Effect of dietary kapok oil supplementation on growth performance,carcass traits,meat quality and sensory traits of pork in finishing‐pigs

Kapok seed and oil from the tropical zone are widely used as pig feed to harden porcine fat in Japan. This study evaluated the effect of dietary kapok oil supplementation on pork quality and sensory traits. Five Duroc pigs each were assigned to an experimental group supplemented with kapok oil and a control group. Dietary kapok oil supplementation had no effect on growth performance and intramuscular fat content in the Longissimus dorsi muscle (LM). Supplemental kapok oil increased saturated fatty acid contents in subcutaneous and intramuscular fat and decreased monounsaturated fatty acid levels (P < 0.05). Off‐flavor detection by a trained panel was higher in the experimental than the control group (P < 0.05), but tenderness, juiciness, texture and flavor intensity of LM chops were similar in both groups. The overall palatability of pork as judged by a consumer panel decreased with kapok oil supplementation (P < 0.01). These results indicate that while growth performance, intramuscular fat contents and carcass characteristics were unchanged, while dietary kapok oil supplementation makes firm fat to prevent inferior soft fat in pork, it can lower the palatability of pork due to a decrease in monounsaturated fatty acids.     

Inhibition of growth hormone secretagogue receptor antagonist, [D-Lys-3]-GHRP-6, in adipogenesis of ovine and rat adipocytes

Ghrelin and growth hormone secretagogues receptor (GHS‐R or ghrelin receptor) have been reported as being one of the factors of adipogenesis in adipocytes. To investigate the involvement of ghrelin and GHS‐R in adipocytes, the effect of the GHS‐R antagonist, [D‐Lys‐3]‐GHRP‐6 (His‐D‐Trp‐D‐Lys‐Trp‐D‐Phe‐Lys‐NH₂), on the process of adipogenesis in ovine and rat adipocytes was evaluated. [D‐Lys‐3]‐GHRP‐6 (10^?7 mol/L) significantly inhibited adipogenic differentiation of ovine and rat preadipocytes prepared from adipose tissues. The level of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)‐γ2 mRNA, an adipogenic marker, was decreased during the differentiation of adipocytes treated with [D‐Lys‐3]‐GHRP‐6 for 10 days. Ghrelin stimulated adipogenesis, also causing an increment of glycerol‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase and upregulation of PPAR‐γ2. Furthermore, the antilipolytic effect of ghrelin was attenuated by treatment with [D‐Lys‐3]‐GHRP‐6 in both types of isolated adipocytes. Overall, the results of the present study highlight that GHS‐R in adipogenesis can be blocked by treatment with [D‐Lys‐3]‐GHRP‐6.     

Spontaneous Nephroblastoma with Lung Metastasis in a Rat

This report describes a spontaneous nephroblastoma with lung metastasis in a 10-week-old male Crl:CD(SD) rat. Macroscopically, a white mass in the kidney and two white masses in the lung were observed. Histopathologically, the renal mass was located in the cortex of a kidney, and it caused pressure on the surrounding renal parenchyma. Three components could be distinguished in the tumor: blastemal, epithelial (primitive glomerular/tubular structures) and mesenchymal (neoplastic connective tissues) elements. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for Wilms tumor 1 protein (WT1) and vimentin. Metastasis was found in the lung. Thus, the case was diagnosed as a nephroblastoma with lung metastasis.     

Oral pharmacokinetics of the acidic drugs,diclofenac and sulfamonomethoxine in male Shiba goats

In the present study, we examined the oral pharmacokinetics of the acidic drugs, diclofenac (DF) and sulfamonomethoxine (SMM), which have different physicochemical properties, in Shiba goats. DF and SMM were intravenously and orally administered to 5 male goats using a crossover design. The T_max of DF and SMM were reached 1.5 and 5.6 hr after they have been orally administered, respectively, and this was followed by their slow elimination. The elimination of both drugs was markedly faster after being intravenously rather than orally administered, which indicated flip-flop phenomena after the oral administration. The mean absorption times (MATs) of DF and SMM were 6 and 15 hr, respectively. This slow absorption may have been due to slow gastric emptying in goats. The large difference observed in MATs between DF and SMM may have been because DF, which is more lipophilic than SMM, was partly absorbed from the forestomach. Therefore, these results suggest that the absorption of highly lipophilic drugs from the forestomach may be markedly high in Shiba goats. In case of drugs whose elimination is quite fast, their efficacies may appear from the early stage after oral administration even in ruminants, because elimination rate is the determinant factor of T_max in flip-flop phenomena. Such drugs may be used orally even in ruminants.     

Equilibrium vitrification of mouse embryos at various developmental stages using low concentrations of cryoprotectants

We previously developed a new vitrification method (equilibrium vitrification) by which two-cell mouse embryos can be vitrified in liquid nitrogen in a highly dehydrated/concentrated state using low concentrations of cryoprotectants. In the present study, we examined whether this method is effective for mouse embryos at multiple developmental stages. Four-cell embryos, eight-cell embryos, morulae, and blastocysts were vitrified with EDFS10/10a, 10% (v/v) ethylene glycol and 10% (v/v) DMSO in FSa solution. The FSa solution was PB1 medium containing 30% (w/v) Ficoll PM-70 plus 0.5 M sucrose. The state of dehydration/concentration was assessed by examining the survival of vitrified embryos after storage at –80°C. When four-cell embryos and eight-cell embryos were vitrified with EDFS10/10a in liquid nitrogen and then stored at –80°C, the survival rate was high, even after 28 days, with relatively high developmental ability. On the other hand, the survival of morulae and blastocysts vitrified in liquid nitrogen and stored at –80°C for four days was low. Therefore, morulae and blastocysts cannot be vitrified in a highly dehydrated/concentrated state using the same method as with two-cell embryos. However, when blastocysts were shrunken artificially before vitrification, survival was high after storage at –80°C for four days with high developmental ability. In conclusion, the equilibrium vitrification method using low concentrations of cryoprotectants, which is effective for two-cell mouse embryos, is also useful for embryos at multiple stages. This method enables the convenient transportation of vitrified embryos using dry ice.     

High susceptibility to zymbal gland and intestinal carcinogenesis in diabetic Otsuka long-evans Tokushima Fatty rats

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity are believed to be risk factors for colorectal cancer in humans. In experiment 1, male nondiabetic Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats and Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, a model animal of type 2 DM, were whole-body X-irradiated (4 Gy) at 6 and 8 weeks of age and euthanized at 78 weeks of age (n=15, respectively). The incidences of small intestine adenocarcinoma in LETO and OLETF rats were 0% and 30%, respectively. In experiment 2, male LETO and OLETF rats (n=24, respectively) were given s.c. injections of 15 mg/kg azoxymethane (AOM) once weekly for 3 weeks and euthanized at 36 weeks of age. The incidences of Zymbal gland tumors in LETO and OLETF rats were 0% and 67%, respectively (P<0.001), whereas those of small intestine adenocarcinoma were 0% and 43% (P<0.001) and those of cecum/colon adenocarcinoma were 46% and 79% (P<0.05), respectively. Fatty change of hepatocytes was common in OLETF rats (63%) but not in LETO rats. Serum triglyceride and free fatty acid levels in OLETF rats were significantly higher than in LETO rats at sacrifice, whereas serum insulin levels in OLETF rats were very diverse. These data suggest that hyperlipidemia plays a significant role in high susceptibility to lower intestinal tract carcinogenesis in OLETF rats; this strain is susceptible to AOM-induced Zymbal gland carcinogenesis.     

Possible origin of CSF antibodies induced by intrathecal immunization and prophylactic effects against intracerebral rabies virus infection

Intrathecal (IT) immunization involves injecting antigens directly into the intraventricular or subarachnoid spaces, or brain, to induce antigen-specific antibodies (Ab) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In the present study, rabbits were immunized IT with inactivated rabies virus to investigate the origins of CSF Ab. The time course of Ab induction and tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression suggested the possibility that the CSF Ab originated in the serum. In addition, Ab-producing cells infiltrated around the blood vessels of the brain, suggesting local production of Ab within the central nervous system (CNS). Furthermore, subcutaneous (SC) immunization prior to IT immunization induced a rapid and magnified Ab response in the CSF compared with IT immunization alone. These results were confirmed by the fact that mice immunized SC prior to IT were more resistant to intracerebral challenge with rabies virus than mice immunized via the IT route alone. Taken together, these results suggest that combined SC and IT immunization is a more effective vaccination protocol for prophylaxis and treatment of rabies.     

Contraceptive effect of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine on a captive female African Lion (Panthera leo): a case study

Lions (Panthera leo) breed well under captivity, so contraception has been commonly conducted for population management, leading to a demand for a less invasive and reversible contraceptive approach in lions. In this study, we examined the efficacy of a commercial gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine as a method of suppressing reproductive activity in a sexually matured female lion. Under behavioral restraint, the vaccine was injected twice (days 0 and 109). After the initial vaccination, ovarian activity is still observed. After the second vaccination, contraceptive effect was confirmed for 246 days until restart of estrous cycles. We confirmed only a slight swelling around the injection site after the second vaccination. This study may suggest an alternative option for a contraceptive method in lions.