• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.414-420
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• 2011

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of the combined stressor induced by high stocking density with feed restriction on immunological parameters such as leukocyte differential counts and cytokine expression in laying hens. A total of forty White Leghorn laying hens were randomly allotted into the control (12 kg of body weight/$m^2$) and the stress (44 kg of body weight/$m^2$) groups, and then birds of the stress group were given 75% of voluntary intake of the control birds for 12-d on a daily basis. There was a significant decrease in body weight without affecting the relative weights of the liver and spleen after 12-d of the combined stressor. In hematological values, no significant difference in leukocyte differential counts including heterophils (H), lymphocytes (L), monocytes and H:L ratio was observed between the two groups. In cytokines, hepatic lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (LITNF-${\alpha}$) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression levels in the stress group were significantly (p<0.05) higher compared with those in the control group. However, the expression levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-6 in the liver were not affected by the combined stressor. Splenic LITNF-${\alpha}$ expression in the combined stressor group was significantly (p<0.05) up-regulated compared with that in the control birds. However, the combined stressor did not affect splenic IL-4, IL-6 and iNOS expression. In conclusion, the combined stressor caused by high stocking density with feed restriction enhanced some pro-inflammatory cytokines including LITNF-${\alpha}$ and iNOS in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs of birds, suggesting that altered cytokine expression to given stressors can be another parameter that can be used in assessing stress responses of birds.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.231-237
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• 2007

Subway environments such as crowd, passenger's gab, or subway-generated mechanical noise may become a potential stressor. The present study was sought to determine whether subway noise with or without mental activity affects cerebral hemodynamics and sympathetic system. Fifty-four healthy volunteers were divided group I which underwent subway noise (n=24) and group II which underwent a combined mental activity (mental arithmetic) with subway noise (n=30). Sympathetic factors such as heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and heart rate-systolic pressure product (RPP), and mean blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCAV) were measured before (baseline), during and after the noise-exposure. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HR and RPP significantly increased in group II (P<0.05) but not in group I during the noise-exposure. Peak-MCAV, diastolic-MCAV and mean-MCAV in the both groups were elevated during the noise-exposure (P<0.05) and the increased ratios in group II were greater than those in group I. These results suggest that a combined mental activity with subway noise may be a stressor which affects cerebral hemodynamics and sympathetic system.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2007

Numerous psychological stressors playa role in development of the cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether a combined mental activity with experimental subway noise affects hematological physiology. Fifty-four healthy volunteers were divided group I which underwent subway noise (n=24) and group II which underwent a combined mental activity with subway noise (n=30). Venous blood samples were collected for measuring CBC, prothrombine time (PT), activated partial thromboplastine time (APTT), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), D-dimer and high sensitive C-reactive protein (H-CRP) levels before, 50 min of stress task (S-50m) and 60 min of recovery (R-60m). Changed ratios of granulocyte, lymphocyte, monocyte and platelet counts at S-50m and R-60m were higher in group II compared to group I. RBC count and hematocrit level in group I increased whereas those in group II decreased at S-50m. PT, APTT and ESR in the both groups were shortened at R-60m and the decreased ratios were high in group II compared to group I. H-CRP and D-dimer in the both groups were elevated at S-50m and R-60m while the increased ratios in group II were greater than those in group I. These observations imply that a combined mental activity with experimental subway noise may be a stressor which affects hematological physiology.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.111-119
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to examine the effects of a mixture of pinecone oil, garlic, and brown seaweed extracts (PGBE) on milk production traits as well as physiological and ethological parameters in Holstein cows during the summer season (24 May to 03 July 2015, Korea). Methods: Among the extract combinations tested, we found that the level of 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylberzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) cation radical scavenging activity of the 0.16% PBGE complex at ratio of 1:1:1 (vol/vol) was comparable to that of the control (ascorbic acid; 1 mg/mL). Additionally, the PBGE complex reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced COX-2 expression in bovine mammary epithelial cells. Based on these findings, 40 lactating Holstein cows were used to measure the effects of PBGE complex at ratio of 1:1:1 (vol/vol) on milk production, immune response, metabolites, and behavior patterns by dividing the cows into two groups fed diets containing PGBE complex (n = 20; 0.016%/kg feed dry matter basis) or not containing PGBE complex (control, n = 20) for 40 d. Results: Results showed that PGBE complex did not influence milk composition, eating and ear surface temperature patterns, immune response, or metabolic parameters but promoted average milk yield throughout the experimental period. Additionally, a tendency of higher total antioxidant capacity and glutathione in the PGBE group was observed compared to the those in the control. When the temperature-humidity index (THI) exceeded 72 (average THI = 73.8), PGBE complex-fed cows experiencing heat stress showed increased milk yield and a tendency of increased rumination compared to the control. Conclusion: We suggest that incorporation of a combined mixture of 0.016% PGBE (1:1:1 ratio, vol/vol) to diet has the potential to improve milk yield and health status of cows under mild to moderate heat stress, denoting that it might be useful as an alternative anti-stressor in the diet of dairy cows under hot conditions.