Probiotics and Upper Respiratory Tract - a Review

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Objective measurement of image quality in fluoroscopic x-ray equipment: FluoroQuality

The report describes FluoroQuality, a computer program that is developed in STUK and used for measuring the image quality in medical fluoroscopic equipment. The method is based on the statistical decision theory (SDT) and the main measurement result is given in terms of the accumulation rate of the signal-to-noise ratio squared (SNR2 rate). In addition to this quantity several other quantities are measured. These quantities include the SNR of single image frames, the spatio-temporal noise power spectrum and the temporal lag. The measurement method can be used, for example, for specifying the image quality in fluoroscopic images, for optimising the image quality and dose rate in fluoroscopy and for quality control of fluoroscopic equipment. The theory behind the measurement method is reviewed and the measurement of the various quantities is explained. An example of using the method for optimising a specified fluoroscopic procedure is given. The User’s Manual of the program is included as an appendix. The program is available free of charge for research work and program evaluation purposes by contacting the author

Probiootit ylähengitysteissä : tarttuminen, teho ja turvallisuus

Upper respiratory infections are among the most common ailments in humans. Evidence for mechanisms suggests that specific probiotic bacteria could reduce the risk and symptoms of these infections. However, the clinical evidence of probiotics in the upper respiratory tract, especially when colonization and the etiological effects are considered, is sparse. In addition, the safety of probiotics requires constant assessment. This thesis investigated the recovery of probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (L. GG) from the upper respiratory tract and its effects on pathogens in this tract. In addition, the thesis assessed the adverse events of L. GG alone or in combination with other probiotics (Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 [BB12], or Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lc705 [Lc705], Propionibacterium freudenreichii JS [PJS], and/or Bifidobacterium breve 99 [BB99]). In a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, 40 children consumed per oral L. GG or a placebo (1:1) prior to surgery in which their adenoids were removed and a possible middle ear effusion (MEE) was collected. L. GG was recovered from both the adenoid tissue and MEE, but it did not affect the findings of human rhinovirus (HRV) or enterovirus (EV) in the samples compared to the placebo. In addition, the analysis of the bacterial pathogens in the MEE showed similarities in both intervention groups. No differences between the groups emerged in respiratory or gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms prior to the surgery or in pain or bleeding after the surgery. In another randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, an experimental HRV infection model was used in 59 healthy adult volunteers to investigate the effects of the oral consumption of live, heat-inactivated L. GG on the HRV load in nasopharyngeal lavage samples. The correlation of the HRV load to the subjects clinical symptom scores was assessed. The use of live or inactivated L. GG did not result in statistical differences in the HRV load, but a tendency to lower loads in the L. GG groups was noted. The HRV load positively correlated with the total symptom scores on day 2 and day 5 after inoculation. In the fourth study, individual participant data from six randomized placebo-controlled probiotic studies were analyzed for adverse events (AEs), as distributed by the Common Terminology Criteria of Adverse Events (CTCAE). Data on 1,909 healthy subjects, including children, young adults, and elderly participants, revealed no statistical differences in AEs between the groups that consumed L. GG alone, L. GG in combination, or the placebo. A detailed analysis of three specific categories (respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and infections) did not yield any statistical differences in AEs between the probiotic and placebo groups. Based on the results, we concluded that L. GG was able to colonize the upper respiratory tract, but it had no effects on the levels of viral or bacterial pathogens or on the frequency of clinical symptoms in the subjects during either the intervention or the follow-up period. The nasopharyngeal HRV load was positively correlated with the subjects total symptom score. The use of L. GG alone or in combination did not result in AEs in the population of healthy children, young adults, and elderly participants.Ylähengitystieinfektiot ovat yleisimpiä ihmiskunnan sairauksia. Tutkimuksissa on saatu viitteitä tiettyjen probioottisten bakteerien vähentävän sairastumisriskiä ylähengitystieinfektioihin ja toisaalta myös vähentävän infektion oireita. Probioottien tarttumisesta ylähengitysteiden limakalvolle sekä niiden vaikutuksista taudinaiheuttajiin on vain vähän tietoa. Lisäksi probioottivalmisteiden käytön turvallisuus on tarpeen arvioida. Tässä väitöskirjassa tutkittiin probiootti Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG:n (L. GG) tarttumista ylähengitysteiden limakalvoille ja sen vaikutuksia ylähengitysteiden taudinaiheuttajiin. Lisäksi tutkittiin L. GG:n ja neljän muun probiootin mahdollisia haittavaikutuksia verrattuna plaseboon. Satunnaistetussa, kaksoissokkoutetussa plasebo-kontrolloidussa tutkimuksessa tutkittiin 40 lasta, jotka käyttivät suun kautta L. GG- tai plasebo-valmistetta ennen kitarisan poistoleikkausta. Samalla mahdollinen välikorvaerite kerättiin talteen. L. GG:tä löydettiin sekä kitarisakudoksesta että välikorvaeritteestä, mutta L. GG:n käyttö ei vaikuttanut kitarisan tai välikorvaeritteen rinovirus- tai enteroviruslöydöksiin verrattuna plaseboon. Myös välikorvaeritteen bakteerilöydökset olivat samanlaiset molemmissa ryhmissä. Lasten kokemissa oireissa ei myöskään havaittu eroja ryhmien välillä tutkimuspäiväkirjojen mukaan. Toisessa satunnaistetussa, kaksoissokkoutetussa plasebo-kontrolloidussa tutkimuksessa aiheutettiin rinovirus-infektio 59 tutkimushenkilölle, joiden nenänielunäytteistä tutkittiin L. GG:n vaikutusta rinoviruksen pitoisuuteen. Lisäksi tutkittiin tutkimushenkilön kokemien flunssaoireiden verrannollisuutta viruspitoisuuteen. Elävällä tai kuolleella L. GG:llä ei havaittu tilastollisesti merkitsevää eroa nenänielun rinoviruspitoisuuteen verrattuna plaseboon. Positiivinen verrannollisuus löydettiin virusmäärän ja oireiden välillä: mitä korkeampi virusmäärä, sitä voimakkaammat oireet. Neljännessä osatyössä tutkimusryhmämme kuuden aiemman satunnaistetun ja plasebo-kontrolloidun probioottitutkimuksen alkuperäisaineistot avattiin ja tutkittiin niistä probioottien ja plasebovalmisteen haittavaikutukset. Kaikki havaitut vaikutukset jaoteltiin tunnettujen haittavaikutuskriteereiden mukaisesti. Otoskoko oli 1909 tervettä lasta, nuorta aikuista ja vanhusta, jotka käyttivät L. GG:tä, probioottiyhdistelmää tai plaseboa. Tutkimushenkilöiden kokemissa haittavaikutuksissa ei havaittu eroja ryhmien välillä. Johtopäätöksenä todetaan, että L. GG tarttui ylähengitysteiden limakalvoille, mutta sillä ei ollut vaikutusta ylähengitysteiden virus- tai bakteerilöydöksiin, eikä kliinisten oireiden esiintyvyyteen. Nenänielun rinovirusmäärä oli positiivisesti verrannollinen flunssan oireiden hankaluuteen. Tutkittujen probioottivalmisteiden käyttö todettiin turvalliseksi

Comparative study of ranavirus isolates from cod (Gadus morhua) and turbot (Psetta maxima) with reference to other ranaviruses

Two iridovirus isolates recovered from cod (Gadus morhua) and turbot (Psetta maxima) in Denmark were examined in parallel with a panel of other ranaviruses including frog virus 3 (FV3), the reference strain for the genus Ranavirus. The isolates were assessed according to their reactivity in immunofluoresent antibody tests (IFAT) using both homologous and heterologous antisera and their amplification in PCR using primers targeting five genomic regions. The corresponding PCR fragments were sequenced, and the sequences obtained were used in phylogenetic analysis. In addition, the pathogenicity to rainbow trout under experimental challenge conditions was investigated. The viruses were serologically and genetically closely related to highly pathogenic ranaviruses such as European catfish iridovirus (ECV), European sheatfish iridovirus (ESV) and epizootic haematopoietic necrosis virus (EHNV). The challenge trials indicate that rainbow trout fry cultured at 15 C are not target species for the virus isolates in the present panel. We suggest that the two isolates belong in the genus Ranavirus and propose the name Ranavirus maxima (Rmax) for the turbot isolate

Genotyping and surveillance for scrapie in Finnish sheep

BACKGROUND: The progression of scrapie is known to be influenced by the amino acid polymorphisms of the host prion protein (PrP) gene. There is no breeding programme for TSE resistance in sheep in Finland, but a scrapie control programme has been in place since 1995. In this study we have analysed PrP genotypes of total of 928 purebred and crossbred sheep together with the data of scrapie survey carried out in Finland during 2002–2008 in order to gain knowledge of the genotype distribution and scrapie prevalence in Finnish sheep. RESULTS: The ARQ/ARQ genotype was the most common genotype in all breeds studied. ARR allele frequency was less than 12% in purebred Finnish sheep and in most genotypes heterozygous for ARR, the second allele was ARQ. The VRQ allele was not detected in the Grey race sheep of Kainuu or in the Aland sheep, and it was present in less than 6% of the Finnish Landrace sheep. Leucine was the most prominent amino acid found in codon 141. In addition, one novel prion dimorphisms of Q220L was detected. During the scrapie survey of over 15 000 sheep in 2002–2008, no classical scrapie cases and only five atypical scrapie cases were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the Finnish sheep populations have genetically little resistance to classical scrapie, but no classical scrapie was detected during an extensive survey in 2002–2008. However, five atypical scrapie cases emerged; thus, the disease is present in the Finnish sheep population at a low level