Increased activity in the right prefrontal cortex measured using near-infrared spectroscopy during a flower arrangement task.

OBJECTIVE: Flower arrangement program (FAP) horticultural therapy promotes psychological, social and physiological wellness and recovery. Moreover, FAPs have been used to evaluate the outcomes related to visuospatial working memory; yet, most of these studies used subjective outcome measures such as behavioural observations and questionnaires. Few studies report objective evaluations of FAP effects in humans. In the present study, we measured the effects of an FAP task on frontal lobe activity in healthy participants using near-infrared spectroscopy. We quantified salivary amylase levels as an indicator of stress level during the FAP. METHODS: The FAP task involved a predetermined arrangement pattern of natural materials (flowers and leaves) that required the participants to identify where a given material should be placed and temporarily memorise the designated position to complete the flower arrangement. The FAP task was compared to the block-tapping task (BTT), which is routinely used to evaluate visuospatial working memory. RESULTS: Both the FAP task and BTT positively stimulated the right prefrontal cortex; however, stress was more effectively limited during the performance of the FAP task. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that FAP therapy may be useful for the rehabilitation of patients who are sensitive to stress.

Near-infrared spectroscopy can reveal increases in brain activity related to animal-assisted therapy.

[Purpose] Previous studies have indicated that animal-assisted therapy can promote recovery of psychological, social, and physiological function in mental disorders. This study was designed as a pilot evaluation of the use of near-infrared spectroscopy to objectively identify changes in brain activity that could mediate the effect of animal-assisted therapy. [Subjects and Methods] The participants were 20 healthy students (10 males and 10 females; age 19-21 years) of the Faculty of Agriculture, Saga University. Participants were shown a picture of a Tokara goat or shack (control) while prefrontal cortical oxygenated haemoglobin levels (representing neural activity) were measured by near-infrared spectroscopy. [Results] The prefrontal cortical near-infrared spectroscopy signal was significantly higher during viewing of the animal picture than during a rest condition or during viewing of the control picture. [Conclusion] Our results suggest that near-infrared spectroscopy can be used to objectively identify brain activity changes during human mentation regarding animals; furthermore, these preliminary results suggest the efficacy of animal-assisted therapy could be related to increased activation of the prefrontal cortex.

Attenuation of endoplasmic reticulum stress improves invitro growth and subsequent maturation of bovine oocytes.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress interferes with developmental processes in oocyte maturation and embryo development. Invitro growth (IVG) is associated with low developmental competence, and ER stress during IVG culture may play a role. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), an ER stress inhibitor, on the IVG of bovine oocytes to understand the role of ER stress. Oocyte-granulosa cell complexes (OGCs) were collected from early antral follicles (1.5-1.8 mm) and allowed to grow in vitro for 5 days at 38.5 °C in a humidified atmosphere containing 5 % CO2. Basic growth culture medium was supplemented with TUDCA at various concentrations (0, 50, 100, 250, and 500 µM). After IVG, oocyte diameters were similar among groups, but the antrum formation rate tended to be higher in the TUDCA 100 µM group. The mRNA expression levels of ER stress-associated genes (PERK, ATF6, ATF4, CHOP, BAX, IRE1, and XBP1) in OGCs were downregulated in the TUDCA 100 µM group than those in the control group. Moreover, the TUDCA 100 µM group exhibited reduced ROS production with higher GSH levels and improved in vitro-grown oocyte maturation compared with those in the control group. In contrast, no difference in the developmental competence of embryos following invitro fertilization was observed between the control and TUDCA 100 µM groups. These results indicate that ER stress could impair IVG and subsequent maturation rate of bovine oocytes, and TUDCA could alleviate these detrimental effects. These outcomes might improve the quality of oocytes in IVG culture in assisted reproductive technology.

A Decrease in the Hardness of Feces with Added Glucosylceramide Extracted from Koji In Vitro-A Working Hypothesis of Health Benefits of Dietary Glucosylceramide.

Skin barrier function, prevent colon cancer, head and neck cancer, and decrease liver cholesterol. However, the mechanism of action has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we propose a new working hypothesis regarding the health benefits and functions of glucosylceramide: decreased fecal hardness. This hypothesis was verified using an in vitro hardness test. The hardness of feces supplemented with glucosylceramide was significantly lower than that of the control. Based on these results, a new working hypothesis of dietary glucosylceramide was conceived: glucosylceramide passes through the small intestine, interacts with intestinal bacteria, increases the tolerance of these bacteria toward secondary bile acids, and decreases the hardness of feces, and these factors synergistically result in in vivo effects. This hypothesis forms the basis for further studies on the health benefits and functions of dietary glucosylceramides.

Effects of early high nutrition related to metabolic imprinting events on growth, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of grass-fed Wagyu (Japanese Black cattle).

The study was conducted to clarify how early high plane of nutrition related to metabolic imprinting affected growth, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of grass-fed Wagyu (Japanese Black cattle). Wagyu steers were allocated randomly into 2 dietary groups: (1) steers fed milk replacer (crude protein 26.0%, crude fat 25.5%; maximum intake 0.6 kg/d) until 3 mo of age and then fed roughage (orchard grass hay) ad libitum from 4 to 10 mo of age (roughage group, RG; n = 11); (2) steers fed milk replacer (maximum intake of 1.8 kg/d) until 3 mo of age and then fed a high-concentrate diet from 4 to 10 mo of age (early high nutrition, EHN; n = 12). After 11 mo of age, all steers were fed roughage ad libitum until 31 mo of age and then slaughtered. Growth performance, carcass traits, longissimus muscle (LM) meat quality and intramuscular fat (IMF) content, plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) concentration, and bone mineral density were measured. Body weight was greater in EHN steers (571 kg) than RG steers (520 kg; P < 0.01). Plasma IGF-I levels were higher in EHN steers than in RG steers at 3, 10, and 14 mo of age (P < 0.01, P < 0.005, P < 0.001, respectively); however, plasma IGF-I levels were lower in EHN steers compared with RG steers at 30 mo of age (P < 0.01). The total weight of the muscles and bones of the left half of the carcass was not different between the 2 groups (P = 0.065). Five of the 19 muscles investigated (semimembranosus, P = 0.036; infraspinatus, P = 0.024; supraspinatus, P = 0.0019; serratus ventralis cervicis, P = 0.032; serratus ventralis thoracis, P = 0.027) were heavier in EHN steers. Total fat weight in the left half of the carcass was 30% greater (P = 0.025) in HNE carcasses. Subcutaneous and perirenal fat weights were 53% and 84% greater (P = 0.008, P = 0.002, respectively) in EHN carcasses. The LM IMF content was greater in EHN loins (13.2%) compared with RG loins (9.4%) at 31 mo of age (P = 0.038); however, no differences were found for shear force, tenderness, and cook loss. These results suggested early high-nutrition affected the growth and meat quality of livestock.

Comparison of feeding systems: feed cost, palatability and environmental impact among hay-fattened beef, consistent grass-only-fed beef and conventional marbled beef in Wagyu (Japanese Black cattle).

The objective of this article is to compare feed cost, palatability and environmental impacts among feeding systems of high concentrate (HC), high hay (HH) and grass-only-fed (Gof) groups. Feed cost was the sum of costs paid for feed intake times the price of feed per kilogram. Palatability was measured by a panel taste test using HH and Gof beef and analyzed for differences. Environmental impacts were calculated based on 1 kg of Japanese beef yield of CO(2) equivalents (eq) and animal end weights at each feeding stage. Results showed that the HH and Gof feeding systems could significantly reduce feed costs by approximately 60% and 78%, respectively, from the HC. In the panel taste test, 50% and 47.50% of panelists indicated that HH beef was 'extremely delicious' and 'acceptable,' respectively, while 15% indicated that Gof beef was 'extremely delicious'; 62.50% indicated that Gof beef was 'acceptable.' Environmental impacts of each feeding system in terms of CO(2) equivalents (eq) were 9.32, 6.10 and 2.04 tonnes of eq for the HC, HH and Gof, respectively. The HH was an economical system that produced moderate impacts on the environment and had impressive taste.