Synbiotics, a combination of prebiotics and probiotics, produce synergistic effects to promote gastrointestinal health. Herein, we investigated the synbiotic interaction between the Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG (LGG; a probiotic strain) and tagatose (a prebiotic) in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis murine model. Initially, body weight, food intake, and clinical features were dramatically decreased after treatment with DSS, and the addition of LGG, tagatose, or both ameliorated these effects. In our pyrosequencing analysis of fecal microbiota, DSS treatment increased the abundance of Proteobacteria and decreased that of Firmicutes. When LGG and tagatose were administered as synbiotics, the gut microbiota composition recovered from the dysbiosis caused by DSS treatment. In particular, the abundance of Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, and Akkermansia was significantly associated with probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic treatments. Taken together, our results suggest that LGG and tagatose as synbiotics can alleviate colitis, and synbiotics could be applied as dietary supplements in dairy foods such as yogurt and cheese.

Healthcare personnel (HCP) can acquire influenza and transmit it to patients and other hospital staff. The aim of this study was to evaluate the attack rate of HCP by the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus during the 2009 pandemic influenza season in Korea. HCP infected with H1N1 virus were asked to fill out a questionnaire, which included job type, method of diagnosis, facility type, history of contact with patients infected by H1N1 virus, vaccination status, and use of personal protective equipment. A total of 328 HCP (female 68.6%, 225/328) were infected with H1N1 virus at the nine study centers. The highest attack rate was in physicians, followed by nurses and nurses' aides. Transmission occurred primarily after contact with outpatients (27.8%), followed by contact with inpatients (21.6%). Most (77.3%) of the infected HCP never used an N95 mask during contact with patients. Surgical masks were always used by 29.4% of the subjects and usually or intermittent used by 46.9%. The peak incidence of the H1N1 infection among HCP preceded that among the general population. Among HCPs, physicians, nurses, and nurses' aides were at the greatest risk of H1N1 infection. HCP should be more vigilant and protect themselves with appropriate personal protective equipment during the influenza season.

The bacteriological efficacy response (improved, arbekacin vs. vancomycin; 71.2% vs. 79.5%) and clinical efficacy response (improved, arbekacin vs. vancomycin; 65.3% vs. 76.1%) were not statistically different between the two groups. The complication rate was significantly higher in the vancomycin group (32.9%) compared to the arbekacin group (15.1%) (p = 0.019). Arbekacin was not inferior to vancomycin, and it could be a good alternative drug for vancomycin in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) treatment.

Antenatal steroid administration is associated with hypertension in adult life; however, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are unclear. The aim of this study was to further characterize the effects of antenatal glucocorticoid exposure on the endothelin (ET-1) system, specifically to ascertain the role of the cyclic adenosine diphosphate ribose (cADPR)/ryanodine receptor pathway in the increased sensitivity to ET-1 observed in the offspring exposed to antenatal glucocorticoids. Pregnant sheep were randomly treated with betamethasone (Beta; 0.17 mg/kg) or vehicle at 80 and 81 days of gestation. In adults, we studied endothelium-denuded arterial segments of the brachial arteries. ET-1-induced vasoconstriction was significantly higher in the arteries from Beta sheep (F = 3.5, P < 0.05). Inhibition of ADP-ribosyl cyclase with 2-2′-dihydroxy-azobenzene significantly decreased the ET-1-induced contraction in Beta but not in vehicle-treated sheep. Nicotinamide attenuated ET-1 contraction in both, but it was significantly more pronounced in the Beta-treated sheep. No significant differences were observed following KCl-induced (6.25–75 mM) contraction. Nicotinamide (10 mM) significantly attenuated the KCl-induced vasoconstriction in both groups. In KCl (62.5 mM)-constricted arteries, the effect of nicotinamide (NIC) was significantly greater in the vehicle-treated sheep (50% relaxation v. 40% relaxation; t = 2.2, P < 0.05). In contrast, the sodium nitroprusside (SNP) relaxation was not statistically different. An additive effect was observed when NIC and SNP were used in combination and it was also more pronounced in vehicle-treated sheep. We conclude that the increased response to ET-1 is mediated by activation of the CD38/cADPR signaling pathway. Further studies are required to identify the effectors downstream from cADPR affected by exposure to antenatal steroids.