Genetic diversity of pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) in paediatric isolates of non-conjugate vaccine serotypes in Japan.

Purpose: Among the pneumococcal proteins, pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) is considered the most promising candidate for a serotype-independent vaccine. This study aimed to investigate the serotype, genetic diversity of PspA, lineage (genotype) and drug resistance traits of pneumococcal isolates from paediatric patients.

Methodology: A total of 678 non-invasive pneumococcal isolates obtained from June to November 2016 were analysed.

Molecular Characterization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Outpatients in Northern Japan: Increasing Tendency of ST5/ST764 MRSA-IIa with Arginine Catabolic Mobile Element.

Arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME) is a genomic island of staphylococcus and is considered to confer enhanced ability to survive and growth on host bacterial cells. ACME has been typically identified in Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL)-positive ST8 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with SCCmec type IVa (USA300 clone), and it is also found in other lineages at low frequency. Prevalence and molecular characteristics of PVLand/or ACME MRSA were investigated for 624 clinical isolates collected from outpatients in northern Japan from 2013 to 2014.

Serotype distribution and susceptibility to penicillin and erythromycin among noninvasive or colonization isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in northern Japan: a cross-sectional study in the pre-PCV7 routine immunization period.

Distribution of serotypes, prevalence of resistance to penicillin and/or erythromycin (EM), and its genetic traits were analyzed for a total of 1,061 noninvasive or colonization isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae (998 and 61 isolates from children and adults, respectively) in Hokkaido, northern main island of Japan, in the year 2011, the pre-PCV7 routine immunization period. Serotype deduction was performed by sequential multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), employing mutagenic PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism for discrimination of 6A/C and 6B/D. Unaltered three PBP genes and macrolide resistance genes erm(B) and mef(A/E) were detected by multiplex PCR.

Genetic diversity of emerging Panton-Valentine leukocidine/arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME)-positive ST8 SCCmec-IVa meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains and ACME-positive CC5 (ST5/ST764) MRSA strains in Northern Japan.

Panton-Valentine leukocidine (PVL) is a distinctive virulence factor of community-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA), and arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME) is a staphylococcal genomic island that enhances fitness and the ability of bacterial cells to colonize on skin and mucous membranes. ACME is characteristically found in USA300, which is a predominant CA-MRSA clone [sequence type (ST) 8] in the USA and is spreading globally, and has also been detected in non-ST8 MRSA at low frequency. In Japan, spread of MRSA with PVL and/or ACME and their genetic traits have not yet been well characterized.

A thirty-year survey reveals that ecosystem function of fungi predicts phenology of mushroom fruiting.

Mushroom fruiting, the reproduction of fungi, has broad implications for forest health, terrestrial biomass turnover, and global carbon cycle. However, little is known about the difference in phenology and environmental drivers of mushroom fruiting between functional guilds, e.g.

Insulin Resistance during Puberty in Non-obese Japanese Children.

We examined whether non-obese Japanese children without diabetes exhibited insulin resistance during puberty. The study subjects were 201 Japanese school students, consisting 95 males and 106 females, aged 11.5 ± 2.

Urine glucose screening program at schools in Japan to detect children with diabetes and its outcome-incidence and clinical characteristics of childhood type 2 diabetes in Japan.

A large number of children with type 2 diabetes have been detected by a urine glucose screening program conducted at schools in Japan since 1975. The incidence of type 2 diabetes in children has increased over the last three decades, and the incidence is estimated to be approximately 3.0/100,000/y during 1975-2000.

Recent change in the annual incidence of childhood type 2 diabetes in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

This study evaluated recent changes in the annual incidence of childhood type 2 diabetes in the Tokyo metropolitan area. From 1974 to 2004, a total of 236 students were diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes by the urine glucose screening program at school. The overall incidence of type 2 diabetes was 2.

Usefulness of the addition of metformin to insulin in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of metformin in addition to insulin therapy in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Nine patients, two males and seven females, aged 18.1 +/- 3.

Optimal use of quick-acting insulin analogue in combination with basal insulin and its long-term effect in Japanese children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

The aim of the study was to examine the optimal use of quick-acting insulin analogue (Q) switching from regular insulin (R) in combination with basal insulin and its long-term effects in 40 Japanese children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Insulin regimens after administration of Q were increased to twice daily injections of basal insulin and modified use of Q or R as bolus insulin depending on the blood glucose profile and lifestyles. The mean dose of total insulin remained unchanged during treatment with using Q, but that of basal insulin increased 12 months after the use of Q (baseline: 25.

In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of the tricyclic ketolide TE-802 and its analogs.

The in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of tricyclic ketolides (TKs: TE-802, TE-806, TE-935, TE-943) have been compared with those of clarithromycin (CAM), azithromycin (AZM) and rokitamycin (RKM). TKs were active against not only erythromycin (EM)-susceptible organisms; aerobic gram-positive bacteria, some gram-negative bacteria, anaerobic bacteria and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, but also EM-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (inducible macrolide-resistant strains) as well as EM-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (efflux-resistant strains). The therapeutic efficacies of TKs against systemic infections and respiratory tract infection (RTI) caused by gram-positive bacteria in mice are superior to those of CAM and AZM.

In vitro TGF-beta1 antagonistic activity of ursolic and oleanolic acids isolated from Clerodendranthus spicatus.

The mechanism of action of the aerial parts of Clerodendranthus spicatus (Thunb.) C.Y.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of a novel series of acylides: 3-O-(3-pyridyl)acetylerythromycin A derivatives.

A novel series of acylides, 3-O-(aryl)acetylerythromycin A derivatives, were synthesized and evaluated. These compounds have significant potent antibacterial activity against not only Gram-positive pathogens, including inducibly macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLS(B))-resistant and efflux-resistant strains, but also Gram-negative pathogens, such as H. influenzae.