A gastric trichobezoar in a chimpanzee

A firm, mobile, oblong mass was discovered as an incidental finding in the stomach of a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) during routine surgery. It was removed and determined to be a trichobezoar.     

Serotonin in the leech central nervous system: anatomical correlates and behavioral effects

Summary Stridulation of grasshoppers is controlled by hemisegmental pattern generator subunits which probably are restricted to the metathoracic ganglion complex (TG3-complex). The coordination of left and right pattern generator subunits depends on commissures of the TG3-complex (Ronacher 1989). The coordination of the stridulatory movements was studied in Chorthippus dorsatus males with partial mediosagittal incisions in the TG3-complex.Animals bearing anterior incisions in the TG3-complex, by which all commissures of the metathoracic neuromere and the first abdominal neuromere were transected, were still able to produce bilaterally coordinated species-specific stridulatory movements. Commissures of the T3- and A1-neuromere, thus, are not necessary, and the A2-, A3-commissures are sufficient for this coordination (Figs. 3, 4).Animals with partial posterior incisions, extending until A1, had deficits in their stridulation pattern; the coordination between the hindlegs was impaired though not completely lost (Fig. 6). This is discussed in view of the structure of stridulation interneurons identified in a related grasshopper species (Omocestus viridulus).These results indicate an unexpected substantial contribution of the abdominal neuromeres A2 and A3 to the control of stridulatory movements. This constitutes an interesting parallel to the flight control system of locusts where interneurons located in the first 3 abdominal neuromeres also appear to contribute to the flight pattern generator (Robertson et al. 1982).Abbreviations A1–A3 abdominal neuromeres 1–3 - T3 metathoracic neuromere - TG3-complex metathoracic ganglion complex including A1–A3     

Cross-connections coordinate postural motoneuron activity in the crayfish abdomen

Intracellular recordings and dye injections were used to examine mutual coupling among slow abdominal postural motoneurons in the 4th abdominal ganglion in crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Intracellular current injection into one motoneuron altered the spike firing rate of some of its synergists. Depending on the polarity of the injected current, the premotor effect on the synergists was excitatory or inhibitory. The magnitude of the effect was intensity dependent. No dye coupling was found among the motoneurons following injection of Lucifer yellow. The morphological basis of the coupling was examined by differential filling of motoneuron pairs, one with horseradish peroxidase and the other with Lucifer yellow. The stained motoneurons were simultaneously visualized under light microscopy to determine the proximity of their differently colored dendrites. It was thus possible to locate the site of the presumed monosynaptic contacts between them. Combined physiological and morphological evidence suggests that these neurons are mutually coupled, forming part of an integrative system for abdominal posture control in crayfish.     

腹式呼吸训练联合短刺法针刺对气滞血瘀型腰椎间盘突出症患者康复效果的影响

摘要 目的：探讨腹式呼吸训练联合短刺法针刺对气滞血瘀型腰椎间盘突出症（LDH）患者康复效果的影响。方法：将2020年1月至2022年6月湖南中医药大学第一附属医院收治的478例气滞血瘀型LDH患者,随机数字表法分为两组,对照组239例患者实施短刺法针刺治疗,观察组239例患者行腹式呼吸训练联合短刺法针刺治疗。比较两组治疗效果、治疗前后中医症候评分、肌电值（坐位、直立位、前屈位、后伸位）、疼痛因子水平[前列腺素E₂（PGE₂）、β-内啡肽（β-EP）、5-羟色胺（5-HT）、P物质（SP）]水平、视觉模拟量表（VAS）评分、Oswestry功能障碍指数（ODI）、日本骨科协会评估治疗分数（JOA）评分、腰椎关节活动度（左屈、左旋、右屈、右旋）及安全性。结果：治疗后,两组治疗效果分级经秩和检验差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,且观察组治疗总有效率显著高于对照组（P＜0.05）。治疗后观察组各中医症候评分低于对照组（P＜0.05）。治疗后观察组坐位、直立位、前屈位、后伸位肌电值高于对照组（P＜0.05）。治疗后观察组疼痛因子PGE₂、5-HT、SP水平低于对照组,β-EP水平高于对照组（P＜0.05）。治疗后观察组VAS评分、ODI低于对照组,JOA评分高于对照组（P＜0.05）。治疗后观察组左屈、左旋、右屈、右旋活动度优于对照组（P＜0.05）。两组不良事件发生率比较无显著差异（P＞0.05）。结论：腹式呼吸训练联合短刺法针刺可提高气滞血瘀型LDH患者临床疗效,增强患者肌力,改善腰椎功能,恢复关节活动度,同时通过调控疼痛介质水平,减轻患者疼痛症状,且具有较好安全性,值得临床借鉴应用。     

Cues from injured Daphnia and from cyclopoids feeding on Daphnia can modify life histories of conspecifics

Size, age and number of offspring at the first and subsequent tworeproductions were compared in Daphnia treated with cues frominvertebrate predators (adult Cyclopoida fed Daphnia)and from crushed conspecifics. Daphnia in the presence ofinvertebrate predators had earlier maturation, greater size atfirst and subsequent reproductions and a larger number of offspringthan control animals, while the opposite (later maturation andsmaller size at subsequent reproductions) happened when Daphnia were treated with homogenate from crushedconspecifics.     

Acute abdominal vagotomy reduces drinking to peripheral but not central angiotensin II

Rats were tested two or three days after bilateral abdominal vagotomy or a laparotomy control procedure for their drinking responses to subcutaneous (1 mg-kg-1) or intracerebroventricular (100 ng) injections of angiotensin II. Vagotomy delayed the initiation of drinking and decreased 60-min water intake after subcutaneous, but not after intracerebroventricular, angiotensin II. This is the shortest postoperative interval in which the decrease in drinking after systemic injection of angiotensin II by abdominal vagotomy has been observed. The failure of vagotomy to decrease the response to intracerebroventricular angiotensin II demonstrates that the deficit after subcutaneous injection was not a nonspecific effect of recent vagotomy. These results, therefore, suggest that the abdominal vagus is necessary for normal drinking in response to circulating angiotensin II. Furthermore, the selective and acute onset of the deficit is consistent with the loss of a specific, rather than tonic facilitatory, vagal mechanism for drinking after elevation of circulating angiotensin II levels. Finally, the results imply that the physiological mechanisms which mediate the drinking responses to central and peripheral angiotensin are not identical.     

Sites of ecdysteroid biosynthesis in female adults of Gryllus bimaculatus (Ensifera,Gryllidae)

Summary Ovaries from 4-day-old female adults of Gryllus bimaculatus produce about 5 ng of free and conjugated ecdysteroids per hour during a 16-h incubation in Grace's medium. During incubation of pieces of the abdominal integument together with the adjacent segmental fat body, a net synthesis of moulting hormones is observed (2.3 ng per hour per animal), similar to that in the ovary. Separate incubations of disunited abdominal epidermis and segmental fat body tissue result in much lower rates of ecdysteroid synthesis. Ecdysteroid synthesis in ovarian homogenates is about one-third of that in intact organs. This reduction is due to a lack of conjugate formation in homogenates. Homogenates of the abdominal integument complex are no longer capable of synthesizing ecdysteroids. For both tissues, a de novo synthesis of ecdysteroids is corroborated by following the in vitro incorporation of [¹⁴C]-label from cholesterol and [³H]-label from 2,22,25-trideoxyecdysone (5-ketodiol), respectively, into free ecdysone. The rate of incorporation into ecdysone is only 0.0014% for cholesterol but 0.48% for 5-ketodiol. Both tissues represent primary sources of ecdysteroids in female adult crickets.Abbreviations HPLC high performance liquid chromatography - IU international units - NP normal phase - RIA radioimmunoassay - RP reversed phase - SEM standard error of mean     

Genetics of lipid deposition in the Japanese quail

Summary The research presented here was designed to investigate the mode of inheritance of fat and lean tissue deposition, and the relationship between them and body weight in Japanese quail. Heterotic effects were found for weight, size, and number of adipocytes in the abdominal fat depots, weight of the sartorial fat depot and percentage carcass fat with means for the hybrids being lower than those for the parental lines. General inferences concerning the importance of nonadditive genetic variation for lean and body weight were precluded due to inconsistencies observed among mating combinations. Thus, although heterosis and recombination effects were general for characteristics associated with fat deposition, the situation for body weight and lean was unique to the populations involved. It may be hypothesized that heterosis in the efficiency of feed utilization is reflected by the heterosis for fat deposition which explains why hybrids utilize feed better than their parental lines.     

Íleo biliar como causa de dolor abdominal en el paciente anciano

Gallstone ileus is a rare and potentially serious complication of cholelithiasis. It is defined as a mechanical intestinal obstruction secondary to the presence of a gallstone in the intestinal luz. The most frequent cause is impaction of the calculus in the ileum after passing through a bilioenteric fístula. It has a high morbidity and mortality rate, mainly due to the difficulty and delay in its diagnosis. A retrospective study is presented of 4 cases of gallstone ileus treated between 2013 and 2017 in the Hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado. An analysis was performed on the clinical characteristics, diagnostic tests, and surgical treatment.     

Curcumin-loaded cockle shell-derived calcium carbonate nanoparticles: A novel strategy for the treatment of lead-induced hepato-renal toxicity in rats

Lead (Pb) toxicity affects the hepatic and renal systems resulting to homeostasis imbalance. Curcumin is a strong antioxidant but has restrained clinical applications due to its poor bioavailability. Nanomedicine showed promising potentials in drug delivery and has brought forth the use of cockle shell-derived aragonite calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CSCaCO₃NP) to enhance the effectiveness and targeted delivery of curcumin (Cur). Thus, this study aimed at evaluating the therapeutic effect of curcumin-loaded CSCaCO₃NP (Cur- CSCaCO₃NP) on lead-induced hepato-renal toxicity in rats. Thirty-six male adults Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into five groups. All groups contained six rats each except for group A, which contained 12 rats. All rats apart from the rats in group A (control) were orally administered a flat dose of 50 mg/kg of lead for four weeks. Six rats from group A and B were euthanized after four weeks of lead induction. Oral administration of curcumin (100 mg/kg) for group C and Cur-CSCaCO₃NP (50 and 100 mg/kg) for groups D and E respectively, commenced immediately after 4 weeks of lead induction which lasted for 4 weeks. All rats were euthanized at the 8th week of the experiment. Further, biochemical, histological and hematological analysis were performed. The findings revealed a biochemical, hematological and histological changes in lead-induced rats. However, treatments with the Cur-CSCaCO₃NP and free curcumin reversed the aforementioned changes. Although, Cur-CSCaCO₃NP presented better therapeutic effects on lead-induced toxicity in rats when compared to free curcumin as there was significant improvements in hematological, biochemical and histological changes which is parallel with attenuation of oxidative stress. The findings of the current study hold great prospects for Cur-CSCaCO₃NP as a novel approach for effective oral treatment of lead-induced hepato-renal impairments.