Effect of an orally ingested mugwort and mushroom extract mixture on urine odor from aged mice

We had previously found that male mice could be trained to discriminate between the urine odor of aged and young adult (adult) mice. We hypothesized that these odors that characterized the older animals might be inhibited by a mixture of extracts (AAM) of mugwort and mushroom, because previous studies have indicated that these extracts could be used to reduce the intensity of unpleasant body odors. The findings of this chemical study strongly suggest that the AAM function helped to modify the aged mouse urine odor so that it more closely resembled the smell of urine from younger mice. Based on the results of the chemical studies, a set of behavioral experiments were therefore conducted. The results of three sets of generalization trials also strongly supported the results of the chemical studies. Together, these results suggest that ingested AAM decreased the intensity of odors associated with aging in mice.     

Innervation of the arteriovenous anastomoses in the dog tongue

Summary Profiles of nerve plexuses in the arteriovenous anastomoses of the dog tongue were investigated by both transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Three-dimensional morphology of the vascular nerves was examined after removal of the connective tissue components by the HCl-hydrolysis method. Tight bending and a rich nerve supply were the most characteristic features of the anastomosing channels. The tunica media consisted of an outer circular layer of typical smooth-muscle cells and an inner region containing longitudinal plicae of ramified smoothmuscle cells. The tunica adventitia was exclusively occupied by nerve bundles; fibroblasts were poorly developed. Numerous nerve bundles of variable size were coiled around the anastomosing channels, and occasional bundles ran crosswise over the U-shaped bent vessels.     

Autonomic innervation of the arteriovenous anastomoses in the dog tongue

Summary The innervation of the arteriovenous anastomoses in the dog tongue has been investigated. At the lightmicroscopic level, the vessels were found to be densely supplied with adrenergic and AChE-positive nerve plexuses and less densely with the quinacrine-binding nerve plexus. At the electron-microscopic level, at least two apparently different types of axon profiles were identified: 1) Small vesicle-containing axons, characterized by many small granular vesicles, variable numbers of small clear vesicles and large granular vesicles. Storage of endogenous amines and uptake of exogenous amines into most small granular vesicles and many large granular vesicles was demonstrated. These axons stained only lightly with reaction products for AChE activity and thus seemed to be adrenergic in nature. Some axons contained numerous large granular vesicles, whose cores occasionally stained with uranyl ions; this suggests a co-localization of ATP or peptides as neurotransmitters. 2) Small granular vesicle-free axons, containing small clear vesicles and large granular vesicles in variable ratio. Most cores of these large granular vesicles were heavily stained with uranyl ions. No storage or uptake of amine into the synaptic vesicles was detected. Some axons appeared to be typically cholinergic, some, typically non-adrenergic, noncholinergic, and the rest, intermediate between the two. All axons stained heavily with reaction products for AChE activity, suggesting their cholinergic nature.     

Stimulatory effect of a dietary casein phosphopeptide preparation on the mucosal IgA response of mice to orally ingested lipopolysaccharide from Salmonella typhimurium

The effect on immunoglobulin production of a commercially available casein phosphopeptide preparation (CPP-III) consisting mainly of bovine alpha s2-casein (1-32) and beta-casein (1-28) in mice that had orally ingested lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Salmonella typhimurium was investigated. No significant difference in body weight gain was observed between the mice fed on the CPP-III-added diet and those fed on the control diet. The mice fed on the CPP-III-added diet exhibited similar serum and intestinal IgG, IgM, and IgE responses towards LPS to those fed on the control diet. In contrast, fecal and intestinal anti-LPS IgA and total IgA in mice fed on the CPP-III-added diet were significantly higher than in those fed on the control diet. Spleen cells from mice fed on the CPP-III-added diet produced larger amounts of IgA, IL-5, and IL-6 than cells from mice fed on the control diet. These results suggest that dietary casein phosphopeptide may protect a host from invasion of the intestinal mucosa by food-born pathogenic microorganisms.     

Three-dimensional cytoarchitecture of the media of arteriovenous anastomoses in the rabbit ear

Arteriovenous anastomoses in the rabbit ear were examined with scanning electron microscopy to elucidate the structural differentiation of the media of the shunt. Arterial, intermediate, and venous segments in the shunt and two layers of the media in the intermediate segment were differentiated based on cell shape and cell organization. In the arterial segment, smooth muscle cells were spindle-shaped, either elongated or short, with a few branches, and were arranged circularly or diagonally with respect to the vessel's long axis. There were also stellate muscle cells with radiating processes. In the intermediate segment, the smooth muscle cells of the outer layer of the media were also arranged circularly and resembled the elongated cells in the arterial segments, but they were more irregular in shape and had more processes than those of the arterial segment. The epithelioid cells of the inner layer of the media were oval or polygonal and oriented irregularly with respect to the vessel's long axis, clustering to form longitudinal plicae. The smooth muscle cells of the venous segment were flat with many lateral processes and formed a thin, discontinuous layer. The smooth muscle cells in the arterial segment and those of the outer layer of the intermediate segment exhibited a highly rugged surface texture, indicating their strong contractility; the epithelioid cells and the smooth muscle cells in the venous segment exhibited a generally smooth surface, indicating less contractility. The intermediate segments were supplied with a dense nerve plexus. The intermediate segments, therefore, may be actively involved in the regulation of blood flow under neuronal influence.