In order to seek a patient friendly and low-cost intestinal examination method, a structurally simple pneumatic soft intestinal robot inspired by inchworms is designed and manufactured. The intestinal robot was consisted of two radially expanding cylindrical rubber film airbags for anchoring and one low density polyethylene film airbag for axial elongation, which achieved movement in the intestine by mimicking the crawling of inchworms. Theoretical derivation was conducted on the relationship between the internal air pressure of the anchored airbag and the free deformation size after expansion, and it pointed out that the uneven deformation of the airbag was a phenomenon of expansion instability caused by large deformation of the rubber material. The motion performance of the intestinal robot was validated in different sizes of hard tubes and ex vivo pig small intestine. The running speed in the ex vivo pig small intestine was 4.87 mm/s, with an anchoring force of 2.33 N when stationary, and could smoothly pass through a 90 ° bend. This work expects to provide patients with a new method of low pain and low-cost intestinal examination.
Animals ; Swine ; Robotics/instrumentation* ; Equipment Design ; Intestine, Small/physiology* ; Intestines/physiology* ; Humans

OBJECTIVESTo clarify the effects of acupuncture stimulation at Zusanli (ST 36) on the hormonal changes.

METHODSEight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice received acupuncture stimulation at acupoint ST 36 or Quchi (LI 11) once a day for 3 or 5 days in the acupuncture-stimulated groups, but not received in the normal group (n=6 in each group). On day 3 or 5, animals were given 0.1 mL of charcoal orally with a bulbed steel needle, 30 min after the last acupuncture stimulation. Ten minutes later, mice were anesthetized, and the intestinal transit and the concentrations of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), motilin, ghrelin and gastrin in the serum were measured.

RESULTSCompared to no acupuncture stimulation, acupuncture stimulation at ST 36 for 5 days increased the intestinal transit and down-regulated the concentration of VIP and up-regulated the concentrations of motilin, ghrelin and gastrin (P<0.05 or 0.01), whereas acupuncture stimulation at LI 11 did not change them signifificantly (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture stimulation at ST 36 for 5 days enhances the small intestinal motility and regulates the secretion of hormones related to small intestinal motility.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; physiology ; Hormones ; blood ; Intestine, Small ; physiology ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Echinostomes are intestinal trematodes that infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts, including humans, in their adult stage and also parasitize numerous invertebrate and cold-blooded vertebrate hosts in their larval stages. The purpose of this study was to compare Echinostoma malayanum parasite growth, including worm recovery, body size of adult worms, eggs per worm, eggs per gram of feces, and pathological changes in the small intestine of experimental animals. In this study, 6-8-week-old male hamsters, rats, mice, and gerbils were infected with echinostome metacercariae and then sacrificed at day 60 post-infection. The small intestine and feces of each infected animal were collected and then processed for analysis. The results showed that worm recovery, eggs per worm, and eggs per gram of feces from all infected hamsters were higher compared with infected rats and mice. However, in infected gerbils, no parasites were observed in the small intestine, and there were no parasite eggs in the feces. The volume of eggs per gram of feces and eggs per worm were related to parasite size. The results of histopathological changes in the small intestine of infected groups showed abnormal villi and goblet cells, as evidenced by short villi and an increase in the number and size of goblet cells compared with the normal control group.
Animals ; Body Size ; *Disease Models, Animal ; Echinostoma/growth & development/isolation & purification/*physiology ; Echinostomiasis/*parasitology/*pathology ; Feces/parasitology ; Intestine, Small/parasitology/pathology ; Parasite Egg Count

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of astragalus polysaccharide (AP) on the intestinal mucosal morphology, level of secretory IgA (s-IgA) in intestinal mucus, and distribution of T lymphocyte subsets in Peyer's patch in rats with severe scald injury.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty SD rats were divided into sham injury group (SI, sham injured, n = 10), scald group (S, n = 30), low dosage group (LD, n = 30), moderate dosage group (MD, n = 30), and high dosage group (HD, n = 30) according to the random number table. Rats in the latter 4 groups were inflicted with 30% TBSA full-thickness scald on the back. From post injury hour 2, rats in groups LD, MD, and HD were intraperitoneally injected with 0.5 mL AP solution with the dosage of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg each day respectively, and rats in group S were injected with 0.5 mL normal saline instead. Ten rats from group SI immediately after injury and 10 rats from each of the latter 4 groups on post injury day (PID) 3, 7, 14 were sacrificed, and their intestines were harvested. The morphology of ileal mucosa was examined after HE staining; the level of s-IgA in ileal mucus was determined with double-antibody sandwich ELISA method; the proportions of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ T lymphocytes in Peyer's patches of intestine were determined with flow cytometer, and the proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ was calculated. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance, analysis of variance of factorial design, and SNK test.

RESULTS(1) Villi in normal form and intact villus epithelial cells were observed in rats of group SI immediately after injury, while edema of villi and necrosis and desquamation of an enormous amount of villi were observed in groups with scalded rats on PID 3, with significant infiltration of inflammatory cells. On PID 7, no obvious improvement in intestinal mucosal lesion was observed in groups with scalded rats. On PID 14, the pathology in intestinal mucosa of rats remained nearly the same in group S, and it was alleviated obviously in groups LD and MD, and the morphology of intestinal mucosa of rats in group HD was recovered to that of group SI. (2) On PID 3, 7, and 14, the level of s-IgA in intestinal mucus significantly decreased in groups S, LD, MD, and HD [(43 ± 5), (45 ± 5), (46 ± 5) µg/mL; (47 ± 5), (48 ± 5), (49 ± 6) µg/mL; (50 ± 6), (51 ± 5), (52 ± 5) µg/mL; (53 ± 6), (54 ± 5), (55 ± 5) µg/mL] as compared with that of rats in group SI immediately after injury [(69 ± 4) µg/mL, with P values below 0.05]. The level of s-IgA in intestinal mucus of rats in group MD was significantly higher than that in group S at each time point (with P values below 0.05), and that of group HD was significantly higher than that in groups S and LD at each time point (with P values below 0.05). (3) Compared with those of rats in group SI immediately after injury, the proportions of CD3⁺ T lymphocytes and CD4⁺ T lymphocytes significantly decreased in groups with scalded rats at each time point (with P values below 0.05), except for those in group HD on PID 14. The proportion of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes of rats in group LD was significantly higher than that in group S on PID 3 (P < 0.05). The proportions of CD3⁺ T lymphocytes and CD4⁺ T lymphocytes were significantly higher in groups MD and HD than in groups S and LD (except for the proportion of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes in group MD on PID 3 and 14) at each time point (with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD3⁺ T lymphocytes on PID 7 and 14 and that of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes on PID 3 were significantly higher in group HD than in group MD (with P values below 0.05). Compared with that of rats in group SI immediately after injury, the proportion of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes significantly increased in the other 4 groups at each time point (with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes was significantly lower in rats of group LD on PID 7 and 14 and groups MD and HD at each time point than in group S (with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes was significantly lower in rats of group MD on PID 7 and 14 and group HD at each time point than in group LD (with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes was significantly lower in rats of group HD on PID 7 and 14 than in group MD (with P values below 0.05). On PID 3, 7, and 14, the proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ was significantly lower in groups S, LD, MD, and HD (0.65 ± 0.11, 0.68 ± 0.13, 0.73 ± 0.22; 0.76 ± 0.15, 0.78 ± 0.14, 0.90 ± 0.10; 0.85 ± 0.21, 0.89 ± 0.18, 1.08 ± 0.19; 0.99 ± 0.20, 1.05 ± 0.21, 1.25 ± 0.23) as compared with that of rats in group SI immediately after injury (1.74 ± 0.20, with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ was significantly higher in rats of group HD than in group MD on PID 7 (P < 0.05), and the proportion was significantly higher in these two groups than in group S at each time point (with P values below 0.05). The proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ was significantly higher in rats of group MD on PID 14 and group HD at each time point than in group LD (with P values below 0.05). Compared within each group, the proportions of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺ T lymphocytes and the proportion of CD4⁺ to CD8⁺ of rats in groups LD, MD, and HD showed a trend of gradual elevation along with passage of time.

CONCLUSIONSAP can improve the injury to intestinal mucosa and modulate the balance of T lymphocyte subsets in Peyer's patch in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and it can promote s-IgA secretion of intestinal mucosa in a dose-dependent manner.

Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; adverse effects ; Burns ; immunology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Immunoglobulin A ; metabolism ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; physiology ; Intestine, Small ; metabolism ; Peyer's Patches ; immunology ; physiopathology ; Polysaccharides ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the improvement of islet β-cell function after sleeve gastrectomy with ileal interposition duodenojejunal bypass operation in non-obese type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODSClinical data of 54 non-obese type 2 diabetes mellitus cases undergoing sleeve gastrectomy with ileal interposition duodenojejunal bypass operation in our hospital from March 2009 to October 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. Fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c), fasting insulin, body mass index(BMI), insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR), homeostasis model β-cell function(HOMA-β), early phase insulin secretion index (DelteI30/DelteG30) and area under curve of insulin(AUCINS) were measured before operation, and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 months after operation with standard oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT).

RESULTSAt 24 months after operation, HbA1c decreased from preoperative (8.2±0.8)% to postoperative (6.3±0.1)%(P<0.01), as did the fasting glucose [(9.2±0.6) mmol/L vs. (5.9±0.5) mmol/L, P<0.01] and HOMA-IR (2.1±0.6 vs. 0.8±0.3, P<0.01). The postoperative BMI was not significantly different from the preoperative level. HOMA-β increased (28.4±9.2 vs. 56.3±12.8, P<0.05). DelteI30/DelteG30 increased after surgery (0.8±0.2 vs. 1.8±0.7, P<0.01). AUCINS was (42.6±17.1) mIU/L, (31.5±18.6) mIU/L, (34.71±12.9) mIU/L, (49.2±16.3) mIU/L, (78.3±21.7) mIU/L, (74.8±15.2) mIU/L before operation and at postoperative 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, respectively, indicating an increase in AUCINS 6 months later. Linear correlation analysis showed that HbA1c was negatively correlated with HOMA-β, DelteI30/DelteG30 and AUCINS (r=-0.628, P<0.01; r=-0.571, P<0.01; r=-0.606, P<0.01), and positively correlated with HOMA-IR (r=0.784, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSSleeve gastrectomy with ileal interposition duodenojejunal bypass can improve islet β cells function. It plays an important role in the surgical treatment of diabetes.

Body Mass Index ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Gastrectomy ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; physiology ; Intestine, Small ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of reconstruction procedures affecting intestinal motility after total gastrectomy.

METHODSBeagle dogs were divided into 3 groups:3 dogs in sham operation group, 7 in functional jejunal interposition (FJI) group, and 3 in Roux-en Y(RY) group. These dogs were sacrificed 48 hours postoperatively. Dogs were gavaged with active carbon 1 h before sacrifice and the intestinal transit rate was evaluated. Intestinal tissues 5 cm away from the duodenojejunal anastomosis were collected for detecting inflammation, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), and apoptosis using HE staining, immunohistochemistry, and interference microscope respectively.

RESULTSThe intestinal transit rate in sham and FJI group (0.14 ± 0.03 and 0.32 ± 0.11) was lower than that in RY group (0.52 ± 0.21, P<0.05), which indicated FJI procedure had better food storage. More ICCs were found in submucosa of FJI group than those of RY group. Inflammation in serosal side of the intestine, including hemorrhage, fibrin deposition, and ulceration, neutrophil and macrophage infiltration, and intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis were significantly reduced in FJI group as compared to RY group, which indicated that amelioration of intestinal inflammation and damage might contribute to reducing ICC loss in FJI group.

CONCLUSIONSAs a reconstruction procedure with less traumatic and intestinal continuity preserving, FJI has better reservoir function and quicker recovery of intestinal motility.

Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y ; Animals ; Dogs ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Gastroenterostomy ; methods ; Intestine, Small ; physiopathology ; Jejunum ; surgery ; Peristalsis ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo observe the influences of quercetin (Que) on the contraction of small intestine smooth muscle of rabbits in vitro and explore the mechanism.

METHODSWith the isothermal perfusion of small intestine in vitro. The influences of quercetin on the spontaneous contraction of small intestine and contraction induced by Ach, histamine and Bacl2 were observed and the mechanism of quercetin was studied.

RESULTSQuercetin reduced the tension of contraction of small intestine smooth muscle in rabbits in a dose-depended manner. Quercetin could completely block the contraction of Bay K8644. Heparin could also block the inhibition of quercetin on small intestine smooth muscle but ruthenium red (RR) had no effect on the relaxation of quercetin. Nitro-L-arginine methylester(L-NAME) inhibited the relaxation of quercetin.

CONCLUSIONQuercetin inhibits the contraction of small intestine smooth muscle of rabbits in vitro. The mechanism may be related to increase NO concentration in small intestine smooth muscle so that it inhibits extracellular Ca2+ inflowing via cell membrane. And quercetin has effect on intracellular Ca2+ releasing via IP3 of sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Intestine, Small ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; physiology ; Quercetin ; pharmacology ; Rabbits ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum ; drug effects ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of growth hormone secretagogue(ghrelin) on the contraction and relaxation of small intestinal smooth muscle in rats and its mechanism.

METHODSTwenty-four vagotomized rats were injected intraperitoneally with different concentrations of ghrelin (0, 20, 40, 80 μg/kg). The small intestinal transit were observed. The effect of ghrelin(0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 μmol/L) on the contraction and relaxation of rat small intestinal smooth muscle strips was observed in vitro in the presence of carbachol(50 nmol/L), the locations of ghrelin receptors(GHS-R1a) on different cells in small intestinal muscle layers were detected by immunofluorescence.

RESULTSWith the increase of concentrations, ghrelin elevated the percentage of small intestinal transit[(25.4±1.0)%, (33.7±1.9)%, (39.3±2.4)%, (44.7±2.1)%] in a dose-dependent manner, and the differences were statistically significant among groups(P<0.05). Ghrelin could also enhance the contraction [(67.0±2.4)%,(149.5±3.3)%, (187.1±4.7)%, (213.5±3.4)%] and relaxation[(35.3±1.1)%, (62.9±3.8)%, (79.6±2.7)%, (94.6±2.2)%] of smooth muscle strips mediated by Cch in a dose-dependent manner, and the differences were statistically significant among groups(P<0.05). Immunofluorescence revealed that ghrelin receptors mainly located on membrane of the nerve cells in the muscle layers, while no receptors were observed on membrane of the smooth muscle cells.

CONCLUSIONGhrelin may enhance the effect of the contraction and relaxation of the rat small intestinal smooth muscle mediated by cholinergic neurotransmitters by activating the nerve cells in the enteric plexus.

Animals ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Ghrelin ; pharmacology ; Intestine, Small ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; physiology ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of concentration, intestinal segments, pH, inhibitors of proteins (P-gp), Na(+)-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1) on the intestinal absorption of berberine, and to compare intestinal absorption of berberine in combinations. With phenol red as the indicator, in situ single pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) model was used and intestinal absorption of pure berberine at concentrations of 36.70, 46.17 and 92.33 microg x mL(-1), simulated system of HLJDT (mixture of berberine, baicalin and geniposide), HLJDT with the concentration of berberine 92.33 microg x mL(-1) in perfusion solution of different intestinal segments (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon) were determined by HPLC in combination with diode array detection (DAD). The results indicated that Ka values ofberberine at different concentrations had little significant difference among that obtained after perfusing via duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon indicating that the absorption of berberine was mainly the passive diffusion. It was also suggested that SGLT1 and P-gp might exert some effects on the absorption of berberine. Ka and Peff values of berberine in a mixture of pure compounds and HLJDT for different intestine segments of rat showed an increasing tendency and was significantly different (P < 0.05) indicating that berberine in a mixture of pure compounds and HLJDT was assimilated better in small intestine. These results indicate that the intestinal absorption of berberine may be affected by compatibility of compounds. Additionally, berberine has wide absorption window and better absorption in colon.
ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; physiology ; Animals ; Berberine ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Colon ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Duodenum ; metabolism ; Ileum ; metabolism ; Intestinal Absorption ; Intestine, Small ; metabolism ; Jejunum ; metabolism ; Male ; Mannitol ; pharmacology ; Perfusion ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium-Glucose Transporter 1 ; physiology ; Verapamil ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo develop a method for simultaneous assay of propulsion and absorption in small intestine.

METHODSThe mice were administrated through gastric tube with mixed reagents containing 0.12% phenol red, D-xylose (1.25%, 2.5% and 5%) and 15% gelatin. The influence of phenol red on D-xylose absorption and the influence of D-xylose on small intestine propulsion rate were investigated by measuring serum concentration of D-xylose with phloroglucinol method.

RESULTSAt 10 min, no significant difference was found between 5% D-xylose mixed reagent group and 5% D-xylose control. At 15 min, small intestine propulsion rate in 5% D-xylose mixed reagent group, but not in 2.5% and 1.25% D-xylose mixed reagent groups, was significantly higher than in phenol red control (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONGastric administration of mixed reagent containing 0.12% phenol red, 5% D-xylose and 15% gelatin can simultaneously assay propulsion and absorption of small intestine in mice.

Animals ; Biological Assay ; methods ; Intestinal Absorption ; Intestine, Small ; metabolism ; physiology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Peristalsis ; Phenolsulfonphthalein ; pharmacokinetics ; Xylose ; pharmacokinetics