Effect of Mechanical Dough Development on the Extractability of Wheat Storage Proteins from Bread Dough

Six wheat cultivars covering a range of quality parameters were mixed to various proportions of their optimum work input using mechanical dough development (MDD) mixers. Mixing and baking characteristics were determined and each dough was subsampled. The proteins were extracted for analysis by reversed-phase HPLC. Considerable protein mobilization appeared to occur during the MDD process, but the changes appeared to be cultivar-specific and did not indicate how mixing or baking behavior could be predicted. Protein content in extracted fractions was lowest for the weakest, poorest quality wheat but failed to consistently rank the stronger samples. Acetic acid insoluble protein level decreased with mixing as did extractable high molecular weight glutenin subunits. Gliadin protein level initially decreased with mixing before rising sharply with overmixing, while low molecular weight glutenin subunits displayed the reverse pattern. The rate of change of the extractability of the protein fractions with work input was greatest for the weakest samples and least for the stronger samples. However, when the protein quantity in the extractable fractions was plotted against relative work input, the rate of change of protein extractability did not appear to vary significantly between cultivars of different strengths.     

Steady-state plasma concentrations of itraconazole after oral administration in Kemp's ridley sea turtles, Lepidochelys kempi.

Pharmacokinetic studies of antifungal agents in reptiles are uncommon. Itraconazole, which has been used prophylactically in juvenile sea turtles suffering from hypothermia (cold stunning) on a regular basis, was evaluated for steady-state plasma concentrations. Five Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempi) receiving itraconazole at several dosages in a rehabilitation program had blood collected within 24 hr to estimate dosing frequency. Subsequently, serial blood samples of Kemp's ridley sea turtles that were given itraconazole at several dosages for 30 days to treat cold stunning were collected at various intervals to evaluate itraconazole plasma concentrations. Tissue samples were collected from one Kemp's ridley that died during rehabilitation. Plasma concentrations of itraconazole (and of hydroxyitraconazole [OH-ITRA], one of its major bioactive metabolites) were determined using a modified, validated reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography technique. Itraconazole concentrations in tissues were determined by bioassay to be far greater than the plasma concentrations measured in any of the turtles. At a 15-mg/kg dosage, the half-life (t1/2) was 75 hr for itraconazole and 55 hr for OH-ITRA. All dosages produced adequate concentrations in some turtles, but consistent therapeutic concentrations were produced only at 15 mg/kg q72hr and 5 mg/kg s.i.d., with the latter producing the highest plasma concentrations.     

The effects of dietary fat sources,levels, and feeding intervals on pork fatty acid composition

Two experiments investigated the quantitative relationship between dietary fat and fatty acid composition of pork. Experiment 1 was designed to establish the rate of decline for linoleic acid and iodine value of pork fat during the late fattening phase following a dietary reduction. Gilts (n = 288) were fed diets varying in linoleic acid content from 4.11 to 1.56% for 4, 6, or 8 wk prior to slaughter. The maximum rate of decline was 2% 18:2 per week and 2.5 iodine value units per week. Experiment 2 evaluated the effects of dietary fat source and level on carcass fatty acid composition and on pork quality characteristics. Barrows (n = 147) and gilts (n = 147) were allocated to seven dietary treatments for the last 6 wk of the finishing phase. Diets contained 0, 2.5, or 5% dietary fat comprised of 100, 50, or 0% beef tallow. The balance was provided by animal-vegetable blended fat. As the level of tallow increased there was a linear decrease (P < 0.05) in 18:2 content and iodine value of carcass fat. Conversely, 16:1 and 18:1 increased linearly (P < 0.05) as tallow increased. However, 16:1 decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as level of fat increased. As the level of tallow was increased a greater reduction in 18:2 and iodine value was observed in diets with 5% dietary fat compared to diets with 2.5% fat (P < 0.05). These results indicate that reduction of dietary PUFA content had the desired effect of lowering 18:2 content and iodine value of pork fat and that significant alterations could be elicited in as little as 6 to 8 wk of feeding.     

A pulmonary granular cell tumour with associated hypertrophic osteopathy in a horse

Extract

A 15-year-old pony mare developed firm irregular bony swellings on all four legs. These were most severe around the carpal and fetlock joints of the forelegs, restricting both flexion and extension. Over about 6 months the horse had periodic bouts of coughing. She showed moderate weight loss and a depressed demeanour.     

The Amniotic Membrane: Development and Potential Applications – A Review

Foetal membranes are essential tissues for embryonic development, playing important roles related to protection, breathing, nutrition and excretion. The amnion is the innermost extraembryonic membrane, which surrounds the foetus, forming an amniotic sac that contains the amniotic fluid (AF). In recent years, the amniotic membrane has emerged as a potential tool for clinical applications and has been primarily used in medicine in order to stimulate the healing of skin and corneal diseases. It has also been used in vaginal reconstructive surgery, repair of abdominal hernia, prevention of surgical adhesions and pericardium closure. More recently, it has been used in regenerative medicine because the amniotic‐derived stem cells as well as AF‐derived cells exhibit cellular plasticity, angiogenic, cytoprotective, immunosuppressive properties, antitumoural potential and the ability to generate induced pluripotent stem cells. These features make them a promising source of stem cells for cell therapy and tissue engineering. In this review, we discussed the development of the amnion, AF and amniotic cavity in different species, as well as the applicability of stem cells from the amnion and AF in cellular therapy.     

Canine parvovirus type 2c identified from an outbreak of severe gastroenteritis in a litter in Sweden

A litter of recently-vaccinated puppies in Sweden experienced signs of severe haemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Canine parvovirus (CPV) was suspected as the cause of this outbreak on the basis of the clinical signs and the presence of parvoviral antigen in the faeces from one of the affected pups - confirmed using a commercial in-clinic faecal antigen ELISA test kit. A concern was raised about whether the vaccine (which contained a live, attenuated strain of CPV) could have caused the disease and so further faecal samples from the affected pups were submitted for laboratory virus isolation and identification.On cell culture, two out of four faecal samples were found to be virus-positive. This was confirmed as being canine parvovirus by immuno-staining with CPV specific monoclonal antibody. The virus was then tested using a series of PCR probes designed to confirm the identity of CPV and to distinguish the unique vaccine strain from field virus. This confirmed that the virus was indeed CPV but that it was not vaccine strain. The virus was then typed by sequencing the 426 amino acid region of the capsid gene which revealed this to be a type 2c virus.Since its emergence in the late 1970s, canine parvovirus 2 (CPV2) has spread worldwide and is recognised as an important canine pathogen in all countries. The original CPV2 rapidly evolved into two antigenic variants, CPV2a and CPV2b, which progressively replaced the original CPV2. More recently a new antigenic variant, CPV2c, has appeared. To date this variant has been identified in many countries worldwide but there have been no reports yet of its presence in any Scandinavian countries. This case report therefore represents the first published evidence of the involvement of CPV2c in a severe outbreak of typical haemorrhagic gastroenteritis in a susceptible litter of pups in Scandinavia.     

Causes of perinatal mortality in farmed fallow deer (Dama dama)

The causes of perinatal mortality in farmed fallow deer in the Camden region of New South Wales were determined between 1982 and 1987. The results of 144 necropsies on fawns showed that ante-parturient and parturient deaths occurred in 33 (22.9%) of cases, with post-parturient deaths accounting for 99 (69.8%), and undiagnosed causes the remaining 12 (8.3%). The most common cause of post-parturient death (43.1%) was exposure/starvation of fawns that had birthweights lower than the average for surviving fawns on these same farms (3.01 kg and 4.12 kg, respectively). These results provide good evidence of the correlation between low birthweight and perinatal mortality in fallow deer on Australian deer farms.