Are individuals with lower neutrophil oxidative burst activity more prone to Helicobacter pylori infection?

Helicobacter pylori infection has been reported to cause enhanced reactive oxygen species in the gastric mucosa. We examined the relationship between H. pylori infection and neutrophil function of peripheral blood. The subjects were 904 volunteers who participated in the Iwaki Health Promotion Project in 2005. 158 subjects who were infected with H. pylori in 2005 also participated in this project in 2006 and were categorized into two groups: the eradication group, in which H. pylori was successfully eradicated during the 12 month period, and the non‐eradication group, in which eradication was unsuccessful or the subjects did not receive eradication therapy. The laboratory assays performed were: a titre of H. pylori antibody; neutrophil counts; and oxidative burst activity (OBA) of neutrophils. Logistic regression analysis was executed, with H. pylori infection as the dependent variable and other items as the independent variables. OBA showed an inverse association with H. pylori infection in 2005. Additionally, when comparing the eradication and non‐eradication groups, the change rates of OBA between 2005 and 2006 did not show any significant difference. It was concluded that H. pylori infection does not lower OBA, but those individuals in whom OBA was lower were more prone to H. pylori infection. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Physiological Properties of Yeast Cells Grown in the Proteolipid-Supplemented Media

Koji mold proteolipid (PL), a high concentration alcohol-producing factor, promoted yeast growth, and also affected the physiological properties of yeast cells: in the conditions of statical cultures, the cells grown anaerobically in PL-supplemented media showed the highest fermentative activity and the highest alcohol-durability by the dipping method in 20% alcohol for 48 hr, at 20°C, that was similar to moromi (main mash) yeasts in Japanese sake brewing; the cells grown in the stationary culture (with cotton plug) supplemented with PL showed the lowest fermentative activity and relatively low alcohol-durability, similar to moto (seed mash) yeasts; the cells grown anaerobically in PL-unsupplemented media showed high fermentative activity but the lowest alcohol-durability.     

Mutagenicity of ptaquiloside, the carcinogen in bracken, and its related illudane-type sesquiterpenes I. Mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium

Ptaquiloside, a potent carcinogen of an illudane-type sesquiterpene glycoside isolated from Pteridium aquilium, and its related compounds, hypolosides having the same nucleus isolated from the Pteridaceae, exhited marked mutagenicity in the modified Ames test with Salmonella typhimurian TA98 and A100 using a preincubation at pH 8.5 Illudins M and S, sesquiterpenes of the same illudane type from basidiomycetes, also exhibited mutagenicity. The structural requirements for mutagenicity are discussed.