bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gelatin Particle Agglutination Test for Early Serodiagnosis of Japanese Spotted Fever
Authors: Fujita Hiromi , Mahara Fumihiko , Watanabe Yuriko , Sato Tadashi , Ohara Yoshiro , Homma Morio 
Published: November 2013

AbstractA gelatin particle agglutination (PA) test for Japanese spotted fever has been developed. Gelatin particles were sensitized with a sonicated causative rickettsia and used as antigens. The antibodies by PA test were detected as early as days 4–7 after the onset, whereas those by indirect immunoperoxidase (IP) test were detected after days 8–11. In addition, PA titers were higher than IP titers before days 20–23. The agglutinins detected by PA test were proven to be IgM because they were all sensitive to dithiothreitol. PA test was, however, less specific than IP test, giving a little nonspecific reaction to the sera from patients with scrub typhus and from individuals unrelated to those two rickettsioses. Nevertheless, PA test, which is simple, rapid, and easy to interpret the results, is useful for the early serodiagnosis of Japanese spotted fever.
Bactericidal Activities of Rat Defensins and Synthetic Rabbit Defensins on Staphylococci, Klebsiella pneumoniae (Chedid, 277, and 8N3), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Mucoid and Nonmucoid Strains), Salmonella typhimurium (Ra, Rc, Rd, and Re of LPS Mutants) and Escherichia coli
Authors: Kohashi Osamu , Ono Tamiko , Ohki Kazunori , Soejima Toshinori , Moriya Tetsuhiro , Umeda Akiko , Meno Yuko , Amako Kazunobu , Funakosi Susumu , Masuda Masao , Fujii Nobutaka 
Published: November 2013

AbstractRat defensins were purified and tested for in vitro bactericidal assay against gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus (209P, Cowan I, Smith diffuse and Smith compact) were resistant to defensins, whereas Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Micrococcus lysodeikticus and Bacillus subtilis were less sensitive. Gram‐negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (mucoid and K) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (Chedid, 277, and 8N3 which were heavily capsulated, moderately capsulated and noncapsulated, respectively) were all very sensitive to defensins and killed within 20 min. Escherichia coli was moderately sensitive and the rough mutants of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Salmonella typhimurium LT2, such as Ra, Rc, Rd, and Re were equally sensitive to defensins, being killed within 40 min. Lysozyme did not show any bactericidal activity except against M. lysodeikticus and B. subtilis, whereas it enhanced the bactericidal activity of defensins against P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae and suppressed the killing activity of defensins against S. typhimurium and S. aureus. With regard to the three synthetic rabbit defensins, NP1, NP4, and NP5, NP1 showed strong bactericidal activity against K. pneumoniae 277, comparable to that of rat defensins. Neither NP4 nor NP5 showed any bactericidal activity, while NP5 rather enhanced the bactericidal activity of NP1 against K. pneumoniae 277.
Antiviral Activity of a Bile Pigment, Biliverdin, against Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) In Vitro
Authors: Nakagami Tatsuyoshi , Taji Shiro , Takahashi Michiaki , Yamanishi Koichi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractBiliverdin (BV), a bile pigment, was examined for its antiviral activity against human herpesvirus‐6 (HHV‐6) in vitro. BV (10 μg/ml) markedly inhibited HHV‐6 replication in MT‐4 cells when the cells were treated during a virus adsorption period. Its antiviral effect was weakened when cells were treated after adsorption. Treatment of cells with BV (40 μg/ml) 3 hr after virus infection had no inhibitory effect on virus replication. Virus replication was also significantly inhibited by treatment of MT‐4 cells with BV (10 μg/ml) before infection, while the virions were not inactivated by BV (20 μg/ml). Bilirubin and urobilin, metabolic derivatives of BV, showed slight inhibitory effects on virus replication in the cells. On the other hand, BV had no potent inhibitory activity in the replication of herpes simplex virus‐1 or human cytomegalovirus. These observations suggest that BV could interact with MT‐4 cells to inhibit an early stage of HHV‐6 infection in a virus‐specific manner.
Intracellular Localization of Staphylococcus aureus within Primary Cultured Mouse Kidney Cells
Authors: Murai Miyo , Usui Akemi , Seki Keiko , Sakurada Junji , Masuda Shogo 
Published: November 2013

AbstractStaphylococcus aureus Cowan I was incubated with monolayers of cells derived from several portions of mouse kidney, and found to be ingested by all types of the renal cells. Intracellular localization of S. aureus was determined by resistance of intracellular cocci against lysostaphin digestion and confirmed by electron microscopy. From renal medulla, three morphological variants of the hyperosmolarity‐tolerant (HOT) cells were obtained. The rate of cocci‐ingesting cells varied from 16.9% to 93.4% among those of the HOT cells at the end of 3‐hr incubation. From renal cortex, three morphological variants of epithelial cells grew in medium RK‐1. Among them, only the cells on the edge of colony ingested Cowan I, while the epithelial cells on the center of colony ingested few cocci. Transferred from medium RK‐1 to MEM supplemented with 10% FBS, part of the cortical cells changed into fibroblast‐like appearance and obtained the capacity to ingest Cowan I. This result may indicate the correlation between ingesting capacity and cellular morphology. From a glomerulus, epithelial (GE) cells and fibroblast‐like (GF) cells were obtained. The GE cells ingested not only S. aureus Cowan I but Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus after 30‐min incubation, while the GF cells, like both of the HOT cells and the cortical cells, ingested only S. aureus. These results suggest a possibility that S. aureus is located within nonprofessional phagocytes during its infection and intracellular coccus plays an important role in its pathogenicity.
Analysis of Borderline‐Resistant Strains of Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Using Polymerase Chain Reaction
Authors: Hiramatsu Keiichi , Kihara Hidetoshi , Yokota Takeshi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractIdentification of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus by drug‐susceptibility tests alone poses a serious problem, because a considerable number of clinical S. aureus isolates are borderline resistant to methicillin. To circumvent this problem, we have developed a quick and sensitive method of PCR amplification for the detection of mecA gene, which, coding for PBP2′, is the specific genetic element of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus. This method made it possible to identify MRSA strains in a short time using as few as 30 cells as a starting material for template DNA. Using this method, we found that the strains of borderline methicillin‐resistance could be accurately identified. We also found one S. aureus clinical strain, T3, which lacked mecA gene in spite of its resistance to methicillin.
Definition and Application of a Histopathological Scoring Scheme for an Animal Model of Acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pulmonary Infection
Authors: Cimolai Nevio , Taylor Glenn P. , Mah Diana , Morrison Brenda J. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractA histopathological scoring system was developed to assess the pathology of acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae pulmonary infection in a hamster model. A final score per animal (ranging 0–26) is obtained by averaging scores from each lung which have been accumulated by the addition of subscores from the assessments of quantity and quality of peribronchiolar and peribronchial infiltrates, luminal exudates, perivascular infiltrates, and parenchymal pneumonia. The scoring scheme was then applied to test the ability of a heat‐killed inoculum to induce pulmonary pathology and to the trial of a 43 kDa protein‐associated antigen as a vaccine immunogen. A heat‐killed inoculum delivered by both intratracheal and intranasal routes did not induce pulmonary pathology compared to a live inoculum (respective mean scores 0.1, 6.7; P<0.01). Animals prevaccinated with the 43 kDa antigen developed an accentuated pathological response after live challenge compared to those unvaccinated (respective mean scores 16.8, 5.8; P=0.00007). Hypersensitization to growth medium components may, however, have contributed to the accentuated disease since the lungs of vaccinated animals challenged with culture‐negative media also were affected (mean score 5.4). Reproducibility of the scoring system was measured by duplicate reading of histology slides which were randomized to the observer upon the second reading (r=0.93; P=0.000009). The scoring system has the ability to differentiate disease severity in small groups of animals.
IgM Neutralizing Antibody Responses to Human Herpesvirus‐6 in Patients with Exanthem Subitum or Organ Transplantation
Authors: Suga Sadao , Yoshikawa Tetsushi , Asano Yoshizo , Nakashima Toshihiko , Yazaki Takehiko , Fukuda Minoru , Kojima Seiji , Matsuyama Takaharu , Ono Yoshinari , Oshima Shinichi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe assay for detecting IgM neutralizing (NT) antibody activity to human herpesvirus‐6 (HHV‐6) was developed by using pretreatment of blood sample with staphylococcal protein A. The activity was mostly present in IgM fractions of serum but not in IgA fractions separated by ultracentrifugation. The assay was used for seroepidemiological studies for HHV‐6 infection. In primary HHV‐6 infection, IgM NT antibodies appeared 5 to 7 days after onset of exanthem subitum, reached maximum titers at 2 to 3 weeks, and tended to decline to undetectable levels after 2 months. In contrast, reactivation of HHV‐6 observed in organ transplants showed somewhat greater degree of IgM NT antibody responses that persisted for 2 to 3 months and became undetectable 5 to 6 months after transplantation. The level and persistence of NT antibody titers measured by the conventional method was generally greater than those of the IgM titers. The prevalence of the IgM NT antibodies was examined in healthy individuals. The antibody was first detected at 4 to 7 months of age (5%), reached maximum level at 8 to 11 months (40%), and was detectable by 4 to 6 years (17%). A few (4 to 5%) of adolescents and adults were positive for the antibody.
An Activity Which Restores Theta Toxin Activity in Some Theta Toxin‐Deficient Mutants of Clostridium perfringens
Authors: Imagawa Tadashi , Higashi Yasushi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractGroup a mutants of Clostridium perfringens are deficient in theta toxin but release a dialyzable substance (“substance A”), which restores theta toxin activity to group b mutants, into a culture supernatant; group b mutants are defective in “substance A” release. “Substance A” activity appeared in the exponentially growing phase of group a mutants and disappeared in the stationary phase. “Substance A” activity was most stable at pH 5.0 and 0 C and even increased threefold in the first 5 hr, but gradually decreased during the following 15 hr. It was quickly inactivated at neutral and higher pHs at 0 C.
Conspicuous Ingestion of Staphylococcus aureus Organisms by Murine Fibroblasts In Vitro
Authors: Usui Akemi , Murai Miyo , Seki Keiko , Sakurada Junji , Masuda Shogo 
Published: November 2013

AbstractA conspicuous adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus organisms to murine cutaneous fibroblasts and NIH/3T3 cells cultured in vitro and subsequent ingestion of S. aureus organisms by these fibroblasts are described. In the present experimental system, only fibroblasts‐adhering S. aureus organisms were efficiently ingested by fibroblasts unlike S. epidermidis and S. saprophytics. These findings might suggest a correlation between the pathogenesis of S. aureus and its intracellular localization in non‐professional phagocytes such as fibroblasts in a special reference to its higher pathogenicity than those of coagulase negative counterparts.
Adenovirus Infection and Specific Secretory IgA Responses in the Intestine of Infants
Authors: Nishio Osamu , Sakae Kenji , Ishihara Yuichi , Isomura Shin , Inouye Sakae 
Published: November 2013

AbstractWe investigated adenovirus (Ad) infection of the intestine and Ad group‐specific fecal IgA antibody responses in seven infants who were followed up from birth to 16 months to seven years of age. We isolated in tissue culture from fecal samples not only enteric Ad type 41 but also other Ads (types 2, 3, 5, 6, and 12). We also detected Ad antigens in the feces by ELISA at the times of infection with even non‐enteric Ads, suggesting that a large amount of antigens were produced in the intestine. We found that repeated Ad infections with different serotypes were occurring and there were good fecal IgA antibody responses at each time. The infection seemed usually mild or asymptomatic: only one out of 23 occasions of the detected infections required hospitalization.
Nucleotide Sequence of the Arginine Deiminase Gene of Mycoplasma hominis
Authors: Harasawa Ryô , Koshimizu Kaoru , Kitagawa Masanari , Asada Kiyozo , Kato Ikunoshin 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe arginine deiminase gene of Mycoplasma hominis was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction, and its entire nucleotide sequence was determined. This gene consists of 1227 base pairs encoding 409 amino acids, and has 35.2% guanine plus cytosine content. Nucleotide sequence homologies of the arginine deiminase gene between M. hominis and M. arginini, and between M. hominis and M. orale were 82.1 and 80.8%, respectively, suggesting that this gene is highly conserved among arginine‐utilizing Mycoplasma species.
Impact of Bifidobacterium longum on Human Fecal Microflora
Authors: Benno Yoshimi , Mitsuoka Tomotari 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe effects of the Bifidobacterium longum feedings for five weeks on the fecal microflora, water contents, pH values, ammonia concentration, and β‐glucuronidase activity were investigated in five healthy human volunteers. Although numbers of major bacterial groups of the fecal microflora were not changed by the bifidobacteria feedings, a remarkably decreasing number of lecithinase‐negative clostridia was observed. The percentage of lecithinase‐negative clostridia and bacteroides to the total bacterial numbers isolated were decreased during the feedings and numbers of C. paraputrificum and C. innocuum were reduced. A significant reduction of fecal pH values for the last week of the feeding was observed. Ammonia concentration and β‐glucuronidase activity in the feces during the feedings were significantly lower than those before or after the feedings. The oral supplement of B. longum may be introduced to improve the fecal properties such as fecal ammonia concentration and β‐glucuronidase activity, but not the composition of fecal flora.
Further Evaluation of the Pregnancy‐Linked Down‐Regulation of the Paternal Antigen‐Specific Splenic Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Activity in Allogeneically Pregnant Mice
Authors: Parvin Mahbuba , Isobe Ken‐ichi , Goto Setsuko , Nakashima Izumi , Tomoda Yutaka 
Published: November 2013

AbstractCytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity directed against paternal alloantigen was examined in allogeneically pregnant mice using various allogeneic combinations. The spleen cells from pregnant C57BL/6 (H‐2b) mice mated with BALB/c (H‐2d) male mice generated less anti‐H‐2d CTL after in vitro sensitization than those from unpregnant or syngeneically mated C57BL/6 mice. Different allogeneic combinations including the incompatibility at only D region of H‐2 or minor histocompatibility loci were effective for downregulating the anti‐paternal CTL activity in pregnancy. The downregulation of anti‐paternal CTL activity induced by allogeneic pregnancy occurred at day 10 to day 18 of pregnancy, most extensively at day 14. The allogeneic pregnancy also downregulated the allogeneic CTL activities that had been amplified by injecting alloantigens before mating.
A Simple Method for Overproduction and Purification of p24 Gag Protein of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1
Authors: Tanaka Naoto , Saitoh Atsushi , Nakata Atsuo , Shinagawa Hideo 
Published: November 2013

AbstractA simple method for the overproduction in Escherichia coli and purification of major core protein p24 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) was described. The gag‐pol region encoding p24, p15, and protease was fused to 3′ end of lacZ gene on plasmid. A LacZ‐Gag fusion protein, the major primary product, is designed to be cleaved by the HIV‐1 protease coexpressed through frameshifting. In fact, p24 and its immediate precursor, p25, were produced in the cells grown at 25 C, but not at 37 C. When the gag and pol frames were fused in‐frame to express the protease without frameshifting, the main product, a LacZ‐Gag‐Pol fusion protein, was efficiently processed to give p24 exclusively both at 37 C and 25 C, suggesting more efficient expression of the protease. Recombinant p24 was purified to near homogeneity by a simple three‐step procedure. The amino‐terminal sequence of the recombinant p24 was the same as that of p24 deduced from nucleotide sequence, indicating that correct processing occurred in E. coli by the coexpressed protease. The method described here provides a means to obtain a large amount of highly pure p24, which is useful for crystallographic and functional studies, preparation of specific antibody, and diagnostic and prognostic uses.
Prevalence of Antibodies to Pseudomonas pseudomallei Exotoxin and Whole Cell Antigens in Military Personnel in Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia
Authors: Embi Noor , Suhaimi Adlan , Mohamed Rahmah , Ismail Ghazally 
Published: November 2013

AbstractSera from 420 military personnel serving in Sabah and Sarawk, Malaysia, were tested for antibodies to Pseudomonas pseudomallei exotoxin and whole cell antigens by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay procedure (ELISA). Data showed that 54.4% of serum samples were positive for antibodies to P. pseudomallei exotoxin and 65.7% were positive for antibodies to the whole cell antigens. Samples gave much lower titers for anti‐exotoxin antibodies compared to titers against crude whole cell antigens. The incidence of antibody to exotoxin was highest in the age groups ranging from 26 to 32 years, where the positive rates were higher than 40% and 30% for military personnel serving in Sarawak and Sabah, respectively.
The Protective Activity of Tea Catechins against Experimental Infection by Vibrio cholerae O1
Authors: Toda Masako , Okubo Sachie , Ikigai Hajime , Suzuki Tatsuo , Suzuki Yumiko , Hara Yukihiko , Shimamura Tadakatsu 
Published: November 2013

AbstractTea catechins inhibited the fluid accumulation induced by cholera toxin in sealed adult mice. The catechins also reduced fluid accumulation by Vibrio cholerae O1 in ligated intestinal loops of rabbits. These findings suggest that tea catechins may possess protective activity against V. cholerae O1.
Comparison of Secretory Acid Proteinases fromCandida tropicalis, C. parapsilosisandC. albicans
Authors: Sono Eiko , Masuda Tomoko , Takesako Kazutoh , Kato Ikunoshin , Uchida Katsuhisa , Murayama Somay Yamagata , Yamaguchi Hideyo 
Published: November 2013

AbstractAcid proteinases secreted byCandida tropicalisandC. parapsilosiswere newly isolated. Their physico‐chemical and enzymatic properties of molecular weight, pH stability, isoelectric points, specific activity, and N‐terminal amino acid sequences were determined and compared with those of aC. albicansacid proteinase. The two acid proteinases secreted byC. parapsilosiswere found to be new enzymes in their molecular weights. The acid proteinases fromC. tropicalisandC. parapsilosisshowed lower activity at neutral pH, less resistance to neutral and alkaline pH than that fromC. albicans, and a half or a third of the specific activity of theC. albicansenzyme. These differences seemed to be associated with the difference of pathogenesis betweenCandidaspecies. Of the 31 N‐terminal amino acids, the enzymes of these threeCandidaspecies revealed 12 homologous amino acids.
Demonstration of Low Molecular Weight Polypeptides Associated with Small, Round‐Structured Viruses by Western Immunoblot Analysis
Authors: Oishi Isao , Yamazaki Kenji , Kimoto Tatsuo , Minekawa Yoshiichi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractSmall, round‐structured viruses (SRSV) were detected in 14 of 300 fecal specimens obtained from patients with acute gastroenteritis by electron microscopy. These SRSV strains were morphologically indistinguishable from one another. While 11 of these strains had a single usual major structural protein with molecular weight of 63,000 (63K) daltons (p63), interestingly, three strains possessed a single major structural protein with molecular weight of 33K daltons (p33). Treatments of p63‐SRSV with proteolytic enzymes or denaturating reagents did not affect the molecular weight of p63, and the p33 was not detectable by Western immunoblot in the ultracentrifugal supernatant of the p63‐SRSV suspension. These results suggest that the p33 is neither a definitive subunit of p63 nor disintegrated component derived from the p63‐SRSV but a novel polypeptide of SRSV. Immune electron microscopy and Western immunoblot analyses indicated that p63‐ and p33‐SRSVs may share an antigenic determinant(s).
Species Dependency of In Vitro Macrophage Activation by Bacterial Peptidoglycans
Authors: Nagao Shigeki , Akagawa Kiyoko S. , Okada Fumito , Harada Yuji , Yagawa Katsuro , Kato Keijiro , Tanigawa Yoshinori 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe effect of various bacterial cell wall components on in vitro biological function of murine peritoneal exudate macrophages was evaluated. We examined four different parameters of metabolic activity and monokine secretion. Peritoneal exudate macrophages from rats and guinea pigs, all of the strains tested, were stimulated by whole bacterial cell wall preparations, purified bacterial cell wall peptidoglucans, its water‐soluble peptidoglycan fragments, muramyl dipeptides and amphipathic substances. Murine peritoneal exudate macrophages were activated by amphipathic substances of gram‐positive bacteria. However, macrophages from mice, irrespective of strains, were not stimulated in the in vitro assay systems by purified bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan, water‐soluble bacterial peptidoglycan fragments or muramyl dipeptides. These results suggest that macrophage activation by bacterial peptidoglycan in vitro is animal species specific.
The Patterns and Transmissibility of Antibiotic Resistance among Clinical Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Palillo Eleanor S. , Salleh Mohd Azib 
Published: November 2013

AbstractFour hundred and ninety‐eight predominantly pyocin‐type 10 clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were analyzed for resistance to carbenicillin, cefoperazone, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, gentamicin, amikacin and netilmicin. Based on NCCLS‐recommended MIC breakpoints, 245 strains were found to be resistant, of which 41.6% were resistant to carbenicillin, 38% to gentamicin, 37.8% to netilmicin, 26.3% to cefoperazone, 17.9% to cefotaxime, 0.6% to amikacin and none to ceftazidime. Quadruple resistance to carbenicillin, cefoperazone, gentamicin and netilmicin was the most frequent pattern observed. Resistance to older antibiotics (kanamycin, streptomycin and tetracycline) and to mercuric chloride were also common. Conjugation experiments suggested that self‐transmissible and non‐transmissible plasmids occurred in at least 66 strains.