Effects of duodenal-jejunal bypass on structure of diaphragm in western diet obese rats

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the effects of duodenal-jejunal bypass (DJB) on the diaphragm muscle of obese rats fed on a western diet (WD) . Methods: Eighteen male Wistar rats were fed a standard rodent chow diet (CTL group) or WD ad libitum. After 10 weeks, WD rats were submitted to sham (WD SHAM) or duodenal-jejunal bypass (WD DJB). The structure, ultrastructure, collagen content and the morphometry of the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) were analyzed two months after surgery. Results: WD SHAM rats displayed an increase in body weight, the Lee index and retroperitoneal and peri-epididymal fat pads compared to the CTL group. DJB did not alter these parameters. The muscle fiber structure and NMJs were similar in the WD SHAM and CTL groups. However, the WD SHAM group showed alterations in the fiber ultrastructure, such as loosely arranged myofibrils and Z line disorganization. In addition, WD SHAM animals presented a considerable amount of lipid droplets and a reduction in the percentage of collagen compared to the CTL group. DJB did not affect the structure or ultrastructure of the muscle fibers or the NMJs in the diaphragm of the WD DJB animals. Conclusion: Duodenal-jejunal bypass did not improve the alterations observed in the diaphragm of western diet obese-rats.

Diabetes na gestação e incontinência urinária: uma associação pouco reconhecida / Diabetes in pregnancy and urinary incontinence: a little acknowledged association

Incontinência Urinária (IU) feminina é definida como toda perda involuntária de urina. É uma condição frequente, de alto custo econômico para o governo e que implica em danos físicos, psicológicos, sociais e pior qualidade de vida para as mulheres. Inúmeros são os fatores de risco envolvidos no desenvolvimento da IU, porém a associação com o diabetes mellitus (DM) é de grande interesse atualmente. DM afeta múltiplos sistemas orgânicos, incluindo o sistema urinário em aproximadamente 52% dos pacientes diabéticos e dos que apresentam apenas hiperglicemia, porém ainda não é totalmente explicada a associação entre diabetes mellitus gestacional e IU. O profissional de saúde deve estar atento a esse novo parâmetro e procurar analisá-lo de forma mais pormenorizada para que medidas profiláticas e terapêuticas sejam estabelecidas.Há necessidade de delinear a cronologia da relação entre DMG e as complicações urinárias, a relação entre o diabetes controlado e a incidência de incontinência e modalidades de tratamento efetivo para pacientes diabéticos com sintomas no trato urinário inferior.

Urinary incontinence (UI) in women is defined as any involuntary urine loss. This is a frequent condition of high economic cost to the government that also results in women’s physical, psychological and social damage and impaired quality of life. Various risk factors are involved in UI development; however, association with diabetes mellitus (DM) is of great interest at present. DM affects multiple organ systems, including the urinary system in approximately 52% of diabetic patients and in those showing only hyperglycemia; however, the association between gestational diabetes mellitus and UI has not been fully explained. Health care professionals must be attentive to this new parameter and attempt to analyze it in more detail so that prophylactic and therapeutic measures can be established. It is necessary to delineate the chronology of the relation ship between gestational diabetes mellitus and urinary complications, the relationship between controlled diabetes and the incidence of incontinence as well as effective treatment modalities for diabetic patients with symptoms in the lower urinary tract.

Effect of Citrus aurantium L. essential oil on muscle regeneration in mdx mice / Efecto del aceite esencial de Citrus aurantium L. en la regeneración muscular en ratones mdx

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe X-linked recessive disorder characterized by the progressive loss of muscular strength. Mdx mutant mice show a marked deficiency in dystrophin, which was related to muscle membrane stability. The aim of this study was to verify the possible protective anti-inflammatory effect of citrus oil on mdx muscle fibers. Thus, adult male and female mdx mice (014/06-CEEA) were divided into control and citrus-treated. After 60 days of treatment, one ml of blood was collected for creatine kinase (CK) test. Diaphragm, sternomastoideus, anterior tibial and gastrocnemius muscles were removed and processed according to histological routine methods. The observed alterations indicate a direct effect of citrus. Recent studies have improved the diagnosis of muscular diseases but with no definitions of efficient treatments. Intervention with several therapies is important to many patients presenting muscular dystrophy, which enables them to live longer and be more active, while there is no development of gene therapies.

La distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) es una enfermedad grave ligada al cromosoma X, trastorno recesivo que se caracteriza por la pérdida progresiva de fuerza muscular. Mdx ratones mutantes muestran una marcada deficiencia en la distrofina, que está relacionada con la estabilidad de la membrana muscular. El objetivo de este estudio fue comprobar el posible efecto protector, antiinflamatorio del aceite de cítricos en las fibras musculares mdx. Los ratones mdx adultos machos y hembras (014/06-CEEA) se dividieron en control y cítricos tratados. Después de 60 días de tratamiento, un ml de sangre fue recogida para cuantificar la creatina quinasa (CK) de prueba. Fueron retirados y procesados los músculos diafragma, esternomastoideo, tibial anterior y gastrocnemio de acuerdo con los métodos de rutina histológica. Las alteraciones observadas indican un efecto directo de los cítricos. Estudios recientes han mejorado el diagnóstico de enfermedades musculares, pero sin definiciones de tratamientos eficaces. Intervención con varias terapias es importante para muchos pacientes que presentan distrofia muscular, lo que les permite vivir más y ser más activos, mientras no exista desarrollo de terapias génicas.

Importância do modelo animal para testar hipóteses sobre a fisiopatologia do binômio diabetes e incontinência urinária feminina / Importance of animal model to test hypotheses about the pathophysiology of the binomial diabetes and female urinary incontinence

Objetivos: discutir a importância do estudo de modelos animais para testar hipóteses sobre os mecanismos de continência urinária e fisiopatologia do binômio diabetes incontinência urinária.Fonte de Dados: foi realizada revisão de literatura no PubMed e SciELO. Os descritores utilizados foram diabetes, urinary incontinence, urethra, human e rats.Síntese dos Dados: existe forte correlação entre a gênese da incontinência urinária e o diabetes mellitus. Devido à similaridade entre a distribuição normal da musculatura estriada e da neuroanatomia da uretra em mulheres e em ratas, estes modelos animais vêm sendo cada vez mais utilizados nas pesquisas sobre esses distúrbios.Conclusões: o uso de ratas como modelo animal é apropriado para estudos experimentais que testam hipóteses sobre os mecanismos de continência e a fisiopatologia do binômio diabetes mellitus e incontinência urinária, possibilitando assim, soluções de grande valia na prática clínica.

Aims: To discuss the importance of studying animal models to test hypotheses about the mechanisms of urinary continence and pathophysiology of diabetes and urinary incontinence.Source of Data: A literature review was conducted in PubMed and SciELO. The key words used were diabetes, urinary incontinence, urethra, human and rats.Summary of Findings: There is a strong relation between the genesis of urinary incontinence and diabetes mellitus. Due to the similarity of normal distribution of skeletal muscle and urethra anatomy between humans and rats, these animal models have been used in current research about these disorders.Conclusions: The use of rats as an animal model is suitable for experimental studies that test hypotheses about the mechanisms of continence and pathophysiology of the binomial diabetes mellitus and urinary incontinence, thus enabling solutions of great value in clinical practice.

Variação sazonal na morfologia dos ductos eferentes distais em codorna doméstica mantida em cativeiro experimental / Morphologic seasonal variability on the distal efferent ducts of domestic quail under experimental captive breeding

Neste estudo diferenças expressivas foram observadas na estrutura dos ductos eferentes distais (DED) de codorna doméstica Coturnix coturnix, da variedade italiana, mantida em cativeiro experimental durante dois anos, durante as quatro estações do ano. A variabilidade morfológica dos DED foi mais marcante na primavera e no outono, eqüivalendo às fases ativa e quiescente do ciclo reprodutivo anual (ciclo testicular) nesta ave. Nessas fases do ciclo, diferenças significativas foram observadas na ultraestrutura das células principais (P) e ciliadas (C) do epitélio de revestimento tubular e nos calibres tubulares. Estes tiveram valores médios maiores na primavera, com valores similares no verão e no inverno, e valores médios menores observados no outono. Na primavera, no citoplasma apical de células P, notou-se maior complexidade organelar, inferindo-se a ocorrência de processos endocitóticos ativos. A quiescência outonal caracterizou-se por redução do calibre tubular dos DED, luz tubular vazia de espermatozóides, degenerações de organelas citoplasmáticas e "debridamentos" citoplasmáticos apicais em células P e C. No inverno e verão, correspondentes às fases recrudescente e regressiva, respectivamente, do ciclo testicular nesta espécie, os dados obtidos foram, de modo geral, similares aos observados na primavera.

Some expressive differences were noted on the distal efferent ducts (DED) morphology in domestic quail of the Italian variety along the year. The birds were maintained on experimental captive breeding along two consecutive years, before the morphologic studies. Morphologic differences on the DED had been more evident in spring and autumn respectively, the active and quiescent phases of the annual testis cycle. Variability more expressive was noted among the principal (P) and ciliated (C) epithelial cells and in tubular diameters of DED, during the two focused seasons. Spring features of DED were marked by relative enlargement of the passageways, with similar results in summer and winter, and characteristic organelle development on the apical cytoplasm of P cells, allowing to conclude presence of active process of endocytosis. Autumn quiescence was marked by an enfolding pattern of all the tubular passageways, lacking of spermatozoa and small amount of heterogeneous material inside their luminal compartments, followed by presence of ultrastructural degenerative features in apical cytoplasm of P cells and C cells in DED passageways. Tubular features verified in DED during winter and summer were minor and similar to those described in spring. Summer and winter were respectively considered the recrudescent and regressive phases of the testis cycle in these species, based on the spermatogenesis cycle analysed in all the seasons of the year as well as on the base the morphologic features here found.

Características ultraestruturais do segmento abdominal da aorta de rato albino / Mural features of the abdominal aortic segment of albino rat

O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi investigar as peculiaridades ultraestruturais da parede da aorta de rato. Foram utilizados sete ratos albinos, adultos jovens, dos quais foram coletados fragmentos da aorta abdominal infra-renal. Após a coleta, os segmentos asculares foram fixados e encaminhados para a rotina de microscopia eletrônica de transmissão e varredura. As lamelas elásticas aparecem interpostas às fibras musculares lisas, sendo essa disposição principalmente notada na túnica média da parede vascular. Entre as fibras musculares lisas e as lamelas elásticas, observa-se um inter-relacionamento aparentemente estreito, feito por conexão e ancoramento entre ambos os elementos murais por meio de lamelas de colágeno. A túnica íntima da aorta abdominal do rato mostra algumas peculiaridades ultraestruturais marcantes, tais como a interrupção, em certos locais da parede, de continuidade da lâmina elástica interna, interrupção acompanhada por poros endoteliais, de certa extensão, suprajacentes à falha na estrutura elástica intimal. Este padrão de constituição mural, com destaque aos ancoramentos elástico-musculares, via o colágeno, parece garantir propriedades fundamentais da parede vascular, concernentes à hemodinâmica, tal como o cisalhamento, normalmente notado entre os estratos superpostos da parede vascular, bem como a contratilidade e a visco-elasticidade da parede arterial.

The objective of the present research was to investigate the ultrastructural peculiarities of the aortic wall of the rat. Seven young adult rats were used, from which fragments of the infrarenal abdominal aorta were collected. After collection, the vascular segments were fixed and sent for analysis by scanning electron microscope. The elastic lamellae appear interposed with smooth muscular fibers; this pattern was verified mainly at the medial layer structure. Among the mural elements a well defined interrelationship was established through connective lamellae of the arterial wall. The collagen lamellae mainly provided anchoring among the elastic and smooth muscular constituents. The intimal layer showed special ultrastructural features, such as a non-continuous inner elastic lamina presented in certain sites of the vascular wall, followed by endothelial pores. This mural pattern of the abdominal aorta provided support to vascular functions such as shrinkage among the laminar composition of the arterial layers, also acting in mechanical properties of the vascular wall, such as viscoelasticity and contractility – essential actions to blood vessel hemodynamics.

Ultrastructural study of muscle fibers and neuromuscular junctions in the opossum thyroarytenoid muscle

Some muscle groups of mammals, such as the laryngeal muscle, present tonic muscle fibers among fast twitch muscle fibers. The latter are supplied by single en plaque neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) and the former by multiple NMJs. The aim of the present study was to characterize the muscle fiber types and their NMJs in the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle of the opossum. Five adult opossums (Didelphis albiventris) were anesthetized and perfused with Karnovsky solution. The TA muscles of the right side were processed for TEM. The contralateral TA muscles were submitted to connective tissue digestion with HCl before scanning electron microscopy processing. Based on myofibril morphology, the number and arrangement of mitochondria, sarcoplasmic reticulum and T tubule profiles and Z-line width, three fast twitch muscle fiber types were identified. Tonic fibers characterized by small and compact myofibrils were also found. Although tonic muscle fibers were present, only single NMJs were observed. In these NMJs the axon terminals occupy the synaptic clefts, which have variable depths. The sarcolemmal folds were not homogeneously arranged along the NMJ cleft. The Schwann cell bodies and their cytoplasmic projections were covering the axon terminals. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed empty synaptic clefts with irregular distribution of junctional folds. At some NMJs, the axon terminals were not removed and were present, filling up the synaptic cleft. The presence of only the en plaque NMJ type is discussed in view of the functions performed by the opossum TA muscle. Moreover, we demonstrate the similarity in NMJ distribution between the opossum TA muscle and those of rats and humans, with the opossum thus representing another useful experimental animal model for studies regarding intrinsic laryngeal muscles.

Morphological evidence of neuromuscular junction reorganization in rat oblique abdominal muscles

The motor endplates are dynamic structures that present a high degree of plasticity which does not stop with the cessation of development, but lasts throughout life. The present study describes the ultrastructural aspects that characterize this junction renewal process in the oblique abdominal muscles of aged rats (18-24 months). About 50% of the motor endplates studied presented reorganization characteristics such as shallow primary clefts without an axonal terminal, free junctional folds, axon terminals with few synaptic vesicles and presenting pleomorphic structures, large junctional folds containing collagen, and cytoplasmic projections of Schwann cells penetrating the primary synaptic cleft. These aspects are similar to those previously described in adult rats during retraction and degeneration of the axon terminal. Although less frequent, further evidence included the presence of small nerve terminals rich in vesicles, covered by a common Schwann cell and associated with closely packed junctional folds. This last characteristic was associated with nerve sprouting and occupation of the synaptic cleft with new nerve endings. The results of this study are discussed in view of the pertinent literature and we conclude that the plasticity phenomenon of the motor endplate is present throughout life and is more frequent and intense in old animals.

Structure of the aortic wall in the guinea pig and rat

The segmental microscopic architecture of the aortic wall of guinea pigs and albino rats was studied at the thoracicascending (T2-3), thoracic descending (T6-7) and abdominal infrarenal (L5-6) levels. Variables such as layer thickness,the number of elastic lamellae in the medial layer, and the diameter of the aortic segments were analyzedhistomorphometrically. The aortic wall of both species showed the usual elastic pattern, although variable amounts ofelastic lamellae, collagen fibers and smooth muscle cells were observed in the segmental analyses. A marked reductionin the number of elastic lamellae in the medial layer and in vascular diameter was observed in the abdominal aorticsegment of both species. Intimal folds, a gradual decrease in elastic lamellae from the ascending to the aorta abdominalaorta and a meshwork of adventitial collagen fibers and elastic lamellae were observed. These data indicate that thereare small but significant segmental variations in the aortic wall of these two species.

Some segmental structural features of the aortic wall of domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus)

The segmental structure of the aortic wall at the thoracic and abdominal levels were studied in domestic chicken by light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Selected histological sections were submitted to histomorphometric studies using image analysis methods. The variables studied were the thickness of the aortic layers in the three segments investigated: ascendant thoracic, descendant thoracic and abdominal parts as well as the tubular diameters and the mean number of elastic lamellae in the medial layer of each analyzed segment. The aortic wall of the chicken had a predominately elastic structure in the thoracic portions, that decrease gradually in relative number of elastic lamellae towards the abdominal aorta in which smooth muscle cells predominated. Vascular diameters decreased gradually to the ascendant aorta from the descendant thoracic portion and to the last from the abdominal aorta.

A estrutura segmentar da parede aórtica foi estudada em galo doméstico, em níveis torácico e abdominal, nas dimensões de microscopias óptica e eletrônica de varredura. Secções histológicas selecionadas foram submetidas a estudos histomorfométricos usando métodos de análises de imagens. As variáveis analisadas foram as espessuras das túnicas da parede aórtica em três segmentos investigados, compreendendo as porções ascendente torácica; descendente torácica e abdominal, bem como os diâmetros tubulares, em cada porção, e o número médio de lamelas elásticas na túnica média de cada segmento analisado. A parede aórtica do galo doméstico apresenta estrutura predominantemente elástica nas porções torácicas, cujo número relativo de lamelas elásticas decresce gradualmente para a parte abdominal da aorta, onde células musculares lisas predominam. Os diâmetros aórticos decrescem também gradualmente, e progressivamente, da porção torácica ascendente para a porção torácica descendente, e desta para a porção abdominal da aorta.

Características estructurales de la aorta de conejo oryctolagus cuniculus / Structural features of the aorta of rabbit oryctolagus cuniculus

La estructura microscópica de la aorta de conejo fue estudiada, con recursos de microscopías óptica, electrónica de barrido y de transmisión, en las porciones ascendente torácica y abdominal, observándose variaciones morfométricas en el diámetro vascular y espesor de las capas de la pared aórtica. Los valores obtenidos fueron, generalmente, mayores en la porción ascendente. Características estructurales de la pared vascular fueron descritas, destacándose la presencia de pliegues en la túnica íntima; la formación de conexiones mioelásticas en la túnica media, variaba el número de lamelas elásticas en distintos segmentos, siendo mayor en las porciones torácicas ascendente y descendente, en relación a la porción abdominal. En la túnica adventicia predominaban las fibras del conjuntivo, dispuestas de forma variada, constituyendo una red. Los resultados fueron discutidos en términos morfofuncionales, teniendo presentes las pequeñas, pero significativas, variaciones segmentares observadas en la estructura de la pared aórtica de conejo

Fine structure of the lining epithelium of the ductus deferens in gerbil: a segmental study

The cell types observed in the epithelium that lines the ductus deferens of the gerbil were principal, basal, narrow, and apical (mitochondria-rich) cells, whose cellular ultrastructure and segmental features were described. The morphological characteristics of the lining epithelium of the ductus in the three main tubular segments: adepididymic (proximal), funicular (middle) and adprostatic (distal) were presented. The cytophysiological role of the epithelial cell types in each segment was discussed on a comparative base. Resorption of seminiferous fluid and adsorptive endocytosis seem to be the main functions of the principal and apical cells. Moreover, secretory functions may occur in both cell types, mainly in principal cells in which ultrastructural characteristics of the Golgi-ER complex had been related to cellular secretion, perhaps of protein. Another ultrastructural feature of the supranuclear cytoplasm of principal cells was the presence of apical cytoplasmic expansions (apical protrusions), observed mainly in the epithelium of the distal ductus deferens segment, with suggestion of apocrine secretory process occurrence.