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In spite of the widespread use of rats in gastrointestinal research, there is a lack of information on the qualitative and quantitative histological characteristics. Therefore, a study was performed in 69 male Wistar rats with ages ranging from one day to one year old. The features studied included: height and number of villi in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum, and depth and number of crypts in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and rectum. Morphometric observations were expressed in a mathematical logarithmic curve that showed a normal pattern of intestinal growth for each intestinal level. The number of villi in the small intestine decreased from 1 to 3S days of age, whereas the other intestinal parameters all increased during the same period. After 3S days the rates of increase or decrease were lower. The quantification of these intestinal changes provides a new complementary pattern as a reference for research as indicators of normality or malfunction in the rat intestine. Keywords Intestine; histology; postnatal development; villi; cryptsThe intestine undergoes an array of adaptative changes during postnatal development, similar to other organs. In the intestinal mucosa, these changes occur largely in structures related to the exchange and absorption processes, such as villi, crypts, enterocytes and microvilli. The morphological and biochemical changes that occur in the human intestinal mucosa under different physiological and pathological conditions, have been studied using the rat as a model system. These include colitis IRachmilewitz et al. 1993), ulcers (Matsumoto et al. 1994),' enteritis (Pothoulakis et al. 1993

Mexican children respond to H. pylori infection with a low inflammatory response, a balanced increase of T and B lymphocytes, and a high regenerative activity.

Background The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promote HIV testing every six months among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) to facilitate entry into the HIV prevention and care continuum. Willingness to be tested may be influenced by testing services’ quality. Using a novel mystery shopper methodology, we assessed YMSM’s testing experiences in three cities and recommend service delivery improvements. Methods We assessed YMSM’s experiences at HIV testing sites in Philadelphia (n=30), Atlanta (n=17), and Houston (n=19). YMSM (18–24) were trained as mystery shoppers and each site was visited twice. After each visit, shoppers completed a quality assurance (QA) survey to evaluate their experience. Data were pooled across sites, normed as percentages, and compared across cities. Results Across cites, visits averaged 30 minutes (sd=25.5) and were perceived as welcoming and friendly (70.9%). YMSM perceived most sites respected their privacy and confidentiality (84.3%). YMSM noted deficiencies in providers’ competencies with sexual minorities (63.4%) and comfort during the visit (65.7%). Sites underperformed on LGBT visibility (49.6%) and medical forms inclusivity (57.95%). Sites on average did not discuss YMSM’s relationship context (49.8%) nor provide risk reduction counseling (56.8%) or safer sex education (24.3%). Sites delivered PrEP information and counseling inconsistently (58.8%). Conclusions Testing sites’ variable performance underscores the importance of improving HIV testing services for YMSM. Strategies are recommended for testing sites to promote cultural sensitivity: funding staff trainings, creating systems to assess adherence to testing guidelines and best practices, and implementing new service delivery models.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections claim more than a million lives each year and better treatments or vaccines are required. A crucial pathogenicity factor is translocation from the phago-lysosomes to the cytosol upon phagocytosis by macrophages. The translocation from the phago-lysosome into the cytosol is an ESX-1 dependent process as previously shown in vitro. Here we show that in vivo, mycobacteria also translocate to the cytosol but mainly when host immunity is compromised. We observed only low numbers of cytosolic bacilli in mice, armadillo, zebrafish and patient material infected with M. tuberculosis, M. marinum or M. leprae. In contrast, when innate or adaptive immunity was compromised, as in SCID or IL-1R1 deficient mice, a significant number of cytosolic M. tuberculosis bacilli were detected in lungs of infected mice. Taken together, the cytosolic localization of mycobacteria in vivo is controlled by adaptive immune responses as well as IL-1R1-mediated host resistance to M. tuberculosis.

: Obesity and asthma are two conditions that are considered a global health problem. There has been an increased number of the obese patient population and different factors could contribute to the development of this disease such as changes in lifestyle, poor physical activity, and or genetics. Obesity, as a co-morbidity of asthma, could contribute to the aggravation of it or to the progress and exacerbation. This could lead to asthma-related hospitalizations and ICU admissions. Understanding the pathophysiology of those two diseases is helpful in the decision-making process of the management. The main goal is of the therapy is reducing the exacerbation symptoms and or the ICU length-stay, which could depend on the type of mechanical ventilation used on the patient.

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