Disturbed gastric emptying and antral myoelectrical activity play roles in NUD. H. pylori-induced disturbed gastric emptying may cause some NUD symptoms. Gastric emptying and symptom scores are improved by H. pylori eradication therapy in NUD patients with disturbed gastric emptying; H. pylori eradication therapy is effective in H. pylori-positive NUD patients with disturbed gastric emptying.

M-177 is a protease-sensitive allergen. The breakdown products of M-177 provoked higher allergenic activity than the intact allergen.

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The influence of chronic stress on the expression of interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-2 mRNAs in ovariectomized rat brains, and the physiological consequences of the expression of these cytokines on hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) activity were investigated. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-assisted semiquantitative analysis, we demonstrated alterated expression of IL-1beta and IL-2 mRNA during repeated cold stress; the expression of both IL-beta and IL-2 mRNA increased in the medial preoptic area and ventromedial hypothalamus, and decreased in the lateral hypothalamic area. In the arcuate nucleus/median eminence, IL-2 mRNA expression was dramatically decreased, in contrast to the increase in IL-1beta mRNA expression. Concomitant analysis of GnRH mRNA expression indicated significant suppression of GnRH synthesis in the chronic phase, and a strong negative correlation with cytokine expression in the medial preoptic area. Similar results were obtained in intact females exposed to this stress. These results, together with previous pharmacological studies, suggest that chronic stress may induce reproductive dysfunction through the effects of stress-induced expression of endogenous cytokines.

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