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IA pharmacological investigation of the distribution of non-cholinergic excitatory nerve cell bodies was performed on the chicken's isolated perfused rectum with attached Remak's nerve supply. 2 Electrical stimulation of Remak's nerve trunk produced a contraction and a discharge of action potentials in the nerve branches which supply the smooth muscle of the rectum. Both responses were virtually blocked by hexamethonium when applied via the caudal mesenteric artery. 3 The contractile effect following stimulation of the nerve trunk was inhibited more effectively by hexamethonium when application was restricted to the trunk rather than to the intestine. 4 The contractile effect of stimulating the nerve branches was unaffected by hexamethonium. 5 It is concluded that ganglionic transmission, which is mediated by nicotinic receptors, occurs in the ganglia of Remak's nerve but not in ganglia of the enteric plexuses. Therefore, cell bodies of the postganglionic neurones which are considered to be non-cholinergic are located in Remak's nerve ganglia.

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BackgroundCirculating microRNAs (miRNAs) are biomarkers for various diseases and physiological conditions in humans and mice; studies in domestic animals, particularly cattle, are limited. The importance of early pregnancy diagnosis (especially within the 21 day cow estrous cycle) in the livestock industry is extremely high. This study compared the circulating miRNAs in non-pregnant and pregnant Japanese Black cows, explored miRNAs as biomarkers for early pregnancy diagnosis, and established a measurement system that includes reference miRNA selection and the effect of hemolysis. MethodsmiRNA was extracted from the plasma of Japanese Black cows on day 21 after arti cial insemination and subjected to a customized bovine oligonucleotide microarray for expression analysis. Differentially expressed miRNAs and reference miRNA candidates were selected and validated by real-time quanti cation PCR (RT-qPCR). Their stability was evaluated using NormFinder software. Hemolyzed samples were prepared using plasma from ve cows in estrous cycle and subjected to RT-qPCR. ResultsA total of 124 miRNAs were detected in bovine plasma by microarray analysis in non-pregnant and pregnant cows. The levels of ve circulating miRNAs were signi cantly higher in pregnant cows than in non-pregnant cows, and 24 miRNAs were detected only in the pregnant group. NormFinder analysis and RT-qPCR validation showed that miR-2455 was an appropriate reference miRNA in the plasma of nonpregnant and pregnant Japanese Black cows and miR-19b, miR-25, miR-29a, and miR-148a were signi cantly higher in the pregnant group. These four circulating miRNAs did not change during the estrous cycle and were less affected by hemolysis. ConclusionsIn the current study, we found high levels of four miRNAs in the plasma of pregnant Japanese Black cows. Since these miRNAs are less affected by hemolysis, they may potentially be used as markers for early pregnancy diagnosis in cattle.

This study assessed the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) treatment on Day 5 (Day 0 = estrus) on luteal blood flow and accuracy of pregnancy prediction in recipient cows. On Day 5, 120 lactating Holstein cows were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 63) or GnRH group treated with 100 μg of GnRH agonist (n = 57). On Days 3, 5, 7, and 14, each cow underwent ultrasound examination to measure the blood flow area (BFA) and time-averaged maximum velocity (TAMV) at the spiral arteries at the base of the corpus luteum using color Doppler ultrasonography. Cows with a corpus luteum diameter ≥ 20 mm (n = 120) received embryo transfers on Day 7. The BFA values in the GnRH group were significantly higher than those in the control group on Days 7 and 14. TAMV did not differ between these groups. According to receiver operating characteristic analyses to predict pregnancy, a BFA cutoff of 0.52 cm2 yielded the highest sensitivity (83.3%) and specificity (90.5%) on Day 7, and BFA and TAMV values of 0.94 cm2 and 44.93 cm/s, respectively, yielded the highest sensitivity (97.1%) and specificity (100%) on Day 14 in the GnRH group. The areas under the curve for the paired BFA and TAMV in the GnRH group were 0.058 higher than those in the control group (0.996 and 0.938, respectively; P < 0.05). In conclusion, GnRH treatment on Day 5 increased the luteal BFA in recipient cows on Days 7 and 14, and improved the accuracy of pregnancy prediction on Day 14.