Characterization of CitA-CitB signal transduction activating genes involved in anaerobic citrate catabolism in Escherichia coli.

In Escherichia coli, CitA is a membrane-associated sensor histidine kinase that phosphorylates CitB, the response regulator. It is predicated to play a key role in anaerobic citrate catabolism. The citrate-binding site in CitA is located within its periplasmic domain, while the cytoplasmic domain (CitA-C) is involved in autophosphorylation.

Antenatally detected double prostatic utricle found in a neonate with ambiguous genitalia.

Although enlarged prostatic utricle is usually seen in patients with hypospadias and disorders of sex development, double utricle has not been reported without unilateral renal dysplasia and Wolffian duct anomaly. We present an unusual case of antenatally detected large pelvic cyst, which turned out to be one of double prostatic utricles in a neonate with ambiguous genitalia. The possibility of enlarged utricle should be considered in the differential diagnosis of antenatally detected pelvic cysts in neonates with ambiguous genitalia.

Prenatal resolution of megacystis possibly caused by spontaneous rupture of posterior urethral valves.

We report herein a case of resolution of severe megacystis, possibly caused by spontaneous rupture of posterior urethral valves during follow-up on a prenatal ultrasound. A 32-year-old woman presented at gestational week 15 for evaluation of fetal bladder enlargement. Prenatal ultrasonography revealed megacystis and posterior urethral dilatation.

Anaerobic regulation of citrate fermentation by CitAB in Escherichia coli.

In Escherichia coli, CitB, a cognate response regulator of CitA, specifically bound to the promoter regions for mdh, citA, citC, and exuT. Transcription of these genes was induced by citrate under anaerobic conditions in a CitAB-dependent manner. Taking this together, we conclude that CitAB is the master regulatory system that activates the set of genes involved in citrate fermentation in E.

Urban warming trends in several large Asian cities over the last 100 years.

In this paper, the long-term trends in surface temperature in several large Asian cities (Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, Manila, Bangkok, and Jakarta) have been analyzed for estimating the effects of urban warming. A new index, E-HII, is proposed: it is the value obtained by subtracting the temperature data of the four grids around the city from the observational temperature data in the city. Osaka shows the largest E-HII, increasing from approximately 2.

Synthesis of thienyl analogues of PCBM and investigation of morphology of mixtures in P3HT.

Novel [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) analogues containing benzo[b]thiophene (3a, 3b) and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (3c, 3d) were synthesized and characterized. The morphology of the thin films prepared from the mixtures of these methanofullerenes with regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was investigated by AFM measurement and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. A solubility test of these methanofullerenes was performed by using dichloromethane as a solvent.

A single base mutation in the PRAT4A gene reveals differential interaction of PRAT4A with Toll-like receptors.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an essential role in defense responses. Immune cells express multiple TLRs which are simultaneously activated by microbial pathogens. PRotein Associated with Tlr4 A (PRAT4A) is a chaperone-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident protein required for the proper subcellular distribution of multiple TLRs.

A case report of metastasizing myoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland arising in a recurrent pleomorphic adenoma.

Myoepithelial carcinoma, arising in a recurrent or in a pre-existing pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland is an extremely rare cancer. We herein report the case of myoepithelial carcinoma occurring in a recurrent pleomorphic adenoma, which showed a high metastatic potential. A 53-year-old male, who had undergone a superficial parotidectomy of the pleomorphic adenoma 2 years previously, presented with recurrent parotid swelling and with multiple coin lesions in the lung.

Prepuce-sparing hypospadias repair with tubularized incised plate urethroplasty.

Objectives: Modifications in surgical methods of hypospadias repair have been influenced by social considerations. Most Japanese parents wish their children to retain their foreskin during hypospadias repair. We report on short-term results of foreskin reconstruction associated with hypospadias repair.

Sagittal alignment changes after thoracic laminectomy in adults.

Object: The increased kyphosis after thoracic laminectomy in adult patients was retrospectively evaluated and various factors affecting this spinal deformity were analyzed.

Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective study of 58 cases in which laminectomy was performed and more than half of the facet joints were left intact. The study group included 44 men (mean age 59 years) and 14 women (mean age 61 years) with thoracic myelopathy due to ossifications of the ligamentum flavum and/or the posterior longitudinal ligament or due to posterior bone spurs.

Late recurrence of symptomatic hydronephrosis in patients with prenatally detected hydronephrosis and spontaneous improvement.

Purpose: Most prenatal hydronephrosis improves or resolves spontaneously with conservative treatment. However, late recurrence of prenatal hydronephrosis sometimes develops after improvement. To define the need for continuous observation after improvement of hydronephrosis, long-term followup was carried out in children with prenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis.

Biopsy of cervical lymph node.

Objective: This report examines 60 non-cancer patients who underwent a cervical lymph node biopsy, and discusses the value of the cervical lymph node biopsy as a diagnostic tool.

Methods: Sixty patients with cervical lymph node enlargement who had lymph node biopsies at the Juntendo University between 2004 and 2007 were examined. The clinical parameters including age, size of the lymph node, white blood cell (WBC), C reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrase (LDH), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2r) were measured at initial examination.

Laryngeal stenosis in epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica.

Epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica is a rare hereditary skin disease of infancy in which minor trauma causes blister formation. We report a rare case of epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica (recessive) with a stenosis of the larynx due to epiglottic deformity. We performed a tracheotomy, and we detained a trachea aperture in the long term this time.

Electrocatalytic performance of fuel oxidation by Pt3Ti nanoparticles.

A Pt-based electrocatalyst for direct fuel cells, Pt3Ti, has been prepared in the form of nanoparticles. Pt(1,5-cyclooctadiene)Cl2 and Ti(tetrahydrofuran)2Cl4 are reduced by sodium naphthalide in tetrahydrofuran to form atomically disordered Pt3Ti nanoparticles (FCC-type structure: Fm3m; a = 0.39 nm; particle size = 3 +/- 0.

Differences in internal dynamics of actin under different structural states detected by neutron scattering.

F-actin, a helical polymer formed by polymerization of the monomers (G-actin), plays crucial roles in various aspects of cell motility. Flexibility of F-actin has been suggested to be important for such a variety of functions. Understanding the flexibility of F-actin requires characterization of a hierarchy of dynamical properties, from internal dynamics of the actin monomers through domain motions within the monomers and relative motions between the monomers within F-actin to large-scale motions of F-actin as a whole.

Roles for LPS-dependent interaction and relocation of TLR4 and TRAM in TRIF-signaling.

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activates two distinct signaling pathways inducing production of proinflammatory cytokines or type I interferons (IFNs), respectively. MyD88 and TIRAP/Mal are essential adaptor molecules for the former but not for the latter pathway. In contrast, TRIF/TICAM-1 and TRAM/TICAM-2 are essential for both.

Cathepsins are required for Toll-like receptor 9 responses.

Toll-like receptors (TLR) recognize a variety of microbial products and activate defense responses. Pathogen sensing by TLR2/4 requires accessory molecules, whereas little is known about a molecule required for DNA recognition by TLR9. After endocytosis of microbes, microbial DNA is exposed and recognized by TLR9 in lysosomes.

Candiduria in a public hospital of São Paulo (1999-2004): characteristics of the yeast isolates.

The study involved 100 yeast isolates, obtained from urine samples provided by a Public Pediatric Hospital of São Paulo, Brazil, from 1999 to 2004. The most frequent species was Candida albicans, followed by C. tropicalis, C.

Prenatally diagnosed patent urachus with bladder prolapse.

We report 2 cases of patent urachus with bladder prolapse, which has a characteristic finding of "disappearance of cyst" antenatally. In the first case, a 34-year-old woman presented at 14 weeks gestation for evaluation of a cyst. Prenatal ultrasonography revealed a cystic mass at the base of the umbilical cord, communicating with the bladder.

Antifungal susceptibility of bloodstream yeasts isolated at a public children's hospital in Brazil: comparison of the Etest and the AFST-EUCAST microdilution method.

This study compared the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results from the proposed standard methods of the Antifungal Susceptibility Testing Subcommittee of the European Committee on Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AFST-EUCAST) with the commercial system Etest(R) in the evaluation of susceptibility to flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, and amphotericin B of 136 Candida spp. isolated from the blood of hospitalized children. The results presented a greater agreement among Etest(R) MICs +/-2 log2 dilutions of AFST-EUCAST for fluconazole (98.

Bladder evisceration in a child with antenatally detected gastroschisis: outcome of bladder function.

In patients with gastroschisis, evisceration of the bladder is rare. To date, little is known about functional outcome of the antenatally eviscerated bladder. We present a case of antenatally detected gastroschisis associated with entire bladder evisceration and fetal hydronephrosis.

Surgical treatment for ureterocele with special reference to lower urinary tract reconstruction.

Objectives: We reviewed the results of surgical treatment for children with ureterocele, especially addressing the importance of the lower urinary tract reconstruction.

Methods: We present medical records of 91 children with ureterocele (31 with the intravesical type, and 60 with the ectopic type) treated during the last 14 years. As the initial treatment, we carried out transurethral incision of the ureterocele (TUI).

A protein associated with Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 (PRAT4A) is required for TLR-dependent immune responses.

Immune cells express multiple Toll-like receptors (TLRs) that are concomitantly activated by a variety of pathogen products. Although there is presumably a need to coordinate the expression and function of TLRs in individual cells, little is known about the mechanisms governing this process. We show that a protein associated with TLR4 (PRAT4A) is required for multiple TLR responses.

Study of nasopharyngeal bacterial flora. Variations in nasopharyngeal bacterial flora in schoolchildren and adults when administered antimicrobial agents.

Changes in nasopharyngeal bacterial flora in adults with acute upper respiratory tract infection on administration of antimicrobial agents were investigated, and how these changes contrasted with those in children. Many patients with acute sinusitis due to allergies, and patients with malignancy and diabetes mellitus were included in the investigation. The detection rates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis, the major bacteria of acute otitis media (AOM), were 22%, 10%, and 7% respectively, which were significantly lower than those for children.