 32 bulls at an insemination center. Pretreatment of serum samples with an antibovine IgG serum eliminated false positivity of the IgM-ELISA. It is concluded that IgM-ELISA should be of particular value in the diagnosis of recent infection with BHV-1, mainly in calves.     

Multiple myelomas in cats

Multiple myelomas are uncommon neoplasms of the bone marrow of cats [Weber NA, Tebeau CS (1998) An unusual presentation of multiple myeloma in two cats. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association34 (6), 477-483]. Nine cats diagnosed with multiple myelomas were retrospectively identified over a 16-year period (1986-2002). Cats with multiple myelomas were older than 7 years (mean age 11.7 years); six males and three females were affected (2.1), but no breed predisposition was evident. Treatment of multiple myelomas consisted of supportive management in the nine cats and anti-neoplastic therapy in eight cats. Supportive treatment consisted of maintaining hydration, renal function and antimicrobial therapy even when there was no sign of infection. Anti-neoplastic therapy with melphalan and prednisolone was carried out in eight cats. Three failed to respond to treatment and five responded to treatment, but the response was only partial and temporary in one cat. The five cats that responded were improved clinically and had reduced serum protein levels. Five out of eight cats (63%) responded to chemotherapy, and it appeared to be complete in four cats and partial in one cat. Survival time in those cats was 15, 4, 17 and 24 months.     

Melt‐Intercalated Starch Acetate Nanocomposite Foams as Affected by Type of Organoclay

Starch acetate nanocomposite foams with four organoclays (Cloisite 30B, 10A, 25A, and 20A) were prepared by melt‐intercalation methods. The structural properties, thermal behaviors, and mechanical properties were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry analyses (TGA), and Instron universal testing machine. XRD results indicated that the intercalation of starch acetate into the nanoclay layers occurred for all four clays. The extent of intercalation depended on the type of organoclay and was exhibited in the sequence of Cloisite 30B >10A >25A >20A. SEM results indicated a decrease in cell size in the starch acetate foam matrix with the addition of nanoclay. Glass transition temperature (T_g) and onset temperatures of thermal degradation increased with the addition of organoclay into the starch acetate matrix. The incorporation of organoclays decreased significantly the compressibilities of starch acetate nanocomposites and did not substantially affect their spring indices.     

Detection of pulsed gamma rays above 100 GeV from the Crab pulsar

We report the detection of pulsed gamma rays from the Crab pulsar at energies above 100 giga-electron volts (GeV) with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) array of atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The detection cannot be explained on the basis of current pulsar models. The photon spectrum of pulsed emission between 100 mega-electron volts and 400 GeV is described by a broken power law that is statistically preferred over a power law with an exponential cutoff. It is unlikely that the observation can be explained by invoking curvature radiation as the origin of the observed gamma rays above 100 GeV. Our findings require that these gamma rays be produced more than 10 stellar radii from the neutron star.