The antilipolytic effect of insulin and epidermal growth factor in rat adipocytes are mediated by different mechanisms

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin induced similar effects in isolated rat adipocytes. To determine whether EGF and insulin produced similar effects through the same mechanisms, we focused on lipolysis. Insulin inhibited the lipolysis stimulated by isoproterenol, glucagon (either alone or in combination with adenosine deaminase), adenosine deaminase itself, or forskolin. In contrast, EGF did not inhibit the lipolysis stimulated by forskolin or by hormones when the cells were also incubated with adenosine deaminase. The effect of insulin, but not that of EGF, on isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis disappeared when adipocytes were incubated with 1 microM wortmannin. These results indicate that EGF and insulin affected lipolysis through different mechanisms. We observed that EGF, but not insulin, increased cytosolic Ca2+. The effect of EGF, but not that of insulin, disappeared when the cells were incubated in a Ca2+-free medium. We suggest that EGF, but not insulin, mediate its antilipolytic effect through a Ca2+-dependent mechanism which, however, do not involve Ca2+-activated protein kinase C isoforms. This is based on the following: 1) phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate affected lipolysis in an opposite way to that of EGF; and 2) the protein kinase C inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide GF 109203X did not affect the antilipolytic action of EGF. Our results indicate that the antilipolytic effect of EGF resembles more that of vasopressin than that of insulin.

Intestinal content detection in capsule endoscopy using robust features

This work covers two aspects. First, it generally compares and summarizes the similarities and differences of state of the art feature detector and descriptor and second it presents a novel approach of detecting intestinal content (in particular bubbles) in capsule endoscopy images. Feature detectors and descriptors providing invariance to change of perspective, scale, signal-noise-ratio and lighting conditions are important and interesting topics in current research and the number of possible applications seems to be numberless. After analysing a selection of in the literature presented approaches, this work investigates in their suitability for applications information extraction in capsule endoscopy images. Eventually, a very good performing detector of intestinal content in capsule endoscopy images is presented. A accurate detection of intestinal content is crucial for all kinds of machine learning approaches and other analysis on capsule endoscopy studies because they occlude the field of view of the capsule camera and therefore those frames need to be excluded from analysis. As a so called “byproduct” of this investigation a graphical user interface supported Feature Analysis Tool is presented to execute and compare the discussed feature detectors and descriptor on arbitrary images, with configurable parameters and visualized their output. As well the presented bubble classifier is part of this tool and if a ground truth is available (or can also be generated using this tool) a detailed visualization of the validation result will be performed.

Implication of Nerve Growth Factor in intestinal mucosal mast cell activity and colonic motor alterations in a model of ovalbumin-induced gut dysfunction in rats

We determined NGF involvement in MMCs and colonic motor alterations in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced gut dysfunction model in rats. Animals received OVA (6 weeks), with/without simultaneous K252a (TrkA antagonist) treatment. MMCs, rat mast cell protease II (RMCPII) levels and colonic contractility in vitro were assessed. OVA increased MMC density and RMCPII concentration. Spontaneous contractility was similar in both groups and inhibited by K252a. Carbachol responses were increased by OVA in a K252a-independent manner. NO-synthase inhibition increased spontaneous activity in OVA-treated animals in a K252a-dependent manner. These observations support an involvement of NGF in the functional changes observed in this model.

Impacto de la fatiga en la percepción de salud en la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal.

La salud de los pacientes con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII) está afectada por la fatiga, que condiciona una baja calidad de vida. Este estudio administró cuestionarios de calidad de vida y fatiga a 110 pacientes con EII, cuantificando fatiga y correlacionándola con la actividad, se determinó la afectación de la calidad de vida. Los resultados mostraron relación inversa entre fatiga y actividad de EII, con diferencias estadísticamente significativas según brote o remisión de la enfermedad. Las correlaciones entre actividad y fatiga con calidad de vida, fueron negativas. En conclusión, a mayor actividad, mayor fatiga que conlleva peor calidad de vida.

Estudi de l’efecte del tractament amb Adalimumab sobre la microbiota associada a la mucosa intestinal en pacients amb malaltia de Crohn.

La malaltia de Crohn és una malaltia inflamatòria intestinal en la qual s´ha observat que la densitat i la diversitat bacteriana difereixen dels subjectes sans. En els últims anys s’estan emprant tractaments biològics com els anti-TNFα (Adalimumab) de manera alternativa a tractaments ja existents. Els resultats obtinguts després de l’anàlisi de la composició bacteriana de la mucosa intestinal de pacients amb Malaltia de Crohn tractats amb Adalimumab, són esperançadors ja que apunten a una recuperació del patró normal a través de la recuperació d’espècies pròpies de persones sanes i la desaparició d’aquelles més prevalents en malalts de Crohn.

Tractament preoperatori de l’oclusió intestinal amb pròtesis de còlon en malalts amb càncer de còlon no metastàsic

S’evalua la supervivència lliure de progressió i la supervivència global dels pacients amb càncer de còlon que han debutat amb oclusió intestinal i com a primer tractament s’ha col.locat una pròtesis metàl.lica autoexpandible al còlon prèviament a la cirurgia del tumor primari. És un estudi retrospectiu i unicèntric on s’inclouen 45 pacients. Els resultats de l’estudi demostren que el fet de col.locar una pròtesis en la fase aguda de l’oclusió no empitjora el pronòstic a llarg termini d’aquests pacients.

Análisis de la alteración de la permeabilidad intestinal en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca aguda o crónica reagudizada.

Análisis de la alteración de la permeabilidad intestinal (P.I.) en pacientes críticos afectos de insuficiencia cardiaca aguda o crónica descompensada empleando la prueba de lactulosa/manitol administrada por vía enteral con recogida de la diuresis siguiente para calcular su ratio. Conclusiones: Existe una alteración funcional aunque no se ha podido relacionar con la gravedad del paciente, una relación entre la alteración y la hipoperfusión sistémica, una asociación entre la mejora de la función intestinal y la supervivencia y una relación entre la elevación de procalcitonina y la alteración de la permeabilidad que explicaría la traslocación bacteriana como fuente de los signos de infección que suelen presentar.

Anemia en la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal: Prevalencia y factores que influyen.

La anemia es una complicación muy importante de la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII). Actualmente desconocemos la prevalencia de anemia en los pacientes afectos por dicha enfermedad. Para ello se ha realizado un estudio retrospectivo de revisión del historial clínico de pacientes con EII registrados en la Unidad de Atención Crohn-Colitis, con el objetivo de determinar la prevalencia de anemia en nuestro medio y analizar los factores que influyen en la aparición de la misma. La prevalencia de anemia en la EII en el año 2007 fue del 26,3%. El factor más importante para desarrollarla fue la presencia de actividad clínica.

Conocimiento de la fisiopatología de la Enfermedad Inflamatoria Intestinal a partir del estudio de su incidencia (Departamento de Salud 6 de Valencia).

La Enfermedad Inflamatoria Intestinal (Enfermedad de Crohn,EC; Colitis Ulcerosa,CU; Colitis inclasificable, CI) ha sufrido variaciones de incidencia, su estudio permite conocer los factores fisiopatológicos implicados y tratamientos específicos. Se ha realizado un estudio observacional retrospectivo de los casos diagnosticados de EII en el Departamento de Salud 6 de Valencia relacionando resultados con los obtenidos en España y otros países. La incidencia estandarizada a la población europea, ajustada a sexo y edad fue: 3.89(EC),6.635(CU) y de 2.845(CI). La incidencia de CU fue más elevada que la de EC, excepto en los más jóvenes, superior para CU y CI en hombres.

Influència del tabac en la resposta a azatioprina en malaltia inflamatòria intestinal corticodepenent

Disposem d’evidència sobre la influència negativa del tabac en la malaltia de Crohn i el seu efecte positiu en la Colitis ulcerosa. Per altra banda, no s’ha avaluat una potencial interacció entre el tabaquisme i la resposta a determinats fàrmacs. En el present treball hem avaluat l’eficàcia de les tiopurines en la malaltia inflamatòria intestinal corticodepenent, en relació a l’existència d’hàbit tabàquic a l’inici del tractament i la seva influència en el seguiment dels pacients amb resposta inicial al fàrmac, valorant la necessitat de teràpies de rescat o de tractament quirúrgic durant la seva evolució segons l’hàbit tabàquic.

Respuesta motora intestinal a la sobrecarga de quimo

Els pacients amb crisis suboclusives recurrents o amb símptomes digestius que impideixen mantenir el seu pes normal, en absència d´una causa estructural que justifique els símptomes, poden estar afectes d´un trastorn de la motilitat del budell prim. La manometría gastrointestinal es la tècnica d´ elecció per l´ estudi de la motilidad del tracte gastrointestinal i en aquests pacients pot mostrar patrons aberrants que justifiquin els símptomes. No obstant, la manometría gastrointestinal és una tècnica específica però poc sensible. L´objetiu general d´aquest treball es determinar la resposta motora intestinal a una sobrecàrrega de quimo. Per a això s´estudiarà un grup de subjectes sans i es mesurarà l´ activitat motora del budell prim mitjançant manometría durant la infusió contínua de una solució de nutrients solos o espesats amb un compost no absobible.

Chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction and ophthalmoplegia in a patient with mitochondrial myopathy

A 38 year old woman having chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction associated with mitochondrial myopathy is reported. The clinical and radiographic features suggested the diagnosis of chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction. Muscular atrophy and ophthalmoplegia led to muscle biopsy, which disclosed accumulation of normal and abnormal mitochondria ('ragged red fibres'), characteristic of mitochondrial myopathy.

Use of palm-oil by-products in chicken and rabbit feeds: effect on the fatty acid and tocol composition of meat, liver and plasma

This study was undertaken in the framework of a larger European project dealing with the characterization of fat co- and by-products from the food chain, available for feed uses. In this study, we compare the effects, on the fatty acid (FA) and tocol composition of chicken and rabbit tissues, of the addition to feeds of a palm fatty acid distillate, very low in trans fatty acids (TFA), and two levels of the corresponding hydrogenated by-product, containing intermediate and high levels of TFA. Thus, the experimental design included three treatments, formulated for each species, containing the three levels of TFA defined above. Obviously, due to the use of hydrogenated fats, the levels of saturated fatty acids (SFA) show clear differences between the three dietary treatments. The results show that diets high in TFA (76 g/kg fat) compared with those low in TFA (4.4 g/kg fat) led to a lower content of tocopherols and tocotrienols in tissues, although these differences were not always statistically significant, and show a different pattern for rabbit and chicken. The TFA content in meat, liver and plasma increased from low-to-high TFA feeds in both chicken and rabbit. However, the transfer ratios from feed were not proportional to the TFA levels in feeds, reflecting certain differences according to the animal species. Moreover, feeds containing fats higher in TFA induced significant changes in tissue SFA, monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids composition, but different patterns can be described for chicken and rabbit and for each type of tissue.

Use of recovered frying oils in chicken and rabbit feeds: effect on the fatty acid and tocol composition and on the oxidation levels of meat, liver and plasma

The addition of some fat co- and by-products to feeds is usual nowadays; however, the regulations of their use are not always clear and vary between countries. For instance, the use of recycled cooking oils is not allowed in the European Union, but they are used in other countries. However, oils recovered from industrial frying processes could show satisfactory quality for this purpose. Here we studied the effects of including oils recovered from the frying industry in rabbit and chicken feeds (at 30 and 60 g/kg, respectively) on the fatty acid (FA) and tocol (tocopherol + tocotrienol) compositon of meat, liver and plasma, and on their oxidative stability. Three dietary treatments (replicated eight times) were compared: fresh non-used oil (LOX); oil discarded from the frying industry, having a high content of secondary oxidation compounds (HOX); and an intermediate level (MOX) obtained by mixing 50 : 50 of LOX and HOX. The FA composition of oil diets and tissues was assessed by GC, their tocol content by HPLC, the thiobarbituric acid value was used to assess tissue oxidation status, and the ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange method was used to assess the susceptibility of tissues to oxidation. Our results indicate that FA composition of rabbit and chicken meat, liver and plasma was scarcely altered by the addition of recovered frying oils to feed. Differences were encountered in the FA composition between species, which might be attributed mainly to differences in the FA digestion, absorption and metabolism between species, and to some physiological dietary factors (i.e. coprophagy in rabbits that involves fermentation with FA structure modification). The α-tocopherol (αT) content of tissues was reduced in response to the lower αT content in the recovered frying oil. Differences in the content of other tocols were encountered between chickens and rabbits, which might be attributable to the different tocol composition of their feeds, as well as to species differences in the digestion and metabolism of tocols. Tissue oxidation and susceptibility to oxidation were in general low and were not greatly affected by the degree of oxidation of the oil added to the feeds. The relative content of polyunsaturated fatty acids/αT in these types of samples would explain the differences observed between species in the susceptibility of each tissue to oxidation. According to our results, oils recovered from the frying industry could be useful for feed uses.

Intestinal and hepatic nitrogen balance in the rat after the administration of an oral protein load

The fate of a small oral dose of protein given to overnight-starved rats was studied. After 3 h, 62 per cent of the protein amino acids had been absorbed. Most of the absorbed N went into the bloodstream through the portal in the form of amino acids, but urea and ammonia were also present. About one-quarter of all absorbed N was carried as lymph amino acids. The liver was able to take all portal free ammonia and a large proportion of portal amino acids, releasing urea. The hepatic N balance was negative, indicating active proteolysis and net loss of liver protein.