Vampyroteuthis infernalis is a cosmopolitan cephalopod that lives in the oxygen minimum layer between 600 and 800 m depth. Morphometric and physiological studies have indicated that V. infernalis has little capacity for jet propulsion and has the lowest metabolic rate ever measured for a cephalopod. Because fin swimming is inherently more efficient than jet propulsion, some of the reduction in ...

It is vital to maintaining a constant direction during locomotion. Turning in walking is triggered by the impulse from the leg located outside its rotation axis. Then, the centre of gravity is relocated in the direction of an inside limb [1]. It is commonly believed that similar correlation can be observed in swimming. Greater propulsion forces produced by the right limbs cause turning left. Th...

Objective: The present study to carry out the anti-diarrhoeal activity of leaf extracts of Cardiospermum halicacabum and Dodonea viscosa in different experimental models of diarrhoea. Methods: The acute toxicity of the extracts were determined, LD50was calculated according to the “Up and down method” following OECD guidelines No. 425 of CPCSEA. The anti-diarrhoeal potential was assessed by cast...

Background: Fibre treatment often produces gaseous symptoms which have been attributed to fermentation by colonic bacteria with increased gas production. Effects of fibre ingestion on intestinal gas flow are unexplored. Aims: We aimed to test the hypothesis that consumption of a high fibre diet retards gas transit. Subjects: Ten healthy volunteers participated. Methods: To investigate the effec...

A novel neuropeptide spexin was found to be broadly expressed in various endocrine and nervous tissues while little is known about its functions. This study investigated the role of spexin in bowel movement and the underlying mechanisms. In functional constipation (FC) patients, serum spexin levels were significantly decreased. Consistently, in starved mice, the mRNA of spexin was significantly...

The effects of morphine treatment on small intestinal propulsion and contractile activity were investigated in unanesthetized rats. Intragastrically, s.c. and i.c.v. administered morphine produced dose-related decreases in the transit of a radioactive marker (51Cr) through the small intestine. Morphine was most potent after i.c.v. administration whereas the intragastric route was the least pote...

This study is aimed at evaluating the phytochemical constituents and the antidiarrheal activities of the acetone extract of Acacia sieberiana stem bark. The phytochemical screening was carried out to identify the active constituents present in the acetone extract, and the acute toxicity test was also carried to determine the safety limit of the extract. Gastro intestinal motility and castor oil...

The quest for swimming microrobots originates from possible applications in medicine, especially involving navigation in bodily fluids. Swimming microorganisms have become a source of inspiration because their propulsion mechanisms are effective in the low-Reynolds number regime. In this study, we address a propulsion mechanism inspired by metachronal waves, i.e. the spontaneous coordination of...

BACKGROUND Fibre treatment often produces gaseous symptoms which have been attributed to fermentation by colonic bacteria with increased gas production. Effects of fibre ingestion on intestinal gas flow are unexplored. AIMS We aimed to test the hypothesis that consumption of a high fibre diet retards gas transit. SUBJECTS Ten healthy volunteers participated. METHODS To investigate the eff...

The behaviour of a non-spherical osmotic motor an axisymmetric catalytic particle self-propelling in a dilute dispersion of reactant particles is considered. In concrast to a conventional osmotic motor that creates differences in concentration, and hence in osmotic pressure, due to asymmetry in reaction rate along its surface (e.g. a Janus particle with reactive and non-reactive patches), a non...