Bile Acids Induce Glucagon-Like Peptide 2 Secretion with Limited Effects on Intestinal Adaptation in Early Weaned Pigs

Early weaning is a stressful event characterized by a transient period of intestinal atrophy that may be mediated by reduced secretion of glucagon-like peptide (GLP) 2. We tested whether enterally fed bile acids or plant sterols could increase nutrient-dependent GLP-2 secretion and improve intestinal adaptation in weanling pigs. During the first 6 d after weaning, piglets were intragastrically infused once daily with either deionized water -control-, chenodeoxycholic acid -CDC; 60mg/kg body weight-, or b-sitoesterol -BSE; 100 mg/kg body weight-. Infusing CDC increased plasma GLP-2 -P menor que 0.05- but did not affect plasma GLP-1 and feed intake. The intestinal expression of Glp2r -glucagon-like peptide 2 receptor-, Asbt -sodium-dependent bile acid transporter-, Fxr -farnesoid X receptor-, and Tgr5 -guanosine protein?coupled bile acid receptor- genes were not affected by CDC treatment. The intragastric administration of CDC did not alter the weight and length of the intestine, yet increased the activation of caspase-3 in ileal villi -P menor que 0.02- and the expression of Il6 -interleukin 6; P menor que 0.002- in the jejunum. In contrast, infusing BSE did not affect any of the variables that were measured. Our results show that the enteral administration of the bile acid CDC potentiates the nutrient-induced secretion of endogenous GLP-2 in early-weaned pigs. Bile acid?enhanced release of GLP-2, however, did not result in improved intestinal growth, morphology, or inflammation during the postweaning degenerative phase.

'Enhancement of the crystallization process of TbxFe1-x thin films upon the formation of alpha-Tb phase'

TbxFe1−x thin films deposited by sputtering on Mo were investigated structurally and magnetically. The microstructure consists of TbFe2 nanoparticles embedded in an amorphous matrix, and the Tb content can be correlated with an increase in the volume of these nanoparticles. Similar microstructure and behavior were found when TbFe2 was deposited on glass and on a Pt buffer layer. Nevertheless, thermal treatments promote a different effect, depending on the mechanical stiffness of the buffer layer. The layers deposited on Mo, a rigid material, show crystalline TbFe2 together with α-Tb phase upon thermal treatment. In contrast, TbFe2 does not crystallize properly on Pt, a material with a lower stiffness than Mo. Intermediate results were observed on the film deposited on glass. Experimental results show the impact of the buffer stiffness on the crystallization process. Moreover, the formation of α-Tb appears to be fundamental to crystallized TbFe2 on layers deposited on rigid buffers