Detection of human bocaviruses 1 to 4 from nasopharyngeal swab samples collected from patients with respiratory tract infections.

Human bocaviruses (HBoV) 1, 2, 3, and 4 (HBoV1-4) were detected in 132 (15.5%), 5 (0.6%), 3 (0.

Relation of reproductive performances and rectal palpation for luteum function of heifers 7 days after estrus.

Diagnosis of corpus luteum (CL) function by rectal palpation (RP) has been widely used for recipient selection of embryo transfer (ET), a technology essential for genetic improvements in cattle. To examine the accuracy of RP diagnosis method, the relationship between RP-based CL function and reproductive performance was compared in this study. In Experiment 1, CL of Holstein heifers on day 7 after estrus was classified into functional or hypoplastic by RP, and the results were compared with ultrasonographic (US) images and plasma progesterone (P4) levels.

Novel anti-HIV-1 activity produced by conjugating unsulfated dextran with polyL-lysine.

A conjugate of polyL-lysine (PLL) with unsulfated dextran produced by reductive amination was found to have remarkable anti-HIV-1 activity against both the macrophage-tropic R5 virus Ba-L and T-cell line tropic X4 virus IIIB strains, although neither PLL nor dextran has such activity. The conjugate is a pseudoproteoglycan (pseudoPG) that simulates the structure of a proteoglycan. Conjugation with dextran was found to produce an antiviral effect in three kinds of assay systems including a human CD4(+) T-cell line, and the pseudoPG synthesized using 10 kDa PLL and 10 kDa dextran showed EC(50) 4-40 times lower than that of sulfated dextran or heparin against Ba-L and EC(50) equal to that against IIIB, indicating that PLL-dextran (PLL-Dex) was more effective against R5 virus than sulfated polysaccharides.

A wide variety of diarrhea viruses circulating in pediatric patients in Thailand.

Background: Viral gastroenteritis has been recognized as one of the most common illnesses that affects infants and young children all over the world. A wide variety of viruses associated with the disease are continually being reported. To investigate the epidemiological situation of diarrhea virus infection in Chiang Mai, Thailand, surveillance was conducted during January to December 2007.

Bio-silica and bio-polyphosphate: applications in biomedicine (bone formation).

Bio-silica represents the main mineral component of the sponge skeletal elements (siliceous spicules), while bio-polyphosphate (bio-polyP), a multifunctional polymer existing in microorganisms and animals acts, among others, as reinforcement for pores in cell membranes. These natural inorganic bio-polymers, which can be readily prepared, either by recombinant enzymes (bio-silica and bio-polyP) or chemically (polyP), are promising materials/substances for the amelioration and/or treatment of human bone diseases and dysfunctions. It has been demonstrated that bio-silica causes in vitro a differential effect on the expression of the genes OPG and RANKL, encoding two mediators that control the tuned interaction of the anabolic (osteoblasts) and catabolic (osteoclasts) pathways in human bone cells.

Detection of influenza virus using a lateral flow immunoassay for amplified DNA by a microfluidic RT-PCR chip.

Influenza virus RNA was amplified by a continuous-flow polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic RT-PCR chip within 15-20 min. The amplified influenza virus RNA was observed with the naked eye, as the red color at the test line, using a lateral flow immunoassay within 1 min.

Phylogenetic analysis of rubella viruses in Vietnam during 2009-2010.

Rubella virus (RV) usually causes a mild disease. However, infection during the first trimester of pregnancy often leads to severe birth defects known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Although wild-type RVs exist and circulate worldwide, their genotypes remain unknown in many countries.

Circulating of human bocavirus 1, 2, 3, and 4 in pediatric patients with acute gastroenteritis in Thailand.

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a newly identified human parvovirus that associated with respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. Epidemiological surveillance of HBoV was conducted on fecal specimens collected from hospitalized children with diarrhea in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2011. Among a total of 222 fecal specimens tested, 17 (7.

Analysis of base and codon usage by rubella virus.

Rubella virus (RUBV), a small, plus-strand RNA virus that is an important human pathogen, has the unique feature that the GC content of its genome (70%) is the highest (by 20%) among RNA viruses. To determine the effect of this GC content on genomic evolution, base and codon usage were analyzed across viruses from eight diverse genotypes of RUBV. Despite differences in frequency of codon use, the favored codons in the RUBV genome matched those in the human genome for 18 of the 20 amino acids, indicating adaptation to the host.

Short communication: Drug resistance mutations in the HIV type 1 protease and reverse transcriptase genes in antiretroviral-naive Vietnamese children.

Anti-HIV drugs have recently become available for the treatment of children infected with HIV in Vietnam; however, the genetic background of HIV-1 drug resistance in antiretroviral-naive children has yet to be studied. Of the 104 HIV-1 CRF01-AE subtype strains that were previously isolated from antiretroviral-naive children from the provinces of southern Vietnam and hospitalized in Children Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City from 2004 to 2005, 79 strains were used for amplification and sequence analyses of the protease and reverse transcriptase (RT) genes. Minor mutations were found in the protease gene, including L10I, I13V, G16E, M36I, D60E, I62V, I64V, L63P, H69K, V82I, and I93L.

Detection and molecular characterization of cosavirus in adults with diarrhea, Thailand.

Human cosavirus (HCoSV) is a newly discovered virus in Picornaviridae family. At present it is not clear whether HCoSV is associated with diseases, including gastroenteritis in humans, as epidemiological data is limited. Epidemiological surveillance of HCoSV was conducted on 150 fecal specimens collected from children and 150 samples from adults with diarrhea in Thailand by RT-PCR screening.

Sequence analysis of porcine kobuvirus VP1 region detected in pigs in Japan and Thailand.

Porcine kobuvirus is a new candidate species of the genus Kobuvirus in the family Picornaviridae, and information is still limited. The identification of porcine kobuvirus has been performed by the sequence analyses of the 3D region of the viruses. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to characterize the molecular properties of VP1 nucleotide sequences of the porcine kobuviruses isolated from porcine stool samples in Japan during 2009 and Thailand between 2006 and 2008.

Use of multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis in molecular subtyping of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi isolates.

We evaluated 11 variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) markers for the epidemiological investigation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) infection and compared the results to those obtained by PFGE. PFGE, using one or two restriction enzymes (XbaI and BlnI), was insufficient to differentiate between some isolates that were epidemiologically unlinked.

Analysis of adsorption and binding behaviors of silver nanoparticles onto a pyridyl-terminated surface using XPS and AFM.

In this study, we analyzed adsorption and binding behaviors of citrate-capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on a pyridyl-terminated surface using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Adsorption of the AgNPs onto the pyridyl-terminated silicon wafer surface was completed through pH-controlled sol immersion. The adsorption occurred predominantly at a pH less than the pK(b) value of the pyridyl group and more than the pK(a1) of citric acid, indicating that the driving force behind adsorption was electrostatic interaction.

Genomic characterization of a novel human adenovirus type 31 recombinant in the hexon gene.

A novel human recombinant adenovirus of species A (HAdV-A31 MZ) was isolated from a patient with acute gastroenteritis in Japan. The complete genome of HAdV-A31 strain MZ contains 33 776 bp. Analysis of the hexon gene of HAdV-A31 MZ indicated that its hexon sequence is the result of a genetic recombination between those of HAdV-A31 and a close relative to HAdV-A12.

Viral molecular characterization of the first congenital rubella syndrome case in Vietnam.

Background: Rubella virus (RV) infection during the first trimester of pregnancy often leads to severe birth defects known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).

Methods: A premature newborn male was clinically diagnosed as CRS with cataracts, congenital heart defects, microcephaly, hepatosplenomegaly, and thrombocytopenia. The infection was confirmed serologically and molecularly.

Seroprevalence of rubella and measles antibodies in Lao PDR.

Background: Nowadays, measles and rubella epidemics still occur worldwide, particularly in developing countries.

Methods: The present study investigated seroprevalence of rubella and measles IgG antibodies by using a comercial enzyme immunoassay. The findings helped to understand the current status of these infections in school children in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR.

Detection and genetic characterization of norovirus infections in children with acute gastroenteritis in Japan, 2007-2009.

Background: Noroviruses are a major cause of epidemic gastroenteritis in children and adults. The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology of norovirus gastroenteritis in Japan.

Methods: A total of 954 fecal specimens collected from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis from five different regions (Tokyo, Sapporo, Saga, Osaka, and Maizuru) of Japan during 2007-2009 were identified by multiple RT-PCR and semi-nested PCR.

Genetic diversity and emergence of norovirus GII/4-2006b in Japan during 2006-2007.

Background: Noroviruses (NoV) are important causes of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children. This study investigated the prevalence of NoV infections in infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Japan from July 2006 to June 2007.

Methods: A total of 628 fecal specimens were collected from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in five different places (Maizuru, Tokyo, Sapporo, Saga and Osaka), Japan during the period of July 2006 to June 2007.

Novel recombinant sapovirus in Bangladesh.

Background: Recombination of RNA viruses plays an important part in molecular epidemiological study, virus evolution, vaccine design, and viral control programs. Sapovirus, a member of the family Caliciviridae, is one of the major causative agents of viral gastroenteritis affecting all age groups.

Methods: Sapovirus capsid and polymerase regions were amplified by PCR using specific primers.

Seasonal pattern and genotype distribution of sapovirus infection in Japan, 2003-2009.

Sapovirus, a member of the family Caliciviridae, is one of the major causative agents of viral gastroenteritis affecting all age groups. A total of 3232 faecal specimens collected from infants and children with gastroenteritis in five different regions of Japan during 2003-2009 were examined for sapovirus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Sapoviruses were detected in 131 (4·05%) patients with the peak observed mainly in the cold season (November-March) in Japan during 2003-2009.

A single-tube multiplex PCR for rapid detection in feces of 10 viruses causing diarrhea.

A novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay was developed to identify 10 viruses in a single tube. The assay was targeted to detect group A and C rotaviruses, adenovirus, norovirus GI, norovirus GII, sapovirus, astrovirus, Aichi virus, parechovirus, and enterovirus. A total of 235 stool samples were collected from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Kyoto, Japan, from 2008 to 2009, then tested by this novel multiplex PCR and compared with a multiplex PCR described previously, which used 3 primer sets.

Detection of human parechovirus in stool samples collected from children with acute gastroenteritis in Japan during 2007-2008.

Of 477 stool specimens, which had been screened for rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus, sapovirus and astrovirus, collected from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in pediatric clinics encompassing five localities (Sapporo, Tokyo, Maizuru, Osaka, and Saga) in Japan from July 2007 to June 2008, 247 negative samples (51.7%) were subjected to screening for human parechovirus. Human parechovirus (HPeV) was detected by RT-PCR using a primer pair to amplify 5'UTR region of its genome and was genotyped by sequencing of the VP1 gene.

Human bocavirus infection in children with acute gastroenteritis in Japan and Thailand.

A total of 329 fecal specimens, which had been known to be negative for rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus, and which were collected from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Japan and Thailand during 2005-2008 were screened for human bocavirus (HBoV). HBoV was detected by PCR with a primer pair that amplified the NP1 region of its genome and was genotyped by sequencing of the VP1/VP2 region. Of the 329 samples tested, 6 (1.