Lactobacillus reuteri tablets suppress Helicobacter pylori infection--a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled cross-over clinical study

We studied the effect of Lactobacillus reuteri strain SD2112 Tablets Reuterina (ERINA Co., Inc.), in suppressing H. pylori urease activity and to use the urea breath test (UBT) as a marker for the burden of infection. Method 1: Assessment of UBT and H. pylori density. Subjects were 33 H. pylori-positive patients from whom were obtained gastric biopsy specimens by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The correlation between UBT and H. pylori density was investigated. Individual UBT was established for each patient. Patients were divided by H. pylori density was 3 groups: Group I (low-density), Group II (moderate-density), and Group III (high-density). The individual UBTs were then correlated to the established H. pylori quantity. Method 2: Assessment of suppressive effect of L. reuteri on H. pylori urease activity. Subjects were 40 asymptomatic volunteers with an UBT exceeding 15 per thousand, randomly allocated to four groups: Subjects in Group A underwent active treatment for 4 weeks (period 1) and placebo treatment for the following 4 weeks (period 2). These in Group B underwent treatment in reverse order. Those in Group C underwent placebo. Group D consisted of volunteers with negative UBT undergoing active treatment for the full 8 weeks. Result 1: UBT was 11.6+/-2.0 per thousand, 22.1+/-2.6 per thousand, and 35.4+/-7.6 per thousand in Groups I, II, and III, showing UBT that increased significantly (I vs. II: p< 0.01 and I vs. III: p<0.05) based on H. pylori density. Result 2:Significant differences were seen in the decrease in UBT before versus after medication in Groups A and B. In Group A, lower UBT was maintained until the end of the full 8-week period. The overall decrease in UBT due to medication with L. reuteri Tablets was 69.7+/-4.0% (p<0.05). Conclusion: Administration of L. reuteri Tablets [Reuterina (ERINA Co.,Inc.)] significantly decreased UBT in H. pylori-positive subjects, demonstrating that L. reuteri suppresses H. pylori urease activity and H. pylori density.     

Treatment of asthma in smokers: A questionnaire survey in Japanese clinical practice

Background

Cigarette smoking in patients with asthma leads to poor symptom control. As patients who are current smokers have been excluded from enrollment in many clinical trials on asthma, there are few reports on the treatment in current smokers with asthma. In this study, we aimed to assess how respiratory physicians manage asthma in current smokers in Japan.

抑制型抗TSH抗独特型抗体的发现及其意义

本实验用家兔抗TSH抗体免疫同种异型匹配的家兔,得到抗TSH抗独特型抗血清。其中抗独特型抗血清No.551可抑制~(125)I TSH与甲状腺细胞膜TSH受体的结合达24％(TBII阳性),并可抑制100μU/ml bTSH刺激的cAMP释放达60.5％,与TBII阳性粘液水肿病人血清中的甲状腺刺激抑制型免疫球蛋白(TSII)相似。而正常兔血清、其他抗独特型血清及No.551家兔的免疫前血清均无此活性。     

苦参补中健胃作用的药理学实验研究

为探讨苦参补中健胃及防治胃肠疾患的药理基础,本文利用小肠炭末推进试验及盐酸—乙醇所致急性胃损伤模型,对苦参甲醇提取物及其所含成分Kurarinone和Norkurarinone进行了研究。结果证明,苦参甲醇提取物、Kurarinone及Norkurarinone经口灌胃给药均能增强小鼠小肠推进功能,防治盐酸—乙醇所致大鼠急性胃粘膜损伤。     

Coptidis Rhizoma Water Extract Stimulates 5'-AMP-Activated Protein Kinase in Rat Skeletal Muscle

AIM:Coptidis Rhizoma(CR),the dried rhizomes of Asian herbs(including Coptis chinensis Franch),has been used to treat diabetes mellitus for thousands of years.We explored the possibility that CR acts directly on skeletal muscle,the major organ responsible for glucose homeostasis,and activates 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK),a signaling intermediary leading to metabolic enhancement of skeletal muscle.METHODS:Isolated rat epitrochlearis and soleus muscles were incubated in a buffer containing a CR water ...     

Heterogeneity of class I and class II MHC sequences in Schistosoma mansoni

We investigated the genetic variations in class I and class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes of Schistosoma mansoni and the effects of host MHC genotypes. S. mansoni was maintained in combinations of two mouse strains with different MHC genotypes, and the MHC gene sequences of the cercariae were investigated. The detected class I MHC gene sequences were variable, with high similarity between the H-2D^b murine host and the parasite. For other combinations, however, the parasite sequence was homologous to those of anthropoids. All class II MHC sequences detected in S. mansoni were homologous to those of anthropoids. Our results suggest that the genetic variation in the MHC sequences of S. mansoni is derived in part from the current host, indicating horizontal transfer of the sequences from mammal to parasite.     

Ultrastructural and Cytochemical Observations on Phagocytosis Periods of Macrophage in Mouse Thymus

Ultrastructural changes of macrophages in mouse thymus during diges-tive process of exogenous material(heterophagy)and endogenous material(autophagy)were investigated with cytoehemieal demonstration of acidphosphatase(AcPase)activity.During the phagocytosis of maerophage,an apparent periodic change could be observed in the lysosomal system.According to this periodic change,we proposed a new concept of phago-cytosis period.This period could be divided into 2 stages,heterophago-eytosis stage and autophagocytosis stage.The main feature of heteropha-goeytosis stage was that the activity of phagocytosis was increased,a largenumber of irregular_shaped(transformed)heterophagolysosomes(HPL)were formed,then many small lysosomes were formed by budding and pin-ching-off from the transformed HPL.In the autophagocytosis stage,a lotof small lysosomes were wrapped by the transformed HPL.It was shownthat in the autophagocytosis stage the autophagy of macrophage was a pha-nomenon of self-phagocytosis of HPL.