No abstract

Since the stomach lacks a well-developed ganglionated submucous plexus, the somata of enteric neurones innervating the muscle or the mucosa have to be localised within the myenteric plexus. The aim of this study was to determine the projection pathways and the neurochemical coding of myenteric neurones innervating these different targets in the gastric fundus. Myenteric cell bodies projecting to the mucosa or the circular muscle were retrogradely labelled by mucosa or muscle application of the fluorescent tracer DiI and subsequently characterised by their immunoreactivity for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), substance P (SP) and/or neuropeptide Y (NPY). On average 14391 and 8949 myenteric neurones were labelled from the mucosa and the circular muscle, respectively. DiI-labelled neurones were either ChAT-or NOS-positive. DiI-labelled ChAT-positive neurones were mainly ascending and outnumbered NOS-positive neurones, which were mainly descending (79.36.2% vs 20.76.2% for mucosa neurones; 69.311.1% vs 30.711.1% for muscle neurones). Three ChAT-positive subpopulations (ChAT/±, ChAT/SP, ChAT/NPY) and two NOS-positive subpopulations (NOS/±, NOS/NPY) were found. ChAT/SP neurones projected mainly to the circular muscle (36.111.9% of the cholinergic muscle neurones; mucosa projection: 8.02.1%), whereas ChAT/NPY neurones projected mainly to the mucosa (38.19.2% of the cholinergic mucosa neurones; muscle projection: 5.72.4%). NOS/± cells projected predominantly to the muscle. This study demonstrates polarised pathways in the myenteric plexus consisting of ascending ChAT and descending NOS cells that innervate the circular muscle and the mucosa of the gastric fundus. The ChAT/SP neurones might function as circular muscle motor neurones, whereas ChAT/NPY neurones might represent secretomotor neurones.

Subclinical ketosis is a metabolic disorder which often goes undiagnosed and leads to constricted performance and an impairment of general condition. In the current study subclinical ketosis was characterised by a β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration of >1·2 mmol/l in blood serum. To generate this metabolic situation, an animal model was created. The model, based on group-specific interaction of dietary energy supply and body condition, is appropriate for testing the medical effectiveness of treating this kind of ketosis and its concomitants. During the trial, 18 dairy cows (primiparous and pluriparous) were assigned, according to their body condition score (BCS) 6 weeks before expected parturition, to a normal [6.78 MJ net energy for lactation (NEL)/kg dry matter; 20% concentrate] or to a high-energy feeding group (7·71 MJ NEL/kg dry matter; 60% concentrate). Therefore cows with the highest BCS were allocated to the high-energy group to enhance the contrast with the control group. Statistical analysis was done using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Effects were declared significant when P-values were ⩽0.05. Owing to the higher energy concentration and dry matter intake, the energy intake and balance was significantly higher in the high-energy feeding group, with strong effects on lipid metabolism and health in blood and liver post partum. Within the first 2 weeks after calving, 8 out of 9 cows (89%) of the high-energy group had BHB values indicative of subclinical ketosis. These cows also had significantly higher values of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), aspartate transaminase (AST) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) post partum, as well as a raised total lipid content of the liver. RQUICKI, a calculated parameter which is based on serum concentrations of glucose, insulin and NEFA to assess the insulin sensitivity, was not affected by treatment. Therefore, RQUICKI does not seem to be the right parameter for diagnosing decreased insulin sensitivity in cows affected by subclinical ketosis. The milk fat and the fat:protein ratio of the high-energy group was also higher, even though there was no decrease in milk yield for cows with subclinical BHB values.

Magnetic resonance DTI by reduction of FA identified renal pathologies of diabetic nephropathy such as glomerulosclerosis, interstitial fibrosis, and tubular damage. Representing different stages of disease, DM and DM UNX animals could be differentiated. Thus, MR DTI may be valuable for noninvasive detection and monitoring of renal pathology in patients with diabetes.