Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are a broad class of antibiotics typically prescribed for bacterial infections, including infections for which their use is discouraged. The FDA has proposed the existence of a permanent disability (Fluoroquinolone Associated Disability; FQAD), which is yet to be formally recognized. Previous studies suggest that FQs act as selective GABAA receptor inhibitors, preventing the binding of GABA in the central nervous system. GABA is a key regulator of the vagus nerve, involved in the control of gastrointestinal (GI) function. Indeed, GABA is released from the Nucleus of the Tractus Solitarius (NTS) to the Dorsal Motor Nucleus of the vagus (DMV) to tonically regulate vagal activity. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on FQs in the context of the vagus nerve and examine how these drugs could lead to dysregulated signaling to the GI tract. Since there is sufficient evidence to suggest that GABA transmission is hindered by FQs, it is reasonable to postulate that the vagal circuit could be compromised at the NTS-DMV synapse after FQ use, possibly leading to the development of permanent GI disorders in FQAD.
The elongate body plan is present in many groups of fishes, and this morphology dictates functional consequences seen in swimming behavior. Previous work has shown that increasing the number of vertebrae, or decreasing the intervertebral joint length, in a fixed length artificial system increases stiffness. Tails with increased stiffness can generate more power from tail beats, resulting in an increased mean swimming speed. This demonstrates the impacts of morphology on both material properties and kinematics, establishing mechanisms for form contributing to function. Here, we wanted to investigate relationships between form and ecological function, such as differences in dietary strategies and habitat preferences among fish species. This study aims to characterize and compare the kinematics, material properties, and vertebral morphology of four species of elongate fishes: Anoplarchus insignis, Anoplarchus purpurescens, Xiphister atropurpureus, and Xiphister mucosus. We hypothesized that these properties would differ among the four species due to their differential ecological niches. To calculate kinematic variables, we filmed these fishes swimming volitionally. We also measured body stiffness by bending the abdominal and tail regions of sacrificed individuals in different stages of dissection (whole body, removed skin, removed muscle). Finally, we counted the number of vertebrae from CT scans of each species to quantify vertebral morphology. Principal component and linear discriminant analyses suggested that the elongate fish species can be distinguished from one another by their material properties, morphology, and swimming kinematics. With this information combined, we can draw connections between the physical properties of the fishes and their ecological niches.
Background and Objectives: Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are a broad-spectrum class of antibiotics routinely prescribed for common bacterial infections despite recent recommendations to use them only for life-threatening cases. In addition to their antimicrobial properties, FQs act in the central nervous system as GABAA receptor inhibitors, which could potentially affect functionality of the vagus nerve at the forefront of gastrointestinal (GI) tract function. Alterations in neural control of digestion have been shown to be linked to Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs), which are usually diagnosed based on self-reported symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of FGIDs following FQ use. Materials and Methods: Self-reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System were analyzed together with ~300 survey responses from a social network derived sample to the Bowel Disease Questionnaire. Results: The results of this study suggested that six different FQs are associated with a wide range of GI symptoms not currently reported in the drugs’ labels. The responses from the survey suggested that ~70% of FQ users scored positive for FGID, with no positive correlation between drug type, duration of administration, dosage and frequency of administration. Conclusions: This study showed that GI disorders other than nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are more common than currently reported on the drug labels, and that FGIDs are possibly a common consequence of FQ use even after single use.
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