Vegetable fiber fermentation by human fecal bacteria: cell wall polysaccharide disappearance and short-chain fatty acid production during in vitro fermentation and water-holding capacity of unfermented residues

Dietary fiber from eight vegetables (broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, lettuce, onion and radish) was analyzed for chemical composition and potential in vitro fermentation by human fecal bacteria. Total dietary fiber concentration of substrates ranged from 34.9 (broccoli) to 5.8 (cucumber) g/kg edible matter. Substrate fiber fractions were composed primarily of pectic substances and cellulose with smaller concentrations of hemicelluloses and lignin. Total dietary fiber residues isolated from substrates were fermented in vitro for 24 h with fecal bacteria obtained from each of three human volunteers. Substrate dry matter disappearance during fermentation was highest for carrot (63.7%) and lowest for cucumber (49.4%). Averaged across all substrates, disappearances of arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose and uronic acids during fermentation were 96, 90, 54, 68, 51 and 97%, respectively. Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production during substrate fermentation averaged 10.5 mmol SCFA/g dry matter fermented. Averaged across all substrates, production of the major SCFA, acetate, propionate and butyrate, occurred in the molar ratio 76:14:10. Potential water-holding capacity of substrates was not influenced by fiber source and averaged 2.04 g H2O/g original substrate dry matter. Extent of substrate fermentation, SCFA production and substrate potential water-holding capacity were significantly different among inoculum donors, indicating that considerable inter-individual variation exists in the potential in vivo fermentation of vegetable fiber.     

Calculation of diffusion-limited kinetics for the reactions in collision coupling and receptor cross-linking

Both enzyme (e.g., G-protein) activation via a collision coupling model and the formation of cross-linked receptors by a multivalent ligand involve reactions between two molecules diffusing in the plasma membrane. The diffusion of these molecules is thought to play a critical role in these two early signal transduction events. In reduced dimensions, however, diffusion is not an effective mixing mechanism; consequently, zones in which the concentration of particular molecules (e.g., enzymes, receptors) becomes depleted or enriched may form. To examine the formation of these depletion/ accumulation zones and their effect on reaction rates and ultimately the cellular response, Monte Carlo techniques are used to simulate the reaction and diffusion of molecules in the plasma membrane. The effective reaction rate at steady state is determined in terms of the physical properties of the tissue and ligand for both enzyme activation via collision coupling and the generation of cross-linked receptors. The diffusion-limited reaction rate constant is shown to scale with the mean square displacement of a receptor-ligand complex. The rate constants determined in the simulation are compared with other theoretical predictions as well as experimental data.     

Diagnostic imaging and interventional therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

Diagnostic imaging has many important roles in the management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In diagnosis, lipiodol CT (LCT) has been shown to be the most sensitive imaging modality (90-97%) for all sizes of lesions; all other modalities have high sensitivities for lesions 1-3 cm but low sensitivities for lesions < 1 cm (ultrasound 33-37%, conventional CT 20-42% and digital subtraction angiography 40-55%). All imaging modalities understage HCC. Once again LCT is the most accurate method of evaluating the extent of tumour, but even this method does not identify all satellite nodules. Ultrasound has been proposed as a screening method, but this cannot be justified on the basis of its results or cost benefit analysis. Both CT and dynamic MRI play useful roles in evaluating the efficacy and follow-up of patients undergoing chemoembolization (TACE) and percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI). Although surgery remains the best treatment of HCC, it is unsuitable in most of the cases which would be better treated with interventional therapy. This article presents a review of the literature regarding the use of TACE, PEI or a combination of both procedures in the treatment of HCC. A multicentric study has shown that patients with monofocal lesions less than 5 cm in diameter are better treated with PEI, which is therefore a good alternative to the surgical treatment; patients with multifocal lesions (maximum of three lesions) show a better survival with TACE. Combined treatment with TACE and PEI proves to be effective in patients with large HCC.     

Intracellular Ca2+ and adaptation of voltage responses to light in Hermissenda photoreceptors

Fluorescent imaging of Ca2+ and intracellular recordings were used to assess Ca2+ increases and voltage responses during light presentations in Hermissenda B photoreceptors. Ca2+ levels increased and were sustained during a relatively long exposure to light. Repeated presentations of a brief light induced an elevation of intracellular Ca2+ that persisted throughout short interlight intervals, but which dissipated during long interlight intervals. In all instances, the magnitude of the intracellular Ca2+ signal was inversely related to the amplitude of the light-induced generator potential. Blocking of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels did not significantly affect the magnitude of the Ca2+ signal, suggesting that the intracellular Ca2+ response arises primarily from release from intracellular stores. These results indicate that Ca2+ plays an important role in the modulation of the voltage responses to light, acting to suppress the response during repetitive or prolonged stimulation.     

Use of intravenous contrast material in transcranial sonography

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The appearance of the intracranial vasculature was compared on power and color Doppler ultrasound (US) scans obtained with and without a microbubble contrast agent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine patients (three men, six women) aged 42-70 years (mean age, 53 years) participated in the study. Seven patients underwent both color Doppler US and power Doppler US before and after intravenous administration of contrast agent, and two underwent only color Doppler US. All patients had previously undergone cerebral angiography. RESULTS: Before contrast material was administered, power Doppler US was more sensitive than color Doppler US in the detection of intracranial vessels (P < .05); neither technique depicted the entire circle of Willis in eight of nine patients. Postcontrast power Doppler US depicted more vascular segments than postcontrast color Doppler US (P < .01) or precontrast power Doppler US (P < .01). Use of intravenous contrast material enabled the entire circle of Willis to be evaluated from a single temporal bone acoustic window with both power Doppler US and color Doppler US in all patients. Contrast-enhanced power Doppler US depicted vessels not shown by enhanced color Doppler US. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced power Doppler US depicted more vessels, better demonstrated specific vascular segments, and provided better vascular definition of the intracranial vasculature than contrast-enhanced color Doppler US or unenhanced power Doppler US.     

A general method for measurement of the time integral of variant magnetic field gradients: application to 2D spiral imaging

A new method is proposed by which the time integral of time-varying magnetic fields in different voxels can be determined by MRI. A further processing step is employed which enables the integral of the magnetic field gradients experienced by groups of voxels to be deduced. Analysis of the theoretical background and complete simulations have been used to assess the limitations of the technique and the method is applied to the measurement of a 2D spiral k-space trajectory and also of its 1D components. These measured trajectories have been used to reconstruct images from experimental spiral-scan raw data of a phantom acquired using the 2D spiral k-space trajectory. Comparisons of the resulting images are made with the image reconstructed using the corresponding theoretical trajectory. The importance of the repeatability, reliability and accuracy of the technique is demonstrated.