A diagnostically challenging case of pyelonephritis caused by .

Extracellular polysaccharides produced by have been shown to stimulate the immune system, suppress reactivity to allergens, and protect from infections; these properties underlie the use of in probiotic formulations and in the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections. However, can be independently isolated at high numbers from sites of infection and has been rarely considered as the causative agent of infections in immunocompromised individuals. We herein report the case of a 46-year-old female patient who developed pyelonephritis due to following total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid cancer.

Multiple deletions in mitochondrial DNA in a patient with progressive external ophthalmoplegia, leukoencephalopathy and hypogonadism.

Progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO) is one of a number of major types of mitochondrial disorders. Most sporadic PEO patients have a heteroplasmic large deletion of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the mitochondria in skeletal muscles. We herein analyzed mtDNA deletions using sub-cloning and Sanger sequencing of PCR products in a 31-year-old Japanese man with multiple symptoms, including PEO, muscle weakness, hearing loss, leukoencephalopathy and hypogonadism.

The translation elongation factor eEF2 is a novel tumor‑associated antigen overexpressed in various types of cancers.

Recent studies have shown that cancer immunotherapy could be a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer. In the present study, to identify novel tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), the proteins expressed in a panel of cancer cells were serologically screened by immunoblot analysis and the eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) was identified as an antigen that was recognized by IgG autoantibody in sera from a group of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) or colon cancer. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that serum eEF2 IgG Ab levels were significantly higher in colorectal and gastric cancer patients compared to healthy individuals.

Generation, characterization and therapeutic potential of anti-feline TNF-alpha MAbs for feline infectious peritonitis.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a lethal infectious disease affecting domestic and wild cats. Several reports suggested that TNF-alpha is related to the progression of FIP. Thus, the administration of a feline TNF-alpha-neutralizing antibody to cats with FIP may reduce the disease progression.

Mutation of neutralizing/antibody-dependent enhancing epitope on spike protein and 7b gene of feline infectious peritonitis virus: influences of viral replication in monocytes/macrophages and virulence in cats.

We previously prepared neutralizing monoclonal antibody (MAb)-resistant (mar) mutant viruses using a laboratory strain feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) 79-1146 (Kida et al., 1999). Mar mutant viruses are mutated several amino acids of the neutralizing epitope of Spike protein, compared with the parent strain, FIPV 79-1146.

WT1 IgG antibody for early detection of nonsmall cell lung cancer and as its prognostic factor.

There are urgent needs to develop methods for early detection of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) because of its increasing incidence and poor prognosis. Here, we analyzed the production of IgG antibody (WT1 Ab) against WT1 (Wilms' tumor gene) protein that was overexpressed in the majority of NSCLC. Enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay showed that WT1 Ab was produced in all of 91 NSCLC patients and 70 healthy individuals and that WT1 Ab titers were significantly higher in NSCLC patients compared with healthy individuals.

Food restriction in pregnant mice can induce changes in histone modifications and suppress gene expression in fetus.

Biological responses to environmental effects are mediated through epigenetic changes such as chemical modifications of the histone tails and DNA (5-cytosine) methylation. We report that dietary protein restriction in pregnant mice can alter histone modifications in the promoter region of the Igf2 gene and cause a two-fold repression in promoter specific Igf2 transcription in the liver of the fetus. Suppression of Igf2 is accompanied with low birth weight of the pups born to the protein-restricted dams.