Antibody Responses and Infection Prevention following the Sixth Vaccination using the BA.1 bivalent COVID-19 vaccine among Healthcare workers during the XBB variant Dominance in Japan.

The effect of antibodies elicited by bivalent mRNA vaccines (original and omicron BA.1) on preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) onset in the presence of the XBB variant remains unknown. A prospective cohort study conducted at Chiba University Hospital examined healthcare workers who received their sixth vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 bivalent mRNA vaccine (original and omicron BA.

Effects of quorum sensing-interfering agents, including macrolides and furanone C-30, and an efflux pump inhibitor on nitrosative stress sensitivity in .

Long-term administration of certain macrolides is efficacious in patients with persistent pulmonary infection, despite how limited the clinically achievable concentrations are, being far below their MICs. An increase in the sub-MIC of macrolide exposure-dependent sensitivity to nitrosative stress is a typical characteristic of . However, a few clinical isolates do not respond to sub-MIC of macrolide treatment.

Primary Severe Pulmonary and Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation in an Adult Patient.

• Severe progressive PR and TR in adults without histories of cardiac surgery is rare. • Carcinoid heart disease is an important differential in isolated PR and TR. • Three-dimensional TTE is helpful in identifying morphologic abnormalities of the PV.

Extension of bacterial rDNA sequencing for simultaneous methylation detection and its application in microflora analysis.

Although polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing of the bacterial 16S rDNA region has numerous scientific applications, it does not provide DNA methylation information. Herein, we propose a simple extension for bisulfite sequencing to investigate 5-methylcytosine residues in the bacterial 16S rDNA region from clinical isolates or flora. Multiple displacement amplification without DNA denaturation was used to preferentially pre-amplify single-stranded bacterial DNA after bisulfite conversion.

Extremely rare rapid development of a papillary fibroelastoma on the left ventricular anterior papillary muscle.

Unlabelled: Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is a rare, slow-growing cardiac tumor. We encountered an 80-year-old man with PFE accidentally revealed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to evaluate cardiac function before a non-cardiac operation. A 10-mm mass lesion adhered to the anterior papillary muscle of the left ventricle, which had not been detected with TTE performed nine months before.

Development of multiplex S-gene-targeted RT-PCR for rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 variants by extended S-gene target failure.

Background: Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) by genomic sequencing is time-consuming. The rapid screening of VOCs is necessary for clinical laboratories. In this study, we developed a rapid screening method based on multiplex RT-PCR by extended S-gene target failure (eSGTF), a false negative result caused by S-gene mutations.

Antibody responses and SARS-CoV-2 infection after BNT162b2 mRNA booster vaccination among healthcare workers in Japan.

Introduction: Vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infections decreases due to waning immunity, and booster vaccination was therefore introduced. We estimated the anti-spike antibody (AS-ab) recovery by booster vaccination and analyzed the risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Methods: The subjects were health care workers (HCWs) in a Chiba University Hospital vaccination cohort.

Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants by entire S-gene analysis using long-range RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing.

Introduction: Genomic surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is important to assess transmissibility, disease severity, and vaccine effectiveness. The SARS-CoV-2 genome consists of approximately 30 kb single-stranded RNA that is too large to analyze the whole genome by Sanger sequencing. Thus, in this study, we performed Sanger sequencing following long-range RT-PCR of the entire SARS-CoV-2 S-gene and analyzed the mutational dynamics.

Cut-off values of serum IgG4 among three reagents, including a novel IgG4 reagent: a multicenter study.

Elevated serum IgG4 is a useful marker of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) activity. However, there is no uniformity in the cut-off values of IgG4 among the various reagents. The aim of this study was to compare the measured and cut-off values of IgG4 assessed using three different reagents.

Highly sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by multiplex rRT-PCR for molecular diagnosis of COVID-19 by clinical laboratories.

Background: The detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) is used to confirm the clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 by molecular diagnostic laboratories. We developed a multiplex rRT-PCR methodology for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Methods: Three genes were used for multiplex rRT-PCR: the Sarbecovirus specific E gene, the SARS-CoV-2 specific N gene, and the human ABL1 gene as an internal control.

Evaluation of a novel serum IgG4 assay and determination of reference interval for the Japanese population.

Background: IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a new syndrome characterized by elevated serum IgG4 concentration and tissue infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells. Here, we evaluated the analytical performance of a new IgG4 assay reagent featuring a wide dynamic range, highly specific monoclonal antibody, and the reversed passive latex agglutination assay and determined the IgG4 reference interval (RI) for the Japanese population.

Methods: Performance evaluations were conducted on precision, linearity, sensitivity, interference, and method comparison with The Binding Site (TBS) and Siemens reagents.

Multiplex PCR and multicolor probes melting for the simultaneous detection of five UGT1A1 variants.

The multiplex PCR melting analysis method was developed for detecting the five UGT1A1 variants. Multiplexing was achieved using color probes and T. The probes for *28/*6, *27, *29, and *7 were discriminated by colors.

Evaluation of analytical factors associated with targeted MEFV gene sequencing using long-range PCR/massively parallel sequencing of whole blood DNA for molecular diagnosis of Familial Mediterranean fever.

Background: Long-range PCR (LR-PCR) is used to enrich the target regions of the genome. This study aimed to establish the pipeline of targeted gene sequencing using LR-PCR and massively parallel sequencing (MPS).

Methods: The 14-kb-long MEFV gene, including the entire coding exons, was selected as a target gene and amplified using LR-PCR.

Selection of Diacrylate Monomers for Sub-15 nm Ultraviolet Nanoimprinting by Resonance Shear Measurement.

In UV nanoimprinting, the selection of monomers suitable for sub-15 nm patterning is difficult because the filling behavior of resin at this scale still remains scientifically unclear. We demonstrate sub-15 nm patterning by UV nanoimprinting using silica molds with 20, 15, and 7 nm diameter holes; however, the 7 nm diameter pillar patterns were not fabricated using hydroxy-containing monomers. The filling behavior into silica holes of around 10 nm depended on the chemical structure of the monomers.

Autoimmune Pancreatitis Can Transform Into Chronic Features Similar to Advanced Chronic Pancreatitis With Functional Insufficiency Following Severe Calcification.

Objectives: Because several studies for autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) have revealed pancreatic calcification resembling that in chronic pancreatitis (CP), we sought to clarify whether AIP could transform into chronic features similar to advanced CP with severe pancreatic dysfunction.

Methods: Pancreatic functions of 92 AIP patients, 47 definite CP patients, and 30 healthy controls were assessed by fecal elastase-1 concentration (FEC), fasting immunoreactive insulin (IRI), and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA)-R.

Results: The 92 AIP patients included 17 (18%) with severe calcification (SC) and 75 without.

Effects of Myeloperoxidase-Induced Oxidation on Antiatherogenic Functions of High-Density Lipoprotein.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) has protective effects against the development of atherosclerosis; these effects include reverse cholesterol transport, antioxidant ability, and anti-inflammation. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) secreted by macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions generates tyrosyl radicals in apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) molecules, inducing the formation of apoA-I/apoA-II heterodimers through the tyrosine-tyrosine bond in HDL. Functional characterization of HDL oxidized by MPO could provide useful information about the significance of apoA-I/apoA-II heterodimers measurement.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition of A549 cells is enhanced by co-cultured with THP-1 macrophages under hypoxic conditions.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with pulmonary fibrosis, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In this study, we investigated EMT of human pulmonary epithelial-derived cells (A549). A549 cells was either cultured by itself or co-cultured with THP-1 macrophages under normoxic (21% O2) and hypoxic (2% O2) conditions.

Three-dimensional analysis of alveolar wall destruction in the early stage of pulmonary emphysema.

The morphological mechanism of alveolar wall destruction during pulmonary emphysema has not been clarified. The aim of this study was to elucidate this process three-dimensionally. Lung specimens from five patients with pulmonary emphysema were used, and five controls with normal alveolar structure were also examined.

Combination of white blood cell count and left shift level real-timely reflects a course of bacterial infection.

Background: The efficacy of white blood cell (WBC) count and left shift in predicting bacterial infections has been controversial. The aim of this study was to prove that WBC count and left shift reflect a course of bacterial infection.

Materials: Six patients in whom the onset of bacterial infection had been determined and successful treatment had been done were selected.

Reduction in viscosity of quasi-2D-confined nanoimprint resin through the addition of fluorine-containing monomers: shear resonance study.

The fluidity of the resin for the nanoimprint lithography was investigated in a quasi-2D space by the shear resonance measurement, which enables us to measure the viscous property of the resin confined in a nanometer gap between mica surfaces. With this technique, we could observe that the resin fluidity was enhanced by the addition of the fluorine-containing monomer. The fluidity of the resin with the fluorine-containing monomer was maintained until the distance between mica surfaces became smaller than 15 nm, wheras the resin without the fluorine-containing monomer started losing its fluidity when the distance became 30 nm.

Identification of sites in apolipoprotein A-I susceptible to chymase and carboxypeptidase A digestion.

MCs (mast cells) adversely affect atherosclerosis by promoting the progression of lesions and plaque destabilization. MC chymase cleaves apoA-I (apolipoprotein A-I), the main protein component of HDL (high-density lipoprotein). We previously showed that C-terminally truncated apoA-I (cleaved at the carboxyl side of Phe(225)) is present in normal human serum using a newly developed specific mAb (monoclonal antibody).