The effects of replacement of antibiotics with by‐products of oriental medicinal plants on growth performance and meat qualities in fattening pigs

The effect of by‐products of oriental medicinal plants (OMP; T1) containing 0.03% herb extracts (T2) or 0.1% aminolevulinic acid (T3) on the production performance of swine during the finishing period and on its meat quality were investigated. No significant differences were found in the weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion rate among the tested groups (P > 0.05). But the treated group showed higher (P < 0.05) moisture and ash and lower protein than the control group. The T3 group showed a lower meat cholesterol content (38.42 mg/100 g) compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). The vitamin E content of the muscle in the treated groups was higher compared to the control group. No antibiotic content was detected in all treated and control samples. The values of the volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) of the treated groups were significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the control group. The treated groups had significantly better (P < 0.05) sensory‐test scores for color, flavor, off‐flavor and total acceptability compared to the control group.     

Modulatory effects of functional rice cultivars giant embryo and Aranghyangchal on the body weight and lipid metabolism in mice fed with a high fat diet

The effects of the functional rice cultivars giant embryo and Aranghyangchal on the body weight and lipid metabolism in male C57BL/6N mice under high fat diet conditions were investigated. The animals were randomly placed into four dietary groups: normal control (NC group), high fat (HF group), and high fat supplemented with giant embryo (HF-GE group) or Aranghyangchal (HF-AR group). After 8weeks, a marked increase in the body weight and plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations were found in the HF mice relative to the control group. However, the addition of the functional rice samples in the high fat diet reduced the body weight gain and significantly decreased the lipid levels through inhibition of lipogenesis and regulation of adipokine production. The results demonstrate that the functional rice grains giant embryo and Aranghyangchal may both be useful as biomaterials in the development of functional food with therapeutic potential against high fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia.     

First Report on Molecular Detection of Equine Upper Respiratory Infectious Viruses in Republic of Korea

The prevalence of equine respiratory virus infections among a suspected population of race horses was examined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). One or more of five equine respiratory viruses were detected in the nasal swabs of 45 of 89 horses (50.6%), and the detection rate of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), equine herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4), equine herpesvirus type 5 (EHV-5), equine rhinitis A virus (ERAV) and equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV) were 5.6%, 7.9%, 39.0%, 2.2%, and 6.7%, respectively. Among the 45 infected horses, 7 were co-infected with EHV and/or equine rhinitisvirus (ERV). Equine influenzavirus and equine arteritisvirus were not detected in any samples. Specific antibodies to EHV-1 and/or EHV-4 were detected in 59 of 73 tested sera (80.8%), using a virus neutralization test. This investigation suggests that equine respiratory viruses are endemic at Seoul Race Park and that the impact of viral infections on race horses’ health in Republic of Korea should be evaluated.     

Effects of dietary arginine supplementation during gestation and lactation on the performance of lactating primiparous sows and nursing piglets

A 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomized block design was used to determine the effects of dietary Arg supplementation during gestation and lactation on the lactation performance of 38 first-parity sows. At 30 d of gestation, pregnant gilts were allotted based on BW to 1 of 2 diets supplemented with 1% L-Arg.HCl or 1.7% L-Ala (isonitrogenous control). After farrowing, sows were further allotted based on BW within previous gestation treatment groups to 1 of 2 lactation diets supplemented with 1% L-Arg.HCl or 1.7% L-Ala (isonitrogenous control). All gestation diets contained 3.1 Mcal/kg and 12.2% CP (as is) and were fed 2 kg/d in 2 equally sized meals, whereas all lactation diets contained 3.2 Mcal/kg and 18.6% CP (as is) and were fed ad libitum. Litter size was standardized to 10 piglets by cross-fostering within 24 h postfarrowing. On a weekly basis, BW and backfat (BF) thickness of sows, as well as piglet BW were measured, and blood and milk samples were obtained from the sows. Number of days from weaning to estrus and ADFI were also recorded. There were no differences in BW, BF thickness, ADFI, or days until return to estrus among treatment groups. There was no effect of the gestation diet or a gestation x lactation diet interaction on any parameter measured. On d 7 of lactation, plasma concentrations of Arg and insulin in sows, as well as concentrations of most AA in milk, were greater (P < 0.05) in response to Arg supplementation during lactation compared with the control. Weight gain of piglets from sows fed the Arg-supplemented diet during lactation was greater between d 0 and 7 (P < 0.01) and between d 0 and 21 (P < 0.05) of lactation compared with piglets from sows fed the control diet. Collectively, results from this study indicate the potential beneficial effects of dietary Arg supplementation in improving the lactation performance of first-parity sows.     

Duration of action and hemodynamic properties of mivacurium chloride in dogs anesthetized with halothane.

OBJECTIVE: To describe onset and duration of neuromuscular blockade induced by mivacurium chloride and its associated hemodynamic effects at 3 dosages in healthy dogs. ANIMALS: 7 Labrador Retrievers. PROCEDURE: Anesthesia was induced with thiopental and maintained with halothane in oxygen, and dogs were mechanically ventilated to end-tidal P(CO)2 between 35 and 40 mm Hg. Core temperature, end-tidal P(CO)2, and halothane concentration were kept constant throughout the experiment. Neuromuscular function was assessed by evaluation of the train-of-four response to a supramaximal electrical stimulus of 2 Hz applied to the ulnar nerve every 10 seconds. Blood for determination of plasma cholinesterase activity was obtained prior to administration of mivacurium, a bolus of which was administered IV, using a randomized Latin-square design for dosages of 0.01, 0.02, and 0.05 mg/kg of body weight. RESULTS: All dogs had typical plasma cholinesterase activity. After administration of mivacurium, differences were not evident between groups in heart rate, systolic, mean, or diastolic blood pressure, change at any time in heart rate, systolic, mean, or diastolic blood pressure, or pH. Interval from onset to 100% neuromuscular blockade was 3.92+/-1.70, 2.42+/-0.53, and 1.63+/-0.25 minutes at dosages of 0.01, 0.02, and 0.05 mg/kg, respectively. Duration of measurable neuromuscular blockade was 33.72+/-12.73, 65.38+/-12.82, and 151.0+/-38.50 minutes, respectively. Time of onset and duration of effect differed significantly among dosages. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Mivacurium provides good hemodynamic stability at the dosages tested. In dogs, this drug has a rapid onset and long duration of effect.     

Determination of Principal Components for Characterizing the Drying of Sea Cucumbers (Stichopus japonicus Selenka) Using Far Infrared Radiation Drying and Hot Air Drying

Principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression (MLR) were conducted to characterize the drying of sea cucumber (SC). Far infrared radiation drying (FIRD) and hot air drying (AD) were used to dehydrate SC. Thirteen variables—including the morphological, color, and textural properties of dried SC—were selected for statistical analysis. The analysis of these 13 variables yielded three principal components showing significant correlations. PCA showed that the first three components represented 86.2% of the total variation. The first principal component was primarily related to the morphological properties of SC. The principal components determined by the PCA were more strongly influenced by the morphological variables than by the drying method. Of the morphological variables, the weight of SC had the strongest influence on the drying time and rehydration ratio of FIRD and AD.     

Influence of Annealing on Gel Properties of Mung Bean Starch

Mung bean starch gels (8% solids) were prepared after annealing at 45–60°C for 1–24 hr, and the relationship between the physical properties of gels and the swelling power (SP) and solubility of starch was investigated. The SP and solubility decreased with increasing annealing temperature and time, mostly in the first 6 hr. The solubles were mainly composed of amylose. Gel hardness at a 5 mm depth of annealed starch was larger than that of native starch, and gel hardness increased as SP decreased (r = ‐0.94). Upon continued compression, the yield force of gel showed a different function. Above SP of ≈12.5, the yield force of annealed starch gels decreased, but at <12.5 the yield force increased with increasing SP. Both granular rigidity and extent of packing appeared to determine the yield force. Although annealing increased the gel hardness, α‐amylase digestibility of gel was not affected. Pasting analysis in the Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) revealed that annealing increased pasting temperature. A pasting peak was found only in 45 and 50°C annealed starches. Overall paste viscosities of the starches annealed at >55°C were lower than that of the control starch. Final viscosities in RVA were correlated with the yield force of gel (r = 0.99).     

Effect of cross-linking agent structure on the shape memory property of polyurethane block copolymer

Effect of cross-linking agent on the shape memory and mechanical property of polyurethane (PU) block copolymer is comprehensively investigated. The selected chemical cross-linking agents are glycerol, 1,2,6-trihydroxyhexane, and 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde that are differentiated from each other in having remote hydroxyl group and aromatic ring. Significant increase in maximum stress was observed for all of the cross-linked PUs, although the cross-linker structure was different. Structural change of PU after cross-linking as evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry and infrared spectra was not detected, suggesting that interaction between PU chains remained intact. Shape recovery went to as high as 95 % after cross-linking for all of the cross-linking agents, and shape retention did not improve even if cross-linker was used. The remarkable increase in shape recovery and maximum stress definitely originated from the employment of a cross-linking agent, and the effect of different cross-linker structure on shape memory and mechanical property is discussed.