Supramaximal stimuli do not evoke a maximal contraction in urinary bladder smooth muscle fibers

BACKGROUND: Smooth muscle fibers can be stimulated with an electrical field, high potassium or carbachol. We studied the effect of combined, supramaximal stimulation on the isometric force and the maximum shortening velocity of the pig urinary bladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After determining the dose response curve of each stimulation type, we stimulated 8 fibers with cumulative addition of supramaximal stimuli. RESULTS: The isometric force elicited with either potassium, carbachol or electrical field stimulation alone was the same for each stimulus. After addition of a second or third different supramaximal stimulus, the force further increased to a value that was on average 40% higher. CONCLUSIONS: Carbachol, high potassium or electrical field stimulation work through different stimulation pathways. Maximum stimulation with one of the stimuli does not result in a maximum isometric force development and maximum shortening velocity

The 4th International Conference on Food Digestion

Food Digestion is the process that lies between the foodwe consume and any health benefits that it may impart. In a world where food related disease is already a significant and increasing burden on health services,it is important to understand the link between food and health. This requires a range of approaches including the use of in vitro simulations of the digestive process. However, if experimental data is to be comparable and useful it needs to make use of harmonised and physiologically relevant methods. The Infogest static model [9] offers such amethod and has been cited in more than 100 times.The success of this article confirms the interest in understanding the links between food structure and health

Factors influencing the surgical process during shoulder joint replacement:Time-action analysis of five different prostheses and three different approaches

Background: To evaluate the per-operative process of shoulder joint replacement, time-action analysis can be used.Material/Methods: Forty procedures performed by 7 surgeons with different experience rising 5 different prostheses and 3 different Surgical approaches were analyzed.Results: The surgical procedures showed a large variation in, for example, duration, tasks of team members, and protocol used. The surgical procedure was influenced by several factors, such as the prosthesis used, the surgical approach, the patient's condition, and the experience of the surgeon. Exposure of the glenoid was difficult and several retractors were needed, which were held by an extra assistant or clamped to the table or the surgeon. Two main limitations were seen in all procedures: repeated actions and waiting. Also, five errors could be identified. None of the alignment instruments was completely reliable and they allowed the surgeon to make major errors.Conclusions: Better alignment instruments, pre-operative planning techniques, and operation protocols are needed for shoulder prostheses. The training of resident surgeons should be focused on the exposure phase, the alignment of the humeral head, the exposure of the glenoid, and the alignment of the glenoid. Evaluating the surgical process using time-action analysis can be used to determine the limitations during surgical procedures. Furthermore, it shows the large variation in factors affecting surgical performance, indicating that a system approach is needed to improve surgical outcome.</p

In vitro digestibility of dietary carbohydrates: toward a standardized methodology beyond amylolytic and microbial enzymes

This work has been financed by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (Project AGL2017-84614-C2-1-R).Peer reviewe

Influence of peanut matrix on stability of allergens in gastric-simulated digesta: 2S albumins are main contributors to the IgE reactivity of short digestion-resistant peptides

Background: Most food allergens sensitizing via the gastrointestinal tract are stable proteins that are resistant to pepsin digestion, in particular major peanut allergens, Ara h 2 and Ara h 6. Survival of their large fragments is essential for sensitizing capacity. However, the immunoreactive proteins/peptides to which the immune system of the gastrointestinal tract is exposed during digestion of peanut proteins are unknown. Particularly, the IgE reactivity of short digestion-resistant peptides (SDRPs; lt 10 kDa) released by gastric digestion under standardized and physiologically relevant in vitro conditions has not been investigated. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate and identify digestion products of major peanut allergens and in particular to examine IgE reactivity of SDRPs released by pepsin digestion of whole peanut grains. Methods: Two-dimensional gel-based proteomics and shotgun peptidomics, immunoblotting with allergen-specific antibodies from peanut-sensitized patients, enzyme-linked immunosorbent inhibition assay and ImmunoCAP tests, including far ultraviolet-circular dichroism spectroscopy were used to identify and characterize peanut digesta. Results: Ara h 2 and Ara h 6 remained mostly intact, and SDRPs from Ara h 2 were more potent in inhibiting IgE binding than Ara h 1 and Ara 3. Ara h 1 and Ara h 3 exhibited sequential digestion into a series of digestion-resistant peptides with preserved allergenic capacity. A high number of identified SDRPs from Ara h 1, Ara h 2 and Ara h 3 were part of short continuous epitope sequences and possessed substantial allergenic potential. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance: Peanut grain digestion by oral and gastric phase enzymes generates mixture of products, where the major peanut allergens remain intact and their digested peptides have preserved allergenic capacity highlighting their important roles in allergic reactions to peanut.This is the peer-reviewed version of the following article: Prodić, I.; Stanić-Vučinić, D.; Apostolović, D.; Mihailović, J.; Radibratović, M.; Radosavljević, J.; Burazer, L.; Milcić, M.; Smiljanić, K.; van Hage, M.; Ćirković-Veličković, T. Influence of Peanut Matrix on Stability of Allergens in Gastric-Simulated Digesta: 2S Albumins Are Main Contributors to the IgE Reactivity of Short Digestion-Resistant Peptides. Clinical and Experimental Allergy 2018, 48 (6), 731–740. [https://doi.org/10.1111/cea.13113]

In vitro simulation of the environment in the upper gastrointestinal lumen after drug administration in the fed state using the TIM-1 system and comparison with luminal data in adults

We evaluated the environment in TIM-1 luminal compartments using paracetamol and danazol solutions and suspensions and the fed state configuration. Data were compared with recently published data in healthy adults. TIM-1 Experiments were performed with a 3-fold downscale. Volumes of secretions in gastric and duodenal compartments adequately reflected the luminal data in adults up to 3h post drug dosing. pH values in duodenal and jejunal compartments adequately reflected average pH values in adults. In gastric compartment pH values where initially higher than average values in adults and reached baseline levels earlier than in adults. The environment in the TIM-1 gastric compartment and jejunal compartment adequately reflected the average total paracetamol and danazol amounts per volume of contents in the adult stomach and upper small intestine, respectively. Total bile acids concentrations in the micellar phase of contents in duodenal and jejunal compartments overestimated micellar concentrations in the upper small intestine of adults. Adjustments in gastric emptying / acid secretion rates and bile acids identities in the duodenal and jejunal compartments, and application of dynamic bile acids secretion rates are expected to further improve the relevance of luminal conditions in TIM-1 compartments with those in adults