Wheat-derived arabinoxylan oligosaccharides with prebiotic effect increase satietogenic gut peptides and reduce metabolic endotoxemia in diet-induced obese mice

BACKGROUND: Alterations in the composition of gut microbiota -known as dysbiosis- have been proposed to contribute to the development of obesity, thereby supporting the potential interest of nutrients acting on the gut microbes to produce beneficial effect on host energetic metabolism. Non-digestible fermentable carbohydrates present in cereals may be interesting nutrients able to influence the gut microbiota composition.OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: The aim of the present study was to test the prebiotic potency of arabinoxylan oligosaccharides (AXOS) prepared from wheat bran in a nutritional model of obesity, associated with a low-grade chronic systemic inflammation. Mice were fed either a control diet or a high fat (HF) diet, or a HF diet supplemented with AXOS during 8 weeks.RESULTS: AXOS supplementation induced caecal and colon enlargement associated with an important bifidogenic effect. It increased the level of circulating satietogenic peptides produced by the colon (peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1), and coherently counteracted HF-induced body weight gain and fat mass development. HF-induced hyperinsulinemia and the Homeostasis Model Assessment of insulin resistance were decreased upon AXOS feeding. In addition, AXOS reduced HF-induced metabolic endotoxemia, macrophage infiltration (mRNA of F4/80) in the adipose tissue and interleukin 6 (IL6) in the plasma. The tight junction proteins (zonula occludens 1 and claudin 3) altered upon HF feeding were upregulated by AXOS treatment suggesting that the lower inflammatory tone was associated with the improvement of gut barrier function.CONCLUSION: Together, these findings suggest that specific non-digestible carbohydrates produced from cereals such as AXOS constitute a promising prebiotic nutrient in the control of obesity and related metabolic disorders.</p

Muscle proteins of the coelacanth <i>Latimeria chalumnae</i> Smith

Although the anatomy of the coelacanth muscles has been examined very thoroughly, their protein composition has, until recently, not been investigated. Thanks, however, to the 1972 British–French–American expedition to the Comores, frozen material has been made available and some results on myoglobin and four glycolytic enzymes have already been published. We have carried out a comparison of the sarcoplasmic proteins of red and white muscle by starch-gel electrophoresis. The ninhydrin-positive dialysable constituents and the myofibrillar proteins of white muscle have also been examined.A few puzzling results obtained with the white muscle extracts have been related to the occurrence of o.1 M ammonia, due presumably to the splitting of urea by a bacterial urease, and to an alteration of the active thiol groups of GAPDH and PK. If due account is taken of these unusual post-mortem changes, the extractability of the proteins and their properties are strikingly similar to those of teleosteans. The comparison of the sarcoplasmic proteins of white and red muscle by starch-gel electrophoresis revealed also that the differentiation observed in the coelacanth was similar to that occurring in the carp. A study of the low-molecular-weight proteins, or parvalbumins, of white muscle and of the myofibrillar proteins also shows the expected differences between the two muscle types.The only abnormal features observed in this study were the high concentration of parvalbumins, 1.5–2 times that found in other species examined, and the occurrence of an unusual globulin fraction which was easily extracted at ionic strength 0.5 and insoluble at ionic strength 0.35 and neutral pH

Muscle Proteins of the Coelacanth<i>Latimeria Chalumnae</i>Smith

Although the anatomy of the coelacanth muscles has been examined very thoroughly, their protein composition has, until recently, not been investigated. Thanks, however, to the 1972 British–French–American expedition to the Comores, frozen material has been made available and some results on myoglobin and four glycolytic enzymes have already been published. We have carried out a comparison of the sarcoplasmic proteins of red and white muscle by starch-gel electrophoresis. The ninhydrin-positive dialysable constituents and the myofibrillar proteins of white muscle have also been examined.A few puzzling results obtained with the white muscle extracts have been related to the occurrence of o.1 M ammonia, due presumably to the splitting of urea by a bacterial urease, and to an alteration of the active thiol groups of GAPDH and PK. If due account is taken of these unusual post-mortem changes, the extractability of the proteins and their properties are strikingly similar to those of teleosteans. The comparison of the sarcoplasmic proteins of white and red muscle by starch-gel electrophoresis revealed also that the differentiation observed in the coelacanth was similar to that occurring in the carp. A study of the low-molecular-weight proteins, or parvalbumins, of white muscle and of the myofibrillar proteins also shows the expected differences between the two muscle types.The only abnormal features observed in this study were the high concentration of parvalbumins, 1.5–2 times that found in other species examined, and the occurrence of an unusual globulin fraction which was easily extracted at ionic strength 0.5 and insoluble at ionic strength 0.35 and neutral pH.</jats:p

). Muscle proteins of the coelecanth Latimeria chalumnae Smith.

Although the anatomy of the coelacanth muscles has been examined very thoroughly, their protein composition has, until recently, not been investigated. Thanks, however, to the 1972 British-French-American expedition to the Comores, frozen material has been made available and some results on myoglobin and four glycolytic enzymes have already been published. We have carried out a comparison of the sarcoplasmic proteins of red and white muscle by starch-gel electrophoresis. The ninhydrin-positive dialysable constituents and the myofibrillar proteins of white muscle have also been examined. A few puzzling results obtained with the white muscle extracts have been related to the occurrence of 0.1 M ammonia, due presumably to the splitting of urea by a bacterial urease, and to an alteration of the active thiol groups of GAPDH and PK. If due account is taken of these unusual post-mortem changes, the extractability of the proteins and their properties are strikingly similar to those of teleosteans. The comparison of the sarcoplasmic proteins of white and red muscle by starch- gel electrophoresis revealed also that the differentiation observed in the coelacanth was similar to that occurring in the carp. A study of the low-molecular-weight proteins, or parvalbumins, of white muscle and of the myofibrillar proteins also shows the expected differences between the two muscle types. The only abnormal features observed in this study were the high concentration of parvalbumins, 1.5-2 times that found in other species examined, and the occurrence of an unusual globulin fraction which was easily extracted at ionic strength 0.5 and insoluble at ionic strength 0.35 and neutral pH

Evolution of the prevalence and characteristics of anemia in inflammatory bowel diseases between 1993 and 2003

Introduction : Anemia has been considered as an overlooked complication of inflammatory bowel disease. Studies dating back to the 80ties and the 90ties have shown 30% of anemia among inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. More recently, the broader use of immunosuppressive drug and infliximab allowing better mucosal healing as well as a more aggressive treatment of anemia, including the use of safer form of IV iron, may have influenced the prevalence of anemia among IBD patients. Our aim was to asses the prevalence and characteristics of anemia among two cohorts of IBD patients at 10 years interval and to look for associated clinical or demographic factors. Methods: using the IBD patients register of one senior gastroenterologist, we identified IBD patients he had consecutively seen and who had blood test at the outpatient clinic during the years 1993 and 2003. Demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment for Crohn's disease, blood test results and treatment of anemia were recorded and compared between these two cohorts. Anemia was defined as an hemoglobin level lower than the normal value of the laboratory of our hospital. Results : 80 and 90 patients were identified in 1993 and 2003, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two cohorts, according to age, gender, disease type, duration or location. There were 27/80 (33.8%) and 15/90 (16.7%) anemic patients in 1993 and 2003, respectively (P = 0.013). The prevalence of severe anemia (hemoglobin level < 10.5 g/100 ml) was similar in the two cohorts (6.3% and 5.6%). Characteristics of the anemia were similar in the two cohorts with a majority of iron deficiency anemia and inflammatory anemia. Ferritin and CRP levels were not significantly different in the two cohorts. The only significant difference was a more frequent use of immunosuppressive treatment and infliximab in 2003 than in 1993 (33.3% vs. 13.8%; P = 0.0038, RR :0.41, 0.22-0.77) Conclusions : Prevalence of mild to moderate anemia has significantly decreased in our population over the last 10 years. The only difference detected between the two cohorts was the increased use of immunosuppressive drug (mainly azathioprine)

Le numerus clausus. Il est temps d'informer.

Editorialinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

L’architettura del convento delle annunziate celesti a Roma in età moderna : l’ossessione della clausura feminile in fronti ai vicoli urbanistici

Fondé à Gênes en 1604, l'ordre des annonciades célestes demeure méconnu. Pourtant cet ordre religieux est particulièrement représentatif de la Contre-réforme dans l'Europ catholique du XVIIe siècle, en particulier par l'étroite clôture que ces religieuses professent. Cet ordre fut implanté à Rome à la demande d'une noble dame de la cité, Camilla Orsini-Borghese. Le couvent qui fut construit entre 1670 et 1676 dans la rue Sforza est l'un des mieux conservés de l'ordre. Conduite dans les archives romaines, la recherchea révélé les principales caractéristiques typologiques et architectoniques de cet édifice, devenu caserne depuis 1872. En outre, les difficultés liées à la clôture des religieuses sont bien connues au travers de documents iconographiques inédits.Fondato a Genova nel 1604, l’ordine delle annunziate celesti (o monache turchine) non è molto bene conoscuito. Eppure questo ordine è particolarmente rappresentativo della Controriforma nell’Europa cattolica del Seicento, specialmente per la stretta clausura che queste monache professano. Questo ordine viene impostato a Roma, sulla richiesta di una nobile donna della città, Camilla Orsini-Borghese. Il monastero che è stato costruito tra 1670 e 1676 nella via Sforza è uno dei conventi dell'ordine dei meglio conservati. Condotta nei archivi romani, la ricerca ha rivelato le principali caratteristiche tipologiche e architettoniche di questo edificio, diventato caserma dal 1872. Inoltre, le difficoltà poste dalla clausura delle religiose sono ben conoscuite attraverso documenti iconografici inediti