Basic Research on Candida Species.

Candida species are common human pathogens that cause a wide range of diseases ranging from superficial to invasive candidiasis. However, basic studies focusing on the mechanisms underlying these diseases are limited. This article reviews our previous research on the mechanisms of superficial and invasive candidiasis, the virulence of Candida species, and Candida species fitness to hosts.

Electrostatic interaction between sulfated polysaccharides and oligopeptides from viral envelope glycoproteins using surface plasmon resonance.

Biotinylated oligopeptides from the envelope glycoproteins of dengue fever virus, influenza A and B viruses, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were synthesized and their interaction with curdlan and dextran sulfates was investigated using surface plasmon resonance to evaluate the antiviral mechanisms of sulfated polysaccharides. More than two clusters consisting of basic amino acids in the oligopeptides from dengue fever virus, strongly interacted with the sulfated polysaccharides elucidated by the association- and dissociation-rate constants. Interactions decreased with the decreasing molecular weights of the sulfated polysaccharides.

High-resolution melting analysis to discriminate between the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants BA.1 and BA.2.

High-resolution melting (HRM) analysis was conducted to discriminate between SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.1 (B.1.

High-resolution melting analysis after nested PCR for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein G339D and D796Y variations.

High-resolution melting (HRM) analysis was performed to detect G339D and D796Y variations in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spike protein. We employed two-step PCR consisting of the first RT-PCR and the second nested PCR to prepare the amplicon for HRM analysis. The melting temperatures (Tm) of the amplicon from the cDNA of the Omicron variant receptor binding domain (RBD) were 73.

Biofilm-formation capability depends on environmental oxygen concentrations in Candida species.

Background: Although oxygen concentrations inside of the human body vary depending on organs or tissues, few reports describe the relationships between biofilm formation of Candida species and oxygen concentrations. In this study, we investigated the biofilm-forming capabilities of Candida species under various oxygen conditions.

Methods: We evaluated the adhesion and biofilm formation of Candida albicans and C.

Lignosulfonate Rapidly Inactivates Human Immunodeficiency and Herpes Simplex Viruses.

Very few studies of the antiviral potential of lignosulfonates have been published. With the aim of oral application, among various groups of natural products, the relative antiviral potency of lignosulfonate and its ability to rapidly inactivate viruses were investigated. As target cells, MT-4 cells in suspension and attached Vero cells were used for infections with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human herpes simplex type-1 virus (HSV).

Re-Evaluation of Chemotherapeutic Potential of Pyoktanin Blue.

Pyoktanin blue (PB) is used for staining tissues and cells, and it is applied in photodynamic therapy due to its potent bactericidal activity. However, clinical application of PB as an antiviral and antitumor agent has been limited due to its potent toxicity. For clinical application, the antitumor and antiviral activity as well as the neurotoxicity of PB were re-evaluated with a chemotherapeutic index.

Characteristics of Carbapenemase-Producing Isolated in the Intensive Care Unit of the Largest Tertiary Hospital in Bangladesh.

For addressing the issue of antimicrobial drug resistance in developing countries, it is important to investigate the characteristics of carbapenemase-producing organisms. We aimed to genetically characterize a carbapenemase-producing (CPKP) isolated in the intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in Bangladesh. The number of CPKP isolates were 43/145 (30%), of which pandrug-resistant (PDR) strains were 14%.