Gene expression of resistin and TNF-α in adipose tissue of Japanese Black steers and Holstein steers

The aim of the present study was to compare the expression of adipose tissue mRNA related to glucose metabolism between Japanese Black steers (n = 5) and Holstein steers (n = 5). We examined the expression of the resistin, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and growth hormone receptor (GHR) genes using real‐time polymerase chain reaction of cDNA in adipose tissue. The cDNA sequence identified by 5′/3′‐rapid amplification of cDNA and the deduced amino acid sequence were highly conserved in human, porcine and murine resistin. Expression of resistin mRNA was significantly greater in Holstein steers than in Japanese Black steers. In contrast, expression of TNF‐α mRNA was slightly greater in Japanese Black steers. Expression of GHR mRNA was significantly greater in Japanese Black steers compared with the Holstein steers, although there was no significant difference in the expression of GLUT1 mRNA. However, the plasma non‐esterified fatty acid (NEFA), glucose, insulin and growth hormone concentrations did not differ between Japanese Black and Holstein steers. The present results show that there is a difference in the expression level of mRNA related to glucose metabolism between Japanese Black steers and Holstein steers.     

Quantitative structure-activity studies of insect growth regulators: XIX. Effects of substituents on the aromatic moiety of dibenzoylhydrazines on larvicidal activity against the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua

Larvicidal activity against the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), was measured after topical treatment for a series of N-tert-butyl-dibenzoylhydrazines having various substituents in the benzoyl (A-ring) moiety closer to the tert-butyl group, the other benzoyl (B-ring) moiety being unsubstituted. The effects of substituents on the larvicidal activity were analyzed using the classical quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) procedure. Introduction of hydrophobic substituents with a small volume into any position was favourable to activity. The existence of electron-withdrawing substituents at ortho positions was also favourable to activity. For multi-substituted compounds, physico-chemically unknown unfavourable factors were suggested to remain after separating common substituent effects derived from QSAR for mono-substituted analogues. With the exception of the unsubstituted compound RH-5849, the effect of substituents in the A-ring moiety on the larvicidal activity was similar to those found with the lepidopteran rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker). The larvicidal activity of RH-5849 against S exigua was significantly lower than the value predicted from the correlation between activities against S exigua and C suppressalis. Topical treatment with piperonyl butoxide, a synergist inhibiting oxidative metabolism, slightly enhanced the larvicidal activity of RH-5849 against S exigua.     

Neurohormonal and metabolic effects of medetomidine compared with xylazine in healthy cats

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of medetomidine and xylazine on some neurohormonal and metabolic variables in healthy cats. Five cats were used repeatedly in each of 11 groups, which were injected intramuscularly with physiological saline solution (control), 20, 40, 80, 160, and 320 microg/kg of medetomidine, and 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg of xylazine. Blood samples were taken over 24 h from the jugular vein for determination of plasma glucose, insulin, cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagon, and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations. Both medetomidine and xylazine induced remarkable hyperglycemia that was dose-dependent except for the response to medetomidine from 0 to 3 h. Both agents suppressed epinephrine and norepinephrine release but not in a dose-dependent manner at the tested dosages. Both agents inhibited insulin release and lipolysis, with similar potency, and tended to suppress cortisol release. The glucagon levels did not change significantly in any of the groups. These results suggest that the effects of medetomidine and xylazine on glucose metabolism and catecholamine release may not be due only to the actions mediated by alpha2-adrenoceptors.     

尼泊尔Terai地区小规模农场的奶牛和水牛的饲料品质、营养水平及产奶性能

调查尼泊尔Terai地区两个村庄(A、B)中20个小农场的泌乳奶牛和水牛以确定其饲料品质、产奶量和营养水平。在牧草充足期、牧草枯萎期和饲草短缺期三个时期中分别测定饲料的组成成分、干物质、奶牛的体质条件(BCS)、胸围(HG)、体重(BW)、产奶量(MY)及血浆代谢物。305d的产奶量通过平均日产奶量来估计。牧草充足期的稻草和当地牧草供应比牧草枯萎期少而比牧草短缺期多,分别为5.5kg/d∶9.8kg/d和3.2kg/d∶0.4kg/d,(P<0.01),A村中的饲料中粗纤维含量比B村高,奶牛中为5.0∶2.2,水牛中为9.3∶1.8(P<0.01)。两个村中各时期的饲料组成的差异导致粗蛋白(CP)、中性洗涤纤维(NDF)、总可消化营养物质(TDN)供应的差异。奶牛饲料的CP和TDN浓度在牧草充足期比其它两个时期高,分别为9.1%∶7.3%和57.4%∶51.0%(P<0.01)。A村中供应给奶牛和水牛的CP和供应给水牛的TDN比B村的高,分别为7.5%∶8.7%和6.6%∶9.7%(P<0.01)以及53.1%∶56.2%(P<0.05)。A村中奶牛和水牛的BCS、HG、BW比B村中的低,奶牛分别为2.51∶2.86,156cm∶170cm,300kg∶318kg,水牛为2.83∶4.00,186cm∶216cm,429kg∶531kg(P<0.01)。奶牛在牧草充足期比其他两期的产奶量大,7.9L/d∶6.6L/d(P<0.01)。奶牛在饲草短缺期产后305d的产奶量比其它两期低,1900L∶2251L(P<0.01)。A村中的奶牛和水牛的产奶量都比B村的低6.2L/d∶8.1L/d,3.7L/d∶7.7L/d(P<0.01)。A村中奶牛305d的产奶量比B村低,1935L∶2409L(P<0.01),A村中奶牛的血浆清蛋白和尿氮比B村的低,3.2g/dL∶3.4g/dL(P<0.01),7.4mg/dL∶10.2mg/dL(P<0.05)。在不同时期两个村中饲料中的CP、NDF、TDN可能会对奶牛和水牛的产奶量和营养水平有影响。似乎在饲草短缺期A村对奶牛低水平供应的CP和TDN使得奶牛305d的产奶量更低。     

Efficacy of atovaquone against Babesia gibsoni in vivo and in vitro

The therapeutic efficacy of atovaquone against Babesia gibsoni was examined in three dogs experimentally infected with B. gibsoni isolated from naturally infected dogs in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. Once parasitemia reached 10%, atovaquone was administered orally (30 mg/kg twice daily for 7 days). Within 2 days of atovaquone treatment, the parasite disappeared from blood smears without any clinical side effects. Anemia and thrombocytopenia were significantly improved in all the dogs. However, a polymerase chain reaction assay revealed that a B. gibsoni marker gene was intermittently present in peripheral blood after atovaquone therapy, indicating that the organism had not been eliminated, and parasites reappeared in blood smears 33 days after the last treatment. To investigate the change in sensitivity against atovaquone, an in vitro sensitivity test was performed using peripheral blood obtained from an untreated dog that was infected with the original parasite isolate, and from two of the experimentally infected and atovaquone-treated animals (blood was collected at the time of the post-treatment recurrence of the B. gibsoni infection). Atovaquone was added to the culture medium to final concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 nM. For the untreated parasites, complete growth inhibition occurred at 1000 nM of atovaquone, whereas the recurrent parasites were inhibited by only 39.52 +/- 8.34% and 31.31 +/- 8.14% at this concentration after 48 h of incubation. Thus, the recurring parasites were less sensitive to atovaquone than the untreated originally isolated parasites.     

Effects of in utero and lactational exposure to the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) dose of the neonicotinoid clothianidin on the reproductive organs of female mice

Recently, developmental exposure to clothianidin (CLO) has been shown to cause reproductive toxicity in male mice, but the effects in female mice remain to be clarified. Pregnant C57BL/6N mice were given a no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) dose of CLO until weaning. We then examined ovaries of 3- or 10-week-old female offspring. In the CLO-administered group, morphological changes, a decrease in the immunoreactivity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4), and activation of genes in the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway were observed in 3-week-old mice, and decreases of GPx4 immunoreactivity, 17OH-progesterone and corticosterone levels were observed in 10-week-old mice, along with high rates of infanticide and severe neglect, providing new evidence that developmental exposure to CLO affects juvenile and adult mice differently.     

Effect of pH-shifting on the gel forming characteristics of salt-ground meat from walleye pollack

ABSTRACT:   In order to elucidate the mechanism of the changes in gel forming characteristics of fish meat by pH-lowering, the gelation-temperature curve and the gelation-moisture content curve were examined using the acidified walleye pollack surimi or neutralized one after acidification. In the gelation-temperature curve, the gel strength was highest at 30°C and lowest at approximately 50–60°C, irrespective of pH shifting. The gel strength at 30°C and 80°C decreased with the decrease in pH value. The neutralization of acidified surimi improved the gel strength, but it was considerably lower than the original gel strength. The gel strength at 50–60°C was not affected by pH lowering. The gel strength at 80°C could not be revived to the original by pH readjustment, either in the presence or in the absence of EDTA. These results suggest that irreversible changes of meat protein take place under the low pH, and the oxidation ability of sulfhydryl (SH) groups of protein molecule is not affected by pH-shifting.