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Introduction We evaluated 3-D CT imaging for preoperative classification of the left gastric artery and vein in patients with early gastric cancer and estimated its clinical benefit. Methods Between April 2009 and March 2014, 279 patients underwent preoperative 3-D CT using a 64-row multi-detector CT scanner, followed by laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy. The 3-D CT images of the arterial and portal phases were reconstructed and fused. The operative outcomes were compared between patients who had not undergone 3-D CT (2007-2008) and who had undergone 3-D CT (2009-2011). Results According to Adachi's classification, the numbers of type I, II, III, IV, V, and VI arterial patterns were 253, 15, 1, 3, 3, and 1, respectively. Three cases could not be classified. According to the Douglass classification, the left gastric vein flowed into the portal vein, splenic vein, junction of the portal vein and splenic vein, and left branch of the portal vein in 119, 111, 36, and 5 patients, respectively. The left gastric vein could not be visualized in six patients, and two patients could not be classified. In addition, the relation was absent for an Adachi type I vein and one of the 'other' types of veins. The total operative time was significantly shorter with 3-D CT than without it ( P = 0.01), and the degree of lymph-node dissection was significantly higher ( P = 0.01). Inflammatory parameters and operative morbidity tended to decrease with 3-D CT. Conclusion Three-dimensional CT is a useful modality to visualize the vessel anatomy around the stomach, and it improves clinical effectiveness and reduces the invasiveness of surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Total mixed ration ( TMR) is widely used for dairy cattle and needs to be prepared daily because it deteriorates rapidly. Ensiling TMR allows preservation and saves labour at the farm; however, silage fermentation may influence various nutritional components. The objectives of this study were to evaluate nutritional changes and in vitro rumen fermentation of TMR silage that was stored at different temperatures and durations on a laboratory scale in comparison with those of typical TMR before ensiling. RESULTS No distinct changes in crude protein ( CP), neutral detergent fibre and non-fibrous carbohydrate contents were observed during silage fermentation. However, clear changes were observed in the soluble CP and soluble sugar fractions; solubilisation of the CP fraction in TMR silage was enhanced by prolonged storage and higher storage temperatures, and most soluble sugars were lost during ensiling. Short-chain fatty acid concentrations in the in vitro rumen from TMRs before and after ensiling were not significantly different; however, throughout incubation, NH3-N concentrations from TMR silages were significantly higher than those from TMR before ensiling. CONCLUSION A higher ruminal NH3-N concentration from TMR silage may be a result of a shortage of fermentable sugars and enhanced deamination of CP. Feeding TMR ensiled under a high temperature must be investigated to balance proteins and carbohydrates for rumen fermentation. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the lignocellulose degradation activity of the Clostridium josui cellulosome, a carbohydrate-binding module of the scaffoldin Cj CBM3 was characterized. Cj CBM3 shows binding to crystalline cellulose, non-crystalline cellulose and soluble polysaccharides. The binding isotherm of Cj CBM3 to acid-swollen cellulose is best fitted by the Langmuir two-site model, suggesting that there are two Cj CBM3 binding sites on acid-swollen cellulose with different affinities. The second site shows lower affinity and larger binding capacity, suggesting that the cellulosome is directly targeted to the cellulose surface with high affinity, where larger amounts of the cellulosome bind to cellulose with low affinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the fermentation quality and nutritive value of whole crop rice silage (WCRS) treated with a monosodium glutamate fermented by-product (MGB), and its effects on the digestion of WCRS using four Japanese Black cows. The whole crop rice was chopped into 3-5 cm lengths after being harvested at the yellow-ripeness stage and ensiled for 30 days after being treated with 0 (CMG), 2.5 (LMG), 5 (MMG) and 10% (HMG) levels of MGB. Samples of whole crop rice and that of WCRS were collected and analyzed for fermentation characteristics. This was followed by a nutrient digestion study using four Japanese Black cows in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The MGB treatment improved ( P < 0.05) lactic acid production compared to the CMG treatment, but was not affected by the MGB level. Butyric acid production was reduced ( P < 0.05) with MMG and HMG treatments of WCRS. The crude protein (CP) content of WCRS increased, whereas neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content decreased with MGB treatment and these changes were affected by the MGB level. The nitrogen content in MGB improved ( P < 0.05) CP intake of WCRS, but did not ( P > 0.05) affect N retention. The digestibility of acid detergent fiber (ADF) and NDF increased with MGB treatment, and the degree was also affected by the level of MGB. The ruminal ammonia-N at 4 h after feeding was higher in MGB treatments than in the CMG treatment. This study demonstrated that although improvement on fermentation quality and digestibility of MGB treatment were not notable; however, MGB-treated WCRS have beneficial effects if fed for a sufficiently long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenylalanine fermentation byproduct (PFB) is generated by purifying phenylalanine products from microbial fermentation in the food industry. We examined the function of PFB as an ensiling agent to improve the silage fermentation and nutritive value of forage crops. We investigated the fermentation quality and rumen degradability of whole crop barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) silage in situ. We ensiled this type of silage in a laboratory scale using five compositional ratios (v/v) of PFB (20%, 40%, 50%, 60% and 80%) and a mixture of sugarcane molasses (SCM). Controls included the same volumes of water as the mixture of sugarcane molasses. The following strains Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis (IFO12007), Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. mesenteroides (IFO12060), Lactobaccillus plantarum (IF014713), Pedioccocus acidilactici (IFO3858), Clostridium butyricum (IFO3858) and silage yeast (strain MY; separated from whole crop rice silage in this laboratory) were cultivated at 30°C in the recommended media containing a substituted carbon source depending on the compositional ratios of PFB and SCM mixtures. The growth of these strains was determined by measuring the optical density at 600 nm (OD600). The growth of the lactic acid bacteria significantly ( P < 0.001) increased in the presence of all PFB additives as compared with the control. The growth of C. butyricum was significantly increased, whereas that of silage yeast was decreased under all conditions. The concentrations of lactate and total organic acids were significantly higher ( P < 0.001) whereas those of acetate were lower in all PFB silages. These results indicated that PFB improved the silage fermentation of forage crops. With leaf and stem fractions, the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content was significantly ( P < 0.001) decreased by the PFB additive and the rumen degradability of DM and NDF in situ was also significantly increased ( P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was carried out to examine the effect of crushing unhulled rice and the addition of fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB) on the fermentation quality of whole crop rice silage, and its digestibility and rumen fermentation in sheep. After whole rice plants ( Oryza sativa L. cv. Haenuki) were harvested between the yellow and full-ripened period of maturity, and cut at a length of 2 cm, four silage treatments were set: (i) non-treatment; (ii) crushing treatment of unhulled rice division (crushing); (iii) addition of 1% FJLB; and (iv) crushing + addition of 1% FJLB. Lactic acid content increased with the addition of FJLB, and was highest in the crushing + FJLB treatment. Digestibilities of crude fiber, acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber were significantly higher during the crushing + FJLB treatment. There were no differences among treatments in the volatile fatty acid concentrations before and after feeding. At 4 h after feeding, however, the ratio of acetic acid : propionic acid was significantly lower with the addition of FJLB. It was proven that the fermented quality of silage was improved when FJLB was added to rice plants and then ensilaged, and the digestibility of the fibrous component was raised when unhulled rice division was crushed and FJLB was supplemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro rumen dry matter degradability, volatile fatty acid (VFA) and methane production were examined in a total mixed ration pretreated with different levels of either commercial cellulolytic enzyme (CCE), the surfactant poly oxyethylene sorbitan monoolate (Tween 80) or both: (i) no pretreatment (Control); (ii) with 1% CCE alone; (iii) with 2% CCE alone; (iv) with 1% Tween 80 alone; (v) with 1% Tween 80 + 1% CCE;(vi) with 1% Tween 80 + 2% CCE; (vii) with 2% Tween 80 alone; (viii) with 2% Tween 80 + 1% CCE; and (ix) with 2% Tween 80 +2% CCE. In all culture supernatants of rumen microorganisms, activities of xylanase and cellulase were significantly ( P < 0.001) increased with pretreatment of CCE alone, Tween 80 alone and both combined. Within the same treatment of no CCE and 1% CCE levels, the total VFA concentration was significantly ( P < 0.001) higher with 2% Tween 80 than with no or 1% Tween 80 treatments. The molar percentage of propionate significantly ( P < 0.001) increased only with Tween 80. Throughout the in vitro incubation, the average value of methane concentration decrease was greater ( P < 0.001) with 1% CCE treatment than with no CCE and 2% CCE treatments, accounting for 0.797 and 0.887 of no CCE and 2% CCE treatments, respectively. Accumulative methane production was significantly lower with 1% CCE treatment than with no CCE and 2% CCE treatments. A ratio of VFA : methane production was significantly ( P < 0.001) higher with 2% Tween 80 treatment than with no Tween 80 and 1% Tween 80 treatments, showing the average values of 7.28, 5.33 and 6.69, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]