bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the Evolution of Recent and Late Phase of Old Influenza A (H1N1) Viruses
Authors: Nakajima Setsuko , Nishikawa Fumio , Nakajima Katsuhisa 
Published: November 2013

AbstractA comparison of the evolutionary tree of new influenza A (H1N1) viruses to that of old H1N1 viruses which disappeared in 1957 was performed. The evolutionary trees of the hemagglutinin (HA) molecule based on amino acid sequences of the HA1 polypeptide were constructed with old and new H1N1 viruses isolated from 1947 to 1957 and 1986 to 2000, respectively. The evolutionary history of recent H1N1 viruses was similar to that of old H1N1 viruses just before the disappearance in two respects. Firstly, both viruses did not originate from the viruses of the previous H1N1 epidemic season but originated from the viruses branched off at the same point on the mainstream stem as the viruses of two H1N1 epidemic seasons earlier. Secondly, recent H1N1 viruses mainly circulating in Japan have a deletion at amino acid residue 134, located close to residue 131, which was deleted in old H1N1 viruses at the time of the disappearance. However, different from the evolutionary history of old H1N1 viruses, in the 1999/2000 H1N1 epidemic season, the H1N1 viruses which were located on the same lineage as the previous epidemic viruses were also isolated sporadically in Japan.
Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Generated against Norwalk virus Gil Capsid Protein Expressed in Escherichia coli
Authors: Yoda Tomoko , Terano Yoshitake , Suzuki Yasuhiko , Yamazaki Kenji , Oishi Isao , Utagawa Etuko , Shimada Akira , Matsuura Shiro , Nakajima Masaharu , Shibata Tadayoshi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe Norwalk virus (NV) causes outbreaks of acute non‐bacterial gastroenteritis in humans. The virus capsid is composed of a single 60 kDa protein. The capsid protein of NV36 (genogroup II, Mexico virus type) was expressed in an Escherichia coli system and ten monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were generated against it. The reactivity of these MAbs was characterized using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot (WB) analysis towards 20 overlapping fragments of the NV36 capsid protein expressed in E. coli. All of the MAbs recognized sequential (continuous) epitopes on the three antigenic regions. Six of the 10 MAbs recognized fragment 2 (equivalent residues 31–70), three MAbs recognized fragment 13 (residues 361–403) and one MAb recognized fragment 7 (residues 181–220), suggesting that the N‐terminal domain (residues 1–220) may contain more antigenic epitopes than the C‐terminal domain (residues 210–548). Furthermore, two MAbs (1B4 and 1F6) reacted in WB with three purified NV strains (genogroup II) derived from patients' stool samples. It was also found that genogroup I recombinant NV96–908 (genogroup I, KY89 type) could be detected as sensitively as recombinant NV36 (genogroup II) by ELISA with a set of the MAbs produced here.
Giraffe Strain of Pestivirus: Its Taxonomic Status Based on the 5′‐Untranslated Region
Authors: Harasawa Ryô , Giangaspero Massimo , Ibata Georgina , Paton David J. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe 5′‐untranslated region (5′‐UTR) of the ‘Giraffe’ strain of pestivirus was sequenced for comparison with those of other pestiviruses from cattle, sheep, goats, and swine. A phylogenetic tree constructed with these strains suggested that the ‘Giraffe’ strain was allocated to a new taxon. This observation was also confirmed by a newly proposed method based on palindromic nucleotide substitutions (PNS) at the three variable regions in the 5′‐UTR. Other reported pestivirus strains isolated from deer were assigned as bovine viral disease virus (BVDV)‐1 according to the PNS as well as phylogenetic analysis, suggesting that BVDV‐1 strains can cross‐infect deer as well as cattle, sheep, goats, and swine, and that wild deer may serve as a reservoir of BVDV‐1. We also identified the genovar of a deer isolate, SH9/11, as BVDV‐1c by the PNS method.
Comparative Study of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Lesional and Non‐Lesional Skin of Atopic Dermatitis Patients
Authors: Matsui Katsuhiko , Nishikawa Akemi , Suto Hajime , Tsuboi Ryoji , Ogawa Hideoki 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) is often colonized by Staphylococcus aureus, and superantigenic exotoxins produced by the organism are thought to be an important precipitating factor of AD. However, there are few reports comparing the characteristics of S. aureus isolated from the lesional and non‐lesional skin of identical AD patients. In this study, therefore, we examined whether the presence of superantigen‐producing S. aureus correlates with the formation of eczematous lesion of AD patients. The detection rate of S. aureus on the lesional skin of AD patients was higher than on the non‐lesional skin of AD patients. Furthermore, the bacterial cell count of S. aureus on the lesional skin of AD patients was also significantly higher than that of the non‐lesional skin of AD patients. However, there was no significant difference between the detection rate of superantigenic exotoxin‐producing S. aureus on the lesional and non‐lesional skin of AD patients. These results suggest that the number of S. aureus present is more important in the formation of eczematous lesion of AD patients than the presence of superantigenic exotoxin‐producing S. aureus strains per se.
Effect of Sulbactam on Anti‐Pseudomonal Activity of β‐Lactam Antibiotics in Cells Producing Various Levels of the MexAB‐OprM Efflux Pump and β‐Lactamase
Authors: Nakae Taiji , Saito Kohjiro , Nakajima Akira 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe β‐lactamase inhibitor, sulbactam, was tested for β‐lactamase inhibitory activity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells producing various levels of both the MexAB‐OprM efflux pump and β‐lactamase. We found that sulbactam lowered the MICs of cefoperazone and piperacillin by inhibiting the β‐lactamase 8‐fold in the cell producing a constitutively high level of AmpC‐type β‐lactamase and a wild‐type level of MexAB‐OprM pump compared with that without sulbactam. The MICs of cefoperazone and piperacillin in the cell producing a constitutively high level of both the efflux pump and β‐lactamase under the presence of sulbactam were 8 and 4 times, respectively, lower than that without sulbactam. The MICs of sulbactam in the cell producing a constitutively high and a wild‐type level of the efflux pump were 16‐ and 8‐fold higher, respectively, than that in the mutant lacking the efflux pump. We concluded that sulbactam exerts potent β‐lactamase inhibitory activity in the cell producing a high level of efflux pump, in spite of the fact that sulbactam serves as a substrate of the MexAB‐OprM pump. Increasing amounts of sulbactam over the weight of β‐lactams further strengthen the effect of β‐lactam antibiotics.
Characterization and Identification of Borrelia Isolates as Borrelia valaisiana in Taiwan and Kinmen Islands
Authors: Masuzawa Toshiyuki , Pan Ming‐jeng , Kadosaka Teruki , Kudeken Midori , Takada Nobuhiro , Yano Yasuhiro , Imai Yasuyuki , Yanagihara Yasutake 
Published: November 2013

AbstractEleven pure cultures of Borrelia from 3 species of wild rodents (Apodemus agrarius, Mus formosanus, Rattus losea) captured in Taichung, located in the center of Taiwan island, and on Kinmen Island were characterized. Five isolates showed restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns of 5S‐23S rRNA gene intergenic spacer sequences identical to those of strains 5MT and 10MT, identified as Borrelia valaisiana, which were isolated in the southern tip of South Korea. Although the remaining six isolates showed novel RFLP patterns, these isolates showed more similarity to members of B. valaisiana from Korea, Japan and Europe based on 16S rRNA gene and flagellin gene sequences. This led us to speculate that transmission and proliferation of this type of borrelia occurred between Taiwan and the southern part of South Korea.
IL‐12, IFN‐γ, and TNF‐α Released from Mononuclear Cells Inhibit the Spread of Varicella‐Zoster Virus at an Early Stage of Varicella
Authors: Torigoe Sadayoshi , Ihara Toshiaki , Kamiya Hitoshi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe activity of mononuclear cells to inhibit plaque formation of varicella‐zoster virus (VZV) was investigated by an in vitro infectious center assay. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) inhibited VZV plaque formation by co‐cultivation with VZV‐infected fibroblasts. As compared to mononuclear cells from normal individuals, mononuclear cells from umbilical cord blood and from patients receiving corticosteroids showed a significant decrease in the ability to inhibit viral replication. This ability was significantly increased for mononuclear cells collected during the acute phase of varicella. PBMC obtained from patients in the acute phase of varicella produced significantly higher amounts of interferon (IFN)‐γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, and interleukin (IL)‐12 in the supernatant compared with those of healthy individuals. These data suggest that the cytokines have an important role in the inhibition of the spread of VZV at an early stage of varicella. Th1 type adaptive immunity might play a major role in VZV infection.
High‐Dose Corticosteroid Administration Induces Increase of Serum Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor in Patients with Vogt‐Koyanagi‐Harada's Disease
Authors: Kitaichi Nobuyoshi , Kotake Satoshi , Mizue Yuka , Sasamoto Yoichi , Goda Chiho , Iwabuchi Kazuya , Onoé Kazunori , Matsuda Hidehiko , Nishihira Jun 
Published: November 2013

AbstractTo investigate the influence of corticosteroid administration on the serum level of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), sera obtained from 9 patients with Vogt‐Koyanagi‐Harada's disease who had been treated with high‐dose corticosteroid were analyzed. The serum MIF levels of most patients were prominently increased on day 7 and/or day 14 after corticosteroid treatment. No TNF‐α was detected in the sera. The average serum MIF level of nine patients at the highest stages after corticosteroid administration was significantly higher than that before the corticosteroid treatment. It seems that MIF is a unique cytokine and acts together with corticosteroid to regulate inflammation and immunity.
First Detection ofEhrlichia platysin Dogs and Ticks in Okinawa, Japan
Authors: Motoi Yurie , Satoh Hiroshi , Inokuma Hisashi , Kiyuuna Tsuyoshi , Muramatsu Yasukazu , Ueno Hiroshi , Morita Çhiharu 
Published: November 2013

AbstractWe investigatedEhrlichia. platysinfection of dogs and ticks in Okinawa, Japan. UsingE. platysspecific primers, E. platys and HE3‐R, PCR‐positive results were obtained with 32.0% (64/200) of blood samples of dogs and 3.8% (3/77) of ticks. The nucleotide sequences of the amplified DNA fragment from the dogs and the ticks infesting them were identical, and the sequence corresponded to that of theE. platysGzh981 strain. We concluded that there is a cyclic maintenance ofE. platysbetween dogs and ticks in Okinawa.
Elimination of Latently HIV‐1‐Infected Cells by Lymphoblasts Armed with Bifunctional Antibody
Authors: Yin Shuping , Okada Noriko , Okada Hidechika 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe Fab′ fragment of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) to CD3 and the F(ab′)2 fragment of a mAb to human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV‐1) gp41 were combined to generate a bifunctional antibody (BFA). The mAb to gp41 (IV1‐4G6) has previously been shown to react with a number of HIV‐1 strains and T‐lymphoblastoid cells (TLBC) armed with the BFA (BFA‐TLBC) effectively inhibited HIV‐1 in primarily cultured lymphoblasts infected with the clinically isolated virus which was reactive to the mAb. Although BFA‐TLBC could not cause cytolysis of 51Cr‐labeled latently infected cells (OM‐10.1) in 6 hr incubation, cocultivation of OM‐10.1 cells with BFA‐TLBC for 3 days or more eliminated the latently infected cells making the cells susceptible to BFA‐TLBC. Therefore, BFA‐TLBC may be beneficial for HIV‐infected patients in eradicating latently infected cells which can not be eliminated even with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
Rapid Detection and Quantification of Five Periodontopathic Bacteria by Real‐Time PCR
Authors: Sakamoto Mitsuo , Takeuchi Yasuo , Umeda Makoto , Ishikawa Isao , Benno Yoshimi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe quantity of periodontopathic bacteria in plaque samples is an important determinant for understanding the etiologic role of bacteria. The real‐time PCR method was used to detect and quantify periodontopathic bacteria, such as Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides forsythus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Treponema socranskii, in saliva and subgingival plaque samples. There was good agreement between the results of conventional PCR and real‐time PCR methods. Using the LightCycler™ system we were able to determine the amount of periodontopathic bacteria within an hour. The real‐time PCR method was linear for samples containing from 103 to more than 108 cells (r2=0.999). The application of the real‐time PCR method should be useful in the rapid detection and quantification of periodontopathic bacteria in clinical samples.
Cross Reaction of Recombinant Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Antigen to Heterologous Strains and Application for Serological Survey among Horses in the Field
Authors: Sentsui Hiroshi , Inoshima Yasuo , Murakami Kenji , Akashi Hiroomi , Purevtseren Byamba , Pagmajav Ochir , Sugiura Takeo 
Published: November 2013

AbstractCross reactivity of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) antigen prepared using a recombinant baculovirus containing the p26 gene of strain P337‐V70 was examined by the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum samples serially collected from 13 horses experimentally infected with six different EIAV strains (two or three horses per strain) were subjected to the test Positive reactions were observed in the AGID test and ELISA before or soon after the first feverish period and continued persistently in most of the horses. The results with recombinant antigens were essentially the same as those with the virion antigen prepared from horse cell cultures both in the AGID test and ELISA. The reactivities of the antigens were further compared using serum samples collected from horses in 1999 in certain districts of Mongolia where equine infectious anemia has been prevalent, and from horses in Japan in 1973 when EIA had not been eliminated completely from Japanese horses. These results were completely concurrent. Generally, recombinant antigens have high specificity but low cross reactivity to heterologous strains. However, the present study showed that the recombinant EIAV p26 antigen has cross reactivity to the heterologous strain and is useful for diagnosis of EIA in the field.
Role of Furin in Delivery of a CTL Epitope of an Anthrax Toxin‐Fusion Protein
Authors: Zhang Ye , Kida Yutaka , Kuwano Koichi , Misumi Yoshio , Ikehara Yukio , Arai Sumio 
Published: November 2013

AbstractAnthrax toxin lethal factor (LF) in combination with anthrax toxin protective antigen (PA) was endocytosed and translocated to the cytosol of mammalian cells. Residues 1–255 of anthrax toxin lethal factor (LFn) was fused to a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope of an influenza virus. For processing the toxins, PA must be cleaved into a 63‐kDa fragment (PA63) by furin, which is a subtilisin‐like processing endoprotease expressed by many eukaryotic cells. To test the ability of cells treated with the LFn fusion protein plus PA to deliver the epitope, CTL assay was performed. Two types of cell lines were identified, one was able to deliver CTL epitope while the other failed to efficiently deliver the epitope. To further elucidate the differences between these cells, the role of furin in these cells was examined. Disruption of the furin gene reduced its ability to deliver the CTL epitope. Furin expression in cells capable of efficiently delivering CTL epitope was quantitatively higher than in cells unable to deliver the epitope. The results suggest that furin plays a critical role in delivery of the CTL epitope of LFn fusion protein.
Use of Antiserum‐Coated Latex Particles for Serotyping Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Arai Satoru , Konda Toshifumi , Wada Akihito , Matsunaga Yasuko , Okabe Nobuhiko , Watanabe Haruo , Inouye Sakae 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe Quellung reaction provides a standard means for serotyping Streptococcus pneumoniae, but it requires microscopic examination with skillful technique. We have developed an improved agglutination method with anti‐rabbit IgG‐coated latex particles, which are sensitized with pooled antisera for serotyping/serogrouping S. pneumoniae. Our method is as specific and sensitive as the Quellung test, and much easier to perform.
First Records of Tick‐Borne Pathogens, Borrelia, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Okinawajima Island, Japan
Authors: Takada Nobuhiro , Fujita Hiromi , Yano Yasuhiro , Ishiguro Fubito , Iwasaki Hiromichi , Masuzawa Toshiyuki 
Published: November 2013

AbstractIn early April 2000, tick‐borne pathogens were surveyed in the northern area of Okinawajima Island, Okinawa Prefecture, which is the southernmost area of Japan. Borrelia valaisiana, a Lyme disease spirochete, was isolated from a field mouse Mus calori, and unidentified rickettsiae of the spotted fever group were isolated from all stages of Amblyomma testudinarium. These are the first reports of these pathogens on Okinawajima Island.
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Interaction with Human Epithelial Respiratory Cells In Vitro
Authors: de Abreu Vidipó Luciana , de Andrade Marques Elizabeth , Puchelle Edith , Plotkowski Maria‐Cristina 
Published: November 2013

AbstractBacteria of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia have been isolated with increasing frequency from the airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, usually following P. aeruginosa infections, but their adherence to human epithelial respiratory cells has never been investigated. In this study, various S. maltophilia strains were seen to adhere to epithelial respiratory cells in vitro, mainly along intercellular junctions. Bacteria could also enter into host cells, as determined by the gentamicin exclusion assay and transmission electron microscopy. Cells co‐incubated with P. aeruginosa and S. maltophilia exhibited a significantly decreased adherence of these latter bacteria. No decrease in S. maltophilia adherence was observed when co‐infection was carried out with heat‐killed P. aeruginosa or when respiratory cells were first incubated with P. aeruginosa, before incubation with S. maltophilia. Our data suggest that P. aeruginosa infections do not account for the increased prevalence of S. maltophilia in CF patient airways, that thermolabile products from P. aeruginosa can control the adherence of S. maltophilia to respiratory cells and also that these two bacteria do not compete for cell receptors.
Characteristics of Macrolide‐Resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae Strains Isolated from Patients and Induced with Erythromycin In Vitro
Authors: Okazaki Norio , Narita Mitsuo , Yamada Satoshi , Izumikawa Kinichi , Umetsu Masao , Kenri Tsuyoshi , Sasaki Yuko , Arakawa Yoshichika , Sasaki Tsuguo 
Published: November 2013

AbstractSome patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection are clinically resistant to antibiotics such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, or clindamycin. We isolated M. pneumoniae from such patients and found that one of three isolates showed a point mutation in the 23S rRNA gene. Furthermore, 141 EM‐sensitive clinical isolates of M. pneumoniae were cultured in broth medium containing 100 μg/ml of erythromycin (EM). Among 11 EM‐resistant strains that grew in the medium, point mutations in the 23S rRNA were found in 3 strains at A2063G, 5 strains at A2064G and 3 strains at A2064C. The relationship between the point mutation pattern of these EM‐resistant strains and their resistance phenotypes to several macrolide antibiotics was investigated.
The First Large‐Scale Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAT) of Donated Blood Using Multiplex Reagent for Simultaneous Detection of HBV, HCV, and HIV‐1 and Significance of NAT for HBV
Authors: Ohnuma Hitoshi ,   Japanese Red Cross NAT Screening Research Group, Tanaka Takeshi , Yoshikawa Akira , Murokawa Hiroyuki , Minegishi Kiyoshi , Yamanaka Retsuji , Lizuka Hisao Yugi , Miyamoto Masaki , Satoh Shuhei , Nakahira Seiji , Tomono Tsugikazu , Murozuka Takashi , Takeda Yoshio , Doi Yasushi , Mine Hideko , Yokoyama Shigeki , Hirose Toru , Nishioka Kusuya 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe first nationwide nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) of voluntarily donated blood after serological pre‐screening and before release of cellular components and plasma for fractionation was implemented by the Japanese Red Cross Blood Transfusion Services. From February 1, 2000 to April 30, 2001, specimens from 6,805,010 units of serologically negative donation were screened in minipools of 50 samples within 24 hr after blood donation by NAT using multiplex HBV/HCV/HIV‐1 reagent for blood transfusion including short shelf‐life platelets. Among them, 112 HBV DNA‐positives, 25 HCV RNA positives and 4 HIV‐1 RNA positives were screened out and we could prevent transfusion of these NAT positive units. Subtypes/genotypes of HBV DNA, adr/C, adw/A, adw/B, adw/C, ayr/C and ayw/D were found and adr/C was predominant. A total of 61.6% of them (69/112) were negative by overnight EIA. Sixth three of HBV NAT‐positive samples carried virus loads less than 104 copies/mL and 92.1% of them (58/63) were negative by overnight EIA. The virus growth curves of HBV in 6 cases obtained by retrospective and prospective follow‐up study showed exponential straight lines in the early stage of serological window periods and the log times of HBV growth (10 fold increase) in serological window period were between 4.6 and 7.6 days. NAT screening with highly sensitive reagents in pool of specimens is useful to exclude blood units with low level of HBV and HBV mutants from blood transfusion.
Inhibition of p21/Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1 Expression by Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein
Authors: Yoshida Isao , Oka Kiyomasa , Hidajat Rachmat , Nagano‐Fujii Motoko , Ishido Satoshi , Hotta Hak 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe possibility of interaction between hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein and the cell cycle regulator protein p21/Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1 (p21/Waf1) in cultured cells was analyzed. Although colocalization of HCV core protein and p21/Waf1 was not clearly observed, p21/Waf1 expression was much weaker in HCV core protein‐expressing cells than in the control. A Northern blot analysis showed nearly the same level of p21/Waf1 mRNA in both cells, suggesting that HCV core protein inhibited p21/Waf1 expression post‐transcriptionally. The degradation patterns of p21/Waf1 did not differ significantly in HCV core protein‐expressing cells and in the control, suggesting that the stability of p21/Waf1, once it was accumulated in the cell, was not significantly affected by HCV core protein. But this does not necessarily exclude the possibility that synthesis, maturation, and nuclear transport of p21/Waf1 is impaired, or that the degradation of newly synthesized, improperly processed p21/Waf1 is promoted by HCV core protein. The decrease in p21/Waf1 accumulation was partially inhibited by proteasome inhibitors and a calpain inhibitor in both HCV core protein‐expressing cells and the control. In vitro kinase assay revealed that a p21/Waf1‐mediated inhibition of cyclin‐dependent kinase 2 activity was partially negated by HCV core protein. Taken together, the present results suggest that HCV core protein inhibits p21/Waf1 expression post‐transcriptionally and impairs the function of p21/Waf1 in the cell.