Fabrication of engineered tubular tissue for small blood vessels via three-dimensional cellular assembly and organization ex vivo.

Although there is a great need for suitable vascular replacements in clinical practice, much progress needs to be made toward the development of a fully functional tissue-engineered construct. We propose a fabrication method of engineered tubular tissue for small blood vessels via a layer-by-layer cellular assembly technique using mouse smooth muscle cells, the construction of a poly-(l-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) scaffold, and integration in a microfluidic perfusion culture system. The cylindrical PLCL scaffold is incised, expanded, and its surface is laminated with the cell layers.

Development of new method to enrich human iPSC-derived renal progenitors using cell surface markers.

Cell therapy using renal progenitors differentiated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) or induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has the potential to significantly reduce the number of patients receiving dialysis therapy. However, the differentiation cultures may contain undifferentiated or undesired cell types that cause unwanted side effects, such as neoplastic formation, when transplanted into a body. Moreover, the hESCs/iPSCs are often genetically modified in order to isolate the derived renal progenitors, hampering clinical applications.

The epidemiology and risk factor of carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae colonization and infections: Case control study in a single institute in Japan.

Introduction: While the emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) carriage and infections are serious threats to public health worldwide, its prevalence and epidemiology are still unknown.

Methods And Patients: For the purpose of examining the prevalence, patients' background and risk factors for CRE carriage and infections, we conducted this case-control study. We retrospectively reviewed all patients isolating CRE at Aichi Medical University hospital from January 2010 until March 2017.

The Prophylactic Effect of Anti-influenza Agents for an Influenza Outbreak in a University Hospital.

Objective From November 24 to December 9, 2013, an outbreak of the influenza (flu) A (H3) virus occurred in a tertiary-care university hospital (1,014 beds). We herein report the prophylactic effect of anti-flu agents for controlling the flu outbreak. Methods We administered pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis with anti-flu agents in flu outbreak.

Use of CK-548 and CK-869 as Arp2/3 complex inhibitors directly suppresses microtubule assembly both in vitro and in vivo.

Two types of Arp2/3 complex inhibitors, CK-666/636 and CK-548/869, are commonly used to study Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin assembly both in vitro and in vivo. However, we found that CK-548 and CK-869 directly suppress microtubule (MT) assembly independent of the actin cytoskeleton. Treatment of cultured mammalian cells with 50 μM CK-869 dramatically decreased MT networks and, instead, accumulated tubulin at the cell periphery, as did nocodazole that inhibits MT assembly.

Neisseria cinerea with High Ceftriaxone MIC Is a Source of Ceftriaxone and Cefixime Resistance-Mediating Sequences in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Mosaic alleles have caused most of the cephalosporin resistance in , but their evolution is mostly unknown. The gene from strain AM1601 (ceftriaxone MIC, 1.0 μg/ml) caused ceftriaxone resistance (MIC, 1 μg/ml) in a ceftriaxone-susceptible gonococcal strain.

Actin assembly mediated by a nucleation promoting factor WASH is involved in MTOC-TMA formation during Xenopus oocyte maturation.

During Xenopus oocyte maturation, the microtubule organizing center and transient microtubule array (MTOC-TMA) forms at the vegetal side of the nucleus and we have previously demonstrated that this formation requires actin reorganization. However, the molecular mechanism that coordinates actin filaments with microtubules (MTs) during oocyte maturation is unknown. Here we show that the actin nucleation promoting factor WASH is involved in MTOC-TMA assembly.

Could qSOFA and SOFA score be correctly estimating the severity of healthcare-associated pneumonia?

The Japanese Respiratory Society newly updated the prognostic guidelines for pneumonia in 2017. Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score are used to evaluate the severity of pneumonia and to select the therapy for pneumonia. This is a retrospective study at Aichi Medical University hospital from January to December of 2016 to investigate the accuracy and usefulness of qSOFA and SOFA score in evaluating the severity and prognosis of healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP).

Frequency of Treponema pallidum invasion into cerebrospinal fluid in primary or secondary early-stage syphilis.

Frequency of Treponema pallidum invasion into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has not been clear at this present. Since it is impossible to culture T. pallidum in vitro at this present, we need molecular based-approach to detect it in CSF.

Effect of dibutyltin on placental and fetal toxicity in rat.

In order to elucidate the effect of chorioallantoic and yolk sac placenta on the embryonic/fetal toxicity in dibutyltin dichloride (DBTCl)-exposed rats, we examined the histopathological changes and the tissue distribution of dibutyltin in the placentas and embryos. DBTCl was orally administered to the groups at doses of 0 mg/kg during gestation days (GD)s 7-9 (control group) and 20 mg/kg during GDs 7-9 (GD7-9 treated group), and GDs 10-12 (GD10-12 treated group). The total fetal mortality was increased, and malformations characterized by craniofacial dysmorphism were detected in the GD7-9 treated group.

Considerations about the Use of a Loading Dose of Daptomycin in a Neutropenic Murine Thigh Infection Model with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection.

Previous clinical studies have showed the clinical benefits of the initiation of treatment with a daptomycin (DAP) loading dose, but only a few studies have evaluated its antimicrobial benefits. We evaluated the efficacy of a DAP loading dose against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in a neutropenic murine thigh infection model. Three MRSA isolates (DAP MIC: 0.

Identification of claudin-4 binder that attenuates tight junction barrier function by TR-FRET-based screening assay.

Claudins are key functional and structural components of tight junctions (TJs) in epithelial cell sheets. The C-terminal fragment of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (C-CPE) binds to claudin-4 and reversibly modulates intestinal TJ seals, thereby enhancing paracellular transport of solutes. However, the use of C-CPE as an absorption enhancer is limited by the molecule's immunogenicity and manufacturing cost.

Association of the exoU genotype with a multidrug non-susceptible phenotype and mRNA expressions of resistance genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The increased prevalence of the virulence factor exoU + genotype among multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been previously reported. However, the genes that are related to the multidrug resistance of the exoU + genotype strain have not been analyzed and remain to be elucidated. The objective of this study was to analyze the correlations between virulence factors and resistance genes.

Impact of mucosal barrier injury laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection (MBI-LCBI) on central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in department of hematology at single university hospital in Japan.

Background: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are among the most serious complications especially in blood cancer patients. In January 2013, Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) introduced a new surveillance definition of mucosal barrier injury-associated laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection (MBI-LCBI). This study was to determine the impact of MBI-LCBI on CLABSIs and compare the clinical characteristics of MBI versus non-MBI-LCBI cases.

Detection of bacterial DNA by in situ hybridization in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.

Background: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is often difficult to diagnose because bacteria in ascites cannot be detected accurately by conventional culture. In situ hybridization (ISH) was previously developed for rapid detection of genes from bacteria phagocytized by neutrophils. SBP may develop after bacteria enter into the systemic circulation following bacterial translocation.

High glucose-mediated overexpression of ICAM-1 in human vaginal epithelial cells increases adhesion of Candida albicans.

To investigate the involvement of ICAM-1 in the adhesion of Candida to the genitourinary epithelial cells in high glucose, we examined the adhesion of Candida albicans or Candida glabrata to human vaginal epithelial cells (VK2/E6E7) or human vulvovaginal epidermal cells (A431). These cells were cultured in 100, 500 or 3000 mg/dL glucose for three days and inoculated with Candida for 60 minutes. Followed by, adhering of Candida to the cells, which were counted.

Proposed Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Breakpoint of Garenoxacin and Other Quinolones.

The pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) breakpoints (BPs) of garenoxacin (GRNX) and other oral quinolones were calculated using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) based on the distribution of changes in their plasma concentrations. PK-PD BPs of 400 mg once a day (QD) of GRNX for the free area under the curve/minimum inhibitory concentration (fAUC/MIC) for 30 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae and 100 strains of gram-negative bacteria (G [－]) were 0.5 and 0.

Cerebral Syphilitic Gumma Can Arise Within Months of Reinfection: A Case of Histologically Proven Treponema pallidum Strain Type 14b/f Infection With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Positivity.

A 44-year-old man with human immunodeficiency virus positivity developed cerebral gumma 6 months after appropriate therapy for secondary syphilis. It was surgically resected and histologically, Treponema pallidum (14b/f, a relatively rare strain type) was proven. A complete set of modern techniques was performed to depict rare complication of this classic disease.

Markers for Guillain-Barré syndrome with poor prognosis: a multi-center study.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute monophasic neuropathy. Prognostic tools include the modified Erasmus GBS outcome score (mEGOS), Erasmus GBS respiratory insufficiency score (EGRIS), and the increase in serum IgG levels (ΔIgG) 2 weeks after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment. Given that proportions of GBS subtypes differ between Western countries and Japan, the usefulness of these tools in Japan or other countries remains unknown.

[Confirming the Utility of RAISUS Antifungal Susceptibility Testing by New-Software].

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) methods for susceptibility tests of yeast are used in Japan. On the other hand, the methods have some disadvantage; 1) reading at 24 and 48 h, 2) using unclear scale, approximately 50% inhibition, to determine MICs, 3) calculating trailing growth and paradoxical effects. These makes it difficult to test the susuceptibility for yeasts.

Secondary organizing pneumonia following viral pneumonia caused by severe influenza B: a case report and literature reviews.

Background: Some reported that organizing pneumonia (OP) may occur after influenza A infections including swine-origin influenza A (H1N1). However, OP associated with influenza B infection has never been reported. We report the first case of secondary OP associated with viral pneumonia caused by influenza B.

Psychotherapy Training on Psychological Mindedness in a Japanese Nurse Population: Effects and Personality Correlates.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the training would influence the psychological mindedness of nurses and midwives. In addition, we explored the relationship of the change of psychological mindedness before and after the training and the correlation with their personality traits. It is important for perinatal health professionals such as nurses and midwives to acquire intervention skills such as psychotherapy and counselling techniques.

Adverse events of prophylactic anti-influenza agents in medical staffs.

Background: We undertook a survey to evaluate the compliance and the tolerability of oseltamivir and zanamivir when they were used as post-exposure prophylaxis among the medical staffs in the 2014-2015 seasons to understand a characteristic of adverse events caused by anti-influenza (flu) agents.

Materials And Methods: During the study period, 540 medical staffs received oseltamivir (75 mg twice a day for 5 days) or zanamivir (twice a day for 5 days) as post-exposure prophylaxis of influenza, respectively.

Results: Four hundred eleven medical staffs of 540 medical staffs (76.