Interplay between gut lymphatic vessels and microbiota

Lymphatic vessels play a distinctive role in draining fluid, molecules and even cells from interstitial and serosal spaces back to the blood circulation. Lymph vessels of the gut, and especially those located in the villi (called lacteals), not only serve this primary function, but are also responsible for the transport of lipid moieties absorbed by the intestinal mucosa and serve as a second line of defence against possible bacterial infections. Here, we briefly review the current knowledge of the general mechanisms allowing lymph drainage and propulsion and will focus on the most recent findings on the mutual relationship between lacteals and intestinal microbiota

Local treatment with electrochemotherapy of superficial angiosarcomas: Efficacy and safety results from a multi-institutional retrospective study

Background: Angiosarcoma is an aggressive vascular neoplasm with a high propensity for local recurrence. Electrochemotherapy is an emerging skin-directed therapy, exerting prominent cytotoxic activity, and antivascular effects. Its efficacy in angiosarcoma has not been investigated. Methods: This multicenter retrospective analysis reviewed patients who underwent electrochemotherapy from 2007 to 2014 for superficial advanced angiosarcomas. Bleomycin was administered intravenously and delivered within tumors by means of percutaneously applied electric pulses, according to the European Standard Operating Procedures for Electrochemotherapy. Tumor assessment was performed using RECIST (version 1.1). Toxicity (CTCAE, v4.0) and local progression-free survival (LPFS) were also evaluated. Results: Nineteen patients (13 with locally advanced and 6 with metastatic angiosarcomas) were treated. Tumor sites were: scalp (n¼5), breast(n¼8), other skin sites (n¼3), and soft tissue (n¼3). Target lesions (n¼54) ranged in size from 1.5 to 2.5 cm (median, 2 cm). Treatment was well tolerated. After 2 months, an objective response was observed in 12/19 (63%) patients, complete in 8 (42%). One-year LPFS within treatment field was 68%. Local symptom improvement included palliation of bleeding (5/19 patients) and pain relief (6/19 patients). Conclusions: Electrochemotherapy may represent a new locoregional treatment for selected patients with superficial angiosarcomas

Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia and Pulmonary Embolism: An Association to Consider.

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is increasingly recognized as a strong risk factor for venous thrombosis. However, there are currently no guidelines on thromboembolism prevention and management during AIHA. Here, we describe the case of a patient with AIHA and pulmonary embolism and resume the current knowledge on epidemiology, risk factors, treatment, and pathophysiology of thrombosis during AIHA, as well as new therapeutic perspectives to prevent thrombus formation during AIHA

Chromosomal control of non-gliadin proteins from the 70% ethanol extract of wheat endosperm

The non-gliadin fraction of the 70% ethanol extracts of compensated nulli-tetrasomics and ditelosomics of Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese Spring has been analyzed by combined electrofocusing and electrophoresis. Seventeen of the 21 protein map components of the euploid have been ascribed to eight chromosomes: 4A, 3BS, 6BS, 7BS, 3D, 4D, 5D and 7DS. The relationship of the different map components with other proteins previously associated with the same chromosomes is discusse

Nonlinear Interaction of Transversal Modes in a CO2 Laser

We show the possibility of achieving experimentally a Takens-Bogdanov bifurcation for the nonlinear interaction of two transverse modes ($l = \pm 1$) in a $CO_2$ laser. The system has a basic O(2) symmetry which is perturbed by some symmetry-breaking effects that still preserve the $Z_2$ symmetry. The pattern dynamics near this codimension two bifurcation under such symmetries is described. This dynamics changes drastically when the laser properties are modified.Comment: 16 pages, 0 figure

Gustatory Sensitivity and Food Acceptance in Two Phylogenetically Closely Related Papilionid Species: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon.

In herbivorous insects, food selection depends on sensitivity to specific chemical stimuli from host-plants as well as to secondary metabolites (bitter) and to sugars (phagostimulatory). Bitter compounds are noxious, unpalatable or both and evoke an aversive feeding response. Instead, sugars and sugar alcohols play a critical role in determining and enhancing the palatability of foods. We assumed that peripheral taste sensitivity may be related to the width of the host selection. Our model consists of two closely phylogenetically related Papilionid species exhibiting a difference in host plant choice: Papilio hospiton and Papilio machaon. The spike activity of the lateral and medial maxillary styloconic taste sensilla was recorded following stimulation with several carbohydrates, nicotine and NaCl, with the aim of characterizing their gustatory receptor neurons and of comparing their response patterns in the light of their different acceptability in feeding behaviour. The results show that: a) each sensillum houses phagostimulant and phagodeterrent cells; b) the spike activity of the gustatory neurons in response to different taste stimuli is higher in P. hospiton than in P. machaon; c) sugar solutions inhibit the spike activity of the deterrent and salt cells, and the suppression is higher in P. machaon than in P. hospiton. In conclusion, we propose that the different balance between the phagostimulant and phagodeterrent inputs from GRNs of maxillary sensilla may contribute in determining the difference in food choice and host range

The Chuacús Metamorphic Complex, central Guatemala : geochronological and geochemical constraints on its Paleozoic - Mesozoic evolution

The Chuacús Metamorphic Complex is located in Central Guatemala, between the Polochic and Motagua fault zones. It is made up of complexly intercalated, mafic and felsic high-grade gneisses, amphibolites, pelitic and quartzofeldsphatic metasediments and subordinate marbles. Mafic dikes and lenses metamorphosed to amphibolite and eclogite facies are tholeiitic and similar to mid-ocean ridge basalts. In contrast, metamorphosed intrusives (gabbro, diorite and granite) are calc-alkaline and have the geochemical signature of arc magmas. Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry U-Pb zircon geochronology allows the recognition of three episodes of metamorphism. The first eclogite facies metamorphism (M1) is bracketed between Ordovician magmatism in the northern Chuacús Metamorphic Complex and the neighboring Rabinal granitic suite; the second corresponds to an Upper Triassic period of arc magmatism and migmatization (M2); the third high-grade metamorphic event (M3) occurred during the Late Cretaceous. The tectonic evolution of the Chuacús Metamorphic Complex began during the Early Paleozoic as a basin in the Rheic Ocean that received detrital material from the Maya Block, Acatlán and southeastern México. The Chuacús Metamorphic Complex evolved to an active margin that subducted to HP conditions during the Mid- Late Paleozoic, and then was exhumed and involved in two tectonothermal events during the Upper Triassic and Late Cretaceous. The Chuacús Metamorphic Complex was accreted to the southern Maya Block during the Late Cretaceous, as a result of the convergent tectonics between the latter and either the Greater Antillean arc or the Chortís Block