Changes in patients' symptoms and gastric emptying after Helicobacter pylori treatment

AIM: To investigate the changes in clinical symptoms and gastric emptying and their association in functional dyspepsia(FD) patients.METHODS: Seventy FD patients were enrolled and divided into 2 groups Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori)-negative group(28 patients), and H. pylori-positive group(42 patients). Patients in the H. pylori-positive group were further randomly divided into groups: H. pylori-treatment group(21 patients) and conventional treatment group(21 patients). Seventy two healthy subjects were selected as the control group. The proximal and distal stomach area was measured by ultrasound immediately after patients took the test meal, and at 20, 40, 60 and 90 min; then, gastric half-emptying time was calculated. The incidence of symptoms and gastric half-emptying time between the FD and control groups were compared. The H. pylori-negative and conventional treatment groups were givenconventional treatment: domperidone 0.6 mg/(kg/d) for 1 mo. The H. pylori-treatment group was given H. pylori eradication treatment + conventional treatment: lansoprazole 30 mg once daily, clarithromycin 0.5 g twice daily and amoxicillin 1.0 g twice daily for 1 wk, then domperidone 0.6 mg/(kg/d) for 1 mo. The incidence of symptoms and gastric emptying were compared between the FD and control groups. The relationship between dyspeptic symptoms and gastric half-emptying time in the FD and control groups were analyzed. Then total symptom scores before and after treatment and gastric half-emptying time were compared among the 3 groups. RESULTS: The incidence of abdominal pain, epigastric burning sensation, abdominal distension, nausea, belching, and early satiety symptoms in the FD group were significantly higher than in the control group(50.0% vs 20.8%; 37.1% vs 12.5%; 78.6% vs 44.4%; 45.7% vs 22.2%; 52.9% vs 15.3%; 57.1% vs 19.4%; all P < 0.05). The gastric half-emptying times of the proximal end, distal end, and the whole stomach in the FD group were slower than in the control group(93.7 ± 26.2 vs 72.0 ± 14.3; 102.2 ± 26.4 vs 87.5 ± 18.2; 102.1 ± 28.6 vs 78.3 ± 14.1; all P < 0.05). Abdominal distension, belching and early satiety had an effect on distal gastric half-emptying time(P < 0.05). Abdominal distension and abdominal pain had an effect on the gastric half-emptying time of the whole stomach(P < 0.05). All were risk factors(odds ratio > 1). The total symptom score of the 3 groups after treatment was lower than before treatment(P < 0.05). Total symptom scores after treatment in the H. pylori-treatment group and H. pylori-negative group were lower than in the conventional treatment group(5.15 ± 2.27 vs 7.02 ± 3.04, 4.93 ± 3.22 vs 7.02 ± 3.04, All P < 0.05). The gastric half-emptying times of the proximal end, distal end, and the whole stomach in the H. pylori-negative and H. pylori-treatment groups were shorter than in the conventional treatment group(P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: FD patients have delayed gastric emptying. H. pylori infection treatment helps to improve symptoms of dyspepsia and is a reasonable choice for treatment in clinical practice.

Ferruginol alleviates inflammation in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice through inhibiting COX-2, MMP-9 and NF-κB signaling

Objective:To assess the anti-inflammatory efficacy of ferruginol on dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)stimulated ulcerative colitis mice.Methods:Ulcerative colitis was induced in C57 BL/6 J mice by administering 2%of DSS through drinking water for 7 d.The mice in the treatment group were treated with DAA+50 mg/kg/day ferruginol orally.In the positive control group,sulfasalazine(50 mg/kg/day)was used alongside with DSS.After induction,the bodyweight,character of stool and feces occult blood were recorded daily,the disease activity index was calculated,and the colon length,colon weight,and spleen weight were recorded.The myeloperoxidase activity was assayed by spectrophotometry.Interleukin(IL)-6,IL-1β,and tumor necrosis factor-αwere determined by ELISA method,and nuclear factor-κB,cyclooxygenase-2,matrix metalloproteinases-9,and inducible nitric oxide synthase by Western blotting assays.Results:Ferruginol significantly increased the bodyweight,colon weight,colon length,and decreased disease activity index and spleen weight.It exhibited anti-inflammatory activity against DSS induced ulcerative colitis in mice by reducing the activities of myeloperoxidase,tumor necrosis factor-α,nuclear factor-κB,IL-1β,cyclooxygenase-2,matrix metalloproteinases-9,IL-6,and inducible nitric oxide synthase.Conclusions:Ferruginol could be used to treat ulcerative colitis by attenuating the inflammation in colon cells and maintaining colonic mucosal barrier integrity.

Renewable β-Myrcene Polymerization Initiated by Lutetium Alkyl Complexes Ligated by Imidophosphonamido Ligand

β-Imidophosphonamido ligated lutetium alkyl complex（NPNDipp）Lu（CH2Si Me3）2（THF）（NPNDipp = Ph2P（NC6H3iPr2-2,6）2） with the activation of AliBu3 and [Ph3C][B（C6F5）4] exhibited high catalytic activity, medium syndio-（rr = 66%） but remarkably high 3,4-regioselectivity for the polymerization of β-myrcene（MY）. In sharp contrast, high isotactic 3,4-polymyrcene（PMY）（mm = 95%） was obtained by the precursor（NPN^Et）Lu（CH2Si Me3）2（THF）（NPN^Et = PPh2（NC6H3^iPr2-2,6）（NC6H4-Et-2）） with less bulky substituents on the N-aryl ring.

AZD9291-induced Acute Interstitial Lung Disease

To the Editor： A 32-year-old Chinese male patient with 1 week cough and dyspnea on exertion was presented to hospital. He was a metastatic lung adenocarcinoma patient with 3 years treatment history. In October 2012, the patient complained cough, short of breath, and thoracic computerized axial tomography scan （CAT-scan） revealed left lung hilum mass with the right lung multismall patches or opacities. Core needle biopsy on supraclavicular lymph nodes was performed and diagnosis of Stage IV （T3N3MIa） lung adenocarcinoma was made by radiologist, pathologist, and oncologist.