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The effect of wood kraft pulp (KP) feed on dietary digestibility, ruminal fluid pH, rumen fermentation characteristics, and milk production performance in lactating dairy cows was examined. Four lactating dairy cows were used for the feeding experiment by the cross-over design. The control group and KP group were set up as treatments. The control group was fed total mixed ration (TMR) (40% roughage and 60% concentrate) and the KP group was fed TMR containing 12% KP that replaced half of the rolled corn in the control diet. The dry matter intake, digestibility of the feed components, and milk yield were not significantly different between control group and KP group. The number of times that the ruminal fluid pH was below 6.1 tended to decrease in the KP group compared to the control group (p < 0.10). The acetic acid ratio in the ruminal fluid of the KP group increased compared to the control group (p < 0.05) and the propionic acid ratio in the ruminal fluid of the KP group decreased compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The acetate:propionate acid ratio was increased in the KP group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Lipopolysaccharide levels in the ruminal fluid of the KP group tended to decrease compared to the control group (p < 0.10). Based on these results, it was indicated that the use of KP feed for lactating dairy cows induced the same rumen fermentation characteristics as those in cows given a large amount of roughage without depressing milk productivity. Therefore, KP could be a valuable feed resource substitute for grains, which would also reduce the risk for subacute rumen acidosis., (© 2018 The Authors. Animal Science Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

We conducted a meta-data analysis to develop prediction equations to estimate enteric methane (CH 4 ) emission from beef cattle in Southeast Asia. The dataset was obtained from 25 studies, which included 332 individual observations on nutrient intakes, digestibilities, and CH 4 emissions. Cattle were provided tropical forage or rice straw, with or without concentrates in individual pens equipped with indirect open-circuit head hood apparatus. The simplest and best equation to predict daily CH 4 emission was CH 4 (g/day) = 22.71 (±1.008) × dry matter intake (DMI, kg/day) + 8.91 (±10.896) [R 2  = 0.77; root mean square error (RMSE) = 19.363 g/day]. The best equation to predict CH 4 energy as a proportion of gross energy intake (CH 4 -E/GEI, J/100 J) was obtained using DMI per body weight (DMIBW, kg/100 kg), content (g/100 g DM) of ether extract (EE) and crude protein (CP), and DM digestibility (DMD, g/100 g); CH 4 -E/GEI = -0.782 (±0.2526) DMIBW - 0.436 (±0.0548) EE - 0.073 (±0.0218) CP + 0.049 (±0.0097) DMD + 8.654 (±0.6517) (R 2  = 0.39; RMSE = 1.3479 J/100 J GEI). It was indicated that CH 4 emissions from beef cattle in Southeast Asia are predictable using present developed models including simple indices., (© 2018 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

A Gram-stain-variable, strictly anaerobic, rod-shaped, catalase-negative and endospore-forming bacterial strain, designated MJC39 T , was isolated from grass silage preserved in Hokkaido, Japan. Growth occurred at 20-42 °C, pH 5.0-7.0 and NaCl concentrations up to 2 % (w/v). The isolated strain MJC39 T produced butyric acid in peptone yeast extract medium with glucose. The DNA G+C content of strain MJC39 T was 34.4±0.2 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were C14 : 0, C16 : 0 and summed feature 3 (including C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c). No respiratory quinones were detected. The polar lipids of strain MJC39 T were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified lipid, one unidentified aminolipid, two unidentified glycolipids, one unidentified phospholipid, one unidentified aminoglycolipid and one unidentified phosphoaminoglycolipid. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain MJC39 T was a member of the genus Clostridium and is closely related to Clostridium tyrobutyricum JCM 11008 T (95.8 % similarity) and Clostridium algifaecis MB9-7 T (95.5 % similarity). Based on the genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain MJC39 T represents a novel species of the genus Clostridium, for which the name Clostridium pabulibutyricum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MJC39 T (=JCM 31506 T =DSM 103944 T ).

Despite the recent advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), MM patients with high-risk cytogenetic changes such as t(4;14) translocation or deletion of chromosome 17 still have extremely poor prognoses. With the goal of helping these high-risk MM patients, we previously developed a novel phthalimide derivative, TC11. Here we report the further characterization of TC11 including anti-myeloma effects in vitro and in vivo, a pharmacokinetic study in mice, and anti-osteoclastogenic activity. Intraperitoneal injections of TC11 significantly delayed the growth of subcutaneous tumors in human myeloma-bearing SCID mice. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that TC11 induced apoptosis of MM cells in vivo. In the pharmacokinetic analyses, the Cmax was 2.1 μM at 1 h after the injection of TC11, with 1.2 h as the half-life. TC11 significantly inhibited the differentiation and function of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinucleated osteoclasts in mouse osteoclast cultures using M-CSF and RANKL. We also revealed that TC11 induced the apoptosis of myeloma cells accompanied by α-tubulin fragmentation. In addition, TC11 and lenalidomide, another phthalimide derivative, directly bound to nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1), whose role in MM is unknown. Thus, through multiple molecular interactions, TC11 is a potentially effective drug for high-risk MM patients with bone lesions. The present results suggest the possibility of the further development of novel thalidomide derivatives by drug designing.

We improved the dry ash procedure for detecting titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) in cattle feces containing chromium oxide [corrected] (Cr(2)O(3) ). First, the effect of amount of sodium sulfate (Na2 SO4 ) on the recovery of TiO2 from cattle feces that contained Cr2 O3 was evaluated. Average recovery of TiO2 at the 2.5 g Na2 SO4 level was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than that at 0.75 g Na2 SO4 . Second, the effect of Cr2 O3 concentration on the recovery of TiO2 of cattle feces by using two levels of Na2 SO4 addition was examined. The recovery of TiO2 decreased with the increase in the amount of Cr2 O3 at the 0.75 g Na2 SO4 level but was consistently high at 2.5 g Na2 SO4 . Third, the recovery of Cr2 O3 from cattle feces was checked. The recoveries of TiO2 and Cr2 O3 were high enough at the 2.5 g Na2 SO4 level. Fourth, the improved dry ash procedure (5 mL of concentrated H2 SO4 and 2.5 g of Na2 SO4 were used for sample digestion) was compared to the wet ash procedure. Average recovery of TiO2 by the improved dry ash procedure was significantly higher (P = 0.0077) than that by the wet ash procedure. Thus, the improved dry ash procedure can be used for TiO2 analysis in cattle feces containing Cr2 O3 ., (© 2013 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

Despite the introduction of newly developed drugs such as lenalidomide and bortezomib, patients with multiple myeloma are still difficult to treat and have a poor prognosis. In order to find novel drugs that are effective for multiple myeloma, we tested the antitumor activity of 29 phthalimide derivatives against several multiple myeloma cell lines. Among these derivatives, 2-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-5-amino-1H-isoindole-1,3- dione (TC11) was found to be a potent inhibitor of tumor cell proliferation and an inducer of apoptosis via activation of caspase-3, 8 and 9. This compound also showed in vivo activity against multiple myeloma cell line KMS34 tumor xenografts in ICR/SCID mice. By means of mRNA display selection on a microfluidic chip, the target protein of TC11 was identified as nucleophosmin 1 (NPM). Binding of TC11 and NPM monomer was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance. Immunofluorescence and NPM knockdown studies in HeLa cells suggested that TC11 inhibits centrosomal clustering by inhibiting the centrosomal-regulatory function of NPM, thereby inducing multipolar mitotic cells, which undergo apoptosis. NPM may become a novel target for development of antitumor drugs active against multiple myeloma.

To decrease the age at first calving in Holsteins, the effects of average daily body weight gain (ADG) and crude protein (CP) level until first insemination on growth performance and milk production were examined. The MM group had a target ADG of 0.75 kg and received a diet with a CP level of 14%. The HM and HH groups had a target ADG of 1 kg; both these groups received a diet with CP levels 14% and 16%, respectively. The ADG in the HM and HH groups was 1.1 kg, whereas in the MM group it was 0.97 kg (P < 0.01). The HM and HH groups showed no differences in withers height at body weight 350 kg. The ages at first calving in MM, HM and HH groups were 23.1, 21.0 and 21.8 months, respectively. The HM and HH groups had lower milk yield at day 305 than the MM group (P < 0.01). These results suggest that growth performance until first insemination should be maintained at an ADG of 0.97 kg or less with a CP level of approximately 14%, to shorten time until first insemination and prevent the decrease of milk yield., (© 2011 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2011 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

We investigated the effect of cellooligosaccharide (CE) or a combination of dextran and Lactobacillus casei ssp. casei strain JCM1134(T) (synbiotic; SB) feeding on growth performance, fecal condition and hormone concentrations in Holstein calves. Fifty-two female Holstein calves were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: CE feeding group (n = 16), SB feeding group (n = 18), and control group (n = 18). Body weight at 90 days of age, as well as daily body weight gain (DG) and feed efficiency after weaning to 90 days of age were greater (P < 0.05) in the CE feeding group than in the control group. The total fecal score tended to be lower (P < 0.1) in the SB feeding group than in the control group. Plasma insulin concentration was higher (P < 0.05) in the CE feeding group than in the control group at 90 days of age. Our results indicate that CE feeding improved DG and feed efficiency in calves. On the other hand, there was less effect on growth performance and fecal Escherichia coli counts in calves fed SB., (2011 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2011 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

Methane (CH(4)) is the second most important greenhouse gas (GHG) and that emitted from enteric fermentation in livestock is the single largest source of emissions in Japan. Many factors influence ruminant CH(4) production, including level of intake, type and quality of feeds and environmental temperature. The objectives of this review are to identify the factors affecting CH(4) production in ruminants, to examine technologies for the mitigation of CH(4) emissions from ruminants, and to identify areas requiring further research. The following equation for CH(4) prediction was formulated using only dry matter intake (DMI) and has been adopted in Japan to estimate emissions from ruminant livestock for the National GHG Inventory Report: Y = -17.766 + 42.793X - 0.849X(2), where Y is CH(4) production (L/day) and X is DMI (kg/day). Technologies for the mitigation of CH(4) emissions from ruminants include increasing productivity by improving nutritional management, the manipulation of ruminal fermentation by changing feed composition, the addition of CH(4) inhibitors, and defaunation. Considering the importance of ruminant livestock, it is essential to establish economically feasible ways of reducing ruminant CH(4) production while improving productivity; it is therefore critical to conduct a full system analysis to select the best combination of approaches or new technologies to be applied under long-term field conditions.

This paper reports on the first 100 infants delivered consecutively the result of 63 pregnancies after conception in-vitro at the Pacific In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Institute. These pregnancies were established prior to the introduction of embryo-cryopreservation into the program. Ninety-seven percent (97%) of singleton pregnancies delivered after 36 weeks; only 5/31 (16%) required tocolytic therapy. The overall multiple gestation rate was 51%, higher than in many other IVF centers. Maternal complications and neonatal morbidity were associated primarily with these multiple gestations. Forty-one percent (41%) delivered in less than 36 weeks, and tocolytics were administered in 22/27 (81%) of twin and 5/5 (100%) of triplet gestations. Neonatal morbidity was noted in 39 infants (33 from multiple gestations); 28 neonates were admitted to the intensive care unit (27 from multiple gestations). Nine births had or developed minor abnormalities (hernias, pyloric stenosis). One case of Trisomy 21, and one infant death at 11 months occurred in the group. The caesarean section rate for all IVF deliveries was 65%. It is concluded that IVF is clearly established in Hawaii for infertility refractory to other methods of treatment. The risk associated with IVF stem from the possibility of multiple gestations, not whether the pregnancy was initiated in-vitro. In the future, embryo cryopreservation may help to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancy.