The ductal origin of structural and functional heterogeneity between pancreatic islets

Islets form in the pancreas after the first endocrine cells have arisen as either single cells or small cell clusters in the epithelial cords. These cords constitute the developing pancreas in one of its earliest recognizable stages. Islet formation begins at the time the cords transform into a branching ductal system, continues while the ductal system expands, and finally stops before the exocrine tissue of ducts and acini reaches its final expansion. Thus, islets continuously arise from founder cells located in the branching and ramifying ducts. Islets arising from proximal duct cells locate between the exocrine lobules, develop strong autonomic and sensory innervations, and pass their blood to efferent veins (insulo-venous efferent system). Islets arising from cells of more distal ducts locate within the exocrine lobules, respond to nerve impulses ending at neighbouring blood vessels, and pass their blood to the surrounding acini (insulo-acinar portal system). Consequently, the section of the ductal system from which an islet arises determines to a large extent its future neighbouring tissue, architecture, properties, and functions. We note that islets interlobular in position are frequently found in rodents (rats and mice), whereas intralobularly-located, peripheral duct islets prevail in humans and cattle. Also, we expound on bovine foetal Laguesse islets as a prominent foetal type of type 1 interlobular neuro-insular complexes, similar to neuro-insular associations frequently found in rodents. Finally, we consider the probable physiological and pathophysiological implications of the different islet positions within and between species.     

Effect of menthol in experimentally induced ulcers: Pathways of gastroprotection

Based on ethnopharmacological indications that Mentha species may be used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, this study aimed to characterize the gastroprotective mechanisms of menthol (ME), the major compound of the essential oil from species of the genus Mentha. The gastroprotective action of ME was analyzed in gastric ulcers that were induced by ethanol or indomethacin in Wistar male rats. The mechanisms responsible for the gastroprotective effect were assessed by analyzing the amount of mucus secreted, involvement of non-protein sulfhydryl (NP-SH) compounds, involvement of calcium ion channels and NO/cGMP/K⁺_ATP pathway, gastric antisecretory activity and the prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production. The anti-diarrheal activity and acute toxicity of ME were also evaluated. Oral treatment with ME (50 mg/kg) offered 88.62% and 72.62% of gastroprotection against ethanol and indomethacin, respectively. There was an increased amount of mucus and PGE₂ production. The gastroprotective activity of ME involved NP-SH compounds and the stimulation of K⁺_ATP channels, but not the activation of calcium ion channels or the production of NO. The oral administration of ME induced an antisecretory effect as it decreased the H⁺ concentration in gastric juice. ME displayed anti-diarrheal and antiperistaltic activity. There were no signs of toxicity in the biochemical analyses performed in the rats’ serum. These results demonstrated that ME provides gastroprotective and anti-diarrheal activities with no toxicity in rats.     

Cetuximab enhances TRAIL-induced gastric cancer cell apoptosis by promoting DISC formation in lipid rafts

TRAIL is a member of the tumor necrosis factor family that selectively induces cancer cell apoptosis. However, gastric cancer cells are insensitive to TRAIL. Our and others studies showed that the inhibition of EGFR pathway activation could increase the sensitivity of TRAIL in cancer cells. But the detailed mechanism is not fully understood. In the present study, compared with TRAIL or cetuximab (an anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody) alone, treatment with the TRAIL/cetuximab combination significantly promoted death receptor 4 (DR4) clustering as well as the translocation of both DR4 and Fas-associated death domain-containing protein (FADD) into lipid rafts. This in turn resulted in caspase-8 cleavage and the formation of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) in these lipid rafts. Cholesterol-depletion with methyl-β-cyclodextrin partially prevented DR4 clustering and DISC formation, and thus partially reversed apoptosis induced by the TRAIL/cetuximab dual treatment. These results indicate that cetuximab increases TRAIL-induced gastric cancer cell apoptosis at least partially through the promotion of DISC formation in lipid rafts.     

Apport de la tomoscintigraphie au technétium 99 m dans le diagnostic des duplications gastriques de l’enfant : à propos d’un cas

Gastric duplications (GD) are rare congenital digestive malformations of the child. Their diagnosis often involves multiple medical imaging modalities ranging from ultrasound to CT or MRI. Scintigraphy is an excellent diagnostic method rarely used especially when the discovery mode of GD is not associated with gastro-intestinal bleeding. We report a case of a non-communicating and non-hemorrhagic GD discovered in a 6-year-old girl whose exploration has benefited many ways including SPECT imaging after intravenous injection of Tc-99 m pertechnetate. Our goal is to focus on the role of scintigraphy in the diagnostic management of the DG of the child and to discuss the opportunity of the other imaging techniques in the exploration of this pathology.     

胃息肉与幽门螺杆菌感染关系研究

目的探讨胃息肉与幽门螺杆菌（Helicobacter pylori,H.pylori）感染关系。方法对1218例胃息肉同时进行H．pylori检查患者进行回顾性分析,分析胃息肉患者H.pylori感染率、胃息肉部位与H.pylori感染关系、胃息肉病理类型与H.pylori感染关系。结果发现胃息肉Hpylori感染患者532例,Hpylori感染率为43．7％。男性胃息肉患者H.pylori感染率为47．5％（216／455）,女性Hpriori感染率感染率为41．4％（316／763）（P〉0．05）,年龄〈20岁、20～39岁、40—59岁和≥60岁胃息肉H.priori感染率分别为41．7％、44．7％、41．6％和47．2％（P〉0．05）;胃窦胃角息肉H.pylori感染率高于其他部位（胃体、胃底和贲门）（P〈0．05）;炎性和增生性胃息肉H.priori感染率高于胃底腺和腺瘤性息肉（P〈0．05）。结论H.pylori感染可能与部分胃息肉发生有一定关系,需要进一步深入研究胃息肉的发生机制。     

Studies on the biotin flow at the duodenum of dairy cows fed diets with different concentrate levels and types of forages

Abstract

Biotin is involved in many vital metabolic pathways and must be provided for an efficient fermentation in the rumen, as well as for the intermediary metabolism of the host animal. Factors influencing ruminal biotin metabolism and output are widely unknown at present. Therefore, dairy cows fitted with permanent cannulas in the dorsal rumen and in the proximal duodenum were fed differently composed diets, and the biotin flow at the proximal duodenum was measured. The diets (on DM basis) consisted of 8.9 kg grass hay (Diet 1), 8.9 kg corn silage plus 2.0 kg concentrate (Diet 2), or 7.3 and 7.4 kg grass silage plus 10.0 kg concentrate (Diets 3 and 4). The concentrate in Diets 3 and 4 contained 87% wheat and corn grain, respectively. The cows were pre-fed the rations for 21 days. Thereafter duodenal digesta was sampled every two h for 5 days. Cr₂O₃ served as a flow marker and the microbial proportion of total nitrogen at the duodenum was estimated by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The duodenal flow of biotin was not related to biotin intake, but to the amount of fermented organic matter (FOM) and the amount of microbial protein (Biotin [mg/d] = 0.518 · kg FOM?0.300; r = 0.85 and biotin [mg/d] = 0.012 · g microbial protein + 1.478; r = 0.84), irrespective of the composition of the diet fed. Mean daily biotin flow was 0.48 ± 0.11 mg/kg FOM without any systematic effect of diet composition. The ruminal biotin balance, calculated as the difference between biotin flow at the duodenum and biotin intake, was positive (1.4 – 2.0 mg/d) in cows fed the mixed roughage/concentrate diets and negative (?0.71 mg/d) when the pure hay diet was fed.     

进展期胃癌的脾门淋巴结转移相关因素的研究

目的:探讨进展期胃癌脾门淋巴结(10组)转移的相关临床病理因素.方法:回顾分析了(2008-2011年)75例胃癌根治术伴10组淋巴结切除的进展期胃癌病例.分析了临床病理学因素和10组淋巴结转移的相关性.结果:本研究结果提示10组淋巴结转移的阳性率为52％.胃下部癌的转移率(20％)相对较低(P=0.000),大弯侧肿瘤的转移率高达76.2％.病灶的侵润深度及病理TNM分期与10组淋巴结阳性率密切相关,组织学类型或分化程度与10组淋巴结转移无统计学相关.病灶小于3 cm病例的10组淋巴结转移的阳性率为0％,而大于9 cm或Borrmann-Ⅳ的肿瘤患者的10组淋巴结转移的阳性率为100％.结论:10组淋巴结转移的高危因素包括:1.中上部胃癌;2.肿瘤位于胃大弯侧;3.大于3 cm; 4.侵达胃壁浆膜层.含以上高危因素的进展期胃癌根治手术中,建议常规行术中快速冰冻检查10组淋巴结是否存在转移;含2个以上高危因素的进展期胃癌建议行脾切除术,或如果技术条件具备应行保留脾的10组淋巴结清扫术以便最终获得R0切除.     

胃癌转移相关微小RNA的研究进展

胃癌是我国最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,复发和转移仍就是胃癌治疗的一大难题.微小RNA(miRNA)是一类内源性非编码小RNA,在转录后水平对基因表达进行负调控.可以作为一类新型的癌基因或抑癌基因参与肿瘤的凋亡,生长,侵袭.研究miRNA对胃癌转移发生发展的作用有助于我们寻找治疗胃癌的新方法.本文就miRNA和胃癌转移关系的研究进展做一综述.     

胃溃疡患者血清多肽类激素及胃粘膜中单胺类神经递质的水平及其临床意义

目的:分析胃溃疡患者血清多肽类激素及单胺类神经递质的水平变化及其临床意义。方法:选取2014年8月-2015年8月在我院经胃镜检查确诊为胃溃疡的患者103例作为研究组,另选取54例健康志愿者作为对照组。检测两组血清中胃动素(MTL)、肾上腺髓质素(AM)、胃肠激素胃泌素(Gas)、生长抑素(SS)及降钙素基因相关肽水平(CGRP),以及胃黏膜中血管活性肠肽(VIP)、5-羟色胺(5-HT)、去甲肾上腺素(NE)、P物质(SP)水平。结果:胃溃疡患者血清Gas,AM及MTL明显高于对照组,而SS及CGRP明显低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。胃溃疡活动期患者血清Gas,AM及MTL明显高于愈合期及瘢痕期患者,而SS及CGRP低于愈合期及瘢痕期患者,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);胃溃疡愈合期患者血清Gas,AM及MTL高于瘢痕期患者,而SS及CGRP低于瘢痕期患者,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。胃溃疡患者胃粘膜内5-HT,SP及NE明显低于对照组,而VIP明显高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。胃溃疡活动期患者胃粘膜5-HT,SP及NE明显低于愈合期及瘢痕期患者,而VIP明显高于愈合期及瘢痕期患者,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);胃溃疡愈合期患者胃粘膜5-HT,SP及NE明显低于瘢痕期患者,而VIP明显高于瘢痕期患者,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:胃溃疡患者血清多肽类激素及胃黏膜中单胺类神经递质的水平变化与疾病进展密切相关,对胃溃疡的诊断及疗效评价具有指导意义。