The effects of lactulose on constipation in patients with Parkinson's disease: An exploratory pilot study.

Introduction: Constipation is one of the most common non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) and is associated with reduced quality of life in patients with PD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lactulose on defecation status in patients with PD. Methods: In this open-label, single-center, exploratory pilot study, twenty-nine patients with PD received lactulose for three weeks for the treatment of constipation. The primary endpoint was the number of spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs). The secondary endpoints were stool consistency (Bristol Stool Form Scale [BSFS]) and the number of rescue laxatives used. Results: Twenty-five patients with PD completed the study. The number of SBMs recorded during the lactulose intervention period was significantly increased compared with that recorded during the pre-intervention period. During the intervention period, the BSFS scores of the patients increased significantly, whereas the number of rescue laxatives they used decreased significantly. No serious adverse events were observed during the study period. Lactulose was well-tolerated. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that lactulose may be effective in improving defecation status in patients with PD. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the effects of lactulose on constipation in patients with PD.

The effects of non-viable Lactobacillus on immune function in the elderly: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Forty-two participants in two nursing homes who were ≥65 years of age were randomised to receive a jelly containing 10 billion heat-killed Lactobacillus paracasei MCC1849 cells (LP group) or a placebo jelly without lactobacilli (placebo group) for 6 weeks. Three weeks after beginning jelly intake, all subjects received an influenza vaccination (A/H1N1, A/H2N3 and B). Blood samples were collected before and after the treatment period. There were no significant differences in immune parameters, including in antibody responses against the vaccination, between the groups. In the subgroup of the oldest old, defined as ≥85 years of age (n = 27), the antibody responses to the A/H1N1 and B antigens, which were impaired in the placebo group, were improved in the LP group. No significant effects of non-viable L. paracasei MCC1849 were observed in the elderly. A possible beneficial effect in the oldest old should be explored in further large-scale studies.

Bedside analysis of human milk for adjustable nutrition strategy.

AIM: Mother's milk is optimum for preterm infants, but human milk fortifier is required at times, because some nutrients are sometimes insufficient for infant growth. It is important to measure the nutrients in breast milk at bedside so that the amount of nutrients that need to be supplemented can be determined. A human milk analyser (HMA, Miris) is currently available. We examined if the macronutrient values measured by human milk analyser are comparable with those measured by conventional methods. We also sought to discover whether we could dilute the milk sample used for the human milk analyser measurement if the amount of milk available for testing was insufficient. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: First, the results of protein, fat and lactose content in breast milk samples obtained using the human milk analyser and conventional methods were compared. Second, we measured diluted samples and compared the values with nondiluted samples. RESULTS: When comparing the human milk analyser and conventional methods, all three nutrients exhibited a significantly positive correlation (p < 0.001); lactose content was reliable on the condition that it is 6-7 g/dL. The lactose content measured by the HPLC method was obtained by 3.05 x human milk analyser value - 13.4. When comparing diluted and nondiluted samples, fat and protein had expected values after dilution whereas lactose did not. CONCLUSION: The human milk analyser can inform us about the amount of major nutrients in breast milk: fat, protein and lactose. However, when human milk is diluted, the lactose content measured by the human milk analyser is overestimated.

Enantioselective synthesis of silanol.

An enantioselective nucleophilic substitution reaction of achiral dialkoxysilane has been developed. The reaction proceeds with efficient stereocontrol on the silicon chirality center to give the enantioenriched silyl ether, which can be converted to the silanol without loss of enantiopurity. We have analyzed the steric course of the reaction by using DFT calculations and propose a transition state model to explain the observed enantioselectivity.