Effects of AI protocol and time interval from onset of estrus to AI on conception rate in Japanese Black cows

Two different artificial insemination (AI) protocols were investigated to determine the effect of the time interval from the onset of estrus (as detected by a pedometer) to the AI on the conception rate in Japanese Black cows. Seventy‐three cows were divided into two groups that received AI either after the induction of synchronized ovulation (synchronized AI group; n = 26) or at the time of observed estrus (control AI group; n = 47). Each group was further divided into two subgroups, which were artificially inseminated either 0–12 h (early AI group; n = 21) or 12–24 h (late AI group; n = 52) after the onset of estrus. There was no significant difference in the conception rate between the synchronized AI and control AI groups. The AI protocol and the detection of estrus using a threshold of counted steps (as measured by a pedometer) in this study could be effective for planned reproduction management without the observation of standing estrus in Japanese Black cows.     

Mean retention time of digesta in the different segments of the equine hindgut

Six Thoroughbred horses were used to determine the mean retention time (MRT) of digesta in the different segments of the hindgut. The horses were fed timothy hay or silage in equal amounts (1.6% bodyweight [BW]/day) every 3 h/day. Hay or silage labeled with the rare earth elements cerium, dysprosium, neodymium, ytterbium, lanthanum, samarium and praseodymium, were fed to the horses 36, 30, 24, 18, 12, 6 and 3 h before slaughter, respectively. Just after slaughter, digesta samples in the different segments were collected and determined for the contents of the rare earth elements. Using these data, a method to calculate the MRT in the different segments was proposed. There were no significant differences between diets in the MRT of each segment. The averaged MRT of hay and silage in the cecum, right ventral colon, left ventral colon, left dorsal colon, right dorsal colon and small colon was 2.9, 3.1, 5.9, 1.0, 4.0, and 4.0 h, respectively. The dry matter weight of the digesta was related to the MRT in the right ventral colon (r = 0.94, P = 0.005), left ventral colon (r = 0.87, P = 0.03), left dorsal colon (r = 0.98, P < 0.001) and right dorsal colon (r = 0.95, P = 0.004), but it was not related to the MRT in the cecum and small colon.     

Starch Damage and Pasting Properties of Rice Flours Produced by Dry Jet Grinding

Milling method and particle size affect some properties of rice flour. To prepare ultra‐fine rice flour of <30 μm, hammer and dry jet grinding methods were examined and the effect of particle size on starch damage and pasting properties of the flour were elucidated. A jet mill could make finer flour (<10 μm mean size) with a narrower particle size distribution than a hammer mill could. Starch damage increased dramatically at a mean size of <10 μm. Particles of a similar size (<60 μm) had different levels of starch damage between mills. Not only the particle size, but also the milling method affected the level of damaged starch. Flour samples of ≥45 μm mean size had similar viscosity curves, but samples of <20 μm had different curves. Peak viscosity and final viscosity decreased sharply at <10 μm. Setback viscosity for particles of 3 μm from both brown rice and white rice were higher than the peak viscosity. Stability to heat and shearing stress were decreased for <20 μm flours as the breakdown viscosities decreased. Starch damage and pasting properties of flour ground from the nonwaxy japonica cultivar Koshihikari changed dramatically at a mean size of <10 μm.     

Allelopathic potential of itchgrass (Rottboellia exaltata L. f.) powder incorporated into soil

Itchgrass ( Rottboellia exaltata L. f.) is a widespread weed in northern Thailand. The farmers in this area have been using itchgrass as a mulching material in order to control other weeds in vegetable fields. Laboratory experiments were undertaken to investigate the phytotoxic activity of itchgrass powder incorporated into soil in order to evaluate the allelopathic activity in the field. The phytotoxic activity on the growth of radish seedlings ( Raphanus sativa L. var. radicula ), used as a test plant, was more pronounced in the root than in the shoot growth. The phytotoxic activity was found to be similar for the soils incorporated with the shoot or the root powder of itchgrass. The growth of the radish seedlings grown in sea sand and watered with soil water obtained from the soil previously incorporated with itchgrass powder showed a similar inhibition to those planted in the treated soil. The phytotoxic activity on the growth of the radish seedlings in the soil incorporated with the powder decreased over time. It is suggested that itchgrass releases phytotoxic compound(s) into soil water and the concentration of the active compound(s) in the soil water decreases over time.     

CLINICAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE VOLUMETRY OF THE HIPPOCAMPUS IN 58 EPILEPTIC DOGS*

Hippocampal atrophy, which is a component of hippocampal sclerosis and recognized commonly in human intractable epilepsy, is controversial in canine epilepsy. We examined the hippocampal volume in 58 epileptic dogs and 35 control dogs using magnetic resonance (MR) images, and calculated the relative hippocampal volume asymmetry of the right and left hippocampus. Subjectively, there were visible MR imaging abnormalities in seven of the 58 epileptic dogs (12%). The hippocampel volume asymmetric ratio of epileptic dogs (5.84±4.47%) was significantly greater than that of control dogs (1.62±0.88%). Using a cutoff threshold asymmetric ratio of 6% that is indicated in human epilepsy, 28 epileptic dogs (48%) were characterized as having unilateral hippocampus atrophy. The hippocampal volume asymmetry ratio cannot be used to detect bilateral atrophy. In conclusion, although less frequent than that observed in human epilepsy patients, hippocampal atrophy may occur in canine epilepsy.     

Influences of Northern Leaf Blight on corn silage fermentation quality,nutritive value and feed intake by sheep

This study examined the differences between non‐inoculated (control) corn and Northern Leaf Blight (NLB)‐damaged corn (inoculated corn); dry matter (DM) yield, silage fermentation quality, nutritive value and feed intake by sheep were compared. Leaf, stem and grain dry weights and gross yield of inoculated corn were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased compared with control corn. The contents of water‐soluble carbohydrate and nitrogen‐free extract (NFE) were decreased in inoculated corn compared with control corn. Silage made from both inoculated and control corn showed good fermentation quality. The digestibility of DM, organic matter, ether extract, NFE, and energy of silage made from inoculated corn were significantly (P < 0.05) lower, and contents of total digestible nutrients (TDN) and digestible energy (DE) were also significantly (P < 0.05) lower compared with silage made from the control corn. DM intake showed no significant discrepancy between the two types of silage. TDN and DE intakes from inoculated silage were significantly (P < 0.05) lower compared with control silage. From the above results it was shown that NLB caused a decrease in DM yield and NFE content in corn and a decrease in the nutritive value and feed intake of silage.     

Stage‐specific effects of osmolarity of a culture medium on development of pig oocytes and miniature pig somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos activated by ultrasound treatment

Whether high osmolarity of a culture medium at the early culture stage affects the development of pig oocytes and miniature pig somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos activated by ultrasound was examined. When oocytes were cultured in modified porcine zygote medium‐3 (mPZM‐3) with increased NaCl to 138 mmol/L (mPZM‐3+NaCl; 326 mOsm) or 50 mmol/L sucrose (mPZM‐3+sucrose; 318 mOsm) for the first 2 days and then cultured in normal mPZM‐3 (273 mOsm) for 5 days, the cleavage and blastocyst formation rates were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of oocytes cultured in mPZM‐3 for 7 days. The cleavage and blastocyst formation rates of SCNT embryos cultured in mPZM‐3+NaCl for the first 2 days and then cultured in mPZM‐3 for 5 days were also significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of embryos cultured in mPZM‐3 for 7 days. These results showed that the high osmolarity of a culture medium induced by increasing NaCl concentration during the first 2 days improves the development of pig oocytes and miniature pig SCNT embryos activated by ultrasound.     

Ethylenediurea (EDU) effects on hybrid larch saplings exposed to ambient or elevated ozone over three growing seasons

Ground-level ozone (O3) pollution is a persis-tent environmental issue that can lead to adverse effects on trees and wood production,thus indicating a need for forestry interventions to mediate O3 effects.We treated hybrid larch (Larix gmelinii var.japonica × L.kaempferi)saplings grown in nutrient-poor soils with 0 or 400 mg L-1 water solutions of the antiozonant ethylenediurea(EDU0,EDU400) and exposed them to ambient O3 (AOZ;08:00-18:00 ≈ 30 nmol mol-1) or elevated O3 (EOZ;08:00-18:00≈ 60 nmol mo1-1) over three growing sea-sons.We found that EDU400 protected saplings against most effects of EOZ,which included extensive visible foliar injury,premature senescence,decreased photosyn-thetic pigment contents and altered balance between pig-ments,suppressed gas exchange and biomass production,and impaired leaf litter decay.While EOZ had limited effects on plant growth (suppressed stem diameter),it decreased the total number of buds per plant,an effect that was not observed in the first growing season.These results indicate that responses to EOZ might have implications to plant competitiveness,in the long term,as a result of decreased potential for vegetative growth.However,when buds were standardized per unit of branches biomass,EOZ significantly increased the number of buds per unit of biomass,suggest-ing a potentially increased investment to bud development,in an effort to enhance growth potential and competitiveness in the next growing season.EDU400 minimized most of these effects of EOZ,significantly enhancing plant health under O3-induced stress.The effect of EDU was attributed mainly to a biochemical mode of action.Therefore,hybrid larch,which is superior to its parents,can be significantly improved by EDU under long-term elevated O3 exposure,providing a perspective for enhancing afforestation practices.     

Antiallergic Effect of Picholine Olive Oil-in-Water Emulsions through β-Hexosaminidase Release Inhibition and Characterization of Their Physicochemical Properties

The inhibitory effect of Picholine olive oil from Montpellier in Southern France on the chemical mediator release in type I allergy, using rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells, was investigated. Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions prepared using Picholine olive oil showed an inhibitory effect on the chemical mediator release and decreased expressions of genes related to type I allergy in RBL-2H3 cells. We then measured the phenolic compounds present in Picholine olive oil using high-performance liquid chromatography and investigated some physical properties, such as droplet size, size distribution, viscosity, and surface tension of the resulting olive O/W emulsions. Our findings indicate that Picholine olive oil has high flavonoids content, especially apigenin, and the prepared emulsion of Picholine olive oil resulted in a considerable small size distribution, with an average droplet size of 170 nm.