Gastrointestinal motility modulation by stress is associated with reduced smooth muscle contraction through specific transient receptor potential channel

Excessive stress response causes disability in social life. There are many diseases caused by stress, such as gastrointestinal motility disorders, depression, eating disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels underlie non-selective cation currents and are downstream effectors of G protein-coupled receptors. Ca²⁺ influx is important for smooth muscle contraction, which is responsible for gastrointestinal motility. Little is known about the possible involvement of TRP channels in the gastrointestinal motility disorders due to stress. The purpose of this study was to measure the changes in gastrointestinal motility caused by stress and to elucidate the mechanism of these changes. The stress model used the water immersion restraint stress. Gastrointestinal motility, especially the ileum, was recorded responses to electric field stimulation (EFS) by isometric transducer. EFS-induced contraction was significantly reduced in the ileum of stressed mouse. Even under the conditions treated with atropine, EFS-induced contraction was significantly reduced in the ileum of stressed mouse. In addition, carbachol-induced, neurokinin A-induced, and substance P-induced contractions were all significantly reduced in the ileum of stressed mouse. Furthermore, the expression of TRPC3 was decreased in the ileum of stressed mouse. These results suggest that the gastrointestinal motility disorders due to stress is associated with specific non-selective cation channel.     

Dietary calcium/phosphorus ratio influences the efficacy of microbial phytase on growth,mineral digestibility and vertebral mineralization in juvenile tiger puffer,Takifugu rubripes

A 2 × 3 factorial feeding trial was conducted to determine effects of dietary Ca/P ratio and dietary microbial phytase on growth, mineral digestibility and vertebral mineralization in tiger puffer. The treatments consisted of three levels of Ca/P ratios (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5) combined either with phytase (2000 FTU kg^?1 diet) or without supplementation, respectively. The Ca/P ratios were achieved by supplementing calcium at 0, 6 and 12 g kg^?1 combined with the same level of inorganic P at 5 g kg^?1. After a 50‐day feeding trial, puffer fish fed the diet at low Ca/P ratio (0.5) together with phytase had significantly higher growth rate and feed intake (FI) than other groups. Both dietary Ca/P ratio and phytase supplement were independent effects on plasma minerals and alkaline phosphatase. Interactive effect between both dietary treatments was observed on P and Zn contents in vertebrae and whole body. P and Zn digestibilities tended to increase with increased Ca/P ratio from 0.5 to 1.0, especially when phytase was supplemented. In conclusion, fish fed a diet with highest Ca/P ratio (1.5) showed the poorest growth performance and nutrients utilization. Dietary Ca/P ratio of 0.5 (without Ca supplement) with 2000 FTU phytase per kg would be the optimum combination in the diet of tiger puffer.     

Apricot carotenoids possess potent anti-amyloidogenic activity in vitro

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and is characterized by the progressive accumulation of amyloid β protein (Aβ) in areas of the brain. There has been an increased interest in screening for food-grade anti-amyloidogenic compounds in foodstuffs. The purpose of this study was to screen and identify bioactive compounds with anti-amyloidogenicity in apricot fruits using synthetic Aβ(1-42). The anti-amyloidogenicity was investigated using thioflavin T fluorescence assay, electron microscopy, and dot blotting analysis. The carotenoid fraction from apricot showed strong inhibitory effects against oligomer and fibril formation of Aβ and fibril-destabilizing effects. Among the peaks in the HPLC chromatogram, lutein showed the strongest inhibitory effect on Aβ fibril formation. The inhibitory effect was dependent on the number and portion of hydroxyl groups on both sides of carotenoids. These findings suggest that lutein in fruits may be useful as a preventive agent for amyloid-associated diseases.     

Growth,Reproductive Performance,Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality in F1 and F2 Progenies of Somatic Cell-Cloned Pigs

The objective of this study was to examine the health and meat production of cloned sows and their progenies in order to demonstrate the application of somatic cell cloning to the pig industry. This study compared the growth, reproductive performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of Landrace cloned sows, F1 progenies and F2 progenies. We measured their body weight, growth rate and feed conversion and performed a pathological analysis of their anatomy to detect abnormalities. Three of the five cloned pigs were used for a growth test. Cloned pigs grew normally and had characteristics similar to those of the control purebred Landrace pigs. Two cloned gilts were bred with a Landrace boar and used for a progeny test. F1 progenies had characteristics similar to those of the controls. Two of the F1 progeny gilts were bred with a Duroc or Large White boar and used for the progeny test. F2 progenies grew normally. There were no biological differences in growth, carcass characteristics and amino acid composition among cloned sows, F1 progenies, F2 progenies and conventional pigs. The cloned sows and F1 progenies showed normal reproductive performance. No specific abnormalities were observed by pathological analysis, with the exception of periarteritis in the F1 progenies. All pigs had a normal karyotype. These results demonstrate that cloned female pigs and their progenies have similar growth, reproductive performance and carcass quality characteristics and that somatic cell cloning could be a useful technique for conserving superior pig breeds in conventional meat production.     

Pseudorabies virus infection in hunting dogs in Oita,Japan: Report from a prefecture free from Aujeszky’s disease in domestic pigs

We isolated two pseudorabies virus (PRV) isolates (designated OT-1 and OT-2) from two hunting dogs exhibiting neurological manifestations after eating the flesh of wild boar hunted in Oita prefecture, Kyushu Island, Japan. The isolates corresponded to a previously reported PRV (MY-1 strain) isolated from a hunting dog in neighboring Miyazaki prefecture, and it clustered into genotype II based on the glycoprotein C sequence. Our results suggest that this common PRV strain may have been maintained in wild boars on Kyushu Island even though domestic pigs in this area have attained an Aujeszky’s disease-free status.     

Variation in life history parameters of the cardinalfish Apogonlineatus

ABSTRACT:   Life history parameters (growth pattern, the length of the spawningseason and age at sexual maturity) of Apogon lineatus wereinvestigated from three localities in Japan. The maximum ages werefound to be 3 years in Tokyo Bay, 2 years in Osaka Bay and 5 yearsoff Niigata Prefecture. Both sexes from Tokyo Bay grew to largersizes between the ages of 1 and 2 years than both sexes from otherlocalities, food availability being suggested as the major factorfor differences in growth. Spawning seasons were during 4 months(July–October) in Tokyo Bay and Osaka Bay, but were foundto only occur during the two months of July and August off NiigataPrefecture. Factors that could limit the spawning season off NiigataPrefecture were not determined. Age at maturity for both sexes inall localities appeared to be 1 year. We could not elucidate whetherthese variations in life history parameters arose from genetic differencesor from phenotypic plasticity. In either case, the trade-off betweenthe maximum age and the length of the spawning season in the offNiigata Prefecture population and any other population may be interpretedas an adaptation to local conditions, such as with the off NiigataPrefecture population.     

The α2A‐adrenoceptor subtype plays a key role in the analgesic and sedative effects of xylazine

Xylazine, the classical α₂‐adrenoceptor (α₂‐AR) agonist, is still used as an analgesic and sedative in veterinary medicine, despite its low potency and affinity for α₂‐ARs. Previous pharmacological studies suggested that the α_2A‐AR subtype plays a role in mediating the clinical effects of xylazine; however, these studies were hampered by the poor subtype‐selectivity of the antagonists used and a lack of knowledge of their bioavailability in vivo. Here, we attempted to elucidate the role of the α_2A‐AR subtype in mediating the clinical effects of xylazine by comparing the analgesic and sedative effects of this drug in wild‐type mice with those in α_2A‐AR functional knockout mice using the hot‐plate and open field tests, respectively. Hippocampal noradrenaline turnover in both mice was also measured to evaluate the contribution of α_2A‐AR subtype to the inhibitory effect of xylazine on presynaptic noradrenaline release. In wild‐type mice, xylazine (10 or 30 mg/kg) increased the hot‐plate latency. Furthermore, xylazine (3 or 10 mg/kg) inhibited the open field locomotor activity and decreased hippocampal noradrenaline turnover. By contrast, all of these effects were abolished in α_2A‐AR functional knockout mice. These results indicate that the α_2A‐AR subtype is mainly responsible for the clinical effects of xylazine.