Pathoanatomical findings of a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) victim of collision with a motorboat

In this paper we report the trauma suffered by a green turtle (Chelonia mydas), caused by a collision with a motorboat, and describe the case ante and post-mortem. An adult female green turtle was rescued alive on December 2, 2016 at Ponta Negra beach, municipality of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The rescued animal was sent to the Marine Fauna Rehabilitation Center (PCCB-UERN), municipality of Areia Branca (RN), in Brazil. Physical examination revealed an excellent body score, noisy breathing, moderate dehydration, absence of hind limb and cloacal reflexes when stimulated by pressure, and two traumatic injuries characteristic of a collision with a motorboat. After three days of supportive treatment, the animal died and was immediately sent for necropsy. The animal had a complete fracture of the vertebral bodies (dorsal elements D9 and D10) and spinal cord section. The entire gastrointestinal tract had food content, in addition to sharp injuries in the colon caused by the bone fragments of the fractured carapace. The lungs were congested, hemorrhagic with frothy and bloody secretion, and interstitial bronchiole fibrosis. There was also present some fibrin and a large number of leukocyte cells, consisting mainly of macrophages. The liver was enlarged, with rounded edges and thickening of the capsule, multifocal areas of hepatocellular necrosis, and dissociation of the hepatocyte cords. The collision resulted in the exposure of the coelomic cavity and spinal cord, causing the animal intense pain, paralysis of the hind limbs and cloaca, septicemia, and consequently, death.

Capsule Endoscopy: Pitfalls and Approaches to Overcome

Capsule endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract is an innovative technology that serves to replace conventional endoscopy. Wireless capsule endoscopy, which is mainly used for small bowel examination, has recently been used to examine the entire gastrointestinal tract. This method is promising for its usefulness and development potential and enhances convenience by reducing the side effects and discomfort that may occur during conventional endoscopy. However, capsule endoscopy has fundamental limitations, including passive movement via bowel peristalsis and space restriction. This article reviews the current scientific aspects of capsule endoscopy and discusses the pitfalls and approaches to overcome its limitations. This review includes the latest research results on the role and potential of capsule endoscopy as a non-invasive diagnostic and therapeutic device.

Imaging of Portal Gastroduodenopathy

Portal hypertension is characterized by elevated pressure in portal venous system due to portal resistance due to various causes. The etiologies are either pre-hepatic, hepatic, or post-hepatic. Elevated portal pressure results in varices at various sites some of which are difficult to identify on endoscopy alone. Other manifestations of elevated portal pressure include portal gastropathy, enteropathy, colopathy, gastric antral vascular ectasia, and ascites. Imaging plays an essential role in diagnosis and imaging of various manifestations of portal hypertension by determining the locations of varices and plan the management for same. Endoscopy helps in visualizing mucosal varices but newer imaging modalities give a panoramic extent of the disease in the entire gastrointestinal tract with great specificity and sensitivity. Initially, Barium study was used to determine esophageal or gastric varices, computed tomography provides detailed anatomic information which can be used to plan management. Due to advancement in imaging and interventional techniques, treatment for varices has seen advent of multiple minimally invasive interventional radiological techniques. A brief outlook on anatomical aspect of varices and various recent advances in management of the same has been provided. Overall knowledge of the various imaging manifestations of portal hypertension can be helpful to evaluate prognosis and plan proper management.

Examination of Entire Gastrointestinal Tract: A Perspective of Mouth to Anus (M2A) Capsule Endoscopy

Capsule endoscopy (CE) is the only non-invasive diagnostic tool that enables the direct visualization of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Even though CE was initially developed for small-bowel investigation, its clinical application is expanding, and technological advances continue. The final iteration of CE will be a mouth to anus (M2A) capsule that investigates the entire GI tract by the ingestion of a single capsule. This narrative review describes the current developmental status of CE and discusses the possibility of realizing an M2A capsule and what needs to be overcome in the future.

The Effect of 42-Day Exposure to a Low Deoxynivalenol Dose on the Immunohistochemical Expression of Intestinal ERs and the Activation of CYP1A1 and GSTP1 Genes in the Large Intestine of Pre-pubertal Gilts

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin that contaminates various plant materials. Exposure to DON can disrupt hormonal homeostasis, decrease body weight gains and modulate the immune system in pigs. It can also cause diarrhea, vomiting, leukocytosis, hemorrhaging or even death. Prolonged exposure to low doses of DON can have serious health implications in mammals. This is the first in vivo study to show that per os administration of low DON doses probably contributes to specific dysfunctions in steroidogenesis processes by inducing the immunohistochemical expression of estrogen receptors alpha (ERα) in the entire gastrointestinal tract in strongly stained cells (3 points) and estrogen receptors beta (ERβ), but only in both investigated segments of the duodenum in pre-pubertal gilts. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether a NOAEL dose of DON (12 μg DON/kg BW) administered per os over a period of 42 days induces changes in the immunohistochemical expression of ER in different intestinal segments and the transcriptional activation of CYP1A1 and GSTP1 genes in the large intestine of pre-pubertal gilts. This is the first report to demonstrate the expression of ER, in particular ERβ, with the associated consequences. The expression of ER was accompanied by considerable variations in the activation of CYP1A1 and GSTP1 genes, but it supported the maintenance of a stable consensus between the degree of mycotoxin exposure and the detoxifying effect in pre-pubertal gilts.

New Trends and Advances in Non-Variceal Gastrointestinal Bleeding—Series II

The gastrointestinal tract is a long tubular structure wherein any point in the mucosa along its entire length could be the source of a hemorrhage. Upper (esophagel and gastroduodenal) and lower (jejunum, ileum, and colon) gastrointestinal bleeding are common. Gastroduodenal and colonic bleeding are more frequent than bleeding from the small bowel, but nowadays the entire gastrointestinal tract can be explored endoscopically and bleeding lesions can be locally treated successfully to stop or prevent further bleeding. The extensive use of antiplatelet and anticoagulants drugs in cardiovascular patients is, at least in part, the cause of the increasing number of patients suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients with these conditions are usually older and more fragile because of their comorbidities. The correct management of antithrombotic drugs in cases of gastrointestinal bleeding is essential for a successful outcome for patients. The influence of the microbiome in the pathogenesis of small bowel bleeding is an example of the new data that are emerging as potential therapeutic target for bleeding prevention. This text summarizes the latest research and advances in all forms of acute gastrointestinal bleeding (i.e., upper, small bowel and lower). Diagnosis is approached, and medical, endoscopic or antithrombotic management are discussed in the text in an accessible and comprehensible way.

Impact of the Gut Microbiota Balance on the Health–Disease Relationship: The Importance of Consuming Probiotics and Prebiotics

Gut microbiota is a group of microorganisms that are deposited throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract. Currently, thanks to genomic tools, studies of gut microbiota have pointed towards the understanding of the metabolism of important bacteria that are not cultivable and their relationship with human homeostasis. Alterations in the composition of gut microbiota could explain, at least in part, some epidemics, such as diabetes and obesity. Likewise, dysbiosis has been associated with gastrointestinal disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and even cancer. That is why several studies have recently been focused on the direct relationship that these types of conditions have with the specific composition of gut microbiota, as in the case of the microbiota–intestine–brain axis. In the same way, the control of microbiota is related to the diet. Therefore, this review highlights the importance of gut microbiota, from its composition to its relationship with the human health–disease condition, as well as emphasizes the effect of probiotic and prebiotic consumption on the balance of its composition.

Proteases in the diet of monogastric animals

There are many proteases, and about 2% of the human genome is involved in the regulation of their formation. The share of proteases involved in digestion accounts for only a small part. Despite this, the mechanisms of action of digestive proteases are less studied than carbohydrases and lipases. The incorporation of exogenous proteases into young animal feeds is often accompanied by improved utilization of protein and other nutrients. Exogenous proteases degrade inhibitors of the endogenous protease and lectins in feed. Alkaline proteases are of interest due to their broader substrate specificity and activity throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract. This group includes keratinases, which digest proteins inaccessible for cleavage by proteases and peptidases of animals. Keratinases digest agglutinins, glycinin and b-conglycinin and connective tissue proteins, which are resistant to the action of gastrointestinal enzymes and a number of exogenous proteases. The alleged reasons for the inconsistent results when using feed proteases are described. Their mediated positive effects not associated with proteolysis are indicated. It is advisable to use proteases with keratinolytic activity as fodder proteases.

Noninvasive imaging and quantification of bile salt hydrolase activity: From bacteria to humans

The microbiome-produced enzyme bile salt hydrolase (BSH) plays a central role in human health, but its function remains unclear due to the lack of suitable methods for measuring its activity. Here, we have developed a novel optical tool based on ultrasensitive bioluminescent imaging and demonstrated that this assay can be used for quick and cost-effective quantification of BSH activity across a broad range of biological settings including pure enzymes and bacteria, intact fecal slurries, and noninvasive imaging in live animals, as well as for the assessment of BSH activity in the entire gastrointestinal tract of mice and humans. Using this assay, we showed that certain types of prebiotics are capable of increasing BSH activity of the gut microbiota in vivo and successfully demonstrated potential application of this assay as a noninvasive diagnostic test to predict the clinical status of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients.

Fistulized Crohn’ Disease Mimicking Sigmoid Cancer: A Case Report

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology, progressing with frequent exacerbation periods that can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Although, it can manifest itself with complaints from the entire gastrointestinal tract; abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, weight loss and fever are the most important clinical symptoms. In this presentation, a 41-year-old male patient with known Crohn’s disease was presented to our hospital with the help of operation images.