Evaluation of an optimal agar medium for detecting hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae using string test.

The string test is a screening method for detecting hypervirulent (hvKp). Agar media are used for string tests; however, the effect of the type of media on the test results remains unclear. We aimed to determine the optimal agar medium and cutoff value for the string test.

Antimicrobial resistance and AmpC production in ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella quasipneumoniae: A retrospective study in Japanese clinical isolates.

Introduction: The study of Klebsiella quasipneumoniae, Klebsiella variicola, and AmpC production in extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella in Japan is limited, and existing data are insufficient. This study aims to characterize Klebsiella species, determine AmpC production rates, and analyze antimicrobial resistance patterns in ESBL-producing Klebsiella isolates in Japan.

Methods: A total of 139 clinical isolates of ESBL-producing Klebsiella were collected in Japan, along with their corresponding antimicrobial susceptibility profiles.

Time to positivity of Corynebacterium in blood culture: Characteristics and diagnostic performance.

The presence of Corynebacterium in blood samples can indicate true bacteremia or contamination, thus complicating the diagnosis of true bacteremia. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of time to positivity (TTP) in diagnosing true bacteremia and contamination in cases where Corynebacterium was isolated from blood samples. We compared the TTP of the true-bacteremia group (n = 77) with that of the contamination group (n = 88).

Characterization of the Emerging Enteropathogen Isolated from Urine Samples of Patients Attending Sapporo Area Hospitals, Japan.

Recently, has been identified as a causative agent of diarrhea in humans and is often misidentified as diarrheagenic (DEC), a lactose-nondegrading bacterium. In this study, we performed biochemical characterization, gene possession status, drug susceptibility testing, and sequencing analysis of the strains detected in urine samples. One urea-degrading strain was detected in terms of biochemical characteristics, but was found to be nonurea-degrading by another method, leading to conflicting results.

Clinical characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility of , and isolated from human urine in Japan.

The three species , and are difficult to distinguish, owing to their similar biochemical properties, and are often confused in medical practice. There is a scarcity of data comparing the clinical characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility of , and . We believe that knowledge of the characteristics of each species will help in their better identification.

The Effect of Data Augmentation in Deep Learning Approach for Peripheral Blood Leukocyte Recognition.

Data augmentation is reported as a useful technique to generate a large amount of image datasets from a small image dataset. The aim of this study is to clarify the effect of data augmentation for leukocyte recognition with deep learning. We performed three different data augmentation methods (rotation, scaling, and distortion) as pretreatment on the original images.

Psychological and Antibacterial Effects of Footbath Using the Essential Oil.

() essential oil primarily contains linalool and has relaxation properties. We investigated the psychological and antibacterial effects of footbath with essential oil. The participants included 20 women without medical history and received two intervention plans: footbath without any essential oil and footbath using essential oil.

Comparison of Chemical Composition between Kuromoji () Essential Oil and Hydrosol and Determination of the Deodorizing Effect.

Kuromoji () is a tree that grows throughout Japan. The components of kuromoji essential oil have antitumor and aromatherapy effects. However, the composition of the hydrosol, obtained as a by-product of the essential oil process, is unknown.

A novel single-step multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli that causes diarrhea in humans is referred to as diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC), and has been categorized into the following 5 groups: shigatoxin-producing E. coli (STEC), enteropathogenic E.

Rapid diagnostic method for the detection of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli by multiplex PCR.

Two novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assays were originally developed for detecting nine targeted virulence-associated genes of five categorized diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC). The mPCR assay 1 included five primer sets (stx1, eaeA, invE, STp gene, and astA), and assay 2 included four primer sets (stx2, aggR, STh gene, and LT gene). The two mPCRs showed 100% specificity in identifying the reference strains without nonspecific bands, and 51 DEC and 38 astA gene-positive E.

Comparison of mean deviation with AGIS and CIGTS scores in association with structural parameters in glaucomatous eyes.

Objective: To evaluate which of the 3 clinically used visual field indices including mean deviation (MD), Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS) score, and Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study (CIGTS) score are best in evaluating functional damage of glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

Methods: In 213 glaucomatous eyes, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) and optic disc configuration were measured with Stratus optical coherence tomography and Heidelberg Retina Tomograph-2, respectively. Visual field was measured with standard automated perimetry 30-2.

Intraocular pressure lowering effect of once daily versus once weekly latanoprost instillation in the same normal individuals.

This study tested whether once weekly instillation of latanoprost exerts the similar IOP lowering effect as once daily instillation in the same individuals. Latanoprost was administered on right eyes of eight healthy male volunteers once daily first for 24 days, which was followed by the 31-day washout and the subsequent once weekly instillation for another 24 days. The mean baseline IOP was 12.

Long-term results of amniotic membrane transplantation-assisted bleb revision for leaking blebs.

Background: To report long-term results of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT)-assisted bleb revision for intractable late-onset bleb leak.

Methods: Retrospective medical record review of six consecutive patients who underwent AMT-assisted bleb revision for late-onset bleb leak at the Kobe University hospital between December 2001 and March 2004.

Results: The median (range) of age was 60 (20-77) years.

Comparison of Pentacam Scheimpflug camera with ultrasound pachymetry and noncontact specular microscopy in measuring central corneal thickness.

Purpose: Although central corneal thickness (CCT) can be measured by several methods, interchangeability of different modalities has not been fully investigated. CCT is known to correlate with intraocular pressure (IOP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the agreement of Pentacam Scheimpflug system with noncontact specular microscopy (NCSM) and ultrasound (US) pachymetry in measuring CCT and the relation between IOP taken with Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) and the CCT measured with these three methods.

Quantification of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness reduction associated with a relative afferent pupillary defect in asymmetric glaucoma.

Aim: The relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) is an important clinical sign of asymmetrical retinal ganglion cell and axonal damage. Although glaucoma essentially affects bilateral eyes, a subset of patients manifests asymmetrical glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON), which exhibits an RPAD in the more advanced eyes. However, the degree to which axonal loss occurs before an RAPD is clinically detectable has not been substantiated.

Agreement of rebound tonometer in measuring intraocular pressure with three types of applanation tonometers.

Purpose: To evaluate the agreement of iCare rebound tonometer in measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) with Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT), Tonopen XL, and noncontact tonometer, and the influence of the central corneal thickness (CCT) on IOP measurements made with these four tonometers in 45 (12 control and 33 glaucomatous or ocular hypertensive) eyes.

Design: Clinically relevant experimental study.

Methods: Tonometer intermethod agreement was assessed by the Bland-Altman method.

[Correlations among GDx-variable corneal compension, optical coherence tomography, and Heidelberg retina tomograph and relationships between these structural parameters and visual field indices].

Purpose: In glaucoma patients, to compare the correlations among parameters measured by Heidelberg Retina Tomography(HRT) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) measured by GDx-variable corneal compensation (GDx-VCC) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), and to assess the relationship among these structural parameters, and visual field damage.

Methods: A unilateral eye of 110 patients with open-angle glaucoma were included in this study. Each individual was analyzed by HRT (version 3.

[A case of conjunctival malignant melanoma treated with subconjunctival injection of interferon beta--efficacy and side effects].

Background: The management of conjunctival malignant melanoma remains controversial. Interferon-beta (IFN-beta) is a well-known antineoplastic agent against cutaneous malignant melanoma.

Case: A 44-year-old man was referred to Kobe University, Hospital for treatment of pigmented lesions in the corneal limbus of his right eye, first recognized in 2000 and growing gradually.