Preventive effects of topical washing with miconazole nitrate-containing soap to diaper candidiasis in hospitalized elderly patients: A prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

The objective of the present randomized, double-blind trial was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of daily washing with miconazole nitrate-containing soap for candidiasis at diaper-covered sites in elderly subjects under long-term inpatient care. To confirm the onset and disappearance of candidiasis, we microscopically evaluated the existence of the pseudohyphae and/or blastoconidia of Candida spp. We enrolled 75 elderly patients who wore diapers all day in the hospital or nursing home. Patients were randomly assigned to receive treatment with either miconazole soap or miconazole-free placebo soap, and 28 patients in the miconazole group and 27 patients in the placebo group were followed for 4 weeks. Although washing with miconazole soap did not affect the frequency of pseudohyphae/blastoconidia-positive patients, it significantly inhibited the positive conversion of pseudohyphae/blastoconidia compared with the placebo group. As a result, the frequency of patients positive for pseudohyphae/blastoconidia was significantly lower in the miconazole group than in the control group at 4 weeks (17.9% vs 44.4%). Clinically apparent diaper candidiasis did not develop in either group. Washing with miconazole soap was a significant independent factor for reducing the cases positive for pseudohyphae/blastoconidia, while diarrhea and heart failure were significant factors associated with an increase in the positive rate at the end-point. Severe adverse effects were not found in any patients. Thus, washing with miconazole soap is well-tolerated and can inhibit the positive conversion of Candida in patients wearing diapers. Therefore, maintenance of genital hygiene using this soap may prophylactically decrease the overall prevalence of patients with diaper candidiasis.

Development of a multiplex PCR assay for rapid virulence factor profiling of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from cattle.

Virulence factor (VF) profiling is important for the control of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) infection because VF prevalence is highly variable. We analyzed the VF profile of ExPEC isolated from cattle in Yamagata prefecture, Japan, 2000-2015 and developed a rapid VF profiling method using a multiplex PCR assay.

Surveillance of diarrhea-causing pathogens in dairy and beef cows in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan from 2002 to 2011.

The economic consequences of bovine diarrhea are serious. Few long-term epidemiological data are available concerning the causative pathogens of bovine diarrhea in Japan. From 2002 to 2011, surveillance of enteric pathogens was performed in cows of various breed and age from 302 farms in which diarrhea had occurred in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Differences between dairy and beef cows in the number of cases of diarrhea and rates of infection by Salmonella spp. and Eimeria spp. were found. Clinical symptoms (duration of epidemic, hematochezia and complications) caused by bovine rotavirus infection were milder than those caused by bovine coronavirus infection.

Whole-genome analysis of bovine rotavirus species C isolates obtained in Yamagata, Japan, 2003-2010.

An epidemic of diarrhoea in adult cows occurred at a total of 105 dairy farms in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, between 2003 and 2010. Reverse transcription-PCR diagnostic tests revealed the presence of bovine rotavirus species C (RVCs) in samples from each of six farms (5.7 %). In this study, we determined the full-length nucleotide sequences of 11 RNA segments from six bovine RVC strains and investigated genetic diversity among them, including two bovine RVC strains identified in a previous study. Comparisons of all segmental nucleotide and the deduced amino acid sequences among bovine RVCs indicated high identities across all genes except for the VP4 gene. Phylogenetic analysis of each gene revealed that the six bovine RVCs belonged to a bovine cluster distinct from human and porcine RVCs. Bovine RVC strains could be clearly divided into two lineages of the VP4 genes. The nucleotide sequence identity for VP4 genes between lineage I and II was 83.7-84.8 %. Moreover, bovine RVC strains belonging to lineage I exhibited one amino acid deletion and three amino acid insertions, which differed for those strains belonging to lineage II. Our data suggest that multiple bovine RVCs originated from a common ancestor, but had different genetic backgrounds, not only in Yamagata Prefecture but also in the rest of Japan.

[Three cases of retinal arterial macroaneurysm on the optic disc].

BACKGROUND: Retinal arterial macroaneurysm typically involves the second order arterioles and is relatively uncommon on the optic disc. Here, we present three cases of retinal arterial macroaneurysm. REPORT OF CASES: Case 1 was a 56-year-old woman, Case 2 was a 78-year-old man, and Case 3 was an 86-year-old man. In Cases 1 and 3, the fundus could not be observed visually at the time of initial examination because of vitreous bleeding. Retinal arterial macroaneurysm was revealed during vitrectomy. In Case 2, retinal arterial macroaneurysm was found on the optical disc along with a retinal hemorrhage which disappeared without any treatment. In all three cases, visual acuity was normal after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Since retinal arterial macroaneurysm on the optical disc may be overlooked when treating vitreous bleeding in cases where the cause is not known, we believe that retinal arterial macroaneurysm should be taken into consideration as a possible underlying cause. While photocoagulation of retinal arterial macroaneurysm on the optic disc is infrequently used to, localized photocoagulation retinal arterial macroaneurysm on the optic disk is considered to be difficult. We are of the opinion that progression should be observed carefully till the macroaneurysm is absorbed.

Carp (Cyprinus carpio) vitellogenin: characterization of yolk proteins, development of immunoassays and use as biomarker of exposure to environmental estrogens.

The precursor protein of egg yolk, vitellogenin (Vg), is cleaved into three major components (lipovitellin, phosvitin and beta'-component) at the time of incorporation by growing oocytes. We purified three yolk proteins (YP1, YP2 and YP3) from ovaries of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) by a combined method of ammonium sulfate precipitation and column chromatography. Biochemical analyses of the purified proteins of this species suggest that YP1, YP2 and YP3 are lipovitellin, beta'-component and phosvitin, respectively. A specific antiserum against purified carp YP1 (lipovitellin) was used to develop a single radial immunodiffusion (SRID) technique and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for carp Vg. By SRID and ELISA, we measured the circulating carp Vg level to be in the ranges of 12.5-400 microg/ml and 2.0-1000 ng/ml, respectively, which cover a wide range of Vg levels. From 1997-1998, male and female carp were captured at points of effluent discharge from a sewage treatment plant connected to the Tama River, where estrogenic compounds were later detected, and the presence of Vg in their circulation was examined. Vg was detected in both male and female carp at the mg/ml level, suggesting that estrogens such as estrone and estradiol were sufficiently high to induce Vg in male carp inhabiting this area. The result of this study supports the use of carp Vg as a biomarker of fish exposure to environmental estrogens.

Butyric acid sensitizes Vero cells to ricin-induced apoptosis via accelerated activation of multiple signal transduction pathways.

We found that the treatment with 1 mM butyric acid for 2 days renders Vero cells highly sensitive to ricin-induced apoptosis reflected by cytolysis concomitant with apoptotic cellular and nuclear morphological changes, DNA fragmentation, and increase in caspase-3 like activity, whereas butyric acid alone had no cytotoxic effect on Vero cells. During the treatment with butyric acid, gradual increase in alkaline phosphatase activity, an indicator for butyric acid-induced differentiation, was observed in Vero cells. Although the potency of ricin-mediated protein synthesis was increased in butyric acid-treated Vero cells as compared to untreated cells, the binding and internalization of ricin to the cells were not much affected. Furthermore, DNA fragmentation caused by other protein synthesis inhibitors such as diphtheria toxin and anisomysin were also highly potentiated in butyric acid-treated Vero cells, whereas the potencies of these toxins to inhibit the protein synthesis were not affected by butyric acid treatment. These results suggest that the apoptosis signaling pathway, which may be triggered by cytotoxic stress response caused by toxins, is sensitized in butyric acid-treated cells, while the pathways leading to the protein synthesis inhibition by these toxins are relatively unchanged. No significant differences in the expression levels of p21, p53, and Bcl-2 proteins were observed between butyric acid-treated and untreated Vero cells. The treatment with ricin resulted in the activation of p38 MAP kinase, and this activation occurred on an accelerated time schedule in butyric acid-treated Vero cells than in untreated cells. The specific inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase SB203580 showed a partial inhibitory effect on ricin-induced apoptosis in control Vero cells, but it was less effective in butyric acid-treated Vero cells. Taken together, our results suggest that butyric acid-treatment may result in sensitization of multiple intracellular signal transduction pathways including apoptotic signaling pathways and p38 MAP kinase pathway.

Vitellogenin-derived yolk proteins in a hybrid sturgeon, bester (Huso huso x Acipencer ruthenus): identification, characterization and course of proteolysis during embryogenesis.

Vitellogenin (Vg) and its corresponding yolk protein (YP) products, YP1, YP2 and YP3, were isolated from serum of estrogen-treated hybrid sturgeon (bester; Huso huso X Acipencer ruthenus) and eggs from untreated fish, respectively. Vitellogenin had an apparent molecular mass of 580 kDa and appeared as two major bands corresponding to 180 kDa and 120 kDa after SDS-PAGE. Apparent molecular weights of YP1, YP2 and YP3 were 370 kDa, 88 kDa and 19 kDa, respectively. After SDS-PAGE, YP1 appeared as a main band of 110 kDa, while YP2 was resolved as a single band of 94 kDa and 29 kDa band under non-reducing and reducing conditions, respectively. Yolk protein 3 appeared as a diffuse band corresponding to 16 kDa and two faint bands below 14.4 kDa after SDS-PAGE. However, the 16 kDa band alone was observed after dephosphorylation with alkaline phosphatase. The course of cleavage of yolk proteins in bester embryos and alevins was observed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting from fertilization onward. After hatching, the main 110 kDa band of YP1 was degraded into smaller peptides during development, while YP2 hardly showed any such structural changes. The amino acid compositions of purified yolk proteins indicated that YP1, YP2 and YP3 were bester lipovitellin, beta-component, and phosvitin, respectively.