Effect of diet on postprandial glycemic and insulin responses in healthy dogs.

Introduction: Dog owners have gradually changed their approach, paying more attention to the nutrition and health of their animals. Various pet foods with different ingredients and nutritional characteristics are available on the market. The present study aimed to evaluate the administration of three diets, namely, two grain-free (GF1 and GF2) and one grain-based (CB), with different sources of carbohydrates that can influence the glycemic and insulin postprandial responses in healthy dogs. Materials: Fifteen healthy dogs were dived in three groups and alternatively fed each diet for 50 days. Blood samples were collected at beginning of each feeding period. Glycemia and insulin were measured before and after 120, 240 and 360 minutes diet administration to evaluate postprandial responses. Results: GF2 diet showed the highest level of albumin and mean insulin concentration (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the GF1 diet caused the smallest (p < 0.001) glucose and insulin area under the curve (AUC) and the lowest (p < 0.05) glucose nadir. Otherwise, GF1 showed the highest (p < 0.01) insulin time to peak. The GF2 diet showed the highest level of albumin while reporting the lowest amount of fructosamine (p < 0.05). The diet GF2 registered the highest (p < 0.001) level of insulin zenith. The cereal-based (CB) diet reported the highest amount of fructosamine (p < 0.05). The CB diet had the highest levels of glucose and the highest (p < 0.001) glucose and insulin mean concentrations. Diet CB reported the lowest (p < 0.001) insulin nadir. Discussion: Diets with different carbohydrate sources and chemical compositions could modulate the glycemic response in healthy dogs. Bearing in mind that glycemic/insulin postprandial responses influence energy availability and that different dogs have specific lifestyles, it may be preferable to also consider these aspects when choosing a maintenance diet for animals.

Mallory-Weiss syndrome from giant gastric trichobezoar: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Mallory-Weiss syndrome (MWS), representing a linear mucosal laceration at the gastroesophageal junction, is a quite frequent cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, usually induced by habitual vomiting. The subsequent cardiac ulceration in this condition is likely due to the concomitance of increased intragastric pressure and inappropriate closure of the gastroesophageal sphincter, collectively inducing ischemic mucosal damage. Usually, MWS is associated with all vomiting conditions, but it has also been described as a complication of prolonged endoscopic procedures or ingested foreign bodies. CASE SUMMARY: We described herein a case of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in a 16-year-old girl with MWS and chronic psychiatric distress, the latter of which deteriorated following her parents' divorce. The patient, who was residing on a small island during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic lockdown period, presented with a 2-mo history of habitual vomiting, hematemesis, and a slight depressive mood. Ultimately, a huge intragastric obstructive trichobezoar was detected and discovered to be due to a hidden habit of continuously eating her own hair; this habit had persisted for the past 5 years until a drastic reduction in food intake and corresponding weight loss occurred. The relative isolation in her living status without school attendance had worsened her compulsory habit. The hair agglomeration had reached such enormous dimensions and its firmness was so hard that its potential for endoscopic treatment was judged to be impossible. The patient underwent surgical intervention instead, which culminated in complete removal of the mass. CONCLUSION: According to our knowledge, this is the first-ever described case of MWS due to an excessively large trichobezoar.

Correlation of structure, function and protein dynamics in myoglobins from Eurasian woodcock, chicken and ostrich.

Myoglobin (Mb), oxygen-binding heme-protein retrieved primarily in muscles, is a local oxygen reservoir providing to oxygen when oxygen delivery is insufficient during catabolism. Furthermore, Mb structure is studied as example of molecular evolution for its ability to respond to environmental pressures and adapt to it through few amino acid substitutions. Here, in order to explore the structure-function-dynamics relationships of Eurasian woodcock chicken and ostrich Mbs we have applied an integrated approach in which spectroscopic and biochemical data have been coupled to computational techniques as structural modelling and molecular dynamics simulations. The primary structure of E. woodcock Mb, reveals the presence of 3 (i.e. Q34H, E44D and V66A) and 10 (i.e. A19T, E27A, V28I, K50T, D53E, G57A, D60E, N81K, S84A and A120S) amino acid substitutions respect to chicken and ostrich Mbs, respectively. Although the high amino acid sequence identity, E. woodcock Mb displays a higher autoxidation rate than chicken and ostrich Mb, despite of a similar melting temperature (T m ∼ 358 K). Yet, the 3D structural models validated by using experimental data indicate that the three Mbs adopt an almost identical three-dimensional structure conserving the typical secondary and tertiary structural organization. Interestingly, dynamics data reveal that the E. woodcock Mb exhibits greater internal motions than either chicken or ostrich Mbs. Overall, our study demonstrates that in Mbs the functional properties are significantly driven by the protein dynamic peculiarities, which in turn depend on the amino acid composition of the region located in proximity of the pathways for the gas ligands. [Formula: see text] Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.