Effects of glucose and amino acids on ghrelin secretion in sheep

Two experiments were conducted to elucidate the effects of post‐ruminal administration of starch and casein (Exp. 1), plasma amino acids concentrations (Exp. 2), and plasma glucose and insulin concentrations (Exp. 2) on plasma ghrelin concentrations in sheep. In Exp. 1, plasma ghrelin concentrations were determined by four infusion treatments (water, cornstarch, casein and cornstarch plus casein) in four wethers. Abomasal infusion of casein increased plasma α‐amino N (AAN) concentrations. Infusion of starch or casein alone did not affect plasma ghrelin concentrations, but starch plus casein infusion increased plasma levels of ghrelin, glucose and AAN. In Exp 2, we investigated the effects of saline or amino acids on ghrelin secretion in four wethers. Two hours after the initiation of saline or amino acid infusion into the jugular vein, glucose was also continuously infused to investigate the effects of blood glucose and insulin by hyper‐glycemic clump on plasma ghrelin concentrations. Infusion of amino acids alone raised plasma levels of ghrelin, but the higher plasma glucose and insulin concentrations had no effect on plasma ghrelin concentrations. These results suggest that high plasma levels of amino acids can stimulate ghrelin secretion, but glucose and insulin do not affect ghrelin secretion in sheep.     

Development of Novel Water-extraction System with Thermoelectric Module Using Solar and Wind Power in Arid Land

This study aimed to develop a water-extraction system which could produce the fresh water from the air in arid regions and which used renewable energies as the electric power source. In this paper, the experiments for water extraction from the air were carried out by using the novel multi-stage water-extraction device with Peltier deices for two cases of temperature and related humidity of the air. One was the case where the temperature and the related humidity of the air were constant, and the other was the case where they were simulated the variation of the temperature and related humidity of the air in a day of summer and spring in Loess Plateau, China. The effects of the temperature and related humidity of the atmospheric air and supply the electric power to Peltier devices on performance of water production of the device were investigated and reported.     

Energy partitioning in cultured juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna,Thunnus orientalis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844)

The characteristics of dietary utilization, energy conversion efficiency, metabolic rate and energy partitioning were measured for cultured Pacific bluefin tuna (PBT) juveniles fed on an artificial diet. Thirty‐one juveniles (1.1 ± 0.3 g BW) were stocked into each of two 2500 L tanks to measure oxygen consumption (?O₂), swimming speed, digestibility and growth performance. ?O₂ elevated until 2.5 ± 0.3 times of pre‐feeding level within 1.5 h after feeding, except for the first feeding, and returned to pre‐feeding level within 3 h. Swimming speed fluctuation was corresponded with the ?O₂ fluctuation, and both parameters were stable from 02:00 to 06:00 and also during the whole day for starved fish. These indicate that feeding has strong influence on their metabolic rate. Energy partitioning for faecal, urinary and branchial, heat increment and voluntary activity, standard metabolism, and retained energy were calculated to be 17.2%, 5.9%, 14.9%, 41.3% and 20.7% of total ingested energy, respectively. The results indicate that, unlike other fish, juvenile PBT distribute large amount of energy for maintenance, which allows only a little proportion of ingested energy available for growth.     

Origin of waxy common millet, Panicum miliaceum L. in Japan

We developed PCR-based markers for genotyping Waxy genes in common millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) and proposed a new hypothesis on the origin and dispersal of waxy type of Japanese landraces. I₂-K staining indicated that almost all the Japanese landraces had waxy endosperm. Based on the PCR and dCAPs analyses of two waxy loci on different genomes we concluded that there were at least two possible lineages in Asian continent that had independent dispersal pathways into Japan. Most Japanese common millet had the similar genotypes with those in Korean Peninsula but a few particularly from northern part of Japan had common genotypes in northeastern China and Primorskaya Province of Russia.     

Neutropenia associated with osteomyelitis due to Hepatozoon canis infection in a dog

A 4-year-old, intact male Shiba dog was referred to Yamaguchi University Animal Medical Center, Yamaguchi, Japan, for the following complaints: anorexia, lethargy, intermittent fever, gingival bleeding and abdominal purpura. The dog presented with persistent neutropenia. Histopathological examination of a bone marrow sample revealed round to oval structures that resembled Hepatozoon micromerozoites and formed a "wheel-spoke" pattern. Furthermore, mature neutrophils were observed around these structures. PCR and sequencing using bone marrow aspirate confirmed Hepatozoon canis (H. canis) infection. These findings suggest that the neutropenia observed in this case was associated with osteomyelitis due to H. canis infection. This is the first report of neutropenia associated with H. canis infection. H. canis infection can be included in the differential diagnosis in canine cases of neutropenia in areas where the disease is endemic.     

Therapeutic and adverse effects of flunixin-meglumine in adult and young cats

In this study, we elucidated the difference in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug sensitivities between young and adult cats on therapeutic and adverse effects. In the prevention of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hyperthermia using flunixin-meglumine, young (<3 months old) and adult (>12 months old) cats of both sexes were given LPS (0.3 μg/kg, i.v.), and body temperature was measured 24 hr later. Flunixin (1 mg/kg, s.c.) was administered 30 min before the LPS injection. LPS-induced hyperthermia was almost completely inhibited by pre-treatment with flunixin in both adult and young cats. In addition, flunixin showed almost the same antipyretic effects in both young and adult cats. The animals were administered flunixin (1 mg/kg, s.c.) once a day for 3 days, and sacrificed 24 hr later to examine the gastrointestinal mucosal lesions. In adult cats, flunixin caused many severe lesions in the small intestine. In contrast, very few gastrointestinal lesions were produced by flunixin in young cats. In the pharmacokinetics of flunixin, plasma concentrations of flunixin were analysed using a high performance liquid chromatography. There were no significant differences in plasma concentration of flunixin between young and adult cats from 0.5 to 4 hr after the injection. These results demonstrated that NSAIDs could be used more safely in young than in adult cats from the points of gastrointestinal adverse effects. Furthermore, this difference in gastrointestinal lesions between adult and young cats was not related with the plasma concentration of flunixin.     

The antagonist activity of lipid IVa on the stimulation by lipid A of TNF-alpha production from canine blood mononuclear cells

Lipid A, the active component of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), exists in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and binds to the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and MD-2 complex. On the other hand, the synthetic precursor of Escherichia coli lipid A, tetraacylated lipid IVa, is an agonist for TLR4 and MD-2 complex in murine, equine and feline cells but is an antagonist for lipid A in human cells. The aim of the study was to examine the function of canine Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and MD-2 complex on canine blood mononuclear cells (BMC), by analyzing lipid A- or lipid IVa-induction of TNF-α production from these cells in order to understand canine innate immune system. After 5-h culture of canine BMC with lipid A (lipid A culture) or lipid IVa (lipid IVa culture), the TNF-α, as determined by ELISA, had increased in the supernatants of the lipid A cultures in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the TNF-α was undetectable in supernatant of lipid IVa-treated cultures. The TNF-α was statistically significantly different between the lipid A and lipid IVa cultures (100 and 1000 ng/ml). TNF-α production from canine BMC was inhibited, in a lipid IVa-dose-dependent manner, when the BMC were pre-cultured with lipid IVa for 60 min and then cultured with lipid A for 5h, while in control BMC cultures production if TNF-α was unchanged. These results indicate that the TNF-α production stimulated by lipid A was competed out by pre-exposing the BMC to lipid IVa. Thus, lipid A is an agonist for TNF-α production in canine BMC, whereas lipid IVa appears to be an antagonist against this lipid A stimulation of canine BMC.     

Pigs as an experimental model for systemic Mycobacterium avium infectious disease

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is an opportunistic pathogen in AIDS patients and pigs, and causes dissemination through primary intestinal lesions. However, its pathogenesis is not well understood. In this article, we hypothesize that pigs can provide a suitable experimental model of disseminated MAC disease. We compared the initial route of infection, the characteristics of the pathogenic strains, the immunological status of the hosts, and the histological characteristics. The route of infection and infective strains are similar in AIDS patients and pigs. Pigs can respond to infection by the formation of systemic epithelioid granuloma with sufficient cell-mediated immunity. However, there are differences in immunological status and histological features between AIDS patients and pigs. Therefore, pigs might be used as an appropriate animal model because of their good cell mediated immunity triggered by systemic mycobacterial infection. In conclusion, MAC infections in AIDS patients and pigs show similarities in terms of the initial route of infection and the genetic characteristics of the pathogenic strains.