Study on the correlation between age and changes in mosquito bite response.

Mosquito bite reactions consist of an immediate response characterized by an erythema and a wheal, which peaks at 20 min, and a delayed response characterized by a papule and/or an erythema, which peaks at 24 h. Mosquito bite reactions progress from stage I to stage V as an individual is repeatedly bitten as follows: stage I, neither immediate nor delayed reaction; stage II, delayed reaction; stage III, both immediate and delayed reaction; stage IV, immediate reaction; and stage V, neither immediate nor delayed reaction. In 1985, we conducted a cross-sectional study that demonstrated a positive association between age and stage in response to an Aedes albopictus bite among 162 healthy volunteers.

Linkage between the leader sequence and leader RNA production in Borna disease virus-infected cells.

The 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of the non-segmented, negative-strand (NNS) RNA viral genome is called the leader sequence, and functions as the promoter for viral replication and transcription. NNS RNA viruses also use the sequence as a template to synthesize leader RNAs (leRNAs) with unknown functions. Borna disease virus (BDV) is unique because it establishes a persistent infection and replicates in the nucleus.

Molecular evolution of kiss2 genes and peptides in vertebrates.

The kiss1 peptide (kisspeptin), a product of the kiss1 gene, is one of the key neuropeptides regulating vertebrate reproduction. In 2009, we identified a paralogous gene of kiss1 in the brain of amphibians and named it kiss2. Currently, the presence of the kiss2 gene and the kiss2 peptide is still obscure in amniotes compared with that in other vertebrates.

Two cases of eruptive pseudoangiomatosis induced by mosquito bites.

Eruptive pseudoangiomatosis is a skin eruption characterized by millet-sized erythema with an anemic halo appearing on exposed body areas. Insect bites, particularly mosquito bites, have been reported as one of the causes of eruptive pseudoangiomatosis. We experienced two cases of eruptive pseudoangiomatosis and the eruption was seen on the face and upper extremities of two women aged 48 and 77 years old.

A 35-month prospective study on onset of scabies in a psychiatric hospital: discussion on patient transfer and incubation period.

This study was conducted to evaluate the risk factors of scabies introduction into a hospital. We addressed the following question: Do patients transferred from other institutions pose a higher risk than patients from the community? From July 2003 to May 2006, a trained physician surveyed the inpatients and staff of a psychiatric hospital (six wards, 300 beds) on a monthly basis. During the study period, specific infection control measures beyond standard precautions, such as prophylactic treatment, were not adopted.

Risk factors for recurrence of scabies: a retrospective study of scabies patients in a long-term care hospital.

A considerable number of patients suffer recurrence of scabies. To elucidate risk factors for recurrence of scabies, we compared patients who experienced scabies recurrence and those who suffered scabies only once. We conducted a retrospective review of medical records of all scabies patients in a long-term care hospital for the elderly (300 beds; six wards) for a period of 42 months to determine frequency of scabies onsets, underlying diseases, history of treatment, and demographic data such as age and sex.

Purification and concentration of non-infectious West Nile virus-like particles and infectious virions using a pseudo-affinity Cellufine Sulfate column.

Affinity column chromatography is a promising method for the purification of flavivirus particles that can supplement or potentially replace diafiltration and sucrose density centrifugation. In this study, the purification of West Nile Virus (WNV) antigens via Cellufine Sulfate column chromatography was examined. Virus-like particles (VLPs) produced by the expression of the prM and E genes were separated from most of the contaminant proteins with 0.

Upregulation of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 in astrocytes of transgenic mice that express Borna disease virus phosphoprotein.

In a previous study, we demonstrated that transgenic mice that express Borna disease virus (BDV) phosphoprotein (P) in astrocytes show striking neurobehavioral abnormalities resembling those in BDV-infected animals. To understand the molecular disturbances induced by the expression of P in astrocytes, we performed microarray analysis with cultured astroglial cells transiently expressing P. We showed that expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 mRNA increases not only in P-expressing cultured cells but also in astrocytes from the cerebella of P transgenic mice (P-Tg).

Immunogenicity and efficacy of two types of West Nile virus-like particles different in size and maturation as a second-generation vaccine candidate.

Virus-like particles (VLPs) of flaviviruses generated from the prM and E genes are a promising vaccine candidate. We have established cell clones continuously releasing VLPs of West Nile virus (WNV) in serum-free conditions. Two types of VLPs were distinguished by sedimenting analyses in sucrose density gradients.

Sub-critical water extraction of residual green tea to produce a roasted green tea-like extract.

In this study, we investigated the effects of various temperatures between 140 to 260 degrees C during sub-critical water extraction of residual green tea in making a roasted green tea-like extract, a popular beverage in Japan. Each residual green tea extract was analyzed for sensory properties and antioxidative activities, and this revealed 140 degrees C to be the best extraction temperature. 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde, (+)-catechin, and (-)-epicatechin were found to be the major antioxidative compounds in the 140 degrees C extract, along with theanine and some important amino acids.

Autogenous translational regulation of the Borna disease virus negative control factor X from polycistronic mRNA using host RNA helicases.

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a nonsegmented, negative-strand RNA virus that employs several unique strategies for gene expression. The shortest transcript of BDV, X/P mRNA, encodes at least three open reading frames (ORFs): upstream ORF (uORF), X, and P in the 5' to 3' direction. The X is a negative regulator of viral polymerase activity, while the P phosphoprotein is a necessary cofactor of the polymerase complex, suggesting that the translation of X is controlled rigorously, depending on viral replication.

Risk factors of scabies in psychiatric and long-term care hospitals: a nationwide mail-in survey in Japan.

Despite the commonness of scabies in Japanese institutional settings, the nationwide prevalence of scabies has not been elucidated. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of scabies and control measures in Japanese hospitals. A questionnaire on scabies epidemiology (e.

Effects of the number of amino acid residues in the signal segment upstream or downstream of the NS2B-3 cleavage site on production and secretion of prM/M-E virus-like particles of West Nile virus.

Expression of genes for precursor M (prM) and envelope (E) proteins of West Nile virus (WNV) leads to the production of small, capsidless, and non-infectious virus-like particles (VLPs) possessing the E antigen which is responsible for viral entry and immune protection. It has been reported that processing of the secretion signal affects viral release. We examined the secretion efficiency of VLPs into the culture medium from RK13 or 293T cells transfected with expression vectors for prM and E proteins of WNV which were constructed to comprise different lengths of signal peptides upstream of the prM-E domain.

Downregulation of an astrocyte-derived inflammatory protein, S100B, reduces vascular inflammatory responses in brains persistently infected with Borna disease virus.

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a neurotropic virus that causes a persistent infection in the central nervous system (CNS) of many vertebrate species. Although a severe reactive gliosis is observed in experimentally BDV-infected rat brains, little is known about the glial reactions contributing to the viral persistence and immune modulation in the CNS. In this regard, we examined the expression of an astrocyte-derived factor, S100B, in the brains of Lewis rats persistently infected with BDV.

Characterization of a Borna disease virus field isolate which shows efficient viral propagation and transmissibility.

To investigate the biological characteristics of field isolates of Borna disease virus (BDV), as well as to understand BDV infections outside endemic countries, we isolated the virus from brain samples of a heifer with Borna disease in Japan. We demonstrate that the brain lysate contained replication products of BDV and induced viral propagation in rat glioma cells, suggesting that a replication-competent BDV existed in the bovine brain. This field strain of BDV, named Bo/04w, showed efficient viral release and transmissibility and also displayed a distinct pattern of expression of viral phosphoprotein (P) during infection, as compared with laboratory-adapted BDV strains.

Development of a novel Borna disease virus reverse genetics system using RNA polymerase II promoter and SV40 nuclear import signal.

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a noncytolytic, neurotropic RNA virus that replicates and transcribes in the nucleus of infected cells. Therefore, efficient synthesis of BDV RNA in the nucleus is critical for the development of a reverse genetics system for this virus. Here, we report the development of such a system using the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) promoter.

A case of crusted scabies with a bullous pemphigoid-like eruption and nail involvement.

We report a case of a 71-year-old man infected at a nursing home who developed a bullous pemphigoid-like eruption with nail involvement. He was diagnosed by his family doctor as suffering from eczema and was treated with topical corticosteroids, then blisters started appearing. He was next diagnosed as suffering from bullous pemphigoid and treated with oral prednisolone, which worsened his condition.

Prevalence of Borna disease virus antibodies in healthy Japanese black cattle in Kyushu.

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that asymptomatic infection of Borna disease virus (BDV) is found in various species of animals in Japan. Recent reports have also revealed that neurological diseases caused by this virus could exist in horses, cattle, a dog, and cats in this country. In this study, we investigated seroprevalence of BDV antibodies in Japanese black cows reared in Kyushu, the southernmost main island of Japan, using ELISA and Western-immunoblotting.

A methionine-rich domain mediates CRM1-dependent nuclear export activity of Borna disease virus phosphoprotein.

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a nonsegmented, negative-strand RNA virus that replicates and transcribes in the nucleus of infected cells. Recently, we have demonstrated that BDV phosphoprotein (P) can modulate its subcellular localization through binding to the protein X, which is encoded in the overlapping open reading frame (T. Kobayashi et al.

[Nosocomial outbreak of scabies in a psychiatric hospital--epidemiological assessment and prophylactic treatment with oral ivermectin].

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of mass treatment with ivermectin of scabies outbreak in institutional settings. To determine the factors, such as host susceptibility and scabetic exposure level associated with the onset of scabies.

Methods: The authors investigated a nosocomial scabies outbreak in a close psychiatric ward.

Persistent borna disease virus infection confers instability of HSP70 mRNA in glial cells during heat stress.

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a highly neurotropic RNA virus that causes neurological disorders in many vertebrate species. Although BDV readily establishes lasting persistence, persistently infected cells maintain an apparently normal cell phenotype in terms of morphology, viability, and proliferation. In this study, to understand the regulation of stress responses in BDV infection, we investigated the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in glial cells persistently infected with BDV.

Oral ivermectin treatment in two cases of scabies: effective in crusted scabies induced by corticosteroid but ineffective in nail scabies.

We report two cases of scabies treated with oral ivermectin (200 micro g/kg). Case 1, a 72-year-old man, developed crusted scabies with the use of oral corticosteroids due to a misdiagnosis by an earlier physician. The patient was successfully treated with two doses of oral ivermectin at a 7 day interval with concomitant topical use of crotamiton and keratolytic agents.