Validity of endoscopic features for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection status based on the Kyoto classification of gastritis.

Objectives: Evaluation of Helicobacter pylori infection status (non-infection, past infection, current infection) has become important. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of the Kyoto classification of gastritis for diagnosing H. pylori infection status by endoscopy.

Natural killer T cells accelerate atherogenesis in mice.

We have investigated the potential role of CD1d-restricted natural killer T (NKT) cells in the development of atherosclerosis in mice. When fed an atherogenic diet (AD), NKT cell-deficient CD1d(-/-) mice had significantly smaller atherosclerotic lesions than AD-fed C57BL/6 (wild-type [WT]) mice. A significant reduction in atherosclerotic lesions was also demonstrated in AD-fed, low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (Ldlr(-/-)) mice reconstituted with CD1d(-/-) bone marrow cells compared with the lesions observed in Ldlr(-/-)mice reconstituted with WT marrow cells.

Expression of allograft inflammatory factor-1 in mouse uterus and poly(I:C)-induced fetal resorption.

Problem: To investigate whether the allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) is expressed and plays a role in the reproductive system.

Method Of Study: AIF-1 expression was examined in uteri of non-pregnant and pregnant mice by Northern blot analysis, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.

Results: The expression of AIF-1 varied during the estrous cycle with a peak at estrus.

Defect of delta-sarcoglycan gene is responsible for development of dilated cardiomyopathy of a novel hamster strain, J2N-k: calcineurin/PP2B activity in the heart of J2N-k hamster.

It has been shown that calcineurin (CN), a serine/threonine protein phosphatase type 2B (PP2B), plays an important role in the development and diseases of cardiac muscles. However, reports on CN activity in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are inconsistent, since there are few good disease models and the measurement of the amount of CN is difficult. Previously, we developed a novel line of DCM hamster, J2N-k, and its healthy control counterpart, J2N-n, by crossbreeding cardiomyopathy (CM) hamsters, Bio 14.