Matricaria chamomilla CH12 decreases handling stress in Nelore calves

Matricaria chamomilla CH₁₂ is a phytotherapeutic or homeopathic product, which has been used to reduce stress. Here, we examined its effect on preventing handling stress in bovines. Sixty Nelore calves were randomly distributed into two equal groups. One group was administered Matricaria chamomilla CH₁₂ in diet and the other the ''control'' was not. Animals in both groups were maintained unstressed for 30 days to adjust to the feeding system and pasture, and were then stressed by constraint on the 31th, 38th, 45th and 60th experimental days. Blood samples were taken on these days after animals had been immobilization in a trunk contention for 5 min. Stress was followed by analyzing serum cortisol levels. These peaked on the 45th day and then decreased, but not to baseline, on the 60th day. On the 45th day cortisol levels were significantly lower in animals fed Matricaria chamomilla CH₁₂, suggesting that this product reduces stress. These effects may be a consequence of its inhibiting cortisol production and its calming and anxiolytic effects.     

ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASONOGRAPHIC FINDINGS OF THE PANCREAS AFTER PANCREATIC DUCT LIGATION IN THE DOG

Endoscopic ultrasonographic evaluation and gray-scale histogram analysis of pancreatic atrophy after pancreatic duct ligation were performed in four normal adult dogs. Using endoscopic ultrasonography, markedly dilated pancreatic ducts were visualized, and the pancreas became gradually atrophied with a hyperechoic parenchyma. In gray-scale histogram analysis of the pancreas, mean brightness increased gradually until 8 weeks, then decreased temporally. Standard deviation of the histogram increased markedly and then fluctuated until the 4th week, after which the mean brightness and standard deviation became stable. At 4 weeks postoperatively, collapse of most pancreatic acinar structures were observed, and each atrophic lobule was associated with a significantly large amount of interstitial fibrous tissue at histopathology. At 12 weeks postoperatively, most exocrine tissue had decreased and was partly replaced by fibrous and fatty tissue. These changes of mean brightness and standard deviation reflected the histologic analysis. These findings indicated that endoscopic ultrasonography is a useful technique to image such atrophic disorders of the pancreas as chronic pancreatitis. Furthermore, gray-scale histogram analysis provides helpful information for ultrasonographic tissue characterization of the pancreas.     

Influence of estrogen on acetylcholinesterase activity in primary cultures of cerebral cells from neonatal rats

To estimate the influence of estrogen on the functional development of the central nervous system during the neonatal period, several doses of estradiol‐17β (E₂) were treated to cultured cells from the cerebral cortex of neonatal rats and the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was examined. E₂ was added to give the following final concentrations: 0, 10^?10, 10^?9, and 10^?8 M. After 72 h of incubation, all cells were obtained from dishes to determine the AChE activity. Although apparent morphological changes were not observed among treatments cultured for 72 h, E₂ suppressed dose‐dependently the spontaneous increase of AChE activity in cerebral cells. Furthermore, a single dose of tamoxifen, an E₂ receptor binding molecule with agonist and antagonist properties, also acted in a similar manner as E₂. These findings suggest that the functional development of the cerebral cortex, at least the cholinergic system, during the neonatal period is regulated by E₂.     

Dietary supplementation with cellooligosaccharide improves growth performance in weanling pigs

Nondigestible oligosaccharides are not digested in the small intestine, but are fermented by bacteria colonizing in the large intestine. Physiological effects of non‐digestible oligosaccharides have been considered to be conferred by the fermentation of bacteria colonizing in the large intestine. Because cellooligosaccharide is a non‐digestible oligosaccharide, various physiological effects are expected. However, physiological functions of cellooligosaccharide are not well understood. This experiment was conducted to clarify the effect of dietary supplementation with cellooligosaccharide on the growth performance in weanling pigs. The result showed that average daily gain was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in pigs fed a diet supplemented with cellooligosaccharide than in pigs without cellooligosaccharide. There was a tendency to increasing average daily feed intake in pigs with cellooligosaccharide, though the significant difference was not detected (P = 0.18). Feed efficiency and nutrient digestibility of feces and ileum were not changed by feeding cellooligosaccharide. In addition, blood urea nitrogen was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the diet supplemented with cellooligosaccharide than in pigs without cellooligosaccharide. The concentrations of acetic and iso‐valeric acids in the cecum of pigs fed the diet with cellooligosaccharide tended to be higher (P < 0.10) than those without cellooligosaccharide. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that dietary supplementation with cellooligosaccharide improves growth performance in weanling pigs.     

In vitro progesterone production of corpus luteum in pregnant Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

The present study was conducted to determine the in vitro progesterone (P₄) production by Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) corpus luteum (CL) on days 9, 18 and 22 of pregnancy in comparison with rat CL on days 9 and 16. The culture medium of one CL per well of a 96‐well plate was changed after 4 h incubation and the CL were further cultured for 24 h. The P₄ in serum and in the medium were measured by enzyme immunoassay system. Gerbil CL weight measured after 24 h incubation was at the same level for all 3 days of pregnancy and significantly different from that of the rat CL for the 2 days of pregnancy. The serum P₄ level in gerbils was high in early pregnancy and decreased in advanced days of pregnancy. In contrast, the P₄ in rats was higher in the latter half of pregnancy. In vitro P₄ production by a single CL after 4 h incubation decreased significantly during the days of pregnancy in both the gerbil and the rat. P₄ values produced by the gerbil CL for 24 h incubation were significantly higher than after 4 h incubation in all 3 days of pregnancy, however, there was no difference between the two incubation time groups in the rat. In vitro P₄ production by CL correlated well with the serum P₄ level on the 3 days of pregnancy in the gerbil. In the rat, however, the relationship was inversed between the two parameters. The correlation in this experiment suggested that CL is the sole source of P₄ for the maintenance of the gerbil pregnancy, with the result of abortion after an ovariectomy on day 20 of pregnancy as described in our previous report.     

Windthrow resistance of apple trees grafted in an orchard

Pull-down tests were conducted for apple trees grafted in an orchard and for support posts in order to discuss the failure mode in windthrow damage, the effect of rootstock types on the uprooting strength, and the reinforcing effect of support posts on young trees. The test samples were ten mature trees (20–23 years old) of three varieties grafted on two types of rootstocks, three young trees (7 years old) grafted on dwarf rootstocks, and nine support posts of larch logs and steel pipes. The failure modes were found to be uprooting for mature trees and rootstock breakage for young trees. The uprooting strength of apple trees was considerably smaller than the uprooting strength of forest trees reported in previous studies. However, the windthrow resistance of the apple trees with respect to the critical wind velocity was estimated to be sufficient despite their low uprooting strength because of their small height. Young trees should be supported with wooden posts for a few years after grafting so that they acquire sufficient windthrow resistance. Part of this study was published in the report for the Grant-in-Aid for Collaborative Research by NOASTEC (No. H17-kyo-048)     

Effect of moisture content of a wood matrix on a small-scale biodegradation system for organic solid waste

The optimum working moisture content of a wood matrix for the garbage automatic decomposer-extinguisher (GADE) machine was investigated using a small-scale degradation reactor. A formula feed for rabbits was used as the model waste. The degradation experiment was conducted under controlled conditions such as moisture content, environmental temperature, and airflow rate. The degradation rate was estimated precisely from weight loss and the CO₂ evolution rate. The degradation rate were nearly constant at a moisture content of 30%–80% on a-wet-weight basis. Microorganisms from the environment propagated in the reactor with no inoculums added. The number of microorganisms showed a trend similar to that of the degradation rate. The microorganism community changed according to the moisture content of the matrix and were considered to attain a constant degradation rate at a wide range of moisture content of a matrix.Part of this report was presented at the 49th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Tokyo, April 1999     

Evaluation of water intake rate using the diffusive tank model in the low-lying paddy area

The subject of this study is water management in low-lying paddy fields. The objective of this study is to quantify the water requirement, and estimate an appropriate volume and facilitate management of irrigation water in areas where it is difficult to estimate the flow rate continuously. A field observation was conducted at a 14-ha study site located in the Kuwabara area, Fukuoka City, southwest of Japan, to evaluate water management conditions in the command area of the reservoir. This site near the reservoir was selected, because it was impossible to understand the water supply situation in the entire command area. The farmers in this region have been unable to retain sufficient irrigation water. The observation results indicate that the water depth fluctuates widely in every irrigation canal. The canals are frequently empty because rotational irrigation is conducted by water managers; this makes quantifying the flow rate in the irrigation canal very difficult. To quantify the water requirement, an improved tank model was introduced. The accuracy of the model was examined by comparing the observed and calculated ponding depths at a paddy field. The simulation results agreed with the observed data. Using this model, water management for the reduction of water managers’ labor was simulated. Simulation results indicated that rotational irrigation effectively reduces labor and saves irrigation water.     

Characterization of kenaf phloem fibers in relation to stem growth

Microscopic study on phloem fibers in kenaf stem was carried out to examine the developmental process of phloem fiber and localization of noncellulosic polysaccharides in the cell walls. Histochemical observation showed that layered phloem fiber bundles developed external to the vascular cambium as stems grew after planting, and the number of layered bundles was higher in the bottom region of the stem regardless of growth stage. Based on immunocytochemical observations, cells making up the phloem fiber bundles had thick secondary cell walls containing mixed-linkage, (1 → 3, 1 → 4)-β-d-glucan as a component of hemicellulose. Other polysaccharides present in cell walls, namely xyloglucan, rhamnogalacturonan, and methyl-esterified homogalacturonan, were localized only, in the primary cell walls and/or in the junction between contiguous cells. In addition, mechanical evaluation on isolated kenaf fibers showed that the fiber strength varied by stem maturity and region: both higher tensile strength and initial Young's modulus were recorded in fibers obtained from the middle region of stems harvested 4-6 months after planting.