Stomach fullness modulates prey size choice in the frillfin goby, Bathygobius soporator

Behaviours related to foraging and feeding in predator-prey systems are fundamental to our understanding of food webs. From the perspective of a predator, the selection of prey size depends upon a number of factors including prey vulnerability, prey size, and the predator's motivation to eat. Thus, feeding motivation and prey visual cues are supposed to influence predator decisions and it is predicted that prey selection by visual cues is modulated by the predator's stomach fullness prior to attacking a prey. This study was conducted using an animal model from the rocky shores ecosystem, a predatory fish, the frillfin goby Bathygobius soporator, and a benthic prey, the mottled shore crab Pachygrapsus transversus. Our results demonstrate that frillfin gables are capable of visually evaluating prey size and that the size evaluation process is modulated by the level of stomach fullness. Predators with an empty stomach (0% fullness) attacked prey that was larger than the predicted optimal size. Partially satiated predators (50% stomach fullness) selected prey close to the optimal size, while fully satiated predators (100% stomach fullness) showed no preference for size. This finding indicates an integrative response of the predator that depends on the input of both internal and external sensory information when choosing prey. Predator perceptions of visual cues (prey size) and stomach fullness modulate foraging decisions. As a result, a flexible feeding behaviour emerges, evidencing a clearly adaptive response in line with optimal foraging theory predictions. (C) 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Triptolide induces cell apoptosis in human stomach cancer cell via caspase 3-dependent cascade pathway

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of triptolide on the induction of cell apoptosis in human gastric cancer BGC-823 cells. Methods: The cytotoxicity of triptolide was evaluated by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The effect of triptolide on cell proliferation was measured using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Cell apoptosis was determined by Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) double-staining assay. Results: MTT results indicate that triptolide significantly decreased cancer cell numbers in dose- and time-dependent manners in MTT assay. Data from LDH assay showed that triptolide markedly induced cytotoxicity in gastric cancer cells. Triptolide also remarkably induced both early and late apoptotic process in BGC-823 cells. In addition, the compound down-regulated the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcell lymphoma-2 (bcl-2) and up-regulated the expression of pro-apoptotic BCL-2-associated X (bax) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the pro-apoptotic activity of triptolide was involved in the activation of caspase-3 pathway in BGC-823 cells. Conclusion: Taken together, the findings strongly indicates that the pro-apoptotic activity of triptolide is regulated by caspase 3-dependent cascade pathway, and thus needs to be further developed for cancer therapy.

Cáncer gástrico en pacientes de Méderi – Hospital Universitario Mayor entre los años 2011 - 2014

Introducción: El cáncer gástrico es uno de los más frecuentes a nivel mundial y Colombia se sitúa entre los países de mayor incidencia en este tipo de patología. Objetivo: Describir las características epidemiológicas, clínicas, el tratamiento administrado y los desenlaces inmediatos de los pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer gástrico atendidos en el Hospital Universitario Mayor de Bogotá entre los años 2011 y 2014. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo con diagnóstico de cáncer gástrico. Se realizaron análisis univariados por medio de proporciones para las variables cualitativas y medidas de tendencia central para las variables cuantitativas según la distribución. Resultados: Un total de 189 pacientes fueron analizados. El dolor fue el síntoma más frecuente en los pacientes (30.7%) y el principal signo encontrado fue una masa palpable en abdomen (9,5%). Los pacientes fueron sometidos a diferentes abordajes terapéuticos, la mayoría recibieron manejo paliativo no quirúrgico (52.9%) y la opción quirúrgica más usada en los pacientes fue la gastrectomía total (20.6%), y la subtotal (16,4) seguidas de quimioterapia y/o radiación perioperatoria. Los pacientes que sobrevivieron a los 2 años fueron 7,4% del total. Conclusiones: El registro de los pacientes con cáncer gástrico es bueno en el Méderi-Hospital Universitario Mayor es bueno y permite caracterizar los pacientes, la presentación de la patología y los resultados del tratamiento que concuerdan con los presentados en contextos similares en la literatura.

Valor diagnóstico del pepsinógeno i/ii como biomarcador de lesiones pre-malignas y malignas gástricas: revisión sistemática

Antecedentes: El cáncer gástrico se diagnostica tardíamente. Sólo en países como Corea y Japón existen políticas de tamizaje, que se justificarían en cualquier país con alta prevalencia de cáncer gástrico como Colombia o Chile. El análisis del pepsinógeno sérico se ha propuesto para el diagnóstico de lesiones premalignas y malignas gástricas, por lo cual se pretende revisar sistemáticamente en la literatura el valor diagnóstico del cociente pepsinógeno I/II como marcador de lesiones premalignas y malignas gástricas. Metodología: Se revisó la literatura hasta septiembre del 2016 con palabras claves lesiones malignas, premalignas gástricas y pepsinógeno en las bases de datos PubMed, OVID, EMBASE, EBSCO, LILACS, OPENGRAY y Dialnet, artículos de prueba diagnóstica que evaluaran el cociente pepsinógeno I/II en relación con los hallazgos histológicos. Resultados: Se incluyeron 21 artículos conun total de 20601 pacientes, que demuestranuna sensibilidad entre13.7% - 91.2%, una especificidad entre 38.5% - 100%, un Valor Predictivo Positivo entre 6.3% - 100% y un Valor Predictivo Negativo entre 33.3% - 98.8%del cociente pepsinógeno I/II en relación con el diagnósticode lesiones premalignas y malignas gástricas. Conclusiones: Los valores del cociente pepsinógeno I/II disminuidos se relacionan con la presencia delesiones premalignas y malignas gástricas.Dado que tiene mejor especificidad que sensibilidad, en cuanto prueba para tamizaje, sería útil para la selección de pacientes que se beneficiaríande la EVDA. Se requieren más estudios de prueba diagnóstica para validar un punto de corte específico que pueda ser utilizado como valor estándar.

Occurrence of plastic debris in the stomach of the invasive crab Eriocheir sinensis

The Chinese mitten crab is known as a pest causing damage to fishing gears and fish. On the other hand, this highly invasive species is considered a delicacy by Asian migrants and therefore commercially fished and sold in many countries. The ingestion of plastic by the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis from the Baltic coastal waters (Poland) and the Tagus Estuary (Portugal) was studied based on stomach content analysis. As many as 13% of the 302 analysed males and females (38.07–89.07 mm carapace width) from both regions, contained microplastic in the form of strands and balls. Most of them were transparent. Ingested plastic particles were identified as fragments of fishing gears. Contamination with plastic may have a negative impact on this species as well as on higher trophic levels feeding on crabs.

Composição proximal e características físico-químicas de novos genótipos de açaí (Euterpe oleracea).

2016

The role of combinations between fasting intervals and lairage times on pigs welfare, stomach content and carcass and meat quality.

2016

Minimal Invasive Ostheosintesis For Treatment Of Diaphiseal Transverse Humeral Shaft Fractures.

To evaluate patients with transverse fractures of the shaft of the humerus treated with indirect reduction and internal fixation with plate and screws through minimally invasive technique. Inclusion criteria were adult patients with transverse diaphyseal fractures of the humerus closed, isolated or not occurring within 15 days of the initial trauma. Exclusion criteria were patients with compound fractures. In two patients, proximal screw loosening occurred, however, the fractures consolidated in the same mean time as the rest of the series. Consolidation with up to 5 degrees of varus occurred in five cases and extension deficit was observed in the patient with olecranon fracture treated with tension band, which was not considered as a complication. There was no recurrence of infection or iatrogenic radial nerve injury. It can be concluded that minimally invasive osteosynthesis with bridge plate can be considered a safe and effective option for the treatment of transverse fractures of the humeral shaft. Level of Evidence III, Therapeutic Study.

Association Between Prehypertension, Metabolic And Inflammatory Markers, Decreased Adiponectin And Enhanced Insulinemia In Obese Subjects.

Obesity is associated with development of the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome, which is a constellation of risk factors, such as insulin resistance, inflammatory response, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure that predispose affected individuals to well-characterized medical conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular and kidney chronic disease. The study was designed to establish relationship between metabolic and inflammatory disorder, renal sodium retention and enhanced blood pressure in a group of obese subjects compared with age-matched, lean volunteers. The study was performed after 14 h overnight fast after and before OGTT in 13 lean (BMI 22.92 ± 2.03 kg/m(2)) and, 27 obese (BMI 36.15 ± 3.84 kg/m(2)) volunteers. Assessment of HOMA-IR and QUICKI index were calculated and circulating concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6 and C-reactive protein, measured by immunoassay. THE STUDY SHOWS THAT A HYPERINSULINEMIC (HI: 10.85 ± 4.09 μg/ml) subgroup of well-characterized metabolic syndrome bearers-obese subjects show higher glycemic and elevated blood pressure levels when compared to lean and normoinsulinemic (NI: 5.51 ± 1.18 μg/ml, P < 0.027) subjects. Here, the combination of hyperinsulinemia, higher HOMA-IR (HI: 2.19 ± 0.70 (n = 12) vs. LS: 0.83 ± 0.23 (n = 12) and NI: 0.98 ± 0.22 (n = 15), P < 0.0001) associated with lower QUICKI in HI obese when compared with LS and NI volunteers (P < 0.0001), suggests the occurrence of insulin resistance and a defect in insulin-stimulated peripheral action. Otherwise, the adiponectin measured in basal period was significantly enhanced in NI subjects when compared to HI groups (P < 0.04). The report also showed a similar insulin-mediated reduction of post-proximal urinary sodium excretion in lean (LS: 9.41 ± 0.68% vs. 6.38 ± 0.92%, P = 0.086), and normoinsulinemic (NI: 8.41 ± 0.72% vs. 5.66 ± 0.53%, P = 0.0025) and hyperinsulinemic obese subjects (HI: 8.82 ± 0.98% vs. 6.32 ± 0.67%, P = 0.0264), after oral glucose load, despite elevated insulinemic levels in hyperinsulinemic obeses. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of adiponectin levels and dysfunctional inflammatory modulation associated with hyperinsulinemia and peripheral insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and renal dysfunction in a particular subgroup of obeses.

Gastrointestinal Involvement In Lipoid Proteinosis: A Ten-year Follow-up Of A Brazilian Female Patient.

Lipoid proteinosis is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by the deposition of hyaline material in the skin and internal organs. The main clinical features are hoarseness and typical skin lesions. In this report we describe the endoscopic and radiologic findings in a Brazilian female patient presenting extensive gastrointestinal involvement and the evolution of the detected lesions in ten years of follow-up. Initial upper endoscopy and colonoscopy showed a similar pattern of multiple yellowish nodules throughout the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, and colons. Histological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of lipoid proteinosis. In addition, small bowel follow through demonstrated numerous well defined, round, small filling defects throughout the jejunum. Ten years later, the esophageal lesions remained the same, but none of the previous alterations were detected in the stomach, duodenum, and colons. In conclusion, lipoid proteinosis may affect all gastrointestinal organs with the same pattern of macroscopic and microscopic lesions. Some lesions may regress with increasing age.

Gastroprotective Effects (in Rodents) Of A Flavonoid Rich Fraction Obtained From Syngonanthus Macrolepsis.

Syngonanthus macrolepis, popularly known in Brazil as 'sempre-vivas', is a plant from the family Eriocaulaceae, it is found in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia. The species contains a variety of constituents, including flavonoids with gastroprotective effect. In this work, a flavonoid-rich fraction (Sm-FRF) obtained from scapes of S. macrolepis was investigated for preventing gastric ulceration in mice and rats. The activity was evaluated in models of induced gastric ulcer (absolute ethanol, stress, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and pylorus ligation). The cytoprotective mechanisms of the Sm-FRF in relation to sulfhydryl (SH) groups, nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidant enzymes were also evaluated. The Sm-FRF (100 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced gastric injury in all models, and did not alter gastric juice parameters after pylorus ligation. The results indicate significant gastroprotective activity for the Sm-FRF, which probably involves the participation of both SH groups and the antioxidant system. Both are integral parts of the gastrointestinal mucosa's cytoprotective mechanisms against aggressive factors.

Long-term Spinal Ventral Root Reimplantation, But Not Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Treatment, Positively Influences Ultrastructural Synapse Recovery And Motor Axonal Regrowth.

We recently proposed a new surgical approach to treat ventral root avulsion, resulting in motoneuron protection. The present work combined such a surgical approach with bone marrow mononuclear cells (MC) therapy. Therefore, MC were added to the site of reimplantation. Female Lewis rats (seven weeks old) were subjected to unilateral ventral root avulsion (VRA) at L4, L5 and L6 levels and divided into the following groups (n = 5 for each group): Avulsion, sealant reimplanted roots and sealant reimplanted roots plus MC. After four weeks and 12 weeks post-surgery, the lumbar intumescences were processed by transmission electron microscopy, to analyze synaptic inputs to the repaired α motoneurons. Also, the ipsi and contralateral sciatic nerves were processed for axon counting and morphometry. The ultrastructural results indicated a significant preservation of inhibitory pre-synaptic boutons in the groups repaired with sealant alone and associated with MC therapy. Moreover, the average number of axons was higher in treated groups when compared to avulsion only. Complementary to the fiber counting, the morphometric analysis of axonal diameter and g ratio demonstrated that root reimplantation improved the motor component recovery. In conclusion, the data herein demonstrate that root reimplantation at the lesion site may be considered a therapeutic approach, following proximal lesions in the interface of central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), and that MC therapy does not further improve the regenerative recovery, up to 12 weeks post lesion.

Synaptic Rearrangement Following Axonal Injury: Old And New Players.

Following axotomy, the contact between motoneurons and muscle fibers is disrupted, triggering a retrograde reaction at the neuron cell body within the spinal cord. Together with chromatolysis, a hallmark of such response to injury is the elimination of presynaptic terminals apposing to the soma and proximal dendrites of the injured neuron. Excitatory inputs are preferentially eliminated, leaving the cells under an inhibitory influence during the repair process. This is particularly important to avoid glutamate excitotoxicity. Such shift from transmission to a regeneration state is also reflected by deep metabolic changes, seen by the regulation of several genes related to cell survival and axonal growth. It is unclear, however, how exactly synaptic stripping occurs, but there is substantial evidence that glial cells play an active role in this process. In one hand, immune molecules, such as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I, members of the complement family and Toll-like receptors are actively involved in the elimination/reapposition of presynaptic boutons. On the other hand, plastic changes that involve sprouting might be negatively regulated by extracellular matrix proteins such as Nogo-A, MAG and scar-related chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. Also, neurotrophins, stem cells, physical exercise and several drugs seem to improve synaptic stability, leading to functional recovery after lesion.

Neural Mechanisms And Delayed Gastric Emptying Of Liquid Induced Through Acute Myocardial Infarction In Rats.

Background: In pathological situations, such as acute myocardial infarction, disorders of motility of the proximal gut can trigger symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Acute myocardial infarction delays gastric emptying (GE) of liquid in rats. Objective: Investigate the involvement of the vagus nerve, α 1-adrenoceptors, central nervous system GABAB receptors and also participation of paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus in GE and gastric compliance (GC) in infarcted rats. Methods: Wistar rats, N = 8-15 in each group, were divided as INF group and sham (SH) group and subdivided. The infarction was performed through ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. GC was estimated with pressure-volume curves. Vagotomy was performed by sectioning the dorsal and ventral branches. To verify the action of GABAB receptors, baclofen was injected via icv (intracerebroventricular). Intravenous prazosin was used to produce chemical sympathectomy. The lesion in the PVN of the hypothalamus was performed using a 1mA/10s electrical current and GE was determined by measuring the percentage of gastric retention (% GR) of a saline meal. Results: No significant differences were observed regarding GC between groups; vagotomy significantly reduced % GR in INF group; icv treatment with baclofen significantly reduced %GR. GABAB receptors were not conclusively involved in delaying GE; intravenous treatment with prazosin significantly reduced GR% in INF group. PVN lesion abolished the effect of myocardial infarction on GE. Conclusion: Gastric emptying of liquids induced through acute myocardial infarction in rats showed the involvement of the vagus nerve, alpha1- adrenergic receptors and PVN.Fundamento: Distúrbios da motilidade do intestino proximal no infarto agudo do miocárdio podem desencadear sintomas digestivos como náuseas e vômitos. O infarto do miocárdio ocasiona retardo do esvaziamento gástrico (EG) de líquido em ratos. Objetivo: Investigar se existe a influência do nervo vago (VGX), adrenoreceptores α-1, receptores GABAB do sistema nervoso central e participação do núcleo paraventricular (NPV) do hipotálamo no esvaziamento gástrico (EG) e complacência gástrica (CG) em ratos infartados. Métodos: Ratos Wistar (n = 8-15) foram divididos em: grupo infarto (INF), sham (SH) e subdivididos. O infarto foi realizado por ligadura da artéria coronária descendente anterior. A complacência gástrica foi estimada com curvas pressão-volume. Realizada vagotomia por secção dos ramos dorsal e ventral. Para verificar a ação dos receptores GABAB foi injetado baclofeno por via intra ventrículo-cerebral. Simpatectomia química foi realizada com prazosina intravenosa (iv), e na lesão do núcleo paraventricular do hipotálamo foi utilizada corrente elétrica de 1mA/10s, com esvaziamento gástrico determinado por medição da retenção gástrica (% RG) de uma refeição salina. Resultados: Não houve diferença significativa na CG. A vagotomia (VGX) reduziu significativamente a %RG; no grupo INF, o tratamento intra ventrículo-cerebral (ivc) com baclofeno reduziu significativamente a % RG; não houve conclusivamente envolvimento dos receptores GABAB em retardar o EG; o tratamento intravenoso com prazosina reduziu significativamente a %RG no grupo INF. A lesão do NPV aboliu o efeito do infarto do miocárdio no EG. Conclusão: O nervo vago, receptores α-adrenérgicos e núcleo paraventricular estão envolvidos no retardo do esvaziamento gástrico no infarto agudo do miocárdio em ratos.