MEASUREMENT OF INTERTHALAMIC ADHESION THICKNESS AS A CRITERIA FOR BRAIN ATROPHY IN DOGS WITH AND WITHOUT COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION (DEMENTIA)

The criteria for brain atrophy in dogs have not yet been established, because of wide variation in the morphology of the ventricles and sulci of the brain depending on the breed and size. In this study, we examined the thickness of the interthalamic adhesion in a transverse magnetic resonance image to investigate normal, to examine the correlation with age, body weight, and breed, and to assess whether measurement would be a useful indicator of brain atrophy. The animals used in this study were of various breeds and weight, and had no identifiable intracranial lesion. They were divided into two groups: a normal group (0.6-15-year-old, n = 66) and a demented aging group (12-18-year-old, n = 12). The interthalamic adhesion thickness in both T1- and T2-weighted transverse images were measured in all dogs. The interthalamic adhesion thickness in the normal and demented groups was 6.79 +/- 0.70 and 3.82 +/- 0.79 mm, respectively. The interthalamic adhesion thickness in the demented group was significantly smaller. In an analysis of the correlation of interthalamic adhesion thickness with age and weight in normal dogs, significant negative and positive correlation was recognized, respectively. However, the strength of these correlations was low. These results suggest that interthalamic adhesion thickness may be a good parameter for evaluating brain atrophy in dogs with cognitive dysfunction.     

Effect of Hypertension on the Occurrence of Micro-hemorrhage in the Pancreatic Islet of Dahl Salt-sensitive Rats

The effect of hypertension on the occurrence of micro-hemorrhage in the pancreatic islet, known to be observed in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats spontaneously, and endothelial markers were investigated in male Dahl-Iwai salt-sensitive (DIS, derived from SD rats), salt-resistant (DIR), and SD rats. DIS and DIR rats were fed 8% NaCl-containing diet to induce hypertension, with blood pressure measurement once a week, euthanized at 6, 8, or 12 weeks of age, and subjected to the measurement of plasma nitric oxide (NO) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) concentrations combined with histopathological examinations and immunohistochemical detections of vWF in the pancreas and kidney. As a result, hypertension was observed from 7 through 12 weeks of age in DIS rats. At 12 weeks of age, only DIS rats showed decreased plasma NO and increased vWF, indicating endothelial abnormality in the body. Histopathologically, micro-hemorrhage in the islet was observed with a similar incidence and severity in SD and DIS rats aged 12 weeks, and vWF was immunohistochemically localized in the islet endothelium with similar reactivity between age-matched SD rats. On the other hand, in the kidney, glomerular sclerosis was observed in DIS rats aged 12 weeks and accompanied broad stainability of vWF in the sclerotic glomerulus, including endothelium. In conclusion, there was no enhancement/exaggeration in the micro-hemorrhage in the pancreatic islet of hypertensive DIS rats in comparison with that in SD rats under the present experimental conditions. It is suggested that hypertension is not related to the occurrence of islet micro-hemorrhage, spontaneously observed in SD rats.     

The trophic effect of cholecystokinin on the pancreas declines in rats on total parenteral nutrition

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) results in atrophy of the pancreas, while cholecystokinin (CCK) can significantly stimulate the exocrine pancreas in rodents. This study was designed to examine whether CCK may improve the atrophy of the pancreas in rats on TPN treatment. Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into orally fed and TPN groups and were infused with CCK at a dose of 5 μg/kg/h or the CCK-receptor antagonist devazepide at a dose of 200 μg/kg/h for 10 days. Infusion of CCK caused hypercholecystokininemia (hyperCCKemia) and decreased the atrophy of the pancreas resulting from TPN. The hyperplastic response to CCK in orally fed rats was decreased in the rats given TPN. Devazepide did not influence the pancreatic variables. This study further confirmed that CCK stimulates the exocrine pancreas and decreases the atrophy of the exocrine pancreas resulting from TPN. Our present findings suggest that the trophic effect of CCK on the exocrine pancreas declines in TPN.     

禽胰多肽对肉鸡增重及内分泌影响的研究

选取1日龄艾维茵鸡160只,随机分为4组,每组40只。基础日粮含ME12.91、12.90MJ/kg,CP23%、21%。1￣21日龄期间,分别按体重在Ⅰ～Ⅳ组鸡基础日粮中添加0、1.16、3.48和10.44mg/kg禽胰多肽(APP)制品。鸡只自由采食及饮水,24h光照,试验期44d。试验结果表明:禽胰多肽能促进鸡甲状腺的发育,显著提高血浆甲状腺素(T4)浓度(P<0.05);促进鸡只的生长发育,显著提高肉鸡的增重(P<0.05),并改善饲料报酬。本试验中APP适宜添加量为每天每千克体重1.16mg。     

The Diagnosis of Pancreatic Degenerative Atrophy in Dogs – a Practical Method

A convenient method was developed to diagnose pancreatic degenerative atrophy (PDA) in small animal practice based on the observations, that feeding crude soybean increases faecal protease activity in dogs with normal pancreatic function, while PDA-dogs remain completely negative in faecal protease activity.When PDA is suspected, 1 or 2 faecal samples should be investigated with the X-ray film method based on incubation for 2 h at 37°G. If any activity is seen the dog should be considered non-PDA. If no activity is seen the dog should be given food supplemented with 1 g crude soybean/kg body weight twice daily for a few days and a new faecal sample should be collected. If the activity remains negative the diagnosis of PDA is reliable.As the amount of crude soybean in the food increased, a dose dependent increase of faecal protease and amylase was seen as measured with the radial enzyme diffusion method (RED).     

Muscle atrophy induced in broiler chicks by parts of Senna occidentalis seeds

Senna occidentalis (formerly Cassia occidentalis) is a common contaminant of agricultural commodities. It is toxic to cattle and poultry, reportedly being responsible for skeletal myodegeneration in these animals. All parts of the plant present toxicity, but the seeds are the most toxic. The toxin(s) responsible for the myodegeneration have not been definitively identified, nor is it known which part of the seeds is most toxic. Intoxication by this plant leads to weight loss with considerable economic repercussions. The effects of the whole seed and of parts of S. occidentalis seeds (1% in commercial feed) were compared on the pectoralis major muscle of broiler chicks intoxicated from birth until 22 days of life. There were severe clinical signals and reduced body weight in birds that received the external tegment of the seed, whereas no adverse effects were observed in birds that received the whole seed or other parts of the seed. Histological and morphometric studies showed an intense muscle fibre atrophy (both type 1 and type 2 fibres were affected) in the group that received 1% external tegment. This study may be the first step to identifying the substance(s) involved in this pathological process.     

Isolation of a novel catechin from Bergenia rhizomes that has pronounced lipase-inhibiting and antioxidative properties

An aqueous ethanol extract of Bergenia crassifolia rhizomes strongly inhibited human pancreatic lipase activity and increased scavenging of DPPH free radicals in vitro. Chromatographic separation of this extract led to isolation of the hydrolysable tannins (+)-catechin 3,5-di-O-gallate () and (+)-catechin 3-O-gallate (). This is the first report of the isolation of compound 1 from plant material. This compound strongly inhibited human pancreatic lipase (with an IC₅₀ value of 0.42 μg/ml) and exhibited a remarkable free radical-scavenging ability (with an SC₅₀ value of 1.04 μg/ml). The chemical structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated using MS, NMR and chemical approaches.