Evaluation of the heat‐killed and dried cell preparation of Enterococcus faecalis against villous atrophy in early‐weaned mice and pigs

Early weaning induces villous atrophy in the small intestine (SI) of piglets. Oral administration of live lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can improve villous shortening. In this study, we evaluated the oral administration of a heat‐killed and dried cell preparation of Enterococcus faecalis (a LAB) strain EC‐12 against villous atrophy in early‐weaned mice (Experiment 1) and pigs (Experiments 2 and 3). Twelve 16‐days‐old mice were divided into two groups in Experiment 1: gavage of EC‐12 (10 mg/kg body weight (BW)/day), or control. On day 21, SI was collected. Eighteen 21‐day‐old pigs were divided into two groups in Experiment 2: gavage of EC‐12 (10 mg/kg BW/day), or control. After 10 days, the villous height of jejunum was measured. Six 21‐day‐old pigs were divided into two groups in Experiment 3: the basal diet supplemented with EC‐12 at 0.05%‐fed group, or the basal diet‐fed group. After 10 days, the villous height of jejunum was measured. The villous heights in SI were significantly higher by EC‐12 administration in all experiments. EC‐12 successfully improved the villous atrophy in the early‐weaned mice and pigs when EC‐12 was administered orally.     

A Study on the Presence of Ferritin-binding Proteins in Fetal Horse Plasma

In mammal circulation, ferritin-binding proteins (FBPs) are thought to be involved in clearance of circulating ferritin after complex formation with it through receptor-mediated uptake. However, there is no report on fetal FBP in fetal circulation. Although iron concentrations of fetal horse plasma were higher than those of adult horse plasma, plasma ferritin concentrations and ferritin-binding activities were found to be significantly lower in fetus than in adult. FBPs were purified from fetal or adult horse plasma on horse spleen ferritin-Sepharose 4B affinity column. Partially affinity-purified fetal horse plasma FBPs were mainly separated into 65 and 41 kDa bands in addition to minor bands with higher molecular masses ranged from 102 to 140 kDa on SDS-PAGE under reducing condition. The adult horse plasma FBPs were separated into 74, 54 and 28 kDa bands, and the 74 and 54 kDa bands reacted with antibodies specific for horse IgM and IgG heavy chains, respectively, by immunoblotting analyses. On the other hand, no antibodies to horse immunoglobulin classes detected any bands in fetal horse plasma FBPs. The affinity-purified adult and fetal horse plasma FBPs did not contain fibrinogen as a plasma specific FBP, probably due to its lower affinity to the ligand ferritin. These results demonstrate the presence of FBPs which are different from adult horse plasma FBPs including anti-ferritin autoantibodies in fetal plasma.     

“春阳”大米蛋白对大鼠胆固醇代谢的调控作用

选用蛋白水平(CP)为14%的"春阳"大米蛋白(RP)、大豆蛋白(SP)、酪蛋白(CAS)为食物蛋白源.喂养雄性20周龄Wistar大鼠.经2周饲养后,各试验组间大鼠的生长性能、蛋白质功效无显著差异.与CAS组相比,RP及SP显著降低了大鼠血浆总胆固醇、血浆非高密度胆固醇(LDL-C、VLDL-C)水平及肝脏总脂质、肝脏胆固醇、肝脏甘油三酯含量.RP及SP显著阻碍大鼠的肠道胆固醇吸收,其肝脏胆固醇酯化率均显著低于CAS组.数据显示,RP显著刺激大鼠中性粪同醇、粪胆固醇的排泄,但大鼠粪胆汁酸的排泄与CAS组无显著差异.对比CAS,RP能够有效降低成熟期大鼠动脉硬化指数.结果表明.富含醇溶蛋白的"春阳"大米蛋白能够有效调控成熟期大鼠的胆固醇代谢.显示与大豆蛋白-致的降低机体胆固醇水平的作用效果,其主要作用机制之一是有效阻碍肠道胆固醇的吸收,而非单纯地刺激粪胆汁酸的排泄.     

大米蛋白水平对成熟期大鼠体质量及体脂水平的影响

选用蛋白水平(CP)为7%及14%的大米蛋白(R-7,R-14)及酪蛋白(C-7,C-14)喂养20周龄雄性Wistar大鼠2周后,进行大鼠体质量变化、腹腔贮脂水平、血浆总胆固醇、血浆高密度胆固醇、血浆甘油三酯及肝脏胆固醇、甘油三酯含量的测定。与C-7组相比,R-7组大鼠体质量、生长效率、贮藏脂肪含量、血脂及肝脂水平无显著差异。在高蛋白水平(14%)下,R-14组大鼠体质量总增加量、腹腔贮脂水平均低于C-14组,但各组间无显著差异;对比C-14,R-14显著降低了成熟期大鼠血浆总胆固醇、血浆非高密度胆固醇、血浆甘油三酯水平及动脉硬化指数,并且显著降低了肝脏胆固醇及甘油三酯含量。结果表明,蛋白水平是大米蛋白调控体质量及体脂水平主要影响因素之一。随着蛋白水平的增加(7%~14%),大米蛋白能够降低体质量增加量及腹腔贮脂水平,并显著降低成熟期大鼠血浆及肝脏脂质含量,提示大米蛋白潜在的抗肥胖功能与其蛋白水平密切相关。     

Changes in luteinizing hormone pulse frequency and prolactin levels in bitches in response to estrus induction by cabergoline-its cases where it is delayed to induce estrus

The effect of estrus induction by cabergoline on gonadotropin and steroid hormone responses was examined in anestrous bitches. Eleven beagles were used in the study; seven were included in the estrus induction group and four were included in the spontaneous estrus group. Cabergoline was orally administered to the estrus induction group at 5 µg/kg once daily for four weeks, or until hemorrhagic discharge was detected. The inter-estrus interval in the estrus induction group was significantly shorter than the previous estrus interval. Bitches that showed proestrus within four weeks of treatment showed increased luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency and, subsequently, increased estradiol (E₂) levels. Prolactin (PRL) levels declined promptly after treatment, except in one bitch that did not show proestrus during the cabergoline treatment period. There was a significant correlation between the time to proestrus induction and the reduction in PRL levels. A positive correlation was found between the LH levels two weeks after cabergoline administration and PRL reduction. This study demonstrates that an abrupt reduction in PRL is likely to be important for initiation of estrus in bitches. A reduction in PRL indirectly leads to an increase in LH pulse frequency, which regulates follicular development in bitches. However, if the period from the end of the previous estrus to the cabergoline treatment is short, it may take some time to show proestrus without increasing E₂ levels, even if the LH level increases after cabergoline administration.     

Long-term submergence of non-methanogenic oxic upland field soils helps to develop the methanogenic archaeal community as revealed by pot and field experiments

The community structure of methanogenic archaea is relatively stable,i.e.,it is sustained at a high abundance with minimal changes in composition,in paddy field soils irrespective of submergence and drainage.In contrast,the abundance in non-methanogenic oxic soils is much lower than that in paddy field soils.This study aimed to describe methanogenic archaeal community development following the long-term submergence of non-methanogenic oxic upland field soils in pot and field experiments.In the pot experiment,a soil sample obtained from an upland field was incubated under submerged conditions for 275 d.Soil samples periodically collected were subjected to culture-dependent most probable number(MPN)enumeration,polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis(PCR-DGGE)analysis of archaeal 16 S r RNA gene,and quantitative PCR analysis of the methyl-coenzyme M reductase alpha subunit gene(mcr A)of methanogenic archaea.The abundance of methanogenic archaea increased from 102 to 103 cells g-1 dry soil and 104 to 107 copies of mcr A gene g-1 dry soil after submergence.Although no methanogenic archaeon was detected prior to incubation by the DGGE analysis,members from Methanocellales,Methanosarcinaceae,and Methanosaetaceae proliferated in the soils,and the community structure was relatively stable once established.In the field experiment,the number of viable methanogenic archaea in a rice paddy field converted from meadow(reclaimed paddy field)was monitored by MPN enumeration over five annual cycles of field operations.Viability was also determined simultaneously in a paddy field where the plow layer soil from a farmer’s paddy field was dressed onto the meadow(dressed paddy field)and an upland crop field converted from the meadow(reclaimed upland field).The number of viable methanogenic archaea in the reclaimed paddy field was below the detection limit before the first cultivation of rice and in the reclaimed upland field.Then,the number gradually increased over five years and finally reached 103–104 cells g-1 dry soil,which was comparable to that in the dressed paddy field.These findings showed that the low abundance of autochthonous methanogenic archaea in the non-methanogenic oxic upland field soils steadily proliferated,and the community structure was developed following repeated and long-term submergence.These results suggest that habitats suitable for methanogenic archaea were established in soil following repeated and long-term submergence.     

Behavior of simetryn and thiobencarb in rice paddy lysimeters and the effect of excess water storage depth in controlling herbicide run‐off

Eight small‐scale lysimeters with different excess water storage depths (EWSDs) were used to investigate the behavior of two herbicides, simetryn and thiobencarb, under paddy conditions. The concentration of simetryn dissipated similarly in all the lysimeters, while the thiobencarb concentration varied significantly because thiobencarb can adsorb onto the dissolved organic matter in a manure slurry, which was applied to six of the lysimeters. The herbicide losses (the percentage of the applied mass) from the lysimeters were reversely proportional with the EWSD. The correlation was stronger for simetryn than for thiobencarb. An appropriate EWSD is required to effectively prevent herbicide run‐off from the paddy field, especially when a rainfall event occurs soon after herbicide application.