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Digestive Organs (digestive + organ)
Selected AbstractsCharacterization of the proteases in the midgut of the xylophagous larvae of Oemona hirta (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)INSECT SCIENCE, Issue 5 2009Brian David Shaw Abstract, The protein digestive capability of the larvae of the longhorn beetle (Oemona hirta, Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Fabricius, 1775) was investigated. This species feeds only on wood where there is a high proportion of vascular tissue. The pH of the midgut, the major digestive organ, was alkaline and protein hydrolysis was maximal at alkaline pH. Use of specific synthetic peptide substrates showed that the major protease activities were the endopeptidases, trypsin and chymotrypsin-like activity, and the exopeptidase, leucine aminopeptidase and the pH curves corresponded to that with protein substrate. Studies using a range of serine protease inhibitors as well as specific inhibitors of metalloproteases, cysteine proteases and aspartate proteases confirmed a serine protease-based digestive system similar to earlier reports of sapwood-feeding Cerambycids. Control of these insect pests using protease inhibitors is discussed. [source] Recently identified a novel neuropeptide manserin colocalize with the TUNEL-positive cells in the top villi of the rat duodenumJOURNAL OF PEPTIDE SCIENCE, Issue 6 2008Aika Yajima Abstract We recently isolated a novel 40 amino acid neuropeptide designated manserin from the rat brain. Manserin is derived from secretogranin II, a member of granin acidic secretory protein family by proteolytic processing, as previously reported secretoneurin and EM66. Manserin peptide are localized in the endocrine cells of the pituitary. In this study, we further investigated the manserin localization in the digestive system by immunohistochemical analysis using antimanserin antibody. In the duodenum, manserin immunostaining was exclusively observed in the nuclei of top villi instead of cytosol as observed in neurons in our previous study. Interestingly, manserin-positive cells in the duodenum are colocalized with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) positive cells, the cells whose DNA was damaged. Since the top villi of duodenum epithelial cells are known to undergo spontaneous apoptosis during epithelial cell turn over, and since other peptides such as secretoneurin and EM66 derived from SgII have been reported to be cancer-related, these results indicated that manserin peptide may have a role in apoptosis and/or cancer pathogenesis in the digestive organ. Copyright © 2008 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Correlation between Musashi-1 and c-hairy-1 expression and cell proliferation activity in the developing intestine and stomach of both chicken and mouseDEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 8 2005Rieko Asai Musashi-1 (Msi-1) is an RNA-binding protein that plays key roles in the maintenance of neural stem cell states and in their differentiation into neural cells. Msi-1 has also been proposed as a candidate marker gene of mammalian intestinal stem cells and their immediate lineages. In this study, we examined Msi-1 expression in the small intestine and the stomach of both chicken and mouse during embryonic, fetal and postnatal development. In addition, we analyzed the expression of c-hairy-1, a chicken homologue of mouse Hes1, and assessed the proliferative activity of the cells expressing both of these factors. Significantly, during the development of these digestive organs in both species Msi-1 expression showed dynamic changes, suggesting that it is important for digestive organ development, particularly for epithelial differentiation. Based on our observations of the expression patterns of Msi-1 and c-hairy-1 in the adult small intestine, we speculate that Msi-1 is also a stem cell marker of the chicken small intestinal epithelium. [source] Regionalized expression of ADAM13 during chicken embryonic developmentDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 3 2007Juntang Lin Abstract ADAMs are a family of membrane proteins possessing a disintegrin domain and a metalloprotease domain, which have functions in cell,cell adhesion, cell,matrix adhesion, and protein shedding, respectively. ADAMs are involved in morphogenesis and tissue formation during embryonic development. In the present study, chicken ADAM13 was cloned and identified, and its expression was investigated by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization during chicken embryonic development. Our results show that ADAM13 expression is temporally and spatially regulated in chicken embryos. At early developmental stages, ADAM13 is expressed in the head mesenchyme, which later develops into the craniofacial skeleton, in the branchial arches, and in the meninges surrounding the brain. Furthermore, ADAM13 mRNA was also detected in several tissues and organs, such as the somites and their derived muscles, the meninges surrounding the spinal cord, the dorsal aorta, the developing kidney, and several digestive organs. Developmental Dynamics 236:862,870, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Histopathological alterations in the edible snail, Babylonia areolata (spotted babylon), in acute and subchronic cadmium poisoningENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 2 2005P. Tanhan Abstract Histopathological alterations in 6- to 8-month-old juvenile spotted babylon, Babylonia areolata, from acute and subchronic cadmium exposure were studied by light microscopy. The 96-h LC50 value of cadmium for B. areolata was found to be 3.35 mg/L, and the maximum acceptable toxicant concentration (MATC) was 1.6 mg/L. Snails were exposed to 3.35 and 0.08 mg/L (5% of MATC) of cadmium for 96 h and 90 days, respectively. After exposure the gill, the organs of the digestive system (proboscis, esophagus, stomach, digestive gland, and rectum), and the foot were analyzed for cadmium accumulation. The results showed that most digestive organs had a high affinity for cadmium. The main target organ was the stomach, which could accumulate on average 1192.18 ,g/g dry weight of cadmium. Cadmium was shown to accumulate to a lesser extent in the digestive gland, gill, rectum, esophagus, proboscis, and foot. Histopathological alterations were observed in the gill and digestive organs (proboscis, esophagus, stomach, and rectum). The study showed that the stomach and gill were the primary target organs of both acute and subchronic exposure. Gill alterations included increased size of mucous vacuoles, reduced length of cilia, dilation and pyknosis of nuclei, thickening of basal lamina, and accumulation of hemocytes. The epithelial lining of the digestive tract showed similar alterations such as increased size of mucous vacuoles, reduced length of cilia, and dilation of nuclei. In addition, fragmentation of the muscle sheath was observed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 20: 142,149, 2005. [source] Renal malakoplakia as a pseudotumoral lesion in a renal transplant patient: A case reportINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 7 2007Isidro Machado Puerto Abstract: Malakoplakia is a rare chronic inflammatory disease associated with gram-negative bacterial infections frequently caused by Escherichia coli. Malakoplakia usually affects the lower urinary tract (bladder) but there are cases described in the kidney as well as in the respiratory and digestive organs. We report on a case with renal parenchymal malakoplakia in a renal transplant patient and describe the pathological lesions of malakoplakia: histiocytic proliferation with scarce inflammatory infiltrate, histiocytes with acidophilic cytoplasm and the presence of characteristic Michaelis-Gutmann bodies. The authors in this study review the updated reports related to the entity in this uncommon localization, the association with an immunocompromised patient, the macroscopic presentation as a pseudotumoral lesion and the possible relationship with the xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis as a form of a histopathological spectrum in patients affected with gram negative urinary tract infection. [source] Changes in body mass and organ size during wing moult in non-breeding greylag geese Anser anserJOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2005Anthony D. Fox The "cost-benefit" hypothesis states that specific body organs show mass changes consistent with a trade-off between the importance of their function and cost of their maintenance. We tested four predictions from this hypothesis using data on non-breeding greylag geese Anser anser during the course of remigial moult: namely that (i) pectoral muscles and heart would atrophy followed by hypertrophy, (ii) leg muscles would hypertrophy followed by atrophy, (iii) that digestive organs and liver would atrophy followed by hypertrophy and (iv) fat depots be depleted. Dissection of geese captured on three different dates during wing moult on the Danish island of Saltholm provided data on locomotory muscles and digestive organ size that confirmed these predictions. Locomotory organs associated with flight showed initial atrophy (a maximum loss of 23% of the initial pectoral muscle mass and 37% heart tissue) followed by hypertrophy as birds regained the powers of flight. Locomotory organs associated with running (leg muscles, since geese habitually run to the safety of water from predator-type stimuli) showed initial hypertrophy (a maximum gain of 37% over initial mass) followed by atrophy. The intestines and liver showed initial atrophy (41% and 37% respectively), consistent with observed reductions in daily time spent feeding during moult, followed by hypertrophy. The majority of the 22% loss in overall body mass (mean 760 g) during the flightless period involved fat utilisation, apparently consumed to meet shortfalls between daily energetic needs and observed rates of exogenous intake. The results support the hypothesis that such phenotypic plasticity in size of fat stores, locomotor and digestive organs can be interpreted as an evolutionary adaptation to meet the conflicting needs of the wing moult. [source] Growth of organ systems of Dentex dentex(L) and Psetta maxima(L) during larval developmentJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005R. Sala Growth in volume of common dentex Dentex dentex and turbot Psetta maxima during larval development was studied by means of a quantitative histological method. A two-phase pattern of volume increase was recorded for both species, turbot volume being always higher than dentex volume. During the first phase, the increase was small but during the second phase volume rose sharply from 22 days post hatch (dph) and 17 dph onwards in dentex and turbot, respectively. In dentex, the specific growth rate (G) of the whole larva as well as that of all the structures studied (nervous tissue, trunk musculature, digestive tract, liver, pancreas, spleen and thymus) was always higher during the second phase, whereas in turbot, only total volume of the larva, trunk musculature and nervous tissue had a higher G during the same period. The pattern of allometric growth of digestive organs was similar for both species. These organs showed an initial positive allometric growth that later became near-isometric (digestive tract and liver) or negative (pancreas). In dentex, nervous tissue and trunk musculature showed near-isometry throughout the period studied. In turbot, nervous tissue exhibited negative allometry and trunk musculature changed from negative to positive allometry. In both species studied, the highest allometry coefficients were recorded for digestive organs before the larva switched to strict exotrophy. This would indicate the importance of the development of these organs for survival. [source] GLYCOSIDASE INHIBITORY ACTIVITY AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF A POLYSACCHARIDE FROM THE MUSHROOM INONOTUS OBLIQUUSJOURNAL OF FOOD BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 2010HAIXIA CHEN ABSTRACT A water-soluble polysaccharide from Inonotus obliquus (IOPS) was isolated from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus (Fr.) Pilat. The chemical compositions, molecular weight and inhibitory activities on glycosidase and antioxidant properties of IOPS were investigated. The results indicated that IOPS was an acid protein-bound polysaccharide, with a molecular weight of 1.7 × 104 Da and the contents of neutral sugar, protein and uronic acids being 42.5, 18.5 and 6.1%, respectively. IOPS exhibited an inhibitory activity against ,-glucosidase with the IC50 value of 93.3 µg/mL, whereas it had no effective inhibition on ,-amylase. Results of antioxidant activity assays revealed that IOPS had inhibitory activity on the concentration-dependent quenching of 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radicals. Furthermore, IOPS inhibited the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in Fe2+/ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver tissue. These results clearly demonstrated that IOPS was one of the main bioactive components of I. obliquus that contributed to hypoglycemic activity and antioxidant activity. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Diabetes mellitus is one of the primary threats to human health because of its increasing prevalence, chronic course and disabling complications. Postprandial hyperglycemia plays an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and complications associated with the disease. One therapeutic approach to decrease postprandial hyperglycemia is to retard the absorption of glucose through inhibition of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes in the digestive organs. In this study, a polysaccharide isolated from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus (IOPS) was shown to have notable glycosidase inhibitory effects and antioxidant activities. This research will benefit for the investigation of effective and safe ,-glucosidase inhibitors from natural materials. IOPS could be a good candidate for application in food and medicinal fields. It might be developed for functional food or lead compounds for use in antidiabetes. [source] The biology and functional morphology of Humphreyia strangei (Bivalvia: Anomalodesmata: Clavagellidae): an Australian cemented ,watering pot' shellJOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Brian Morton Abstract Amongst the watering pot shells of the Clavagellidae (Anomalodesmata), the least well known is Humphreyia, with a single species H. strangei. Unlike representatives of the other extant clavagellid genera, i.e. Clavagella and Brechites, however, where juveniles are unknown, there is a single juvenile (plus adult specimens) of H. strangei available for study. The Clavagellidae contains the weirdest of all bivalves, encased in a huge (in proportion to the tiny juvenile shell) adventitious tube with an anterior ,watering pot'. The juvenile H. strangei is dimyarian with a large foot and byssal groove, and a large pedal gape; the entire body is enclosed within a bag-like periostracum-covered mantle cavity. Upon permanent residence, however, the anterior watering pot component of the adventitious tube is cemented to the chosen substratum, the adductor muscles are lost and the foot and pedal gape greatly reduced; the fourth pallial aperture closes and the pedal gape and the tubules of the watering pot are similarly occluded. Once cementation is achieved, further growth anteriorly is impossible and the adventitious tube is secreted posteriorly, to house the long siphons, and subsequently can be added to as growth increments. Anatomically, H. strangei has a typical anomalodesmatan arrangement of mantle cavity and digestive organs so that it is, probably, a suspension feeder. Inside the pericardium, however, is a pair of unique proprioreceptors which probably serve to monitor rectal tonus and thus control defecation, co-ordinated with siphonal retraction and extension. They probably also prevent over-filling of the capacious rectum. It is believed that cementation and adventitious tube formation occur at the time of sexual maturity and this change in lifestyle between juvenile and adult represents a form of metamorphosis , quite distinct from that which occurs in all bivalves between the pediveliger and juvenile stages , and seems to be unique to Humphreyia and probably Brechites. This family of anomalodesmatan bivalves is thus actually stranger than the already aberrant watering pot would suggest. [source] Effects of hyperbaric oxygen exposure on experimental hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury: Relationship between its timing and neutrophil sequestrationLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 12 2005Kenji Kihara Recent studies have shown that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) reduces neutrophil endothelial adherence in venules and also blocks the progressive arteriolar vasoconstriction associated with ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury in the extremities and the brain. In order to elucidate the effects of HBOT after I-R in digestive organs, particularly in the liver, we evaluated the following: 1) the relationship between timing of HBOT and tissue damage; and 2) HBOT's effects on neutrophil sequestration. Using a hepatic I-R (45 minute) model in male rats, survival rate, liver tissue damage, and neutrophil accumulation within the sinusoids in the HBOT-treated group (Group H) were compared to those in the nontreated group (Group C). For the HBOT-treated group, HBOT was administered as 100% oxygen, at 2.5 atm absolute, for 60 minutes. When HBOT was given 30 minute after I-R, the survival rate was much better in Group H than in Group C. HBOT performed within 3 hours of I-R markedly suppressed increases in the malondialdehyde level in tissues of the liver and lessened the congestion in the sinusoids. In addition, HBOT just after I-R caused decreased number of cells stained by the naphthol AS-D chloroacetate esterase infiltrating into the sinusoids. HBOT 3 hours after reperfusion, however, showed no clear effects upon neutrophil sequestration compared to Group C. These results indicate that HBOT performed within 3 hours of I-R alleviates hepatic dysfunction and improves the survival rate after I-R. Herein, we propose 1 possible mechanism for these beneficial effects: early HBOT given before neutrophil-mediated injury phase may suppress the accumulation of neutrophils after I-R. In conclusion, we believe that the present study should lead to an improved understanding of HBOT's potential role in hepatic surgery. (Liver Transpl 2005;11:1574,1580.) [source] A Review of Electrical Stimulation to Treat Motility Dysfunctions in the Digestive Tract: Effects and Stimulation PatternsNEUROMODULATION, Issue 2 2007Cristian Sevcencu PhD ABSTRACT Electrical stimulation of the digestive organs may become a valuable alternative to pharmaceutical and surgical approaches to the treatment of gastrointestinal motor dysfunctions. For more than 40 years, encouraging results with electrical stimulation to activate motility in gastrointestinal organs have been published. The most significant achievements with this work have been either stimulation to attenuate the symptoms of gastroparesis or stimulation to modify the feeding behavior in obese patients. In addition, animal studies have investigated the different stimulation systems and methods to activate or inhibit transit in the small and large intestines. This article presents a review of the published literature on electrical stimulation of the stomach and intestines. [source] Development of a biologically inspired locomotion system for a capsule endoscopeTHE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ROBOTICS AND COMPUTER ASSISTED SURGERY, Issue 4 2009Daisuke Hosokawa Abstract Background A capsule endoscope has a limited ability to obtain images of the digestive organs because its movement depends on peristaltic motion. To overcome this problem, capsule endoscopes require a propulsion system. Methods This paper proposes a propulsion system for a capsule endoscope that mimics the locomotive mechanism of snails and earthworms. The prototype crawler can elongate and contract itself longitudinally and adhere to a wall via suction cups. Results We investigated the effect of the inclination angle of the propulsion plane, the mucus viscosity between the propulsion plane and the crawler, and the stiffness of the propulsion plane on the locomotion of the prototype crawler. We found that the crawler could move on a rubber sheet and on inclined planes covered with mucus. We discussed advantages and limitations of the prototype crawler compared to the different locomotive systems developed in former studies. Conclusions We believe that the prototype crawler provides a better understanding of the propulsion mechanism for use in the gastrointestinal tract. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effects of non-starch polysaccharides enzyme, phytase and citric acid on activities of endogenous digestive enzymes of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus × Oreochromis aureus)AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 4 2009J.S. LI Abstract Non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) enzyme, phytase and citric acid have been shown to increase digestibility in pigs, poultry and some fish. To examine their roles in digestion in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus × Oreochromis aureus), the present study was designed to evaluate their effects on activities of a number of endogenous digestive enzymes in tilapia. Neither NSPs enzyme (1 g kg,1) nor phytase (1 g kg,1) affected the activities of protease in digestive organs. In contrast, NSPs enzyme increased the activities of amylase in the hepatopancreas and intestine by 11.4% and 49.5%, respectively, while phytase (1 g kg,1) increased the activities of amylase in the hepatopancreas and intestine by 14.0% and 24.1%, respectively. Citric acid (10 g kg,1) increased the activities of protease in stomach by 29.6%, but reduced the activities of protease in the intestine by 35.1%. Citric acid increased the activities of amylase in the hepatopancreas and intestine by 30.7% and 29.4%. Lipase activities were not affected by NSPs enzyme, phytase or citric acid. Above results suggest that NSPs enzyme, phytase and citric acid primarily influence the activities of amylase in digestive tract of tilapia. [source] Comparison of dietary phospholipids and neutral lipids: effects on gut, liver and pancreas histology in Atlantic cod (Gadus morha L.) larvaeAQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 1 2009P.-A. WOLD Abstract The aim of the present study was to compare effects of dietary n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) being incorporated in the phospholipid (PL) or in the neutral lipid (NL) fraction of the larval feed, on larval growth and histology of digestive organs in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) larvae. Three isoproteic and isolipidic diets, labelled according to the percentage of n-3 docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid contained in NL1 or in PL1 and PL3 of the diets, were fed to cod larvae from 17 days post hatching (dph) to 45 dph. In the liver, hepatocytes and their nuclei were smaller in NL1 larvae compared with the PL larvae; the mitochondrial membrane structures were less dense and the amount of lipids observed in the liver was significantly higher in NL1 larvae compared with the PL3 larvae. The liver and gut size was related to larval size, with no differences between the larval groups. The results demonstrated that the essential fatty acids were more beneficial for cod larvae when they were incorporated in the dietary polar PL rather than in the NL, and that the n-3 HUFA requirements in cod larvae is possibly higher than that in the PL1 diet. [source] Characteristic rat tissue accumulation of nobiletin, a chemopreventive polymethoxyflavonoid, in comparison with luteolinBIOFACTORS, Issue 3-4 2002Akira Murakami Abstract Nobiletin (NOB), a polymethoxyflavonoid, is an effective anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive phytochemical found in citrus fruits. We compared the absorption and metabolism characteristics of NOB with those of luteolin (LT) in male SD rats. Each flavonoid (67.1 ,mol/kg of body weight) was given separately by gastric intubation, and then concentrations were measured at 1, 4, and 24 hours after administration. In the digestive organs, NOB showed a notable tendency for localizing into the mucous membrane and muscularis from 1 to 4 hours, in contrast to LT, though both NOB and LT were completely excreted within 24 hours. Further, significant amounts of NOB were detected in the whole liver and kidney specimens, whereas LT accumulation was slight. Although serum concentrations of NOB from 1 to 4 hours were comparable to those of LT, urinary concentrations of LT were significantly higher from 4 to 24 hours. Following glucuronidase/sulfatase treatments of urinary materials, we detected 3 types of mono-demethylated NOB, including 3,-demethyl-NOB, and two di-demethylated types, as well as 3,-demethyl-NOB alone in serum samples using liquid chromatography-mass spectral analysis. Our results suggest that the metabolic properties of polymethoxyflavonoids are distinct from those of other general flavonoids, because of their wide distribution and accumulation in tissue. [source] Rare case of the inferior mesenteric artery and the common hepatic artery arising from the superior mesenteric arteryCLINICAL ANATOMY, Issue 6 2004Tokuji Osawa Abstract We found a case in which inferior mesenteric artery and the common hepatic artery arose from the superior mesenteric artery, forming the common hepatomesenteric trunk, during a routine dissection carried out at Iwate Medical University in 2002. This variation is rare, but can be embryonically explained. A change in the positions of the disappearance of the ventral splanchnic arteries and the longitudinal anastomotic channel results in variations in the system of arteries distributed to the digestive organs. In the present case, the longitudinal anastomotic channel between the superior and the inferior mesenteric arteries survived to form the common mesenteric artery, which was joined by the common hepatic artery, forming the common hepatomesenteric trunk. Clin. Anat. 17:518,521, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||