Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Biogenics for the Stomach

Recently, many studies concerning probiotics, prebiotics, and biogenics have been performed, whereas only a few are related to the stomach (about 2% as publication number). In this chapter, we focus on recent studies on probiotics, prebiotics, and biogenics for the stomach and also describe our recent research on a novel strain of lactobacillus beneficial to stomach, Lactobacillus johnsonii No.1088 (LJ88). As probiotics for the stomach, some beneficial strains were summarized, and underlying mechanisms of anti-Helicobacter pylori activity were discussed. Prebiotics for the stomach were considered as a future potential target, since no indigenous bacteria beneficial to the stomach have been found to date. As biogenics, some plant-derived candidates were discussed. In this context, recent results on LJ88 lactobacillus were presented. Orally administered LJ88 inhibited H. pylori growth and the increase in the number of gastrin-producing cells, which side effect is caused by triple therapy for H. pylori. LJ88 had no resistance to typical antibiotics, and both living and heat-killed forms of it increased the number of bifidobacteria among human intestinal-microbiota in mice. These results suggest that LJ88 is a lactobacillus beneficial to both stomach and intestine as a probiotic and biogenic

Public Health Research Ethics: Clinical Registries and Informed Consent

Epidemiologic studies using data collected through disease surveillance or clinical registries improve public health practice. Principles of human research ethics such as the Belmont report and the Declaration of Helsinki have been developed to prevent harm from medical experiments. Those who prepared these principles may not have imagined that the day would arrive when information technology would be so widely available and endemic chronic diseases would become one of the major interests of public health. Some key questions that have now become growing areas of interest include: How to deal with epidemiologic studies which impose minimal risk but which require access to medical records or personal information; how to balance the public good that will result from large epidemiologic studies and protection of privacy In this master’s paper, I reviewed the historical development of research ethics, informed consent, and protection of privacy related to health information, and how they affect the conduct of epidemiologic studies. I discussed the application of research ethics principles and proposed better ways to solve the ethical dilemma between protection of privacy and pursuing the public good through epidemiologic studies, especially using data from medical records and clinical registries. As a result of this review and in consideration of dilemmas regarding the protection of patient privacy and the need for efficient access to data, I developed a set of eight proposals for the ethical use of existing data in medical records or clinical registries in epidemiological and other public health studies.Master of Public Healt

Design and implementation of a linear motor for multi-car elevators

The multi-car elevator system is a revolutionary new technology for high-rise buildings, promising outstanding economic benefits, but also requiring new technology for propulsion, safety and control. In this paper we report on experimental results with new components for linear motor driven multi-car elevators. We show that linear synchronous motors with optimized design and with our new safety and control system can be considered as core components of a new generation of elevator systems. The main new results concern the development of a safety system integrated into the propulsion system, the design methodology of a linear motor optimized for the multi-car elevator task, and the motion control system that is expected to be usable for extra high-rise buildings

CMB Fluctuations and String Compactification Scales

We propose a mechanism for the generation of temperature fluctuations of cosmic microwave background. We consider a large number of fields, such as Kaluza-Klein modes and string excitations. Each field contributes to the gravitational potential by a small amount, but an observable level of temperature fluctuations is achieved by summing up the contribution of typically of order 10^{14} fields. Tensor fluctuations are hardly affected by these fields. Our mechanism is based on purely quantum effects, and is different from the "slow-roll" or "curvaton" scenario. Using the observed data, we find constraints on the parameters of this model, such as the size of the extra dimensions and the string scale. Our model predicts a particular pattern of non-gaussianity with a small magnitude.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; v2: Corrected a mistake in eq. (11), which does not affect the subsequent context. Added a comment on inflaton fluctuations at the end of the paper. Final version to appear in Phys. Lett.

Phellinus linteus Extract Augments the Immune Response in Mitomycin C-Induced Immunodeficient Mice

Phellinus linteus is a fungus distributed throughout Japan, Korea and China. Boiled water-soluble extracts from P. linteus (PLW) have shown anti-tumor and immunomodulatory properties in experiments done by intraperitoneal treatment, or in in vitro cell cultures. This is the first investigation on how oral administration of PLW influences immune responses. Here, we established immunodeficient mice by mitomycin C (MMC) and then researched how PLW influenced plaque-forming cell (PFC) production and populations of cytokine [interferon- (IFNγ-) and interleukin-4 (IL-4)]-producing T lymphocytes. PLW samples were administered orally for 19 days (1, 2 or 4 g/kg/day). PFC assay was followed using Jerne's method. IFN- and IL-4-producing T lymphocyte populations were measured by flow-activated cell sorter (FACS). These assays were conducted the day after the last oral administration. MMC groups were given MMC (1 mg/kg/day) intraperitoneally for 6 days with PLW administration. The number of PFC per 106 spleen cells increased significantly in the PLW (2 g/kg/day) group when compared with the MMC-control (P < 0.05) while populations of IFNγ- and IL-4-producing T lymphocytes decreased by MMC treatment. However, the PLW group tended to increase more than the MMC-control. Our results indicated that PLW augments the immune response of the spleen in MMC-induced immunodeficient mice

The Role of Nurse on the Treatment Decision Support for Older People with Cancer: A Systematic Review

Background: The number of older adults with cancer is increasing worldwide. The role of nurses in supporting patients’ decision-making is expanding, as this process is fraught with complexity and uncertainty due to comorbidities, frailty, cognitive decline, etc., in older adults with cancer. The aim of this review was to examine the contemporary roles of oncology nurses in the treatment decision-making process in older adults with cancer. Methods: A systematic review of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Results: Of the 3029 articles screened, 56 full texts were assessed for eligibility, and 13 were included in the review. We identified three themes regarding nurses’ roles in the decision-making process for older adults with cancer: accurate geriatric assessments, provision of available information, and advocacy. Nurses conduct geriatric assessments to identify geriatric syndromes, provide appropriate information, elicit patient preferences, and communicate efficiently with patients and caregivers, promoting physicians. Time constraints were cited as a barrier to fulfilling nurses’ roles. Conclusions: The role of nurses is to elicit patients’ broader health and social care needs to facilitate patient-centered decision-making, respecting their preferences and values. Further research focusing on the role of nurses that considers diverse cancer types and healthcare systems is needed

Evaluation on dynamic performance of glulam frame structure composed of slotted bolted connection system

World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE 2014), Quebec City, Canada, 10-14 August 2014.Earthquake-resisting performance of glulam frame structure was evaluated by shaking table tests on a specially designed glulam “double cross shape” specimen composed of slotted bolted connection (SBC) system. By the first vibration test using sinusoidal wave having a maximum acceleration of 800gal, the specimen survived until 80% level of input waves without damage. After renewing SBC system, the second vibration test was done on a same specimen using the JMA-Kobe NS waves having a PGA of 818gal. The specimen survived until 80% level of input without damage but slightly failed by the panel-shear when 100% level was inputted. Earthquake-resisting performance of glulam moment-resisting joints composed of SBC system was considered as satisfactory enough for ductile joint system, but improvement of panel-shear of glulam member itself was recognized as a future research need

Increased Ratio of Non-mercaptalbumin-1 Among Total Plasma Albumin Demonstrates Potential Protein Undernutrition in Adult Rats

The redox state of plasma albumin shifts in response to dietary protein intake in growing rats, and the shift is more sensitive than that of plasma albumin level, a classical marker of protein nutritional status. While it has been suggested that plasma albumin redox state could be useful as a novel marker of protein nutritional status, the above animal model is highly sensitive to dietary protein intake and the observation may not be extrapolated widely to humans. This study aimed to investigate whether albumin redox state also reflects protein nutritional status in adult rats, which have a lower dietary protein requirement and are less responsive to protein intake. Male adult rats were placed on AIN-93M diet (14% casein), or AIN-93M-based low protein diets (10 or 5% casein) ad libitum for 24 weeks. Whereas there was no significant difference in body weight between the groups at the end of the experimental period, the 5% casein diet group had the smallest gastrocnemius muscle weight among the groups, which was significantly lower than that of the 10% casein diet group. Plasma albumin level was also lower in the 5% casein diet group compared with the other groups, but the differences were limited and inconsistent during the experimental period. Among the albumin redox isoforms such as mercaptalbumin, non-mercaptalbumin-1, and non-mercaptalbumin-2, the ratio of non-mercaptalbumin-1 among total albumin was significantly higher in the 5% casein diet group, and the increase remained constant throughout the experimental period. Increased non-mercaptalbumin-1 ratio would thus demonstrate the presence of potential protein undernutrition in adult rats, as manifested only by a decreased gain in a specific type of skeletal muscle; non-mercaptalbumin-1 among total albumin ratio could be useful as a robust marker of protein nutritional status, contributing to prevention of protein undernutrition-related diseases such as frailty and sarcopenia