Quantitative analysis of vibration waves based on Fourier transform in magnetic resonance elastography.

We developed a novel magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) analysis method based on Fourier transform to assess the responsive characteristics for different tissue stiffness and degree of transmission of the vibration wave emanating from a passive driver during MRE. A phantom tissue study was conducted with an MRE sequence and vibration wave system using a clinical MR scanner. The phantom tissue consisted of two layers of agar: 0.

Presence of Staphylococcus aureus ST398 and ST9 in Swine in Japan.

Livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) is mainly associated with swine and is capable of causing zoonotic infections. The methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) multilocus sequence type (ST) 398 of swine origin is predominant in Europe and North America, whereas ST9 is predominant in Asia.

Prevalence and mechanism of antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus isolates from diseased cattle, swine and chickens in Japan.

Antimicrobial administration is essential for the control and treatment of diseases in animals, but the emergence and prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a significant concern during animal production. Here we investigated the antimicrobial susceptibility of S. aureus from diseased food-producing animals and molecularly characterized the methicillin-resistant and fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates.

Phylogenetic groups and cephalosporin resistance genes of Escherichia coli from diseased food-producing animals in Japan.

A total of 318 Escherichia coli isolates obtained from different food-producing animals affected with colibacillosis between 2001 and 2006 were subjected to phylogenetic analysis: 72 bovine isolates, 89 poultry isolates and 157 porcine isolates. Overall, the phylogenetic group A was predominant in isolates from cattle (36/72, 50%) and pigs (101/157, 64.3%) whereas groups A (44/89, 49.

A proof of the DBRF-MEGN method, an algorithm for deducing minimum equivalent gene networks.

Background: We previously developed the DBRF-MEGN (difference-based regulation finding-minimum equivalent gene network) method, which deduces the most parsimonious signed directed graphs (SDGs) consistent with expression profiles of single-gene deletion mutants. However, until the present study, we have not presented the details of the method's algorithm or a proof of the algorithm.

Results: We describe in detail the algorithm of the DBRF-MEGN method and prove that the algorithm deduces all of the exact solutions of the most parsimonious SDGs consistent with expression profiles of gene deletion mutants.

Contribution of enhanced efflux to reduced susceptibility of Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis to fluoroquinolone and other antimicrobials.

We examined antimicrobial susceptibility and efflux systems in laboratory-derived mutants of Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis selected by culture on fluoroquinolone-containing plates. The mutants exhibited decreased susceptibilities to quinolones and several other antimicrobials. Mutations in the gyrA gene were not always found in the mutants.

Isolation of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from swine in Japan.

Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sequence type (ST) 398 is widely prevalent in swine in Europe and North America. To determine the prevalence of MRSA, and specifically ST398, in Japanese swine, a total of 115 nasal swabs and 115 faecal samples from swine reared at 23 farms located in eastern Japan were investigated. MRSA was isolated from a nasal sample (0.

Molecular typing of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli O78 strains in Japan by using multilocus sequence typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) serogroup O78 isolates in Japan were characterized using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Thirty-four of the serotype O78 isolates were clustered into 11 PFGE types with 80% similarity and were classified into 5 sequence types (STs), ST23, ST117, ST155, ST369 and 1 novel ST (ST1645). The most dominant ST was ST23 (54.

Comparison of in vitro activities and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics estimations of veterinary fluoroquinolones against avian pathogenic Escherichia coli isolates.

We analyzed in vitro activities and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) parameters of veterinary fluoroquinolones against avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains from cases of avian colibacillosis. The median of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC(50)) values against APEC strains for enrofloxacin (ERFX) and danofloxacin (DNFX) were 0.25 μg/ml and for norfloxacin (NFLX) and ofloxacin (OFLX) were 0.

[Regional differences in the prevalence of Japanese cedar-pollen allergy].

Purpose: According to the 2008 survey conducted by Baba et al., the average prevalence of Japanese cedar-pollen allergy is 26.5% in Japan, although there are great regional differences in the prevalence of this disease.

The fickle mutation of a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase effects sensitization but not dishabituation in Drosophila melanogaster.

fickle is a P-element mutation identified from a screen for defects in courtship behavior and disrupts the fly homolog of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) gene (Baba et al., 1999). Here, we show that habituation of the olfactory jump reflex also is defective in fickle.

A second-generation integrated map of the silkworm reveals synteny and conserved gene order between lepidopteran insects.

A second-generation linkage map was constructed for the silkworm, Bombyx mori, focusing on mapping Bombyx sequences appearing in public nucleotide databases and bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) contigs. A total of 874 BAC contigs containing 5067 clones (22% of the library) were constructed by PCR-based screening with sequence-tagged sites (STSs) derived from whole-genome shotgun (WGS) sequences. A total of 523 BAC contigs, including 342 independent genes registered in public databases and 85 expressed sequence tags (ESTs), were placed onto the linkage map.

DBRF-MEGN method: an algorithm for deducing minimum equivalent gene networks from large-scale gene expression profiles of gene deletion mutants.

Motivation: Large-scale gene expression profiles measured in gene deletion mutants are invaluable sources for identifying gene regulatory networks. Signed directed graph (SDG) is the most common representation of gene networks in genetics and cell biology. However, no practical procedure that deduces SDGs consistent with such profiles has been developed.

lingerer, a Drosophila gene involved in initiation and termination of copulation, encodes a set of novel cytoplasmic proteins.

In an effort to uncover genetic components underlying the courtship behavior of Drosophila melanogaster, we have characterized a novel gene, lingerer (lig), mutations of which result in abnormal copulation. Males carrying a hypomorphic mutation in lig fail to withdraw their genitalia upon termination of copulation, but display no overt abnormalities in their genitalia. A severe reduction in the dosage of the lig gene causes repeated attempted copulations but no successful copulations.