Effects of branched-chain amino acids on immune status of young racing horses

High-intensity exercise and competition are associated with depressed immune function. Young horses, which participate in high-intensity exercise and competitions, are at increased risk for the development of infectious disease due to depression of immune function. The effects of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on the immune status of young racing horses were evaluated, determining whether BCAA might help to avoid or reduce immune suppression during exercise and competitions. Twenty horses (10 male and 10 female) were treated with BCAA supplementation; another twenty untreated horses (10 male and 10 female) constituted control group. Peripheral blood was collected from each animal and evaluated for lymphocyte subsets, phagocytosis analysis of monocytes and granulocytes, lymphocyte proliferative response, and expression of cytokine-encoding messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs). The numbers of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II⁺ cells in females of the treated group were significantly higher than those in females of the control group. The lymphocyte proliferative response in female of the treated group also was significantly higher than that in females of the control group. In addition, expression of mRNAs encoding interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in females of the treated group was significantly higher than that in females of the control group. There were no significant differences between males of the treated and control groups. The results of this study indicated the positive effects of BCAA supplementation in counteracting immunosuppression in young female racing horses during and following high-intensity exercise.     

New perspectives on aquarium fish trade

ABSTRACT:   Since the 1990s, the international market for importing aquarium fish is suspicious of stock coming from South-East Asia. Fish catches are still executed with cyanide-based toxic products. In the present paper, the potential of the French Polynesian Islands to develop a marine aquarium fish business with a new approach is explored. Coral reef fish are captured at the larval stage with crest nets, then larvae are reared in aquaria before being put on the world ornamental fish market. This approach offers several advantages: (i) larvae are captured with a passive system placed on the reef crest (crest net) that does not destroy the environment and limits the stress on collected larvae; (ii) larvae are then put into farmed basins that allow them to be controlled sanitarily; and (iii) larvae are weaned at the farm and fed rapidly with artificial food. This method increases survival rates as it eliminates the food acclimatization problem of fish captured at adult stage (main cause of fish mortality in aquaria). Overall, reared larvae will constitute a new product in terms of species, sizes and quality of ornamental fish on the aquarium market.     

Concentration of cephalothin in body fluids and tissue samples of Thoroughbred horses

Cephalothin (CET) concentrations in body fluids (plasma, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, and aqueous humor) and tissue samples (bone, lung, jejunum, hoof, and subcutaneous tissue) were investigated to consider the treatment of infectious diseases in horses. CET 22 mg/kg body weight was intravenously administered to 12 horses. Samples were collected from four different horses at 1, 3, and 5 hr after administration. The CET concentration in body fluids other than aqueous humor was maintained above the MIC₉₀ values of Streptococcus zooepidemicus and Staphylococcus aureus until 5 hr, but it was not maintained above that of S. aureus in bone. CET (22 mg/kg twice a day) is effective for septic arthritis, pleuritis, and peritonitis caused by gram-positive bacteria but ineffective for osteomyelitis.     

Immunohistochemical Study of Peptide-containing Nerves in the Gastrointestinal Tract of the Japanese Field Vole, Microtus montebelli

The distribution and relative frequency of nerves containing immunoreactivity for substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), gastrin-releasing polypeptide (GRP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and menthionine-enkephalin (MENK) were studied by immunohistochemistry in the gastrointestinal tract of the herbivorous Japanese field vole, Microtus montebelli.     

Leaf spot of barnyardgrass caused by Exserohilum oryzicola in Japan and the fungal influence on rice,barley, bread wheat,durum wheat,and soybean

Journal of General Plant Pathology - Brown lesions were found on leaves of the weed barnyardgrass in paddy fields in Hiroshima Prefecture in western Japan in June 2017. A fungus, isolated...     

Expression of canine Kdap in normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic epidermis

Keratinocyte differentiation-associated protein, Kdap, is a recently identified small secretory protein that may act as a soluble regulator for the cornification and/or desquamation of keratinocytes. To clarify the role of Kdap in the terminal differentiation of keratinocytes, detailed in situ localisation of Kdap was studied using canine skin with normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic epidermis. In normal canine trunk skin, Kdap was expressed by granular keratinocytes, with polarity to the apical side of the cells, suggesting that canine Kdap is present in lamellar granules, as in humans. Expression of Kdap was widespread in the spinous layers in hyperplastic epidermis, but was undetectable in squamous cell carcinomas. These findings suggest that Kdap is closely related to the delay of terminal differentiation and/or release of cells in hyperplastic epidermis.     

Effects of central administration of glucagon on feed intake and endocrine responses in sheep

This study was conducted to investigate effects of glucagon intracerebroventricularly administered on feed intake and endocrine changes in sheep. Four male sheep (48–55 kg BW) were used. The animals were acclimatized to be fed alfalfa hay cubes at 12.00 hour. Human glucagon (40 and 80 µg/0.5 mL) was injected into the lateral ventricle at 12.00 hour. Blood samples were taken every 10 min from 30 min before to 180 min after the glucagon injection. Soon after the injection, the animals were given alfalfa hay cubes, and the amounts of the feed eaten within 2 h were measured. Feed intakes were significantly (P < 0.05) suppressed by 80 µg of glucagon. Plasma glucose levels in control animals were gradually decreased after the feeding, whilst those in glucagon‐treated animals were temporarily elevated just after the feeding and then kept higher than control levels. Plasma insulin was abruptly elevated after the feeding and was maintained at higher levels than before the feeding in all treatments. Plasma NEFA concentrations were decreased after the feeding in all treatments. A tendency of increase in plasma cortisol levels occurred in glucagon‐injected animals. The present study provides the first evidence that glucagon directly acts on the brain, then inhibiting feeding behavior and inducing endocrine responses in ruminants.     

A possible role for saprotrophic microfungi in the N nutrition of ectomycorrhizal Pinus resinosa

We determined whether Pinus resinosa, selected ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic microfungi have access to various organic nitrogen sources commonly found in the forest. Vector analysis demonstrated nitrogen limitation of the P. resinosa in the plantation from which most of the fungi were isolated, establishing this study's relevance. Nonmycorrhizal P. resinosa seedlings did not absorb significant N from amino acids. The ectomycorrhizal fungi, including Pisolithus tinctorius, Suillus intermedius and Tylopilus felleus, obtained substantial N from amino acids, a limited amount of N from glucosamine, and essentially no N from protein-tannin complex. In contrast, Penicillium and Trichoderma readily acquired N from protein-tannin and glucosamine. Thus, there was an increasing ability to obtain N from complex organic N sources from plant to ectomycorrhizal fungi to saprotrophic fungi. Furthermore, N mineralization from an organic N source by Penicillium depended on the C:N ratio. We conclude that acquisition of relatively simple organic N sources by P. resinosa is likely to be largely indirect via ectomycorrhizal fungi, and that more complex organic N sources may become accessible to ectomycorrhizal fungi (and thus possibly their host plants) following mineralization by saprotrophic fungi such as Penicillium or Trichoderma when C:N ratios are sufficiently low.     

Analyses of hemorrhagic diathesis in high-iron diet-fed rats

Iron overload has been well recognized to cause oxidant-mediated cellular/tissue injury; however, little is known about the effects of iron overload on the blood coagulation system. We encountered an unexpected bleeding tendency in rats fed a high-iron diet in a set of studies using iron-modified diets. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of hemorrhagic diathesis induced by dietary iron overload in rats. Six-week-old F344/DuCrlCrlj male rats were fed a standard (containing 0.02% iron) or a high-iron diet (containing 1% iron) for 6 weeks and were then sampled for hematological, blood biochemical, coagulation, and pathological examinations. Serum and liver iron levels increased in rats fed the high-iron diet (Fe group) and serum transferrin was almost saturated with iron. However, serum transaminase levels did not increase. Moreover, plasma prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time were significantly prolonged, regardless of the presence of hemorrhage. The activity of clotting factors II and VII (vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors) decreased significantly, whereas that of factor VIII was unaltered. Blood platelet levels were not influenced by dietary iron overload, suggesting that the bleeding tendency in iron-overloaded rats is caused by secondary hemostasis impairment. In addition, hemorrhage was observed in multiple organs in rats fed diets containing more than 0.8% iron. Our results suggest that iron overload can increase the susceptibility of coagulation abnormalities caused by latent vitamin K insufficiency.