• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.163-170
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• 2020

Background: Gut microflora contributes to the nutritional metabolism of the host and to strengthen its immune system. However, if the intestinal barrier function of the living body is destroyed by radiation exposure, the intestinal bacteria harm the health of the host and cause sepsis. Therefore, this study aims to trace short-term radiation-induced changes in the mouse gut microflora-dominant bacterial genus, and analyze the degree of intestinal epithelial damage. Materials and Methods: Mice were irradiated with 0, 2, 4, 8 Gy X-rays, and the gut microflora and intestinal epithelial changes were analyzed 72 hours later. Five representative genera of Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes were analyzed in fecal samples, and the intestine was pathologically analyzed by Hematoxylin-Eosin and Alcian blue staining. In addition, DNA fragmentation was evaluated by the TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Results and Discussion: The small intestine showed shortened villi and reduced number of goblet cells upon 8 Gy irradiation. The large intestine epithelium showed no significant morphological changes, but the number of goblet cells were reduced in a radiation dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the small intestinal epithelium of 8 Gy-irradiated mice showed significant DNA damaged, whereas the large intestine epithelium was damaged in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, the large intestine epithelium showed less recovery potential upon radiation exposure than the small intestinal epithelium. Analysis of the intestinal flora revealed fluctuations in lactic acid bacteria excretion after irradiation regardless of the morphological changes of intestinal epithelium. Altogether, it became clear that radiation exposure could cause an immediate change of their excretion. Conclusion: This study revealed changes in the intestinal epithelium and intestinal microbiota that may pave the way for the identification of novel biomarkers of radiation-induced gastrointestinal disorders and develop new therapeutic strategies to treat patients with acute radiation syndrome.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.555-564
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• 2002

Twenty Landrace and twenty Min piglets, with an average initial body weight of 22.4 kg, were randomly divided into 5 groups with 4 animals per group, within each of the breeds. The piglets were housed in individual concrete pens. Each group of the piglets was fed one of 5 diets. The diets contained either 20% raw Argentine soybeans, 20% processed Argentine soybeans ($118^{\circ}C$ for 7.5 min.), 20% raw Chinese soybeans, 20% processed Chinese soybeans ($118^{\circ}C$ for 7.5 min.) or no soybean products (control diet). Faecal samples were collected on days 6, 7 and 8 of the treatment period. Digestibilities of dietary nutrients were determined with AIA (acid insoluble ash) as a marker. After a 17 day treatment, three piglets were killed from each of the groups. Tissue samples of small and large intestine for light and electron microscopy examination were taken immediately after the opening of abdomen. Then, the weight or size of relevant organs was measured. The results show that the digestibilities of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and fat were higher in Min piglets than in Landrace piglets (p<0.05). The diets containing processed soybeans had a significant higher CP digestibility than the control diet and the diets containing raw soybeans (p<0.05). Landrace piglets had heavier and longer small intestines, heavier kidneys and a lighter spleen than Min piglets (p<0.05). The pancreas of the animals fed the diets containing processed soybeans was heavier than that of the animals fed control diet (p<0.05) and the diets containing raw soybeans. But, the differences between raw and processed soybean diets were not significant. A significant interaction (p<0.05) between diet and pig breed was observed in weight of the small intestine. The Landrace piglets increased the weight in their small intestine when they were fed the diets containing soybeans. In the light micrographs and electron scanning micrographs, it was found that the villi of small intestinal epithelium of animals (especially Landrace piglets) fed the diets containing raw Chinese soybeans were seriously damaged. The transmission electron micrograph showed that a lot of vesicles were located between the small intestinal microvilli of these piglets. The histological examination also indicated that the proportion of goblet cells in villi and crypts in the piglets consuming the control diet was significantly lower (p<0.01 and p<0.02, respectively) than those of the animals consuming the diets containing raw or processed soybeans.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 1990

Intestinal histopathological changes due to infection with Echinostcma hortense (Trematoda) were studied in rats after experimental infection with the metacercariae. The metacercariae were obtained from the tadpoles of Rana nigrcmaculata, a second intermediate host infected in the laboratory. Total 18 albino rats(Sprague-Dawley) were given 200 matacercariae each and sacrificed on the day 1, 3, 7, 11, 22 or 44 post-infection(PI) Segments of- the small intestine at 1, 3, 5, 8 and 30 cm posterior to the pylorus(PTP) were rejected and studied histopathologically. 1. The flukes were seen to have intruded into the intervillous space in the upper small intestine at early stages(1∼3 days PI), however, they were located mainly in the intestinal lumen at later stages(7∼44 days PI) . The flukes were sucking and destroying the epithelial layers of villi with their oral and ventral suckers. 2. Histopathological changes of the intestine were recognizable in as early as 1∼3 days after infection, and the changes became severer as the infection progressed. 3. The intestinal mucosa was histopathologically characterized by villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia throughout the infection period. Major villous changes were blunting, fusion, severe destruction and loss of epithelial layers of villi. Villous/crypt(V/C) height ratio was remarkably reduced from 3 : 1 in controls to 1 : 1 in severely infected animals. In the stroma of villi, inaamma- tory cell infiltrations, vascular congestion, edema, and/or fibrosis were recognized. The goblet cells were increased in number after 11 days PI. It was revealed in the present study that the pathological changes in the intestine of rats infected with E. hortense were chieay confined to the mucosal layer of the upper small intestine, however, the changes were very severe accompanying remarkable destruction of villi and loss of mucosal integrity, and persistent until 44 days PI.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.257-260
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• 2014

A calf suffering from diarrhea was admitted to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency for diagnostic evaluation. Postmortem examination revealed that the mesenteric lymph node was enlarged and small intestine wall was thin. Microscopically, a large number of small round organisms were attached to the small intestine villi. Villous atrophy and proprial neutrophil infiltration were also observed. Based on modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining, electron microscopy, and ELISA results, the calf was diagnosed with fatal cryptosporidiosis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.537-547
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• 1994

Ninety seven cases of histopathologically diagnosed spontaneous canine parvovirus enteritis(CPE) were studied gross pathologically, histopathologically, immunohistochemically, to investigate histopathological types of small intestinal lesions, and antigen distributions in each pattern related to the infected age. And also, reliability of histopathological method in diagnosis of CPE was inspected with immunohistochemistry. The results were as follows : 1. Age-related occurring ratio in histopathologically diagnosed CPE was 53.6% in 4-8 weeks, 26.8% in 9-15 weeks, 8.25 in 16-19 weeks and 11.3% in 20-45 weeks of the clog age. 2. In histopathologic classification based on patterns of villi/crypts lesions of small intestine(jejunum), the ratio of A type (initial phase of necrosis of crypt epithelia, desquamated epithelial cells in the dilated lumen of the crypt) was 20.6%; the ratio of B type(middle phase of atrophy and fission of the villi, collapse of the mucosa, loss of normal crypt structure) was 62.9%, and C type(regenerative phase of the crypt architecture) was 16.5%. 3. The ratio of A, B, C type in 4-8 weeks old, respectively, was 23.5%, 61.5%, 15.4%; in 9-15 weeks old was 19.2%, 65.4%, 15.3% in 16-19 weeks old was 25.0%, 75.0%, 0.0%; and in 20-45 weeks old was 9.0%, 54.5%, 36.4%. 4. The antigen distribution in the nuclei of the crypt epithelial cells was higher than of the cytoplasm and numerous desquamated epithelial cells in dialated crypts in A type; The antigen cytoplasm and numerous desquamated epithelial cells in dialated crypts in A type; The antigen distribution in the nuclei of the collapsed crypt epithelial cells was not higher than that of the cytoplasm, crypts were lined by and filled with released viral antigens from the destructed epithelial cells in B type; and its distribution was also higher than in the epithelial cells adjacent to the tips of the villi, but it was not reacted in the regenerative crypt epithelial cells in C type. 5. Immunohistochemically detected antigen ratio in the small intestine of histopathologically diagnosed CPE was 94.6%, and this result indicates that histopathological diagnosis is very reliable method in diagnosis of CPE.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.149-158
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• 1995

The purpose of the present study was to understand the pathogenesis of infections in piglets inoculated with C parvum isolated from mice alone and combined with porcine rotavirus (S-80). Thirteen 10-day piglets were divided in four groups; Three, A group, were only given by C parvum. Four, B group, were orally administrated with firstly porcine rotavirus and then C patvum. Three, C group, were orally inoculated with porcine rotavirus alone. The rest, D group, were used as controls. During the experiment, there were daily recorded clinical signs including diarrhea to each pig. According to the periodic intervals for necropsy, all pigs were sacrificed from 4 to 12 days after the final inoculation of C parvum. Location and distribution of two pathogens, C parvum and rotavirus, in the intestinal mucosa of piglets tested were examined by pathological and immunohistological means. In addition, parasitological test using the feces of piglets was applied for the detection of cryptosporidial oocysts as well. A group showed diarrhea from 4 to 6 days post-inoculation(PI) and also discharged C parvum oocysts in feces during the day 4 to 7 PI. In tissue sections of jejunum and ileum, cryptosporidial oocysts were observed a few on the top of villi with slightly fusion. B group represented sign of diarrhea and discharge of oocysts from 2 to 11 days PI. There were some cryptosporidial oocysts both in the jejunal lumen and in the lumen of mucosal glands. As progressed, oocysts were most commonly distributed on the tip of villi of jejunum. Histopathologically there were also mild to moderately fused, attenuated focal desquamated, congested villi and mononuclear cell infiltration of varying degrees in the lamina propria of small intestine and colon at the day 4 and 7 PI. C group showed slightly to mildly attenuated and fused top of villi and mildly mucosal congestion. D group as controls was grossly and histopathologically normal in all parts of intestine. The present results indicate that the piglets inoculated with C parvum only are certainly milder in pathogenesis including duration of clinical course and severity of lesion than those in piglets concurrently infected with porcine rotavirus and C parvum. Also the strain (VRI-CN91) of C parvum used in the study has very low pathogenicity to occur enteritis of piglets.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.30.1-30.11
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• 2021

From April 2014 to September 2015, 153 piglets from 52 farms in Jeju were diagnosed with porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED). The major PED cases were focused on suckling piglets (144 piglets, 94.1%), particularly in 1-7-day-old piglets. Histopathologically, severe villous atrophy was observed in the small intestine, especially in the jejunum and ileum. The mean villous height to crypt depth ratios of the jejunum and ileum were 1.4:1 and 1.5:1, respectively. The major histopathologic findings of the small intestine were cytoplasmic vacuolation, cuboidalization, squamation, and exfoliation of the mucosal enterocytes in the villi. The cytoplasmic vacuolations in the enterocytes were the most prevalent lesions in the small intestine and were more severe in the ileum than in the jejunum. According to immunohistochemistry methods, the PED virus (PEDV) antigens were presented in the cytoplasms of the enterocytes, and were distributed more prevalently in the ileum than in the jejunum. PEDV antigens were also detected in the colon of 26 piglets (19.5%). Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis indicated that 12 PEDV had more than a 98.9% homology with each other. These PEDV strains were highly homologous with the genogroup 2 North American group.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.297-304
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• 2010

As Small Intestine Absorptive Epithelium Cells are surrounded by mucus polysaccharide and lymphocytes and mitochondria, they are sensitive to radiation energy. Damaged cells lead to a deficiency of nutrients and the imbalance of electrolyte metabolism, which in turn can becomes a major cause of an intestine tract death. This research observed ultra structures after injecting propolis into the abdominal cavity in order to reveal the radiation damage mechanism and radioprotection effect of intestine absorptive epithelium cells. The result of this research's observation found that stenosis occurred in the small intestine in some tissues 20 days after 5Gy irradiation, their surface turned black, and their elasticity dropped. Through observation with an optical microscope, it was found that the size of the goblet cells decreased, while the paneth granulate cells atrophied and were vacuolated. Observation with an transmission electron microscope(TEM) revealed that while microvill and lysosome were normally observed in jejunum tissues, mitochondria membrane was damaged and uneven surfaces were formed on lymphocytes. The membrane of absorptive epithelium cells hypertrophied in tissues of the ileum, and vacuole was observed. However, the observation after injecting propolis into the abdominal cavity found that mitochondria damage dropped dramatically, and radioprotection effects were to some extent confirmed, considering that glycocalyx of villi was clear, and M cells could be observed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2001

The intestinal histopathology and in situ postures of Gymnophalloides seoi (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) were studied using C3H/HeN and C57BL/6 mice as experimental hosts; the effects of immunosuppression were also observed. The metacercariae isolated from naturally infected oysters, 300 or 1,000 in number, were infected orally to each mouse, and the mice were killed at days 3-21 post-infection (PI). In immunocompetent (IC) mice, only a small number of flukes were found in the mucosa of the duodenum and jejunum during days 3-7 PI, with their large oral suckers pinching and sucking the root of villi. The intestinal mucosa showed mild villous atrophy crypt hyperplasia, and inflammations in the villous stroma and crypt, with remarkable goblet cell hyperplasia. These mucosal changes were almost restored after days 14-21 PI. In immunosuppressed (IS) mice. displacement as well as complete loss of villi adjacent to the flukes was frequently encountered, otherwise the histopathology was generally mild, with minimal goblet cell hyperplasia. In these mice, numerous flukes were found, and it seemed that they were actively moving and rotating in situ. Several flukes were found to have invaded into the submucosa, almost facing the serosa. These results indicate that in IC mice the intestinal histopathology caused by G. seoi is generally mild, and the flukes do not penetrate beyond the mucosa, however, in IS mice. the flukes can cause severe destruction of neighboring villi. and some of them invade into the submucosa.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2000

The present study was aimed at investigating the nutritional and physiological significance of rice bran as a source of dietary fiber as compared to pectin and wheat bran. The parameters for comparison included hypertrophy and morphology of intestines, stool weights and villus marker enzyme activity. For 6 weeks, 10 Sprague Dawley male rats were given one of six experimental diets: 1% cellulose control (CC), 5% pectin (P5), 5% rice bran(RB5), 10% rice bran(RB10), 5% wheat bran (WB5) or 10% wheat bran (WB10) based on the level of dietary fiber. Among experimental groups, food efficiency ratio and body weight gain was comparable. RB10 increased cecal and colonic tissue weights and content weights of cecum and colon as much as P5 did. Stool weight was positiviely correlated with colonic tissue weight (r=0.727, P<0.001), with colonic content weight(r=0.647, P<0.001). Small intestine length increased most in the P5 group, followed by the RB10 group. The scanning electron micrograph of jejunal villi from rice bran groups showed a leaf-shaped, smooth and regular pattern, whereas that of CC group produced a rather long shape. The wheat bran groups showed an irregular leafshaped pattern, and the pectin group typically produced leaf-shaped villi with surface damage. The activities of villus marker enzymes (maltase and sucrase) were higher in the bran-fed rats than in the control or pectin-fed rats. The results indicate than not only dietary fiber amounts but also fiber sources are closely related to the physiology and morphology of the large and small intestines in rats. Rice bran exerted effects on fecal output and trophic effects on the intestines similar to those of pectin.