Sucrose co-administration reduces the toxic effect of lectin on gut permeability and intestinal bacterial colonization.

INTRODUCTION: Legume lectins can have toxic effects when consumed without adequate cooking, occasionally leading to an acute gastroenteritis. Lectins are sugar binging proteins and may use this property to execute their toxic effects; these toxic effects may be secondary to increased gut bacteria and intestinal permeability. However, whether or not sucrose rescues these toxic effects by decreasing gut bacterial concentration and intestinal permeability is unknown. AIM: Our aim was to test the hypothesis that sucrose may reduce toxic effects of legume lectins by protecting barrier function, bacterial overgrowth and bacterial translocation. METHODS: Twenty-four rats were randomized to an ad libitum diet of either standard rat chow, a chow containing 26% crude red kidney beans or a chow containing 26% crude red kidney beans supplemented with 1 mM sucrose in drinking water for 24 h. After 12-h fast, rats were gavaged with sugar probes; breath gas and urine were collected for 5 h. Intestine and liver tissues were then collected. Mucosa-associated total bacterial count were measured by targeting the 16s rRNA gene. Four groups of in vitro Caco-2 cell lines were treated with PBS, 200 µg/ml phytohemagglutinin (PHA), 1 mM sucrose and both 200 µg/ml PHA and 1 mM sucrose, respectively, and trans-epithelial resistance was measured. RESULTS: Rats fed crude red kidney beans for 24 h showed significant weight loss when compared to controls (P < 0.05), as well as increased intestinal permeability (P < 0.05), increased bacterial load (P < 0.05) and increased bacterial translocation to the liver (P < 0.05). Sucrose rescues the drop in trans-epithelial resistance due to PHA in CaCO2-cells (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Sucrose reduced crude red kidney beans induced increase in intestinal permeability, bacterial load and translocation. Since red kidney beans are an important source of dietary protein in the world, their potential toxicity when inadequately cooked may be rescued by a suitable complementary diet.

Are you ready to become a robo-surgeon?

Robotic and minimally invasive surgery represents the future of modern surgical care. However, its role during the training of surgical residents has yet to be investigated. A previous study conducted by our group surveyed program directors at accredited general surgery training programs in the United States to determine the prevalence and application of robotics in their residency programs. This current study is a follow-up survey sent to residents across the United States to see whether they were being adequately trained and exposed to robotic surgery during their training. A survey was sent to 1800 general surgery residents, and their responses were tabulated and analyzed. Twenty-three per cent of the 1800 residents responded to our survey. An overwhelming 57 per cent of the responders indicated a high interest in robotic surgery. However, 80 per cent of the responders indicated not having a robotic training program. Robotic surgery has led to many promising advancements within the surgical subspecialties. With this emerging technology comes the need for a greater emphasis on the training of surgeons in robotics during their residency.