• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.184-187
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• 2018

Characteristics of fecal sites of the Siberian flying squirrel Pteromys volans was analyzed based on 132 sites of total 19 places. The fecal sites were more frequently found in winter (43.9%), and then followed by autumn (27.3%), spring (23.5%), and summer (5.3%). With the exception of summer, the fecal sites were more frequently found at the root collar than on the forked tree (p<0.01). Among 132 fecal sites, 88 sites (66.7%) were found on the rood collars and the other 44 sites (33.3%) were posited in the forked trees. Brown or red clay pellets were found at 44 fecal sites (33.4%) and 43 fecal sites (32.6%), and then black and yellow pellets were at 22 fecal sites (16.7%) and 19 fecal sites (14.3%), respectively. Green pellets were rarely found only at 4 sites (3.0%). Feces tend to have bright colors (brown, red clay and yellow) in winter and black in summer. Fecal sites with yellow pellets were much less found in all of the three seasons with the exception of winter, but highly increased in 25.4% in winter. The fecal sites with brown (33.4%) and red clay pellets (32.6%) were most frequently found through the four seasons.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.995-998
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• 2023

This study aimed to determine the effect of feeding Hermetia illucens (H.illucens) pellets with canine diets on fecal properties and digestibility. The canine breeds used in this experiment were nine dogs without discriminating between genders: 3 Maltese (average weight 2.0 kg), 3 Chihuahua (average weight 1.0 kg), and 3 Poodles (average weight 2.5 kg). As canine diets, 70 g of regular diets were mixed with 30 g of H.illucens pellets, and 100 g was weighed on a scale. Dog were fed the experimental diets once a day. No significant changes were observed in the fecal properties in the three types of canines fed a mixture of pellets and canine diets at Days 0 and 7 (p>0.05). At Day 0, the fecal properties of all canines appeared in a less solid state, with scores ranging from 2.00 to 2.22; however, at Day 7, the fecal properties improved to normal (3.00 to 3.33). In addition, the results for nutrient digestibility showed that dry matter and crude fat digestibility were significant (p<0.05); however, crude protein and crude ash digestibility were not affected (p>0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that feeding a mixture of H.illucens pellets and canine diets to companion canines has beneficial effects on fecal properties and digestibility without adverse effect.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.991-994
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• 2023

This study aimed to investigate the effects of feeding mealworm pellets on protein digestibility and fecal composition of companion canines. The canine breeds used in the specification test were Maltese (average weight 2.0 kg) and Poodle (average weight 2.5 kg), with a total of six canines, three of each breed, without discriminating between males or females. The control feed for the two canines was based on 100 g of commercially available general feed, to which the dogs were allowed to adapt for approximately 3 d. Ony on Day 0 of the experiments, dogs were fed twice, in the morning and afternoon. One day later, the treated group was 80 g of regular feed with 20 g of mealworm pellets added, and the dog was fed for 1 to 7 d in the same manner as the control group. The addition of mealworm pellets increased the protein digestibility in both canine breeds, however, the differences were no significances (p>0.05). Based on the normal stool score of 3, no remarkable changes were observed in stool score from Days 1 to 6, showing that the canines had adapted to the mealworm pellet feed. In particular, on Day 7, feeding mealworm pellet appeared to affect the fecal properties differently between the two breeds. This difference can be owing to differences in the intestinal environment and digestion and absorption ability between the two breeds. Consequently, using mealworm pellets improved the protein digestibility of canines as well as maintained normal fecal properties.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.297-310
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• 2024

Objective : This study was conducted to investigate the anti-inflammatory and laxative effects of Polycan in TNF-α-treated HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells and loperamide-induced constipation in vivo models, respectively. Methods : To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of Polycan, HT-29 cells were treated with TNF-α in the presence or absence of Polycan. IL-8 production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). MAPK phosphorylation, nuclear translocation of NF-κB, and phosphorylation of IκB were assessed by Western blot analysis. To investigate the laxative effects of Polycan, 6-week-old SD rats (8 female rats per group) were orally administered Polycan or Chicory Fiber as a positive control for 4 weeks, and constipation was induced with loperamide treatment for 10 days before sacrifice. One day before sacrifice, a charcoal meal was administered to evaluate intestinal transit times. The periodically collected feces were used to assess the number of fecal pellets and fecal water content. Results : Polycan inhibited TNF-α-induced IL-8 expression in dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, Polycan suppressed TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of MAPKs (ERK1/2, p38 and JNK), degradation of Iκ-Bα and nuclear translocation of NF-κB. In an in vivo constipation model, the number of fecal pellets per food intake was significantly increased in rats administered with Polycan, both 1 day and 7 days after loperamide treatment. The water content of fecal pellets was restored in the Polycan groups starting 7 days after loperamide treatment. In addition, Polycan intake significantly enhanced the gastrointestinal transit ratio of a charcoal meal but reduced the number of intestinal fecal pellets. Conclusions : These results suggest that Polycan suppressed TNF-α-induced inflammation by blocking both the MAPK and NF-κB pathways in HT-29 cells. Additionally, in a loperamide-induced constipation model, Polycan showed clear laxative effects by increasing the number of fecal pellets, fecal water content, and intestinal transit ratio of a charcoal meal.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.640-646
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• 2018

Cassia obtusifolia L. is commonly used as medicinal foods to treat gastrointestinal disease in many countries. This study evaluated the anti-constipation effects of ethanolic extract of Cassia obtusifolia L. in rats with loperamide-induced constipation. Diffferent concentrations of ethanolic extract of Cassia obtusifolia L. (0, 10, 250, and 500 mg/kg) was administered to rat orally once daily for 3 weeks following loperamide treatment. Six-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats (N=25) were randomly divided into five groups: normal control and experimental groups and injected loperamide intraperitoneally to induce constipation in the latter four experimental groups. Following the induction of loperamide-induced constipation, a marked decrease was observed in the fecal weight and water content discharged for over 1 week and intestinal transit time while an increase was observed in the number of fecal pellets remaining in the colonic lumen as compared with the normal control group. These conditions were significantly alleviated following the administration of the two doses (250 and 500 mg/kg) of ethanolic extract of Cassia obtusifolia L. when compared to the loperamide-treated (constipation control) group. More specifically, the number of fecal pellets in the colon was 3, 5, 4, 2.8, and 1.2 in the five groups, respectively and the corresponding GIT ratio was 70.77, 56.59, 58.67, 66.81, and 72.10%, respectively. The fecal water content, transit distance, and GIT ratio in the high-dose treatment group were significantly higher than that in the medium-dose treatment group, but a significant decrease in the number of fecal pellets in the colon. In conclusion, the Cassia obtusifolia L. extract is suggested to have beneficial effects as a therapeutic and preventive strategy to alleviate constipation and to relieve the symptoms of constipation such as pain, flatulence, distention, bloating, and unpleasant taste.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2012

This study investigated the effects of bifidus enhancer yogurt (BEY) on loperamide-induced constipation in rats. The bifidus enhancer, made of rice-DDGS (Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles), improved proliferation of bifidobacteria (BB-12). Male SD rats were induced with constipation using loperamide and were then used to test the effectiveness of BEY in relieving constipation. The rats were divided into four groups: normal group (NOR), loperamide-treated group (LOP), bifidus enhancer yogurt and loperamide-treated group (L-BEY), and commercial yogurt and loperamide-treated group (L-CY). Treatment of loperamide reduced the wet weight and water content of fecal pellets, but increased the number of fecal pellets in the distal colon. Meanwhile, the fecal weight of the L-BEY group showed an increase of 43% and 23% versus the LOP and L-CY group, respectively. Also, the fecal water content in the L-BEY group was 14.5% and 6.8% higher than that in the LOP and L-CY group, respectively. In addition, the L-BEY group had the fewest fecal pellets in the distal colon. In the serum lipid parameters, the LOP group had a HDL/total cholesterol ratio that was 43% lower than the NOR group, but the L-BEY group had 27% lower than NOR group. These results suggest that bifidus enhancer yogurt has superior effects when it comes to relieving loperamide-induced constipation in rats.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.295-305
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• 2011

Many studies have suggested the positive effects of grazing by large herbivorous mammals on seed dispersal, but little is known about how herbivores could affect the fate of ingested seeds. This study examined the effects of seed ingestion by sika deer (Cervus nippon) on seed fate in a temperate grassland established in an urban park long resided by high densities of sika deer. I compared species composition and seasonal traits of seed abundance and maturity in the grassland community with those in deer fecal pellets. In total, 27 herbaceous species were observed, including the predominant Zoysia japonica. Seed phenology and production differed among the three dominant species (Z. japonica, Digitaria violascens, and Hydrocotyle maritima). Pellets contained at least 26 species of herbaceous seeds, and their abundance differed among species. Of the 26 species, 15 were observed in the vegetation at the study site. The peak of seed abundance in pellets for the dominant species appeared 1 month after the peak of inflorescence production (but most of the inflorescences were immature and susceptible to digestion) and consequently corresponded to the peak of mature inflorescence. Because sika deer are likely to ingest seeds at any maturity stage in the grassland and immature seeds are less hardened, ingested immature seeds can suffer great losses. The results suggested that the survival of germable seeds with great losses of immature seeds may be a factor determining which plant species can be successfully dispersed by herbivores.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 1971

This paper has been made for the soil micro-morphological study of Sirye series. The results are summarized as follows: 1. By high biological activity, soil materials are mixed. Pedotubules and Fecal pellets pedological features are formed by this activity. 2. There are no strong illuviation cutans. The formation of dirty cutans (new cutans) are due to sedimentation in furrow. 3. The relatively thick crystallization of goethite in plane voids are formed. 4. The lower parts of this soils are influenced by hydromorphology. 5. B3 horizon may be buried A horizon, containing the fragments of upper horizons.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.575-587
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• 2021

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of supplementation with a Bifidobacteria enhanced yogurt (BE0623 yogurt), which includes Bifidobacterium lactis BB12, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Bifidobacterium lactis, in the management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using animal models and clinical trials. In a rat study, a loperamide-treated group (LOP) showed reduced water content in fecal pellets but showed an increased number of fecal pellets in the distal colon. In addition, the BE0623 yogurt (L-BE0623Y) group had the fewest fecal pellets in the distal colon. Regarding the serum lipid parameters, the LOP group had a high-density lipoprotein (HDL)/total cholesterol ratio that was 43% lower than that of a normal water group (NOR), but the outcome for the L-BE0623Y group was 27% lower than the NOR group. In a human study, 116 adults with IBS were sampled as subjects and fed 300 mL of yogurt per day for an eight week period. There was an IBS improvement in the L-BE0623Y and commercial yogurt (L-CY) groups, though flatulence, stool consistency and frequency of defecation outcomes were also noted. Specifically, the L-BE0623Y treatment group showed significant effects with regard to defecation duration and urgency after the consumption of the yogurt used in this study. These results suggest that the Bifidobacteria-enhanced yogurt has superior effects with regard to relieving loperamide-induced constipation in rats and that regular consumption of L-BE0623Y is effective to improve IBS in humans.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.192-199
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• 2012

This study was to evaluate the application of microhistological analysis to collect information on food materials of korean water deer from september to October 2006. For microhistological analysis we extracted type-materials of 4 plant species ($Ipomoea$ $batatas$, $Rubus$ $coreanus$, $Glycine$ $max$, and $Pueraria$ $thunbergiana$) from fecal pellets of korean water deer ($Hydropotes$ $inermis$) and then made preparations of the fecal materials for microscopic analysis. The fecal preparations were compared with reference preparation under the microscope. In microscopic analysis of fecal preparations, we could identify the four plant species by the followings: tip shape and morphology of trichomes, epidermal cell, morphological composition and shape of stomatal apparatus, arrangement of long-cell, and distribution of crystals in cells. According to the comparisons of the preparations, the morphology of trichome, epidermal cell and stomata are similar between both preparations of the fecal pellets and the references, respectively. This methodology will contribute to understanding feeding behavior and behavioural ecology by climate change of other hervibores as well as korean water deers.